More Than Conquerors

More Than Conquerors

Steve W. Reeves

INTRODUCTION:

A. A lady was driving down a country road one day when she came upon a terrible

    traffic accident. A car had veered off the road and hit a tree. There were several

    people injured. The lady got out of her car to help. She later recalled, “I was so glad I

    remembered my first aid class. I put my head down on my knees to keep from

    fainting.”  

    1. I’m afraid that is how Christians are in today’s world. When we should be going

       about doing good to those who are spiritually injured by sin about the only thing we

       seem to do is put our heads down on our knees to keep from fainting.

    2. God has not reconciled us to Himself through the blood of His Son so that we

       might live in defeat. He wants us to be “more than conquerors.”

B. Listen to Romans 8:31-39.

    “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? ³⁶ 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.”

 

C. How can we be assured of God’s intention that we are “more than conquerors?” In

    Romans 8 Paul systematically sets forth five reasons to support this statement.        

 I. ABSOLUTION (vss. 1-2).    

   A. Paul wrote, “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ

       Jesus. ² For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law

       of sin and of death.”

       1. Absolution is a formal release from guilt.

       2. This is exactly what we have been offered through Christ.

    B. Several years ago the Gov. of Mississippi, preparing to leave office, 

       created a controversy when he pardoned several prisoners who had committed

       serious crimes. Though people didn’t like it, he had the authority under the law to

       issue the pardons

        1. Jesus has made it possible for us to receive divine pardon for our sins. He

           fulfilled the law and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for sin. We no longer

           have to live under condemnation.

       2. We must accept that pardon.  On December 6, 1829 two men, George Wilson

           and James Porter, robbed a United States mail carrier in Pennsylvania. Both

           men were subsequently captured and tried. On May 1, 1830 both men were

           found guilty and were condemned to die by hanging on July   

           2, 1830. James Porter was executed on schedule. Wilson had a friend who            

           asked President Andrew Jackson to grant a pardon which he did. There was only

           one catch. Wilson refused the pardon. The case made it all the way to the

           Supreme Court. Chief Justice John Marshall wrote the following in the decision:

           "A pardon is an act of grace, proceeding from the power entrusted with the

           execution of the laws, which exempts the individual, on whom it is bestowed,

           from the punishment the law inflicts for a crime he has committed... A pardon is a

           deed, to the validity of which delivery is essential; and delivery is not completed

           without acceptance.”

    C. God offers us pardon of our sins through Jesus Christ.

       1. The choice is yours whether to accept or reject the pardon.

       2. Without that pardon there is condemnation. With the pardon your sins are

           forgiven and there is no condemnation.

      

II. ADOPTION (vs. 14).

    A. In verses 14-15 Paul writes, “For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these

       are sons of God. ¹⁵ For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear

       again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out,

       ‘Abba! Father!’”

       1. Prior to our conversion we were slaves to sin. We were in bondage.

       2. In Ephesians 2:12 Paul wrote, “ that we were “separate from Christ, excluded

           from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without

           hope and without God in the world.”

    B. Because of the sacrifice of Christ and the presence of the Spirit we are no longer

       slaves but children. 

       1. How is this possible? Through adoption.

       2. Those who have adopted children (and several of you have) have demonstrated

           a precious spirit of love and sharing. You have given your precious child your

           heart, your home and your identity.  

       3. God has demonstrated that same wonderful spirit with us.

    B. As a result we can call God, “Abba.”

       1. An Aramaic term denoting an “intimate relationship.”   

       2.  I did not call my father, Mr. Reeves. Nor did I call him, Melemoth Wade although

           that was his name. To me he was, “Dad” I used that name with fondness

           because it spoke of our close relationship.  

III. ANTICIPATION (vs. 18).

    A. In verse 18 Paul says, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are

       not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”

       1. Since the day of Adam’s sin humanity has lived in a world that has groaned with

           suffering.

       2. Paul illuminates this fact in verse 22 – “For we know that the whole creation

           groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.”

    B. All of us know something about groaning.

       1. We know something about being beat up, weighed down, discouraged,

           heartbroken, and perplexed.

       2. In 1962 the book Craters of Diamonds by Victor and Mildred Goertzel was

           published. The book examined the lives of 400 famous people (scientists,

           musicians, artists, actors and educators). The authors were curious  about the

           common denominators of success exhibited in the lives of these individuals.

           They found only one. In 392 of the cases the individuals had overcome

           tremendous obstacles and suffering before realizing success.

    C. When confronted with suffering we must remember they are only temporary

       and they cannot begin to compare with the glory and splendor of eternity with God.

IV. ASSISTANCE (vs. 26).

    A. God has never intended that we travel through life by ourselves.

       1. As Jesus was preparing for His death, burial and resurrection He told the

           apostles that He would not leave them helpless (Jn.16:12ff).

       2. He has not left us helpless. Verse 26 says, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us   

           in our weakness.”

    B. We don’t know how to pray as we should. It’s not a matter of right words. It’s that

       we don’t really know what we need. We often confuse needs with wants.

       Sometimes we use prayer as a type of “wish” list for our wants.

       1. God understands. By allowing His Spirit to dwell in our lives we have one who

           helps us in our prayers.

       2. Jesus used the word “para-clete” meaning one who comes alongside. The Spirit

           does not pray for us. He comes alongside us when we pray to help us.

       3. He helps us in prayer with groaning we cannot understand. “Agonizing longings

           which never find words” – J.B. Phillips

    C. Jesus is at the right hand of God interceding for us (Heb. 12:2). The Spirit dwells

       within us assisting us and helping us as we pray.

V. ASSURANCE (vs. 28).

    A. “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” (Romans 8:28). This

       verse brings great comfort for God’s people. There are some things this verse

       is not saying.

       1. It is not saying that everything that happens is good. We know that there is evil in

           the world. There is sin. Bad things happen. Tragedy befalls us.

       2. Nor is the verse saying that we will understand everything that happens to us in

           life.

    B. What Paul is saying is that there is a cumulative effect of the things that occur in

       our life that produces good.

       1. A machine may have parts that move in different directions but the result is a

           singular purpose.

       2. God sees the big picture. He has the ability to take negative things and turn them

           into positives. A good example is Genesis 50:20 – “You intended to harm me, but

           God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of

           many lives.”

CONCLUSION:

A. What makes you “more than a conqueror?”

    1. It is not your talent or ability?

    2. It is not your physique or good looks?

    3. It is not your wealth.

    4. It is not your personal righteousness.

B. Paul gives the answer in Romans 8:38-39, “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.”

C. Come to Christ today. Accept Him by faith, repent of your sins, confess His name

    and be baptized into His death. We welcome you. 

Rescued!

RESCUED

Steve W. Reeves

INTRODUCTION:

A. In the spring of 1940 the army of Hitler’s Nazi Germany plowed its way through the

     cities, villages, and countryside of Western Europe. The countries of France,

     Belgium, and Holland all fell before the German forces. The troops of the British

     Expeditionary Force found themselves driven back to the coast of the North Sea

     where it appeared they faced certain destruction near a town called Dunkirk. The

     waters offshore were too shallow for the large British ships to come to the aid of the

     troops. The German forces pressed in hard with overwhelming force. Between May

     26^th and June 3^rd an event occurred that has been called the Miracle of Dunkirk.

     Hundreds of British citizens came to the rescue of the British forces by using their

     own small boats, fishing boats, and yachts to ferry the soldiers from the shore to their

     waiting ships. Ultimately, over 338,000 British soldiers were rescued. Had they not

     been saved it is likely that Britain itself would have fallen to the Germans.

    1. Have you ever experienced an occasion where you felt your back was against the

        wall?

    2. All of us have encountered frustration with situations where we felt overwhelmed.

    3. Perhaps it was a family situation. Perhaps it was a marital situation or a problem

        with your parents or children. Maybe it was a financial situation. Perhaps it was a

        relationship with a friend.

B. Some of the most frustrating situations are those concerning our spiritual lives.

    1. Have you ever found yourself wanting to do what is right and yet not doing it?

    2. Have you ever known something to be wrong and yet you found yourself

        succumbing to it?

    3. In times like these, it can be extremely frustrating to live for Christ. Our intentions

        are good but our actions fall short. It’s almost as if our backs are against the wall

        pinned there by an overwhelming force.

C. The apostle Paul experienced these frustrations in his own life. In Romans 7:14-25        

     Paul describes the frustration we all experience.

    1. Romans 7 is one of the most unique chapters in the Bible.

    2. It is a parallel to Romans 6 where Paul says that we have died with Christ to be

        in newness of life.

        a. In Romans 6 Paul said we are dead to sin. In Romans 7 he said we are dead

           to the law.

        b. In Romans 6 he said we have been freed from sin. In Romans 7 he said we

            have been made free from the law.

    3. In Romans 7 Paul wrote about his own struggles and frustrations with sin. It is a

        highly personal account of Paul’s life.

        a. Forty-six times in this chapter he uses a personal pronoun.

        b. This chapter along with Acts 22 and Philippians 3 provide us with Paul’s spiritual

            autobiography.

D. Listen to these verses from Romans 7.

    

    “For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am flesh, sold into bondage to sin. For

    what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do,

    but I am doing the very thing I hate. But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I

    agree with the Law, confession that the Law is good. So now, no longer am I the one

    doing it, but sin which dwells in me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is,

    in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. For the

    good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. But if I am

doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.”

 

 In these verses Paul gives us the cause, the curse, and the cure of spiritual

    frustration.

I. THE CAUSE

    A. As we read these verses did you sense the tension between good and evil,

between the spiritual and the carnal – the desire to do what is right and the continual presence of sin.

        1. He acknowledges that the Law is spiritual (good) but he is flesh and sold in 

            bondage to sin. (verse14)

        2. He says, “I do not practice what I would like to do.”

        3. He says, “I do the things I hate.”

        4. He concludes that no longer is he the one doing it but sin who dwells in him.  

            This depicts the struggle all of us experience in life.

    B. When I was a teenager I ran around with a guy who was not a good influence on me. My parents did not like him. They were concerned with what I might do when he was around. When I became a Christian I decided I didn’t want to have anything to do with this person. No matter how hard I tried it seem as if I kept running into him. I would go to school, and he would be there. I would go to the football games, and he would be there. I would even go to church, and he would be there. He would call me and ask me to come hang out with him. Sometimes I would and the result was never good. I always looked forward to the time when I could get away from him. I thought when I went to college, I would leave him behind. But when I checked into my dorm room, I discovered he had come to the same college and was living in the same dorm. After I married, graduated, and moved away, I thought that surely he would go a different route. But he kept tracking me down, always asking me to come and spend time with him. With each passing year, I thought I would rid myself of this man, but where ever I went it seemed as if he would always know where to find me. No matter how hard I tried, no matter how much I sought to accomplish, he was always there lurking in the shadows. Do you know who this man is? It’s my sinful nature, always seeking to pull me back into its influence. Though I have died to sin and am not under the old law, the sinful nature of the flesh is someone I will battle with as long as I live in this body. This is the message Paul shared in these verses.

 II. THE CURSE

    A. As you read through the book of Romans, there are several reoccurring themes in the first eight chapters.

        1. One of these themes is the universal nature of sin.

            a. In chapter 1:18-32 Paul described how the Gentiles were under God’s wrath

                because of their sinful rejection of Him.

            b. In chapter 2 Paul said that the Jews who were God’s covenant people were

                still under God’s wrath because they had violated the law God had given

                them.

            c. In chapter 3 Paul concludes “there is none righteous, no not one” (3:10) and

                “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (3:23).

         2. The second theme that reoccurs in these chapters is that sin produces death.

             a. In Romans 5:12 Paul wrote, “For by one man sin entered the world and

                 death through sin; therefore, death has come upon all, for all have sinned.”

             b. In 6:23 he said, “For the wages of sin is death.”

    B. It is this spiritual death sentence that produces the spiritual tension Paul expresses in Romans 7. You can almost feel the crescendo of his words beginning in verse 23, “for I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man but I see a different law in the members of my body waging war against the law of my mind and making

        me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members.” Finally he cries out, “Wretched man that I am. Who will set me free from the body of this death?”

    C. I have heard that in some ancient cultures a brutal form of torture was practiced among warring armies. Those who were taken prisoner were chained limb to limb with the dead bodies of their fallen comrades. Can you imagine the psychological effects of such torture? Can you imagine carrying around the weight of a dead body? Can you imagine falling asleep and waking up to a dead body chained next to you? Can you imagine the physical impact as the dead body began to decay and the corruption of the dead began to spread to the living? This is the curse under which we live as long as we are chained to this body of spiritual death. It’s no wonder Paul described himself as a “wretched man.”

  

III. THE CURE

     A. The night is darkest before the dawn. The storm is strongest before the calm. Paul’s emotional and spiritual turmoil seemed to have reached an unbearable point when he cried out, “Who shall set me free from the body of this death?”

        1. If there was ever a time of spiritual frustration, this was it.

        2. If there was ever a time when it seemed that the forces of evil would overwhelm,

            this was it.

        3. Paul’s despair set the stage for the greatest spiritual revelation ever known to

            man.

    B. In verse 25 he shouts, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”

        1. Jesus, whose name means “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). Jesus, the one who

            has come to save us from our sins.

        2. Christ, meaning “the Messiah;” the chosen one of God; the fulfillment of Old

            Testament prophecy and the culmination of God’s redemptive promises.

        3. Lord, the one for whom every knee shall bow and every tongue confess to the

            glory of God the Father (Philippians 2: 11).

        4. Jesus, the one in whom there is no condemnation (Romans 8:1).

        5. Jesus, the one through whom we can be more that conquerors (Romans 8:31).

 CONCLUSION:

A. I am so grateful for the hundreds of British citizens who traversed the dangerous

    waters of the North Sea risking their lives to save their countrymen. Had it not been

    for them Great Britain might have fallen to the Germans, and the world today might

    be a very different place. I am more thankful for a man who gave his life so that I

    might be free from this body of sin and death.

B. There is no one else who can rescue you spiritually. You cannot rescue yourself by

    your own righteousness. You cannot deliver yourself through your own deeds. You

    must call upon the one in whom there is eternal life. This is why Paul would go on to

    tell the Romans, “Whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

    (Romans 10:13)

C. Have you called upon the Lord? Have you turned to Him in faith, repented of your

        sins, and been buried with Him in baptism? He stands ready to rescue you today.