“Just Do It” is the slogan of a large sports shoe company. You’ve heard of Nike, I’m sure. What you may not know is the significance of the name “Nike.” Nike is from the Greek language and it’s found in the Bible in some very important passages of Scripture. One of the most important verses where this word is used is Revelation 17:14: “These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful.” The word “overcome” is the Greek word nike.

In the noun form, nike means “victory.” The verb form is, of course, “to overcome.” What the apostle John writes in Revelation 17:14 is that Rome and her allies (the great harlot, Babylon the great, and the kings who were allied with her) would make war against the Lamb. The Lamb is Jesus Christ. First century Christians were being persecuted by Rome. Many were dying. In fact, Jesus had told them to be faithful until death and He would give them a crown of life (Revelation 2:10). The reason Revelation 17:14 is so important is because this is God’s word of encouragement to those who were suffering, that He (and they) would win. The powerful enemies of God would wage war, but they would lose. And the reason they would lose is because they are fighting the King of kings and Lord of lords.

Well, what does that have to do with us? It seemed a good idea, in the face of the trials that afflict us so often, that we take a moment, look around at our lives, at what is necessary to survive; that we take a deep breath and…”just do it.” Let’s take a lesson from what the shoe company tries to suggest, but more importantly what the holy Scriptures say, and just do it. Listen to some of the places where this work nike is used. “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21). What a simple and direct command! There is nothing to debate or consider…just do it!

How about this one: “You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). This one isn’t a command, but a simple statement of fact. Christians have overcome the spirit of the antichrists (those who deny Christ) and the reason they have overcome such opposition is because the Lamb is on our side. He’s not on the side of those who seem so often to be winning.

I know things look hopeless sometimes. Do you suppose that Christians of the late first century A.D. ever felt like things were hopeless? Would you have felt things were hopeless if the police kicked in the front door of your house tomorrow morning and took your whole family away because you are Christians? What if they just dragged them all out into the street, held swords over (or guns to) their heads and told you the choice was yours: you could deny Jesus or bury your family in the afternoon? That wouldn’t seem fair, would it? Things like this happened to our brethren almost 2,000 years ago, and Jesus told them to hold on a little longer, not until He saved their lives, but until they lost them. If they could do that, everything would be all right. If they could keep their faith in the face of the worst that the devil could throw at them, they would…nike. They would win!

Let me ask you, no, let me challenge you to ask yourself…what are you willing to suffer? Are you willing to suffer it all the way to the point of death, and beyond that point? Are you willing to die? A lot of people are not. They have to have everything just right or God isn’t being fair to them and they want out. Well, in that monumental struggle between the forces of the dragon (Satan) and the Lamb (Christ) in the book of Revelation, there are only two sides. There is no sideline where the neutral can watch and see who wins. You are either with the Lamb or you are with the dragon. For whatever it’s worth, my advice is…stick with the Lamb. He loves you and so do I.

Donnie Bates

One of the most encouraging things in my ministry (and in the ministries of most of my preacher friends) is the verbal encouragement I get from the brethren with whom I serve. That encouragement comes from statements made directly to us (my preacher friends and me) by appreciative brethren and it comes from our names and families being mentioned in public prayers.

I could not possibly know each one who reads this personally. That’s all right, though. God knows you and even if I only know you indirectly through someone else, I still want to encourage you. As I write this note, I have prayed for you. I want you to know that I do not consider this just a good writing exercise, but a truly encouraging note to help you get started in your week.

I am constantly amazed at how many times someone has been encouraged by one of these notes or in something else I said that was not planned. What I mean by that is that I may have intended to encourage someone one way, and God worked it so that someone (maybe someone else) was encouraged in a way I could never have anticipated.

In an earlier note, we spent time discussing Ephesians 4:29 and Paul’s command to speak encouraging words according to the need of the moment. All of us should take that command to heart. However, sometimes we don’t know all the needs of the moment. I’ve found that if you keep trying to bless instead of curse with your speech (Romans 12:14), you can encourage and not even know it. In those times I spoke of in the previous paragraph, the only way I know someone has been encouraged was that they told me so.

I guess what I’m trying to say is, “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned, as it were, with salt, so that you may know how you should respond to each person” (Colossians 4:6). I know you have relationships where even what would normally be considered a cutting remark, spoken in a joking manner, serves to strengthen a relationship rather than weaken it. Those kinds of relationships are good and healthy. However, even then we need to be sensitive to the need of the moment. There are times that even with my best friends, I need to weep with them and not try to make them laugh right this minute.

I want to encourage you to encourage others. Say a prayer for someone right now. Let him know you have prayed for him (or her). Tell her how much you appreciate her. That may not come naturally to you. It’s true that some people find this easier to do than others. I feel confident, though, that if you will try it, you’ll find that the initial discomfort will change to a pretty good feeling. There is very little that satisfies more than making someone smile or feel better. And it doesn’t really take any more effort to bless than to curse.

I pray that God will bless each one of you as you read this. I know He loves you and I want you to know that I love you, too!

Donnie Bates