“But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.” – {Romans 8:37}

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? 33 Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; 34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. 35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written,

“For Your sake we are being put to death all day long;
We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Life doesn’t always feel good, because it is not. Paul is bout to make a statement and in it we see a Promise from God to hold on to, believe Him and live it.

He says …

“In all these things” What “things?” He gives a list of some of the things life can throw at us and in these things not just a few of them but in “ALL these things”…”we overwhelmingly conquer …” How? In our own strength, talents, education, personality? No, that is a recipe for disaster in the spiritual realm in how to live life as God has purposed and designed and provided for you in Christ.

He lists …

Those who bring a charge against you

Those who condemn you

tribulation,

distress,

persecution,

famine,

nakedness,

peril,

sword?

  Look at the list of attacks the children of God face in this life.

  1. Charge against you – literally means a call in and spoke of a summons and was the Greek legal term meaning to accuse, call into account or bring charges against. It’s the picture of a courtroom...But the sinner is justified and the court asks who can lay a charge against but none can because God has justified! He is God for us. He is God to us! The Righteous Judge in The Highest Court has given Hid verdict towards you- Righteous! It is who you are before Him  just as Noah was safe and secure in the Ark. You too are eternally safe and secure “In CHRIST!” No charges against you from God, Jesus paid it all for you! He died for your sin so you would not die in your sin!
  2. Condemnation–  To give not only a sentence of guilty but seek the carrying out of the sentence for the crime
  3. Tribulation – To be squeezed or to feel pressure. To press. It refers to troubles without, pressures. This is the common problems all people face, John 16:33; Job 14:1.
  4. Distress – Literally “a narrow place”. It means to be hemmed in by one’s circumstances. To be trapped with no way out.” I find that the Greek word rather refers to mental grief than to anything external. The Christian suffers from external circumstances; but this is probably a less affliction than internal woe. “Straitness of place” is something like the Greek word. We sometimes get into a position in which we feel as if we could not move, and are not able to turn to the right hand or to the left: the way is shut up; we see no deliverance, and our own consciousness of feebleness and perplexity is unbearably terrible. Do you never get into this state in which your mind is distracted, you know not what to do; you cannot calm and steady yourself; you would if you could consider calmly the conflict, and then enter into it like a man with all his wits about him; but the devil and the world, outward trial and inward despondency combined, toss you to and fro like the waves of the sea, till you are, to use John Bunyan’s Saxon expression, “much tumbled up and down in your mind.” Well, now, if you are a genuine Christian, you will come out of this all right enough. You will be more than a conqueror over mental distress. You will take this burden as well as every other to your Lord, and cast it upon him; and the Holy Ghost, whose office it is to be the Comforter, will say to the troubled waves of your heart, “Be still.” Jesus shall say, as he walks the tempest of your soul, “It is I, be not afraid;” and though the outward tribulation and the inward distress meet together like two contending seas, they shall both be calmed by the power of the Lord Jesus.”- {preceptaustin}  To be in a hard place,  When it feels like the walls are closing in.
  5. Persecution – Suffering inflicted on us because of our relationship with Jesus.
  6. Famine – A lack of necessary resources. To be without food and no means to getting any. A By product of persecution.
  7. Nakedness – A lack of proper clothing. To be in a state of destitution. This is also a byproduct of persecution. To have no means to get clothing
  8. Peril – The threat of real and fast approaching and awful danger.
  9. Sword –  Speaks of The threat of murder.

He lists some tremendous difficulties, personal insults, opposition, suffering and He does not say you will be kept from them whether one or many or even all… But let them all come, know you are sufficient to conquer each one, how “Through Him!”  None of these are a match for Him through you to super conquer each and every last one! That’s His PROMISE!

None of these could separate the believer from the love of God. Indeed they often brought them closer to Him.

CONQUER

The word for “conquer” is  hupernikao from hupér = above, degree which is beyond that of a compared scale of extent = more than, to a greater degree than, beyond Nike – that would be the Greek word for “victory.”{ preceptaustin,}-

“Huper” would be abundantly victorious!

To Conquer speaks of conflict.

It means to be Victorious over an adversary. And “More Than Conquerors” means not only to be victorious but overwhelmingly victorious.  We have an adversary and we face conflict from the evil one and life’s difficulties and we face the trial, trouble, knowing we are not alone, We have Heaven’s backing, and nothing or no one can separate us from the Love of God in Christ, who has Given us His Spirit to enlighten, empower us. His Word. Through His Divine Power He has given us everything we need for life and Godliness and  “precious and magnificent promises,”to live in His strength.-{2 Peter 1:3-4}

And this is what Paul says the Christian is in life! Does it mean it is without sorrow or suffering, no but in “all thee things they are not just victors but super victorious! It is present tense, it is continuous, not just victorious, but Super Victorious continually over all that is thrown at you, all the difficulties you face!

Meyer says the idea is…

A holy arrogance of victory in the might of Christ.’

“THROUGH,” IS THE INSTRUMENT by which the believer becomes more that a super conqueror and that is not in themselves but “THROUGH” Jesus Christ, is how it is accomplished!

The word would have been familiar to Paul’s listeners. Rome were a mighty force, conquering people, land, territories far and wide. And upon return to Rome the soldiers marched and in a chariot was the victorious, conquering general. As they made their way through the street, the accolades from the people and shouts of praise for the soldiers and the conquerors chariot would be filled with flowers as people  through them into his chariot as he went through the streets of the city. He was  the Conqueror, the might warrior in battle allowing nothing or no one to stop and hinder his progression and possession!

“Pastor Ray Stedman explains more than a conqueror this way writing that…

If we barely manage to win our way to heaven by the skin of our teeth, we could be said to be a conqueror, but a “more than conqueror” is someone who takes the worst that life can throw at him and uses that to become victorious. “More than conqueror” is one who, by the grace and the gift of God, and in the strength of God within him, actually takes the very things that are designed to destroy him, and they become stepping stones instead of stumbling blocks. That is being “more than conquerors.”

“means to come off more than victorious or to gain a surpassing victory and present tense signifies continually.

It describes one who is super-victorious, who wins more than an ordinary victory, and who is overpowering in achieving abundant victory. It describes a lopsided victory in which the enemy or opponent is completely routed. This is not the language of conceit, but of confidence in Christ. Christ’s love conquered death, and because of His love, we are can be more than conquerors through Him.

Vincent says the idea is…

A victory which is more than a victory.

Meyer says the idea is…

A holy arrogance of victory in the might of Christ.

W. B. J. Martin said that…

Hate can make a man a conqueror, can fill him with furious energy, but only love can make him more-than-conqueror

Bauer affirms that the verb “hypernikao” used here is a heightened form of “conquer” and suggests the translation “We are winning a most glorious victory.” Is is also rendered “We win the supreme victory through him who loved us.”

 How do we conquer?

“Through Him…”

Our Savior, LORD, Advocate, Friend, Resurrected LORD, Sovereign King. Friend of Sinners.

Some of us believers are not very kind at times, maybe even bitter, but you will find no hypocrisy in Him. He is the Lovely One Beloved of the Father.

“The previous chapters (especially Romans 5:11-21) describe the super abounding grace through Christ. Those who overwhelmingly conquer are supremely victorious in overcoming everyone and everything that threatens their relationship to Jesus Christ. However their ability to triumph over all things does not arise from any inherent superiority on their part. Such a super abounding victory is only possible through Him. Believers triumph entirely through His power, the power of Him Who loved us so much that He gave His life for us that we might have life in Him… life abundant and overcoming.”- {preceptaustin}

Why can we trust Him in “all these things” and more we may or do face as His followers?

“…Who Loved us…” 

The evidence of His love for us. He humbled Himself and came to this world and with perfect obedience to the cross He went and took our place on the cross and died in our place that God would be satisfied with the sacrifice He demanded and the Son provided for us! He rose from the grave the evidence the Father had accepted HIS Sacrifice and when we placed our entire  trust in Him exclusively, He justified us and we were gifted peace with God and now stand in eternal favor with Him as His child- Glory!-{Read Rom 5:1-2}.He gifted the Holy Spirit to seal us, secure our eternal security.-{Eph 1:13}. The Holy Spirit resides in us as evidence we belong to God and He empowers us through guiding us into all truth- {John 16:13}. He lives within us to “help” us.  His love is personal. His love is everlasting. We are secure in His love!

Sheep to slaughter ..more than Conquerors!

HOW and WHY ARE WE  MORE THAN CONQUERORS

  • We Conquer because we are “In Christ.”-v1
  • We Conquer because of what God did! -v2
  • We Conquer through the LORD Jesus. He conquers sin, the grave and the devil.
  • We Conquer Because HE SAYS we will. Nothing can stop us, neither in life or death! Why? Because God is for us!
  • We Conquer because the Spirit intercedes, and is helping us- v 26-27
  • We Conquer because Jesus is our Advocate at the right hand side of The Father- v 34
  • We Conquer because of the LOVE OF CHRIST…He loved us by coming, dieing, choosing us- Gal 1:15-16; sustaining us with His Great Love- Eph 2:4-5; Rev 1:5-6.

WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS, BECAUSE

He says it is, so we might THINK “I don’t feel more than a conqueror,” and right there is the problem! Your thinking needs to be renewed to think and say what He says, in His Word and who you are “In Christ.”  If you don’t think you are, it doesn’t change the fact He says you are… you are just not applying what is yours In Christ… and your behavior reveals how you think!

The Spirit interceded it be so

The Lord is our Advocate

His Love confirms it is so!

His Word reveals it is so,

 Being more than Conqueror is not known or proved in ease but in conflict!

REMEMBER GOD!

He promises HIS “ALL THINGS”  triumphs “THESE THINGS”

And even “THESE THINGS“ are included, not excluded but He works them together for good, and this is exclusive. This promise is NOT for everyone. It is only to those “…who love God and are the called…” Remember God in your troubles, remember His promises, no matter what the thing is you face, this too He promises will work out for good! The good ultimately is in conforming us to the image of Christ!-{Read Rom 8:29}

“ALL THINGS”  triumphs “THESE THINGS” Why? Because God says so!

You are who He says you are. That’s a fact…

  And That’s His Promise.