Good Friday Reflection 2026: Focusing on the Power of Overcoming
This Good Friday, I found myself reflecting deeply on the power of overcoming. My thoughts were sparked by a documentary, where a woman shared that in one of her encounters, she felt what she believed was the Spirit in the room. That statement stayed with me, and I began to question and reflect.
Through self-discussion, I came to a personal conclusion:
The Holy Spirit is not confused. He is consistent. He does not move differently for different people—He moves according to the nature of God.
This led me to reflect on two key biblical moments.
First, the story of the woman caught in adultery. The men who brought her to Jesus were not simply seeking justice—they were testing authority. They could have judged her themselves, but instead they brought her to Jesus to challenge Him.
"Let him who is without sin cast the first stone."
In that moment, He shifted the focus from accusation to self-reflection. That is the power of the Spirit—bringing awareness, not confusion.
They wanted to force Him into a position where He either contradicts the law or contradicts God. But Jesus did neither. Instead, He responded with wisdom and stillness. He did not argue. He did not react emotionally. He revealed their inner thoughts:
Then I reflected on Pilate.
Unlike Jesus, Pilate tried to please both the people and the law.
Pilate knew Jesus was innocent. His wife even warned him after a troubling dream. Yet Pilate’s environment was filled with noise—crowds shouting, political pressure, fear of unrest, fear of losing authority. Unlike Jesus, Pilate lacked the stillness needed to hear truth clearly.
This highlights something essential: noise impairs discernment. When fear, pressure, and public opinion dominate, even truth becomes difficult to act upon.
Leadership without inner clarity and mastery leads to compromise.
I say this because Pilate knew the law. In the context of Good Friday, that law made it clear that innocent blood should not be condemned. Pilate could find no legitimate charge against Jesus, yet he was forced to think swiftly. His choices were limited: protect himself or uphold justice.
I emphasise the law here because the Jewish leaders who brought Jesus to Pilate repeatedly appealed to it—“according to our law,” “according to our tradition.” They did this knowingly. They understood that Pilate, as a Roman governor, would feel compelled to respond to legal pressure, even if it conflicted with his own judgement. This was a deliberate tactic.
What I find interesting is that, just as they did not stone the woman caught in adultery themselves but instead brought her to Jesus, they did the same with Pilate. Although Pilate had the authority to carry out executions, it is notable that he was not the one who sentenced the other two criminals who were crucified alongside Jesus. This suggests that the religious leaders could have acted on their own. Even Jesus questioned this—why all the drama?
They had already taken Jesus to religious authorities who were more familiar with Jewish law and more aligned with their views, yet even then Jesus was not condemned. Instead, responsibility was passed on to Pilate. This reveals something about human nature: they knew what they wanted to do, but they did not want to be held accountable for it.
I acknowledge that, according to Scripture, these events had to be fulfilled. However, I am intentionally reflecting on this first through human observation before returning to the text. From this perspective, I see how crucial it is to understand how the Spirit speaks and how to respond wisely.
Jesus remained quiet while accusations were made, gathering Himself inwardly to make a sound judgement. Pilate, on the other hand, was surrounded by noise—crowds, pressure, and fear. That noise may not have even allowed him to hear himself clearly, let alone discern the voice of the Spirit. From what we can gather, Pilate did not have faith, though his wife’s warning through a troubling dream clearly pointed to Jesus’ innocence.
Without faith, Pilate could only act based on what he knew: political survival and pleasing the people. Scripture also tells us that failing to satisfy the crowd could have led to a riot, threatening both public order and his position as governor. Anyone who has held leadership responsibility understands this tension—sometimes peacekeeping is prioritised over conviction simply to keep things moving.
He knew Jesus was innocent, yet he still handed Him over. Why? Pressure. Fear. The noise of the crowd.
Pilate represents what happens one doesn’t have the Holy Sprit in them and leading them, when we cannot silence external voices. The crowd was loud, and in that noise, there was no room for discernment.
Jesus, on the other hand, showed us a different way:
· He listened
· He stayed grounded
· He responded with clarity
· He acted with compassion and authority
This contrast taught me something important:
To overcome, you must learn to silence the noise to seek for spiritual guidance and understanding.
When faced with difficult situations, such as Jesus with the accused woman, it's important to let people make their own choices before stepping in. From my faith experience, the Holy Spirit never forces actions but offers guidance and support, allowing us to decide for ourselves. By removing distractions and letting individuals process decisions, like Jesus did, we create space for meaningful guidance and understanding to occur. By letting distractions fade and providing a calm environment, Jesus was able to communicate effectively with the woman, ensuring his message reached her without interference from the crowd.
Overcoming is not about arguing, proving a point, or reacting. It is about mastering yourself in the situation.
But this mastery is not done by human strength alone—it is supported by the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit equips us with:
- Wisdom – to respond rightly, not react emotionally
- Understanding – to see beyond the surface of situations
- Counsel – to make sound decisions in difficult moments
- Fortitude – the strength to stand firm under pressure
- Knowledge – awareness of truth and self
- Piety – alignment of the heart with God
- Fear of the Lord – reverence that keeps us grounded
From this reflection, I identified key principles of overcoming:
1. Silence the noise
Noise—whether external opinions or internal fear—can push you into decisions you don’t truly want. Like Pilate, you may act just to keep peace, not because it is right.
2. Speak with intention
If you want to be heard, you must be deliberate with your words. Overcoming is not about talking more—it is about speaking wisely.
3. Do not argue with what you are overcoming
Whether it is temptation, fear, or pressure—arguing with it keeps you stuck in it. Overcoming requires strategy, not reaction.
4. Create space for true impact
Not everything needs to be addressed publicly. Sometimes transformation happens best in private, where distractions are removed and understanding can take place.
I was reminded of this through a film I watched, called Dorothy my Love where a mother out respect corrected her daughter privately instead of publicly after having disrespecting her driver and stealing money from her mother to pay a school mate school fees whose parent could not afford it. This approach created space for understanding instead of shame.
That is how the Spirit often works—not through force, but through quiet conviction. He respects our will and wishes, whilst counselling and guiding us. The Holy Spirit does not always accuse loudly. More often, He brings awareness within. He makes you conscious of what you are doing and gently redirects you. Where he corrects us publicly, he often uses others, who may rebuke you or speak into consciousness that wrong you are doing - also the right thing.
However, we must choose to listen.
Overcoming, then, is not a one-time victory—it is a strategic process of mastery, empowered by the Spirit.
It is:
· Recognising your triggers
· Understanding your patterns
· Developing control in those moments
For example, if something draws you in—like a habit or temptation—the first step is awareness. The next is learning to be in its presence without being controlled by it. That is mastery.
Jesus demonstrated this perfectly.
Before the cross, He had already overcome. He knew what was coming, and because of that, nothing shook Him—not the accusations, not the crowd, not the suffering.
Even on the cross, He said:
"Father, forgive them."
That is the ultimate example of overcoming—not reacting, not retaliating, but rising above.
In my own life, I experienced this during a period of anxiety. At first, I was overwhelmed—I didn’t understand what was happening. But as I gained understanding, everything changed.
I became calmer.
· More aware.
· More in control.
That is when I began to overcome.
Because understanding brings clarity, and clarity creates power—and this is where the Holy Spirit ministers most, guiding, strengthening, and sustaining us.
So, this Good Friday, I reflect not just on sacrifice—but on overcoming.
Overcoming is:
· Persistent
· Intentional
· Spirit-led
· Strengthened by wisdom, understanding, courage and fortitude
It is not about never facing challenges—it is about not being controlled by them.
Victory may be a moment.
But overcoming is a lifestyle. The raisin is because trial and tribulation does end and you manage it strategically and sequentially. This form of view of overcoming align with the dictionary definition that to overcome means:
“to get the better of in a struggle or conflict; conquer; defeat: to overcome the end”
So I leave you with this:
1. What does overcoming look like in your life?
2. Where have you already overcome?
3. And where are you still learning to master yourself?
Please leave your comments below and will be sure to read and respond where necessary.
Until next blog
With love of Christ in this lent season of 2026.
Talkinsen - talking sense into spiritual life of victory in Christ Jesus through the power of overcoming .
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