Overcomers & Conquerors

{Berean Study Bible}

Romans 8:35 "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?"

Romans 8:37 "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."

Fully Clothed

     Well, I went to church last night. And the whole sermon was meant for me. Yesterday's blog, I was so exhausted, it was a cry for help on my part and also an encouragement because it reminded you that I am just a person, too. Everyone gets tired at some point; it's natural. But to be exhausted to the point where thought and motion are next to impossible, that's different. 
     Ephesians 6:10-20 describes the armor a Christian is to wear each time we go begin our day, every day. Because every day that we remain in God's will we are a double threat to Satan. Knowing this we need to exercise great wisdom and strength in overcoming his tactics against us; one of which is 'weariness'. What I have been feeling for the last few days is exactly that: weariness. Until now.
I got the message I needed to hear and I got the rest I so badly craved; 1 1/2 hours of the Word of God preached (and taking notes) and 10-12 hours of rest.

     This a small example of the armor a Roman soldier would wear. The armor Paul instructs us to put on is compared to this. Half of his ministry he was in prison, guarded by Roman soldiers. (Think how many of them came to know Christ through Paul's witness and faithful testimony!) Knowing what the Roman soldier needed to protect himself, Paul was able to line up each piece of our spiritual armor on that same scale. As each of them needed to dress himself daily, so do we also need to wear the full armor of God. 
     BREASTPLATE: Protection. Worn on the back and the front, it is held together on the sides and the shoulders; on the sides with straps; on the shoulders with metal shoulder pads. Protects the back (kidney, spleen, spine), the front (heart, lungs, ribs) and the sides (liver, pancreas, abdomen). This part of the armor is so heavy that they needed to help each other put it on. Underneath the breastplate, a soldier wears a protective garment, called a tunic, which reached to the middle of his thigh.
     GIRDLE: Protection. It would have been more than just a belt. The higher the rank, the more costly the item. Decorated leather strips hung down from the middle of the belt to protect the soldier's manhood. Other strips would hang down all the way around the belt, like a leather skirt, protecting the hips and thighs. The higher the rank, the prettier or more decorated the girdle. These belts jangled when the soldiers marched to warn their enemy that they were approaching, giving the enemy an opportunity to flee the vicinity.  
     HELMET: Protection. Centurions and other officers wore crests on top of their helmets so the other soldiers would know who to follow in battle. The helmet protects the head, the neck and the sides of the face. 
     SHOES: Protection and Weapon. Their shoes were made of leather. The topside of the sole had leather straps attached to it which were laced across the foot and up the leg, tying in the back of the calf. While some soldiers wore greaves which reached over the knee and up the thigh, most wore a shorter greave which covered the calf up to the knee. This would protect them from falling down and being killed if the enemy stabbed their legs. For marching purposes the underside of the sole had metal studs, to make them last longer. In times of battle, some could switch shoes to ones that had a metal spike attached. This gave them the ability to grip the ground and fight better. The spike could also be used as a weapon. Either by lifting that leg and striking out, or if the soldier had fallen he could still lash out at his enemy and do some damage. 
     SWORD: Protection and Weapon. A short sword (18"-24"), it was used in hand to hand combat in the crush of battle. Worn close to the hip it was always at hand. Kept sharpened it could wreak havoc on the enemy. 
     SHIELD: Protection and Weapon. The Roman soldier's shield was the nearly the full length of his body. It was rectangular and rounded, able to protect the soldier not only from a frontal attack, but from the side also. Some shields had decorations on the front, showing where each unit was from. Sometimes they would raise the shield above their heads, together, giving them protection from an aerial assault in the mountain areas of battle. 

     And just how does knowing all this about a Roman soldier's armor help us today? Each piece of armor is also needed in our daily walk, our daily battle with God's enemy, the devil. And all of us need to be wearing it.
     Ephesians 6:10-17 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

     Now we are ready. Ready to face the day. Ready to face the enemy. Ready to win. 

Brought Down and Fallen

Psalm 20:6-8

Now know I that the Lord saveth His anointed; 

He will hear him from His holy heaven

With the saving strength of His right hand.

Some trust in chariots,

and some in horses: 

But we will remember the name

of the Lord our God.

They are brought down 

and fallen: but we

Are risen and stand upright.

"Not by might, nor by power but by My Spirit",saith the Lord. (Zechariah 4:6) We are on all sides attacked. On the eastern borders of our kingdom is out and out hatred for the God we serve and represent. Perhaps we have done a poor example of representation. No, no perhaps about it. We have failed in our ambassadorial positions. Wolves in sheep's clothing claiming to be Christians and followers of Christ have been mistaken for actual ambassadors.

We have done nothing to stop this infiltration, but sleep in our pews and slumber in our beds. Where is the Warrior-Bride whom Christ is returning for? She is no sleeping beauty to be awakened by love's kiss! We need to be on our knees seeking God's face! Seeking His forgiveness for our laziness, our carelessness, our disobedience. Our slack has caused our downfall.

O God, forgive us our trespasses as we forgives those who trespass against us. We have not sought our daily Bread, nor thirsted for Living Water. We have settled for dung heaps and putrid water. Make us over, Lord; wash us clean; seize our hearts and our minds and fill us completely with Yourself. Use us to the advancement of Your kingdom. Breathe not only in us, but through us into another. And another. And another................

Psalm 18:3 I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from my enemies. v 6,7 .. my cry came before Him, even into His holy ears. Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because He was wroth. v32 It is God that girds me with strength. v34 He teaches my hands to war. v35 Thy right hand has held me up. v37 I have pursued and overtaken my enemies.

 It is God who strengthens in times of battle, in times of war. It is God who saves from certain destruction. It is God who teaches us to fight, to overcome. In the presence of my enemies, it is God who saves me. It is God who loves me and gives me His heart's desire. It is God. And none other. 

Rise up Church!

Caleb's Song

CALEB'S SONG

I AM A WARRIOR

I WILL FIGHT FOR YOU

I AM A FIGHTER

I WILL DIE FOR YOU

I WILL TAKE UP MY SWORD

AGAINST OUR ENEMY

I WILL LIFT UP MY SHIELD

FOR HIS ATTACKS ON ME

FOR I SEE WITH MY HEART

AND I RUN WITH MY SPIRIT

ONTO THE BATTLEFIELD

CARNAGE EVERYWHERE

I WANT THAT MOUNTAIN

GOD GAVE IT TO ME

EVERY STEP I TAKE

FOR ALL ETERNITY

I CAN FIGHT THE GIANTS

I CAN WRESTLE THEM

BUT IF THEIR SEEDS STILL LIVE

I WON'T WIN

I AM A WARRIOR

I GO TO BATTLE FOR YOU

I AM A FIGHTER

I WILL FIGHT FOR YOU

I HAVE MADE MY STAND

AND I WON'T RETREAT

TILL YOU REMOVE YOUR HAND

AWAY FROM ME

FOR I SEE WITH MY HEART

AND I RUN WITH MY SPIRIT

ONTO THE MOUNTAINTOP

GLORY EVERYWHERE

I CAN SEE YOU CLEARLY

I CAN HEAR YOUR VOICE

I CAN KNEEL IN WONDER

THAT YOU'VE MADE ME YOUR CHOICE

I AM SERVANT

TO THE MOST HIGH GOD

I AM HUMBLED

BY THE MOST HIGH GOD

UNDER THE WEIGHT OF YOUR GLORY

I AM PRESSED

AND IN THE SHADOW OF MERCY

I AM BOWED

IN THE TRUTH OF REFLECTION

I SEE MY NEED

FOR YOU

ONLY YOU

YOU ARE THE MOST HIGH GOD

AND YOU SEE ME

YOU LOVE ME

YOU SAVE ME

EVERYDAY

MORE OF YOU

ON MY MOUNTAINTOP

MORE OF YOU

IN MY MOUNTAIN VIEW

MORE OF YOU

WHEN I STAKE MY CLAIM

ON WHAT YOU

HAVE GIVEN ME

I AM YOUR WARRIOR

I HAVE FOUGHT FOR YOU

I AM YOUR SERVANT

AND I HAVE LIVED FOR YOU

I AM YOUR CHILD,

I AM YOUR SEED,

YOU LIVE IN ME.

More Than A Conqueror

Romans 8:37

"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us."

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/conqueror gives a detailed one dimensional description of the word 'conqueror'. On the surface, it is implied we are not victims, we are victors; we are not survivors, we are defeaters. But our God tells us we are MORE THAN conquerors. We have risen above and beyond victory and defeat THROUGH Him that loved us.

So, what does that mean to me? How can this be possible? Questions that need to be answered to know who I am and where I am in my relationship with Jesus Christ.

So, if a conqueror is a victor and a defeater, then one who is 'more than' is increased in size, in degree, in scope. My victory over this world, this mortal life is obtained in Jesus Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit. It is both a personal victory and a shared victory. For everyone who receives Christ as Savior becomes a partaker in conquering sin and death in their lives. The Body of Christ is not fat, it is strong; designed for endurance.

But my Bible also tells me here that it is THROUGH Him that loved us. How is that possible? Christ no longer walks this earth in the flesh. No man, or woman for that matter, has ever laid eyes on Him in nearly 2000 years. How do we obtain the power to overcome temptation and defeat the devil? The Holy Spirit of God is given to all who earnestly seek Him. To be baptized in the Holy Spirit is to receive power from God which will enable us, on a daily, moment by moment basis, to overcome the various temptations and sins which are put upon us. Everyday life is not meant to be lived without God.

The Holy Spirit takes up living quarters in our hearts and our minds. He begins immediately to pull weeds out of the empty lot we call 'ourselves'. He 'power-washes' our attitudes, our emotions, our secrets. The more the Holy Spirit does in us, allows Christ to work through us, making us more holy. Why do need to be holy, though? What's wrong with the way we are now? Matthew 5:8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." Wow. I know my heart is not pure. And I know that I would like to see God and live. God also tells us that without holiness no one can see Him. His desire is for us to be holy. Exodus 19:6 and 1 Peter 1:15-16 reminds us to "be holy, for God is holy."

Sin cannot be in the presence of God. Sin is disobedience to God's Word, it is rebellion as opposed to obedience. Sin is disgrace, unrighteousness, unholiness. When Christ was upon the cross, dying for our sins, the skies darkened and the light failed to shine for three hours in the mid-afternoon of the day (Matthew 27:45, 46) and Jesus cried out to God asking why God had forsaken Him. But He knew. It is because every sin ever committed by every person who ever lived, or would live, was laid upon Jesus. He died for us, in our stead, because we would never be able withstand the punishment for disobedience to God's Word by or in and of ourselves.

Now, when Christ left this world and returned to His home, He didn't leave us alone. He sent the Holy Spirit to help us, to aid us on our journeys, until we are ready to answer God's final call. His call to "Come Home". We are, indeed, more than conquerors through Him that loved us. For He loves us still. And we, who earnestly desire to see Him face to face, love Him in return.