More Than Conquerors
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We have no enemy without that we need to fear. Our great conflict is with unconsecrated self. When we conquer self, we are more than conquerors through Him who has loved us.
Ellen Gould White
There is contained in the very pages of the word of God....a Holy victory..
Not selfish in manner but in the consciousness, blood, strength and power of God and the Holy Spirit.
God gives us the strength to overcome ourselves as well as the world through his son Jesus Christ.
Not according to our strength but rather through the might of God.
The Enemy Within
The Enemy Within
Anthony Rodi, Grade 11 Short Story 2021
My mind was both ally and enemy. I could say, think or do anything as I wished from the commands of my mind. It is what shapes each individual in this world. It is powerful. My mind was a gift, at least that's what I’ve believed. It grew bigger, smarter through each book, conversation and observation. It was like a highly advanced camera that recorded each interaction I had, watching everyone’s single move, words and expressions unintentionally. I was like a spy. But that was deadly. The mind wanted power, control and it was slowly constricting me.
It was like being in a tunnel with one exit that gets smaller and smaller, till there is no light but a blanket of darkness.
I had fed information to it, charged it, looked out for it but it was never enough. We were two characters in one body - one half was mine. The thoughts I had, the thoughts, how confronting. To think I had the capability of such desires. I kept to myself, wanting to speak to others of my knowledge but couldn't. I didn’t know how. I was lost in the ocean deep within my own battles. I couldn’t win. No matter how hard I perceived, the negative thoughts just kept pouring in like a waterfall. It was full of needs and wants and I just obeyed, a slave to my own half. I did not have the strength to win.
But I was successful. I was well known for my knowledge. I could explain anything but for a price. Sucking in their knowledge as a vacuum cleans the house. They would have to answer personal questions for the benefit of my mind’s curiosity. I don’t know why my mind did this. Maybe for the good of people, whenever in need it could help them. Or maybe (which I think) to use it to take advantage of people, knowing their every move, how they think to use them as slaves.
Yes, that's what it is doing, creating a society where each individual’s mind will bow down to mine. Oh no, the thought of that is horrible. To think of what my mind will do. I need to stop this and I know how.
I must run and keep running from humanity. I cannot risk their lives for the sake of my mind. I must become one as a ghost, a mere shadow in the world.
One with darkness.
Now, this the mind cannot control. We will die together in a lonely death. In the jungle where trees and inhabitants will scare off any person silly enough to enter, unless they are asking for trouble, for devastation.
I have lost but at least in my heart I know I have won.
This indeed, the battle of the mind.
They say battles are won and lost in the mind.
My martial arts training at the mall…breaking the board.
Because the battles are continuous in our minds....so much: evil vs good, Hate vs Love, understanding vs confusion, wrong vs right
We must be renewed in our minds, renewed in our thinking in clarity and understanding in the only way that is perfect.....Gods ways
Only then can we be a true conqueror.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Christ was our supreme example in all things....
Christ conquered disease, He healed the sick, the lame and the blind
He conquered death, not only through the cross…but in many examples throughout the bible (Lazarus, Jairus’ daughter)
But probably most important, the bible is full of examples of how Christ overcame the flesh....
And how that we are to emulate his example.
But Christ did not merely overcome, he completely crushed the world and the efforts of the adversary.
He was indeed, the only human being able to achieve this
Gathering: Sermons on Evangelism Introduction > The Conqueror
Men argue about who was the greatest conqueror of all time—Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, Hannibal, Caesar, or Hitler. All these fall far short. The real conqueror of men came not with sword or gun, but with a cross, and has been conquering for two thousand years. Christ is the greatest of all conquerors.
It goes on to say: What of those who except not this cross..that settle for defeat rather than victory...
Mathew Henry said it this way:
Alas, poor sinners! though you abound with the possessions of this world, what vain things are they! Can you say of any of them, Who shall separate us? You may be removed from pleasant dwellings, and friends, and estates. You may even live to see and seek your parting. At last you must part, for you must die. Then farewell, all this world accounts most valuable. And what hast thou left, poor soul, who hast not Christ, but that which thou wouldest gladly part with, and canst not; the condemning guilt of all thy sins! But the soul that is in Christ, when other things are pulled away, cleaves to Christ, and these separations pain him not. Yea, when death comes, that breaks all other unions, even that of the soul and body, it carries the believer's soul into the nearest union with its beloved Lord Jesus, and the full enjoyment of him for ever.
What does it mean to be a conqueror?
What does it mean to be a conqueror?
According to Merriam-Webster:
: to gain mastery over or win by overcoming obstacles or opposition
(ie: He conquered the mountain)
: to overcome by mental or moral power : (as in conquering ones fear)
The Actual biblical word progression:
to act
›
to act against
›
to defeat
› to overcome ⇔ Crush
to utterly defeat, conceived as breaking one’s opponent into small pieces.
It’s not merely winning the battle but winning the war.
This is the actual definition of the word “conqueror” as used in Romans 8:37.
the word is: Hypernikao (sounds like Hiperinicou): meaning to prevail completely
And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
We know that the “stone” spoken of is Jesus Christ.
When someone falls on this stone (voluntarily) he is become as it where a broken vessel that can be repaired and made a new.
It is the proud heart of man to be bruised and broken....the barriers broken down that can be remolded as clay.
this “fall” or condition of man in this circumstance, is not irretrievable.
It is said: this bruise might be healed..For it was the work of Christ to heal it.
But when the stone falls on ones that are not born again…that obey not the gospel of Christ…that are not part of his kingdom...it will literally crush them to pieces (as in the judgement of God)
The word used to represent “it will grind him to powder: is Likmao. which means to crush
[will grind him to powder] The Greek word lit. = “to winnow.” So “cause to disappear,” “destroy.” Those to whom Jesus is a “rock of offence” (1 Peter 2:8; Isaiah 8:14) in the days of His humiliation shall have great sorrow: but to incur His wrath when He comes to judge the earth will be utter destruction.
Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.
Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
We have been given a great and marvelous gift in Christ....That we can have victory though his blood…but not only victory but we can utter crush the adversary in his tracks.
These understandings are not only applicable to being born again and under the blood…But also, I believe, can also be applied to our daily lives and struggles (or mountains)
when we submit ourselves to Jesus christ we are broken…but in a sense that can be fixed or changed to a vessel of honor.
When the judgement of Christ falls upon something it totally and completely crushes that enemy (or completely overcomes and crushes that obstacle or barrier)
Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 2098 Always a Conqueror
Always A Conqueror
On the afternoon of May 24, 1738, John Wesley attended St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. The anthem was Psalm 130, “out of the depths have I cried unto thee O Lord, hear my voice.”
That evening in a society meeting at Aldersgate Street, Wesley’s heart was strangely warmed as he heard a reading of Luther’s preface to his Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans. Like Luther, John Wesley described the change which overtook him. “I was striving, yea, fighting with all my might under the law, as well as under grace. But then I was sometimes, if not often, conquered; now, I am always conqueror.”
—Marvin W. Anderson
In the world, we are always the conquered…under sin...but in Christ we have been made to be the conqueror/overcomer
Condemnation is a tool used by satan to knock us down....to keep us from overcoming
When we allow satan to attack us over our past…we allow him to steal our victory
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
There are three key phrases here:
to them which are in Christ Jesus
who walk not after the flesh
who walk after the spirit
when we became born again…born into the family of God…We attained everything that we need to be a conqueror.
The thing we must remember is that we are not conquerors within ourselves, but have been made conquerors.
That’s why those that are in Christ are a new creature.
Why a Conqueror?
Why a Conqueror?
Other than the obvious reasons…Peter gives us a glimpse of why
Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet.
These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
under sin, we are made slaves…people in bondage
For sin brings bondage.
Through the blood of Jesus…we are made more than conquerors....for we have been delivered from the bondage of sin.
For we have not only been delivered from the bondage of sin…but we have also a promise in the Holy Ghost....
That the same spirit that raised Christ will also quicken our mortal bodies.
Not only are we conquerors and overcomers, but are more than that
Children of God
Heirs to the Kingdom
And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
For the law of sin is the accuser of the brethren...
under the law…all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
A guilty sentence was upon us....
We where bound by sin and shapen in iniquity....
In other words..we where shapen in the ways of man and not in the ways of God.
But all of our sin and iniquity was changed by one single act of mercy and grace…
by this act…We where able to take on his righteousness enabling us to become “MORE THAN CONQUERORS”
Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
God has made it possible to become victorious over things in our lives through his blood and his spirit.
…but not merely victorious, but to be able to completely crush all obstacles in our way.
We can not only get victory…but we can maintain victory
Victory can be considered a one time thing
But Christ says not so....for in me you not only have victory but also power through my spirit to overcome this world.
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
Christ has already overcome the world
When we are in Christ we are made overcomers.
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Therefor we have victory in our lives only through the power of the Holy Spirit.
That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Why conquerors and why overcomers....
That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us
not by the flesh, but by his spirit
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
We have often failed and have not been overcomers because our trying and striving have been in our own strength.17
A. W. Tozer
We have been made overcomers through the power of the cross.
To be more than conquerors means we face the trials of life with the certainty that we are not alone.
We have a mighty God who fights for us.
We approach the darkest valleys with confidence, knowing that nothing can happen to us without the approval and permission of our loving God.
Knowing that all things work together for our good.
We have His promise of eternal life and the presence of Almighty God every moment of every day until we see Him face to face.
No sin of ours and no attempt of the enemy can steal the loving care of God from our lives, and that makes us more than conquerors through Christ who loves us.
We are more than conquerors because we have been given the most powerful gift that could be given to man....
The power of the right hand of God..that is, the power of God through Christ Jesus living within us.