GOD'S EVERLASTING LOVE Hasty Conclusions Must Be Avoided Those who cannot bear up under difficulty have reason to be concerned. But care must be taken not to arrive at a false conclusion. It is certainly not that they are condemned, and no one should allow themselves to think that is the case. What is revealed in such weakness, however, is a need for stronger faith. This can only be accomplished by taking a firmer grip on the Good News of Christ, and laboring to uproot trust from the defiled soil of self and humanity. – Tomorrow:
"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 Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.' Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who 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 created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:35-39, NKJV)
" . . . we are more than conquerors."
Other versions read, "we overwhelmingly conquer" (NASB), "we overcome" (DOUAY-RHEIMS), "we are able to overcome all these things" (BBE), "we conquer overwhelmingly" (NAB), "overwhelming victory is ours" (NLT), and "we come through all these things triumphantly victorious" (NJB).
The phrase "more than conquerors" comes from a single compound Greek word. It means to gain a surpassing victory, be completely victorious, or completely win out over something. It means the purpose of the adversary was thoroughly frustrated, and the intentions of the Lord completely dominated the circumstance.
Someone who is "MORE than a conqueror" overcomes the devil, principalities and powers, and trying circumstances. They are the better for their tribulation, even glorying in it because of their insight into the purpose of God (Rom 5:2ff). The experiences enumerated (tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, and sword) left no scars on their spirits. They took nothing from them that was integral to their salvation. Nothing that Satan intended in these things was accomplished, and for those who are "more than conquerors," everything God designed was fulfilled!
The faith and joy of the believer have only increased because of these hardships, thereby testifying to the greatness of God's salvation. They have gotten the victory over their adversaries "by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death" (Rev 12:11).
Such marvelous victory is not common in our day. However, that is not owing to any deficiency in the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. If men will embrace the Gospel by faith, they will become "more than conquerors" in THEIR AFFLICTION. Any other result comes from unbelief, and is unsatisfactory before the Lord.
Well did Solomon say, "If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small" (Prov 24:10). Again, Jeremiah challenges the people of God, "If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?" (Jer 12:5).
PRAYER POINT: Father, through Jesus Christ I thank You that what You give difficulty cannot take away!