Andrew Meloche, Communication Director

“For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.”

1 John 5:4

Have you ever taken a spiritual gifts test? I’ve taken a few over the years, usually as part of a class. Every time, faith consistently tops my list. At first, I struggled to understand what that really meant. Isn’t faith something every Christian has? Isn’t faith the very foundation of our relationship with God? How could it be uniquely powerful enough to qualify as a spiritual gift?

In today’s verse, 1 John 5:4, we find the answer: “This is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” Faith isn’t about what we do; it’s about trusting and believing in the God who has already overcome. It’s not about our strength, but about resting in His.

Faith, at its core, is beautifully simple: it’s believing that God is who He says He is and that He will do what He says He will do. And that belief—our trust in Him—is what gives us victory.

This is what makes faith a gift. It’s the ability to release control, to stop relying on ourselves, and to place all our hope in Him. And while that sounds simple, anyone who has walked this road knows: it’s not always easy. But it’s always worth it.

Advent invites us to reflect on this overcoming faith — a faith that sustains, strengthens, and sees beyond the challenges of this world.

Faith is not passive; it is an active trust anchored in God’s promises. During Advent, we look back at the birth of Christ, the fulfillment of God’s promise, and we look ahead to His return. This dual hope reminds us that faith is the lens through which we see the ultimate victory in Christ. It transforms our waiting into joyful anticipation and our struggles into opportunities to trust more deeply.

The world offers fading victories, but the faith born of God offers lasting triumph. In Christ, we are more than conquerors, walking in the victory of His birth, life, and resurrection. This Advent, may we lean into the faith that overcomes and live as people of unwavering hope.