More Than Conquerors

Have you ever felt defeated?  Have you ever felt like something has conquered you rather than you conquering it?  I have.  Honestly, I think we all have.  Yes, we have our “mountaintop moments” where we feel like we have conquered the world and we are not scared of whatever is coming next.  However, we also have those “valley moments” where we are overwhelmed, frustrated, scared and simply feel like the world is against us and there’s no way out.  I know (and I’m pretty sure you know) how that feels.  The feeling of being conquered.  This is definitely one of the worst feelings in the world.  However, today, we can take great joy and hope in knowing that we cannot only be conquerors, but we can be MORE THAN CONQUERORS.  How?  I thought you might ask that! :)  Let’s look to the book of Romans to see what Paul has to say about this situation.   Romans 8:26-39 says,

In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.  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. 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; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 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? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; 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. 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.”

But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer
 through Him who loved us. 
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 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.

I just love this chapter of Romans.  I mean, I love the whole book of Romans!  I love it so much that I took an elective class in college that was just about Romans.  Yes, I am a dork.  Anyway, there is so much going on in these short 14 verses.  Paul definitely packed a lot into it.  First we see how the Spirit is our interceder according to God’s will.  Paul goes on to talk about God’s plan and it all working out like He meant for it to.  THEN, he moves on to verses 31-39, which is where I want to focus.  A great reminder that He is on our side.In Meredith words he says, “After all the things we have talked about in this chapter and in the previous chapters, what can we make of it all?  If God is on our side, who can victor over us?  Nothing.  None of these things can victor over us and nothing can separate us from Him and that victory.  Not only are we going to be victorious, but in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him.”

Wow.  Just wow.  Soak that in for a minute.  With Him we are always going to be victorious in the end.  It might not be pretty, but victory belongs to Him and Him alone.  My favorite verse by far is verse 37. “But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.”  Wow.  I love the way the NKJV says it, “Yet in all these things we are More Than Conquerors.” 

These people were just conquerors...We can be More Than Conquerors with God.For years this verse has blown my mind.  Even in college, in a Romans class, I did not understand it.  I could not put a grasp onto how we could be More Than Conquerors.  It just did not make sense.  However, this week, after reading this verse and reading an article I came across, I get it.  I believe that when Paul says this, he is saying that not only are we NOT losers (we are conquers), but we are abundant gainers (More Than Conquerors) because of all the trials we go through.  We are not only conquering by being victorious with and in Christ, but we are More Than Conquerors because we gaining so much from going through the trials and coming out victorious.  Wow.  I don’t know if that speaks to you, but it speaks to me!  

I don’t know where in life you are at this moment.   You could be on that mountaintop and everything is great.  However, you may be entering that valley soon, or you may be in it now.  Wherever you are and whatever you are in, remember this, with Christ, not only can you be victorious, but you can be a More Than Conqueror.  When it is all said and done, you WILL be victorious.  I am here to tell you that it might hurt and it might take all your strength and things in life might change, but you WILL come out better because of it.  In the end...We are More Than Conquerors.The lessons learned is what makes you a More Than Conqueror.   You walk away different…You walk away changed…You walk away a More Than Conqueror. Whatever may come this week or this month or this year or this lifetime, remember, through Him, we are More Than Conquerors.  Know that as you are victorious, you are gaining wisdom and faith and proof of what God can and will do.  You are being More Than Conquerors.  Take those lessons learned and share them with others, so they too can be More Than Conquerors.  A lot of people just see the victory and they miss the “more than” part.  They miss being More Than Conquerors.  Don’t miss it.  This week rest in the fact that He is always victorious.  Rest in the fact that He is in control.  Rest in the fact that He fights for us and longs for us to take away an incredible lesson from the mountains and valleys we face.  Rest in the fact that you are More Than Conquerors.