Who Do You Think You Are - Conqueror
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You are a Conqueror
You are a Conqueror
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.
34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”
37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,
39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Tribulation
Distress
Persecution
Famine
Nakedness
Peril
Sword
Tribulation
thlíbō means literally “to press,” “squash,” “hem in,” then “to be narrow.” thlípsis means “pressure” in the physical sense, e.g., medically of the pulse.
thlíbō figuratively means “to afflict,” “harass” with the nuances a. “to discomfit,” b. “to oppress” or “vex.” Philosophically the group is used for life’s afflictions.
Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. (1985). Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 334). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans.
Distress (stenós [narrow]
Secular Usage. The word stenós means “narrow,” “thin,” “poor,” the noun stenochōría denotes a “narrow place,” and the verb stenochōréō means “to confine,” “to compress.” The ideas of a narrow door and a little trodden way occur in philosophy, e.g., in the difficult ascent to true culture.
In the NT the word stenós occurs in Mt. 7:13–14 and Lk. 13:24 in the figure of the narrow gate or door. In Luke the saying answers the question about the small number of the saved, and it thus has a special urgency; one must strive to enter by the narrow door. In Matthew we find the contrast of a narrow gate and way and a broad gate and way. Many people ignore the warning because they will not accept the authority of Jesus and pass through the narrow gate and tread the narrow way. How narrow the gate is may be seen from the saying in Mk. 10:25. There is no mention of special hazards on the narrow way but the term stenós, with its OT associations, suggests that it is also a hard way as distinct from the broad and easy way that so many prefer.
In Jer. 30:7 the LXX construes the Hebrew “time of anxiety” as a chrónos stenós, i.e., a time of oppression.
Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. (1985). Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 1077). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans.
Persecution (diogmos - the systemic hunting down of adherents of a particular religion to inflict pain or death upon them; especially to destroy the religion by destroying the adherent or by forcing the adherent to renounce their beliefs.)
Famine (“to be hungry,” or “avidly to desire something.”)
Source: Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. (1985). Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 820). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans.
In the figurative sense:
Hunger is the desire for something that is missing.
Unfulfilled desire often defeats us because it shifts our focus to what we are missing and off of the abundance with which we have already been blessed.
Nakedness (gymnós.
1. “Naked” in the literal sense of a. “unclothed,” b. “badly clothed,” c. “stripped by force,” or d. “without an upper garment,” “partly clothed.”
2. “Naked” in the figurative sense of a. “unconcealed,” “manifest” (Heb. 4:13), b. “without bodily form.” In 1 Cor. 15:37ff. Paul contrasts the bare seed with the future plant or flower in illustration of the transition from the present body to the resurrection body. It should be noted that what is planted is not the naked soul but the present body (which also bears our individuality), so that the bare seed does not simply represent a nonbodily “soul” but that which has not yet received its future form.)
Source: Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. (1985). Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 133). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans.
Peril (the condition of being susceptible to harm or injury)
Sword (Warfare)
SWORD Close-range weapon. The Hebrew word cherev and the Greek word machaira designate either a dagger or a sword. The Hebrew word also designates an iron tool (“axes,” Ezek. 26:9) or a chisel (“tool,” Exod. 20:25). In Josh. 5:2 the word designates stone knives used in the circumcision of the people of Israel.
After the list, Paul makes this bold statement:
37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
We are more than conquerors...
Not in our own power but through whom? Through Christ who loved us.
It's not in our own strength, it's not in our own power, but through the power of the risen Christ. Those of you who are Christians, let me tell you what you are. You are more than a conqueror, you are more than an overcomer.
In fact, the little Greek word that is translated as conqueror, or winner, or victor, is the word “nikao,” and that word means to win, it means to be victorious. That is not the word that is used in this passage. The word used here is “hupernikao.” Huper, it means hyper, or it means exceedingly more than, and Paul is saying, 'You are way more than a winner, you're hupernikao!'
Here's the definition of it: what does hupernikao mean? If you're taking notes, it means to vanquish beyond recognition. That is cocky; I mean, that is powerful! It means to gain a decisive victory. It means exceedingly more than a conqueror. Can I tell you, with Christ, you are hupernikao! You are not going to just eek by a little victory, you are going to demolish the opposition. We are not talking Rocky Balboa fighting Apollo Creed, getting the snot beat out of him for nine rounds!
“Boom, boom, what are you doing? Boom, boom, what are you doing?”
“Strategy, I'm wearing him out!”
And then the last round he comes back out and wins. And then his face is pummeled, his eyes are puffy, he's got brain damage; that's why he goes, “Yo Adrian!” Okay, that's not you! That's not what I'm talking about!
What I'm talking about is the God kind of victory, where he vanquishes the opposition beyond recognition. We are talking about the Egyptians following the Israelites and God parts the Red Sea and the Israelites go through, and the whole Egyptian army follows them in. And God says, 'Poof baby!' And all of them are washed away. We are talking total victory!
We are talking Gideon in Judges six and Judges seven and Judges eight, when God says, 'Take on the Midianites!'
He said, 'I'm too afraid!'
And God says, 'No! You are a mighty man of valor! You don't believe it yet, but you are!'
He said, 'But I've only got 32,000 men!'
God says, 'Well, that's too many for me to get the glory!'
And God tells him to tell all the ones who are afraid to go home.
22,000 left
Gideon was probably surprised at the number of men who were afraid to fight and hoped that only a few hundred would leave. But we are told that they assembled in a place where they could see the 135,000 Midianite troops ( Judges 7:8 ). The sight of a huge opposing army made many Israelite soldiers afraid.
Then God says to take them down to the stream and watch them drink water. The ones that laid their weapons down and took their eyes off the enemy were sent home. There were only 300 that kept their focus!
Ex-Special Forces soldier, Mikel Hawke, of the Survival Show “Man, Woman Wild” referred to Gideon’s Army of 300 as the world’s first Elite Fighting Force or Special Forces Unit. He illustrated the way they drank from the stream in order to keep their eyes on their surroundings and potential threats.
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,
7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
10 Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ,
11 lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.
You are not ignorant - tell your neighbor
One of the devils devices is unforgiveness. Perhaps he has used that on you. But if that’s not what he has used on you, you are still not ignorant.
If you think about it, if you remain aware, you will know EXACTLY what he uses on you in every situation:
When you are run down, stressed, lonely, feeling rejected, hurt, confused, etc. You know what’s coming. You know the temptation that he will use. Why? Because it’s the one that’s worked before.
It’s the same one he threw up in your face as condemnation the last time you pressed into God’s presence.
But if you stay vigilant and don’t lay you weapons down while fulfilling your immediate need or desire, you will stop falling to the same thing over and over again!
And God shaves them down to 300 and says, 'Now, go take your weapons, your horns, and your pitchers and toot your horns! And take your pitchers and bang them on!'
And God calls the whole army to turn on each other and wipes them out!
That is my friends, hupernikao; that's who you are in Christ! It is more than, more than victorious, hupernikao.
Now, what I'm not saying is that you're never going to have a hard time in life. Not at all; in fact, Jesus said in John 16:33
33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.
11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.
1. You are an overcomer by the blood of the Lamb.
1. You are an overcomer by the blood of the Lamb.
What is that? That's gross! The Lamb of God was Jesus, who was slain before the foundation of the world. Jesus shed His blood and through the power of the blood; Scripture says, our sins are forgiven. Through the power of the blood, Scripture says that we have access to the throne room of God. By the power of blood, the shed blood says that we are redeemed from this empty way of life. You, because of what Jesus did with His blood, are an Overcomer,
2. You are an Overcomer by the words of your testimony.
2. You are an Overcomer by the words of your testimony.
What's that? Your story of who God is and what He's done.
One day, little teenage boy named David, who had been tending the sheep, walks up to his king, King Saul, and all of King Saul's army is afraid of one guy named Goliath, a big giant.
And David says, 'I'll fight him!'
And King Saul says, 'You're cute, go home and play with your little sheep!'
And he said, 'You don't understand. Whenever a lion attacked my sheep, my God,' and he tells the story, 'My God delivered the lion into my hands and I killed him. And whenever a bear came and attacked my sheep, my God delivered the bear into my hand. And the same God who delivered them into my hands will deliver that giant Philistine into my hands. You all think he's too big to beat, I say he's too big to miss! Somebody give me a stone and move out of the way!'
And that's what you are, an overcomer; by the blood of the Lamb, not by your own strength, and by the words of your testimony. Listen to me, believe this, internalize it, feel it! This isn't what you're going to become, 'Once I get my life together,' and 'Oh, once I stop!' No, no! Positionally right now, this is who God says you are. There's a giant that no one else thinks you can beat and maybe even you, but you can with the power of the risen Christ. When you know who you are, you will know what to do and you need to believe who God says you are. You are hupernikao; more than a conqueror, you are an Overcomer.
Everybody say aloud, say I am; come on, say it with me! Say, “I am an Overcomer by the blood of the Lamb and by the words of my testimony.” Come on, feel it! “I am an Overcomer by the blood of the Lamb and by the words of my testimony.”
So, for those of you who are Christians; as an overcomer, let me encourage you to fight in two ways. Number one if you're taking notes:
1. You will fight with a conquering attitude.
1. You will fight with a conquering attitude.
You will fight with a conquering attitude because, tragically, too many people come in with this faithless, wishy-washy mindset, and they lose the battle in their minds before they ever fight it in the world. You won't do that! You will stand strong positionally, knowing who you are, you are more than a conqueror. Faith-filled attitudes lead to faith-filled actions. Godly beliefs lead to godly behavior. The battle starts in the mind. You'll never go around going, “I'm just a victim, you know, everybody else get's the breaks! Nothing ever goes right for me!” “Our marriage is always going to be pathetic, he's always going to be a jerk!” And he's thinking she's always going to be a _____.” I didn't say it! And “I will never get married! I mean, another Valentines Day, I hate single-awareness day, every year it comes and goes!” You know, “I'm always going to be overweight,” and “I'm always going to battle with this addiction,” and “I will never be able to forgive!”
You know what that is? That's victim talk, victim talk! And you, if you're a Christian, you are not a victim. Through Christ you are a victor, you don't talk that negative, defeated mindset. You know who you are in Christ, you are hupernikao! You vanquish the enemy! You are an overcomer!
Here's what you do whenever those negative thoughts come in, 2nd Corinthians 10:5
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
We demolish....
Another version says “cast down”. We demolish! I love the word demolish, this isn't just eek by, this is demolish!
...arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God.
And what do we do? Scripture says:
We take captive every thought.
And what do we do with every thought? We make it obedient to Christ. Whenever our mind says, “I just can't do it!”
No, no, no, no no! “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength!” Scripture!
“Well, this is just an impossible situation! All we can do now is pray!”
Do you ever think about what God must think of when people say, “All we can do now is pray!”
'Oh, you're you’re really messed up now, I'm your last resort!'
I mean, the All-powerful, All-knowing, Ever-present God, and all you can do now is depend on me? Sorry, you're in bad shape! I mean, how ridiculous is that? That all we can do is pray? No, we can pray! We can call on God! I mean, “Oh, it's impossible!”
No! all things are possible with God!
“But, I don't have much faith!”
Scripture says that if I have the faith of a mustard seed, which is just a little bit, and that mountain is in my way, I can say to that mountain, “Be removed!” And Scripture says that it will be cast under the sea! You grab every thought that is not consistent with God's Word and you make it obedient to Christ. Therefore, because I'm an overcomer, I'm not going to let what anybody said about me, what anybody thinks about me, what anybody did to me, stop me from doing what God has called me to do; because I am an overcomer, not in my own strength, but by the blood of the Lamb and by the words of my testimony.
Now, some of you, I can see it in your eyes, you are just kind of sitting going, “Well, that's all fine and dandy for you, Pastor boy!”
I can see it! I mean, I can! You're looking like, “Well you're a pastor and you don't have regular problems!”
Monday ER testimony - New pneumonia to No pneumonia
Second thing if you're taking notes:
2. As an overcomer you fight with supernatural weapons.
2. As an overcomer you fight with supernatural weapons.
You're not limited to the weapons of this world. Scripture says, 2nd Corinthians 10:3-4:
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.
Our weapons, they have divine what? Everybody help me, they have divine power. The Greek word for power is the word “dunamis,” we get our word dynamite.
Our weapons, they have the explosive power of God. They have divine power to demolish strongholds.
The enemy is putting spiritual roadblocks in front of you, but you have spiritual dynamite to destroy them!