W6D5 Knowing God's Victory

READ THE BIBLE

Romans 8: 31 If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all – how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died – more than that, who was raised to life – is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

REFLECT ON WHAT IT MEANS

In one part of the world, a large church meeting was taking place in the face of threats, intimidation and possible violence. The police were out in force too, but really on the side of the authorities and the protestors. After the meeting started the police came in and lined the walls of the church, looking to see if they could arrest anyone, especially the speaker. The preacher kept to his message and spoke about the wrongs in that society. At one point he spoke directly to the police and told them, “You are powerful. You are very powerful, but you are not gods and I serve a God who cannot be mocked. So, since you’ve already lost, since you’ve already lost, I invite you today to come and join the winning side!” The whole church erupted into praise and celebration. History is full of war stories about conquerors. Sometimes, it was easy to predict the winner. At other times, the winning army was heavily outnumbered or in an impossible situation, yet they still won. However they managed to gain the victory, they were all called “conquerors.” It’s great to be on the winning side and we can be sure that everyone wants to be on the winning side when it comes to their own life. Now, it would be incredible, if God promised Jesus’ followers that they would be conquerors. But he doesn’t, instead he promises them that they will be “more than conquerors.”

What is a “more than a conqueror?” How can anyone conquer more than a conqueror?

Imagine a battlefield scene where a great struggle has just ended in the total and final defeat of the enemy’s army. The winning general is standing on a hill looking over the whole battleground and congratulating his soldiers on their victory. At that moment, a small group of newly trained, fresh soldiers arrive from headquarters as extra troops for the General. They salute the General and say, “Reporting for Duty, Sir. Where do we go to fight?” “Well son,” replies the General, “Just go out there and join the rest of the men in rounding up all the prisoners and piling up all the material. That’s all there’s left to do. We’ve fought the war and won! It’s pretty much all over now. Just go out there and help, it’s all yours for the taking!” The General who fought was a conqueror, but the new soldiers in his army were “more than conquerors.” They didn’t even have to defeat the enemy, the General had already done that. What they had to do was reinforce the General’s victory! That’s more than a conqueror and that’s how is it with Jesus and his followers. He is like that General, he has defeated all our enemies when he died on the cross and rose again. We are like those new soldiers, what we have to do is apply that great victory in every area of life - and clean up!

RELATE IT TO YOUR LIFE

How do you see yourself? As someone overcome by pressures and problems in life? As someone who is ‘less than’ or defeated by life and the enemy? Or, as someone that Jesus has called to stand with him in his overwhelming victory over all our greatest enemies? We want to send you on from here into victory after victory in the Christian life with this message ringing loudly in your ears: “You are more than a conqueror in Jesus.” Well done for completing Lifeclass!! You've done amazingly well, and we hope to welcome you into a city group. See you at Lifestyle in a few weeks too!

RESPOND WITH A DECLARATION

"I am more than a conqueror in Jesus.”