Paul's Epistles Part 19 – More than Conquerors

Paul's Epistles

Part 19 – More than Conquerors

Pastor Bruce A. Shields

House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org

INTRODUCTION

We are going to look at the Epistles of Paul in this series of sermons. In Chapter 6 we looked at Paul telling us to be Dead to Sin, and Alive in Christ and that we are Slaves to Righteousness, Released from the Law and Bound to Christ, That which I hate, I do, Life in the Spirit, Present Suffering and Future Glory.

Today we will take a look at Romans 8, our being More than Conquerors.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE Romans 8:31-39

³¹ What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?³³ Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. ³⁴ Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁶ As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;
    we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”^[j]

³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[k] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

                   I.            IF GOD IS FOR US, WHO CAN BE AGAINST US?

a.      He, who did not spare His own Son

                                                                         i.      But gave Him up for us all!

                                                                      ii.      All that God is, has and does is for His people.

                                                                   iii.      Who can prevail against us?

1.      No matter how strong, or how many.

2.      While God is for us, and we keep in His love, we may defy all the powers of darkness.

                                                                     iv.      Who dares fight against us, while God Himself is fighting for us?

b.     If He gave us Jesus, He will graciously give us all things

                                                                         i.      We have ample supplies for all of our needs.

                                                                      ii.      Who can cut off our streams, when we have a fountain to go to?

c.      What can we expect?

                                                                         i.      He has prepared a crown and a Kingdom for us.

                                                                      ii.      He gave us so great a gift while we were enemies (His Son as atonement for our sins), how can we not expect all good things from His hands while we are in His love?

               II.            WHO WILL BRING ANY CHARGE AGAINST THOSE WHOM GOD HAS CHOSEN?

a.      It is God who justifies

                                                                         i.      Who then is the one who condemns?

                                                                      ii.      No one.

                                                                   iii.      We have an answer ready for all accusations, and a security against all condemnations.

1.      Who shall bring any charge?

2.      This is enough, it is God who justifies!

3.      THIS ANSWERS ALL!

                                                                     iv.      They may come to condemn, but we have an answer that OVERRULES ALL

1.      Christ Jesus died!

b.     Christ who died is more than that.

                                                                         i.      His death paid our debt.

                                                                      ii.      But more than that...He was raised to life.

                                                                   iii.      Now sitting at the Right Hand of God.

1.      We have a friend in court; our friend is Himself the Judge!

                                                                     iv.      Jesus is interceding for us.

1.      He is there, not unconcerned for us, not forgetful of us, but interceding!

2.      No matter what, we stand right in God's court, regardless of how we fare in men's.

c.      Who then, Shall separate us from the Love of Christ?

                                                                         i.      Trouble

                                                                      ii.      Hardship

                                                                   iii.      Persecution

                                                                     iv.      Famine

                                                                        v.      Nakedness

                                                                     vi.      Danger

                                                                  vii.      Sword

As it is written; "For your sake, we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."

            III.            WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS THROUGH HIM WHO LOVED US

a.      For I am convinced

                                                                         i.      Neither Death nor life - or the fear of death, or hope of life.

                                                                      ii.      Angels nor demons - neither can, for the good are our friends, and the bad are in chains.

                                                                   iii.      Present nor future - time nor eternity can separate us.

                                                                     iv.      Any powers, height nor depth - height of prosperity, nor depth of adversity. Nothing from heaven above or earth below.

                                                                        v.      nor anything else in ALL CREATION

b.     Nothing, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord

                                                                         i.      None of these things can cut the bond between Christ and True Believers

                                                                      ii.      These things may separate us from the love of friends,

1.      When Paul was brought before Nero, all men forsook him.

2.      But the Lord stood by him.

                                                                   iii.      No, in all these things we are more than Conquerors

c.      What this means

                                                                         i.      Many conquerors have great loss

1.      However, what can we lose?

2.      Only that which will be consumed in the fiery furnace anyway!

                                                                      ii.      We also have greater gain!

1.      Our spoils are exceedingly rich!

2.      Glory, honor and peace...a crown of righteousness that does not fade away.

3.      Although we suffer here for a season, we will have triumph.

                                                                   iii.      If we stay in His love, He will remain in us, and we in Him.

"We love Him because He first loved us." - I John 4:19

"...God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." - Romans 5:8

"The one who keeps God's commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us." - I John 3:24