More Than Conquerors
When I started this blog I promised myself that I would not do “LONG ENTRIES” However, I may occasionally do a request that may take a bit more time. This one is for those who may be “singing the blues” and need a new song.
My favorite book in the Bible is Romans and my favorite chapter is chapter 8. Romans chapter 8 is Paul’s mountaintop affirmation, starting with no condemnation in verse 1 and ending with no separation in verse 39 while in-between, “All things work together for good to them that love the LORD and are called according to His purpose” in verse 28. Remember, the path to the mountaintop of chapter 8 led Paul through the valley of chapter 7. I love mountaintop living but most real life is not lived there. Paul expressed his frustrations with living life in chapter 7 with all of its doubts and struggles only to emerge from the valley ready to encourage the Romans with a word of affirmation.
Speaking of the Romans… Paul’s greatest desire was to go to Rome so that he may be able to be a spiritual influence to them in their struggles. Most Christians of the first century were not packing for Rome. Christians in Rome were being persecuted, tortured, yes and even dipped in tar and burned on stakes around the emperor’s garden to keep the frost away on cold nights. Even the coliseum in Rome is a monument to tortured Christians for the sake of entertainment. All of this pressure caused the first century Christians to start “singing the blues”. They took out their hymn book (we call it the book of Psalms) and turned to Psalm 44:22 and got stuck there.Ps 44:22
22 Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter. (KJV)
So… after walking through the valley of doubt, discouragement and near defeat, Paul emerged on the other side of Romans 7 with a new song for the Romans in chapter 8. He corrects them in verses 35-39 and replaces their song of defeat with a song of victory.
Before he gives them a new song he gives them the reasons that we can have victory in the midst of crisis.
We have a Savior who stands on our side.
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
We have a Savior who supplies our every need.
32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
We have a Savior who shields us from accusation.
33 Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.
We have a Savior who speaks on our behalf.
34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
We have a Savior who sustains us with his love.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
He quotes their sad song …
36 As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."
He gives them a song of victory….
37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,
39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
In verse 37 Paul uses the phrase “more than conquerors” this phrase comes from two Greek words, “huper” and “niko” which literally means Hyper Conqueror or completely victorious.
So when in Rome… don’t always do as the Romans. Try to sing a new song.
I walked a mile with pleasure
She chattered all the way
She left me none the wiser
For what she had to say
I walked a mile with sorrow
Not a word said she
Oh, the things I learned from her
When sorrow walked with me
When you get back to the mountaintop you can sing about what you learned in the valley.
