"But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us." Romans 8:37
My study today was in Romans 8:31-39 one of the most uplifting parts of the letter to the Romans so far. Paul is talking about who we are in Christ and the victory that is ours because of what Christ has done. He starts verses 31-32 by saying that God was willing to give up his only son, so why would he not also be willing to freely give us all things? It is another rhetorical question. The answer is obvious. The one who has not withheld the very best that he has will have no hesitation in giving the rest.
Not only that, but God who is judge over all is the one who justifies us. As it says in Romans 8:1, There is now no condemnation. This is all as it relates to the one who is "in Christ". Not only that, but our prayer partner, is Christ Himself who intercedes for us verse 34. In Romans 8:26 the spirit inside of us intercedes with groans too deep for words, but then also another part of the Trinity, Jesus also intercedes for us. We have some great prayer partners!
Paul mentions some trials that many believers in Rome were going through and that Paul was going through at times. 1 Corinthians 4:11 makes it clear that Paul and his associates faced floods, persecution, hunger, poverty, and all sorts of trials. His quoting of Psalms 44:22 in verse 36 means that the believers were seen to some of those in Rome as sheep to be slaughtered. Much as in some of the world christians are martyred today. We shouldn't assume that these things are signs that God is against us. Paul makes it clear that there is a war going on in this world and there are evil influences on it as well as good ones. Paul does not want us to be unaware of that, but to put on the full armor of God, so that we can resist it Ephesians 6:10-17.
This is important to remember that we are not promised a life of ease and problem free on this world. I think the promise of this chapter and the gospel itself is that God can use many of those trial to build within us those qualities that he wants us to have. Peter talked about this in 1 Peter 1:7 where he talked about our faith being proven as through fire. He also mentioned in 2 Peter 1:5-8 that these adversities can build within us qualities such as knowledge, perseverance, patience, self-control and faith, which will keep the believer fruitful and make us the men and women of God that he wants us to be. I have to trust God that He is working and can use all of these things for His glory.
Paul then goes on to an exhaustive list of things from seen to unseen, height, depth, death and life, angels and demons and everything in between. None of these created things can separate us from the love of God who it says makes us "overwhelmingly conquer" through Him. The word "overwhelmingly conquer" is one word in the greek which is hypernikao which means to be more than a conqueror, to have a surpassing victory. We didn't and don't just conquer, but we overwhelmingly conquer. It isn't a minor victory, it is overwhelming. Nice to remember when things aren't going that well sometimes.
My study today was in Romans 8:31-39 one of the most uplifting parts of the letter to the Romans so far. Paul is talking about who we are in Christ and the victory that is ours because of what Christ has done. He starts verses 31-32 by saying that God was willing to give up his only son, so why would he not also be willing to freely give us all things? It is another rhetorical question. The answer is obvious. The one who has not withheld the very best that he has will have no hesitation in giving the rest.
Not only that, but God who is judge over all is the one who justifies us. As it says in Romans 8:1, There is now no condemnation. This is all as it relates to the one who is "in Christ". Not only that, but our prayer partner, is Christ Himself who intercedes for us verse 34. In Romans 8:26 the spirit inside of us intercedes with groans too deep for words, but then also another part of the Trinity, Jesus also intercedes for us. We have some great prayer partners!
Paul mentions some trials that many believers in Rome were going through and that Paul was going through at times. 1 Corinthians 4:11 makes it clear that Paul and his associates faced floods, persecution, hunger, poverty, and all sorts of trials. His quoting of Psalms 44:22 in verse 36 means that the believers were seen to some of those in Rome as sheep to be slaughtered. Much as in some of the world christians are martyred today. We shouldn't assume that these things are signs that God is against us. Paul makes it clear that there is a war going on in this world and there are evil influences on it as well as good ones. Paul does not want us to be unaware of that, but to put on the full armor of God, so that we can resist it Ephesians 6:10-17.
This is important to remember that we are not promised a life of ease and problem free on this world. I think the promise of this chapter and the gospel itself is that God can use many of those trial to build within us those qualities that he wants us to have. Peter talked about this in 1 Peter 1:7 where he talked about our faith being proven as through fire. He also mentioned in 2 Peter 1:5-8 that these adversities can build within us qualities such as knowledge, perseverance, patience, self-control and faith, which will keep the believer fruitful and make us the men and women of God that he wants us to be. I have to trust God that He is working and can use all of these things for His glory.
Paul then goes on to an exhaustive list of things from seen to unseen, height, depth, death and life, angels and demons and everything in between. None of these created things can separate us from the love of God who it says makes us "overwhelmingly conquer" through Him. The word "overwhelmingly conquer" is one word in the greek which is hypernikao which means to be more than a conqueror, to have a surpassing victory. We didn't and don't just conquer, but we overwhelmingly conquer. It isn't a minor victory, it is overwhelming. Nice to remember when things aren't going that well sometimes.
