A few years after the number one movie, War Room, the Kendrick Brothers returned to the big screen with another! The movie Overcomer is about finding your identity in Christ and its powerful influence on our daily lives.
The first thing that comes to mind when asked about who you are is likely your profession. This is how culture has subconsciously trained you to think as a result.
Imagine if your profession was taken away from you today and everything else you hold dear. How would you respond to that situation? Hopefully you wouldn’t be devastated though it would be natural to be disappointed by the setback.
Some people in that position take their own lives because they have put their value in things. They lose their jobs, homes, cars, etc. and feel that’s the end of their life and choose to end it themselves.
It’s worse in younger people who put their value on how many people like them on social media. It’s a sad reality but true.
What the movie Overcomer does is remind you that your identity is not in what the world says about you. Your identity is found and hidden in Jesus Christ and that alone is enough. He has a great plan for your life.
Plot
The movie has a great cast including some newcomers that did a phenomenal job on set. Alex Kendrick, Priscilla Shirer and Ben Davies are some of the actors from previous Kendrick Brothers films. The newcomers in this film include Shari Rigby, Cameron Arnett, Aryn Wright-Thompson and Denise Armstrong.
Alex Kendrick plays the role of John Harrison, a high school basketball coach and history teacher at Brookshire Christian Academy. His wife Amy Harrison (Shari Rigby) also teaches at the school whose principal is Olivia Brooks played by Priscilla Shirer.
Hannah Scott (Aryn Wright-Thompson) is recently enrolled into the school and lives with her grandmother Barbara Scott who works three jobs. As the movie begins it may seem a little hard to follow but it was done that way for a purpose. All the characters are dealing with different things in their lives and hoping for a better future.
John Harrison whose team has just missed out on a championship is looking forward to a winning season the following year. Most of his top players will be coming back while those of their biggest rivals will be leaving.
Barbara Scott works hard and hopes that Hannah gets serious about her life after she was thrown out of her previous schools. Hannah herself grew up not knowing any of her parents whom she was told were both dead. She feels unloved and that her life is meaningless.
Struggling with meaning
Life changes all of a sudden when one of the town’s biggest manufacturing plants closes down. For John Harrison it means most of his players’ parents are leaving along with the hopes of a championship season. For Olivia Brooks it’s a challenge of keeping the school alive as the school loses more students.
The school is forced to cut staff salaries, rearrange roles which includes appointing John Harrison the cross-country coach. This is in addition to all the other responsibilities he has already. What’s worse he doesn’t like running and feels like it’s a waste of time and not a real sport.
Even funnier is that only one person signs up for the sport and is forced to coach her. That person turns out to be Hannah Scott who’s having her own troubles and turns out to be asthmatic. As a result of his frustrations it hurts his marriage even though he loves his wife dearly.
John also gets concerned he may not be able to take his son through to college without a scholarship. It’s a tough place for him to be. Hannah on the other hand feels like running is the only thing she’s good at though her life is a mess. Olivia Brooks does her best to encourage her as well having known her mother years earlier.
Finding identity in Christ
Sometimes things happen unexpectedly yet they turn out to be the turning point in our lives. On a hospital visit that he was volunteered by his wife, John has a chance meeting with a random patient. Thomas Hill (Cameron Arnett) is bed ridden with diabetes which has taken his eye-sight and he develops a relationship with John.
In casual conversation John shares about the struggles he’s been facing since the towns plant shut down. It also turns out that Thomas was a cross country runner in his younger years; John then sees it as an opportunity to get some coaching tips from Thomas since he’s new to the sport.
When virtually all of John’s basketball players have left town he expresses his frustration to Thomas on his next visit. Thomas who himself had a difficult past challenges John about his faith after his meltdown. He narrates to John how he had to experience certain things to realize that his real value lay in Jesus.
John then realizes that he has put his faith in all the wrong things but appreciates the wakeup call. At this point John has worked with Hannah for some time and knows her background. As Thomas opens up to John about his own dark past he makes a shocking discovery about Thomas’ life.
A glorious ending
The same challenge Thomas posed to John about his identity is the same one he poses to Hannah. After all that was taken away from John he finally realizes what God requires of him to do. The assignment turns out to be far greater and would be more fulfilling than having a championship season.
John gets his life in order and works with purpose as he helps Hannah become a better runner. He has a chance to help her win the state championship but more importantly to fulfil a heavenly mission. At the same time he works on a plan to help Thomas reconcile with his past knowing his regrets. Olivia has a heart to heart moment with Hannah whom she eventually leads to the Lord.
It’s a storyline that you wouldn’t predict and will have you in tears at certain points mainly towards the end. This is a story of finding your identity in Christ, redemption, hope and the love that God has for his children.
It’s amazing how you can relate to each of the characters on one level or another. When you find your identity in Christ it will change your whole perspective about life.
Overcomer is one of those movies that you’ll want to watch over and over again. Be sure to take your family and anyone you know. It’s a great evangelism tool to reach out to the lost.
The main learning point for me was that my value is not based on the things I have.
I heard about Overcomer a few months before it was released in theatres and learned that it was about identity. More specifically, identity in Christ and I watched the movie trailer and the background behind why they produced it. By this point, I knew that going to any Kendrick brothers movie was a great ministry opportunity. My life had been changed after watching the likes of War Room, Fireproof and Facing the Giants.
When it finally came out, my wife and I went to watch it together pretty excited about it. I went into it as if I was attending a church service with a lot of anticipation for ministry. It was the first movie they had filmed using high-quality equipment, the type used in Avengers. The video quality made it more special and likely to perform as well as War Room did when it came out.
Anyway, as we followed the storyline we laughed, came across surprises and cried along the way. The storyline was so touching for me and I could relate my life to most of the characters. I thought about how I often determined my worth based on money and other accomplishments. The love between Thomas and Hannah was something I wished I could have in my life as well.
Towards the end of the movie, I was shedding tears as it came to a climax. Going through all those emotions got overwhelming, and almost cathartic. At the end of it, I felt an overwhelming sense of the love of God and left the movie theatre a different person. This is what I meant when I said watching these movies is often more of a ministry than anything else.
That same year was my 20th anniversary of being a believer in Jesus Christ and it felt special learning about identity. The movie reminded me about my identity in Christ and from that point onwards I sought to study the topic more. The great thing about the Kendrick brothers movies is that they come with follow-up study resources. This movie came with a book titled Defined: Who God Says You Are.
The material is based on God’s word so I studied it and became more secure about who I am in Christ. The main learning point for me was that my value is not based on the things I have. If God took away everything valuable to me, would I still know who I am? That question was a powerful one even in the movie and it’s stuck with me since.
The song Enough by Koryn Hawthorne which came with the movie emphasized the point. I decided to get the Overcomer novel as well to get additional insights into the characters not shown on the big screen. It gave me a more holistic view of the thoughts and emotions they would go through in their different journeys. This included some parts that weren’t part of the movie.
I went through the novel a couple of times which I bought as an audio book. It sounded more lively listening to it rather than the written version. I still read books nonetheless which is a good habit anyway. Sharing with others what I learned helped me to retain a lot more wisdom. The overall message was inspiring and for a time I thought about one day getting involved in one of their films.
The main passages of scripture this movie is based upon are Ephesians 1 and 2 in the New Testament. You’ll find that the affirmations Hannah said were based on what those 2 chapters tell us about our identity. Just as the producers spent time meditating on those scriptures, I did the same to make the lessons sink in. The Apostle Paul highlights the different aspects of being a child of God in those passages.
If God took away everything valuable to me, would I still know who I am?
Understanding that I am blessed with every spiritual blessing speaks volumes as it’s not based on what I’ve done. Just by being a believer, I can access everything I need from God to fulfil my earthly mandate. That’s something worth knowing for every believer. Understanding that God chose and predestined me assures me that I have a future.
Knowing that my sins are forgiven- past, present and future sins makes me feel secure in Him. Having sins held against you by men leaves you feeling trapped making it difficult to move forward with freedom. When God forgives us, He doesn’t bring up those shortcomings again. He loves us so much he forgives us when we acknowledge our sins and repent of our behavior.
That God prepared good works for me before I was born to walk in is incredible. It makes me realize that He has a plan for me already. My job is to discover what that plan is by seeking Him by searching the scriptures and through prayer. You don’t have to believe the enemy’s lies that you’re destined for failure, particularly in your low moments. I don’t know about you but I believe that’s something amazing.
I also watched many interviews featuring the various actors elaborating more about identity in Christ, before and after the movie was released. Alex and Stephen Kendrick are passionate about every movie project they do and this one wasn’t any different. I get sold on everything they do because of their sincere belief in having an impact on people’s lives. They often highlight how God tests them on the things they share on the big screen.
One of the lead actors who played Hannah shared wonderful perspectives relatable to young people today. In an age where young people determine their worth by how big their social media followings, her perspective was refreshing. Her faith in God and perspective on His word demonstrated how mature she is as a believer. I enjoyed listening to her interviews and learning how the movie applied to her life.
Cameron Arnett who played Thomas Hill came across as a mature and wise believer who embodied the message of the movie. I learned about how he turned down Hollywood so he could honor God by not compromising his values. God was faithful by reviving his career after many years out. I loved how the person he played on the screen and who he is in real life were the same.
Priscilla Shirer featured in many interviews as well and was instrumental in developing some of the follow-up resources. I like how she openly expresses her love for God and His word in everything she does with her life. Priscilla on screen and in real life are the same person which demonstrates that her faith is real. All these interviews added value to my life by learning from their perspectives.
Understanding that I am blessed with every spiritual blessing speaks volumes as it’s not based on what I’ve done.
I’ve since learned to embody the lessons learned from the movie and they’ve come in handy on various occasions. I was able to go through seasons of lack with confidence knowing that God supplies all my needs. Some doors were intentionally kept closed to demonstrate to me that He ultimately is my provider. I experienced this multiple times when different people provided for needs I didn’t tell them about.
When it came to my job, I tended to measure my value based only on the results I delivered. This meant that my value fluctuated all the time without being aware of it. As a child of God, the most important thing I can do my best and the results will take care of themselves. Many external factors come into play so measuring yourself by things not in control can be damaging to your self-esteem.
The biggest test came when my marriage resulted in separation following challenges that we encountered. It was one of the worst experiences of my life and I started to question my whole life. I lost both tangible and intangible things that I valued like family, relationships, ministry to a degree, and financial and career stability. Through that experience, I felt more loved by God than I ever have.
When I had nothing to show He let me know that He loves me for who I am. He doesn’t love me for what I can do or have done for Him. I now work towards recovering all that I lost from a place of security and not a need to perform. Feeling loved motivates me to work with all my might, not to win God’s love but out of love for Him.
Have you watched Overcomer? Let us know in the comments below:
2 Comments
Meal Park
I have to voice my passion for your kindness giving support to those people that should have guidance on this important matter.
Sija Mafu
Thank you 🙂