I have always been intrigued by Romans 8:37 which says:
“Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”
I decided to look up conqueror in the Strong’s Concordance. It’s the Greek word hypernikaō(G5245) and it means:
“to be more than a conqueror, to gain a surpassing victory.”
I noticed that conqueror comes from the root word nikaō (knee cow o) (G3528) which is translated 24 out of 28 times as overcome. So it became obvious to me that in order to become a Kingdom Conqueror you must first be a World Overcomer.
What does the Word have to say about being an Overcomer?
John 16:33 says:
"In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
Praise God. . .we have an invaluable ally and mentor in overcoming things not born of the Spirit.
Here are seven steps to become a kingdom conqueror and world overcomers.
1. You must have confidence that God will bring you the victory.
Let’s begin with an example from the story of David and Goliath. It’s found in 1 Samuel 17:9. In Today’s New International Version it says:
“If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us."
These are bold words David is speaking. The scriptures don’t record whether King Saul knew David was going to make such a bold statement but I think we can rest assured that David already knew the end from the beginning.
He was not fighting this battle in his own strength… he knew in his heart that God would give him the victory.
As you fight the good fight. . .you’ve got to know that God will give you the victory.
You can also have the confidence that as you fight the good fight. . .God will protect you.
Consider the words of Jeremiah 1:19 in the New International Version which says:
“They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the LORD.”
This thought leads right into the scripture found in The New International Version of Matthew 16:18 which says:
“And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of death will not overcome it.”
2. You must know that no weapon of the enemy formed against you will prosper.
We have all we need to overcome every trick or trap of the enemy.
Luke 10:19 in Today’s New International Version says:
“I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.”
The King James Version of the Bible translates the last part of the scripture as:
“...and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”
The Message Bible translation of Luke 10:19 says:
“…and protection from every assault of the Enemy. No one can put a hand on you.”
The devil does not want us fighting the good fight. . .he does not want us overcomingand he would like nothing more than to hurt our reputations as Christians. . .that’s why we’re waging warfare against principalities, powers and spiritual wickedness.
But here’s the great news. 1Timothy 6:12 in the Amplified Bible says:
“Fight the good fight of the faith; lay hold of the eternal life to which you were summoned and [for which] you confessed the good confession [of faith] before many witnesses.”
3. Renewing your mind will prevent you from being overcome by evil.
Romans 12:21 in Today’s New International Version says:
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Let’s look at Romans 12:21 in the Amplified Bible which says:
“Do not let yourself be overcome by evil, but overcome (master) evil with good.”
Crucifying the flesh is the age-old Christian battle that Paul speaks of in Romans 7:18-25 … this is what is says in the Message translation:
“But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can't keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don't have what it takes. I can will it, but I can't do it. I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.”
21-23It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.
24I've tried everything and nothing helps. I'm at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn't that the real question?
25The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.
We can never rely on our own goodness but we must constantly be relying on the Lord to live through us.
Remember…many people try to live for Christ… but that is an impossible feat. We cannot live for Christ because that is based on our power… it is only when we let Christ live through us that we will be successful overcomers.
4. Inner resource becomes your outward strength.
1 John 4:4 in the Amplified Bible says:
“Little children, you are of God [you belong to Him] and have [already] defeated and overcome them [the agents of the antichrist], because He Who lives in you is greater (mightier) than he who is in the world.”
Dictionary.com defines resourceful as:
“Having inner resources; adroit or imaginative; "someone who is resourceful is capable of dealing with difficult situations.”
I must tell you that when I first read this definition . . .I got a huge smile on my face and a bubbling inner joy and knowing.
“Inner resources.”
Can you say “Holy Spirit?”
That’s right. . .the Holy Spirit is your inner resource.
There are seven things you should know about this inner resource but I’m only going to give you three in this teaching.
First, the Holy Spirit strengthens you when you’re overwhelmed by adversity.
Romans 8:26 in the Amplified Bible says:
“So too the [Holy] Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought, but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and groanings too deep for utterance.”
Second, the Holy Spirit will never withhold knowledge and/or ability from you.
1 Corinthians 1:7 in the Amplified Bible says:
“That you are not [consciously] falling behind or lacking in any special spiritual endowment or Christian grace [ the reception of which is due to the power of divine grace operating in your souls by the Holy Spirit], while you wait and watch [constantly living in hope] for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and [His] being made visible to all.”
Third, the Holy Spirit will cause you to profit.
1 Corinthians 12:7 in the Amplified Bible says:
“But to each one is given the manifestation of the [Holy] Spirit [the evidence, the spiritual illumination of the Spirit] for good and profit.”
Your inner resources become your outward resourcefulness.
In the Book of Revelation… the one book that tells the end of the story… the Apostle John was given what I call ‘inside information’ on what would take place. He also writes for us … the key to overcoming the enemy in every way he comes against us.
Revelation 12:11 in the Amplified Bible says:
“And they have overcome (conquered) him by means of the blood of the Lamb (we were first born-again) and by the utterance of their testimony, (we ONLY confess what God says… not what the devil wants us to say) for they did not love and cling to life (we have given up life as the world lives it to live as the Lord instructs us to live in Him) even when faced with death [holding their lives cheap till they had to die for their witnessing].”
5. Confidence in the outcome.
We have the confidence in knowing our lives will one day take on total victory …
Revelation 3:21 in the Amplified Bible says:
“He who overcomes (is victorious), I will grant him to sit beside Me on My throne, as I Myself overcame (was victorious) and sat down beside My Father on His throne.”
It’s now to recognize that if you fight to win as an overcomer than you will truly become more than a CONQUEROR.
Who enables and empowers you to become a conqueror over every adversity of life? The answer is found in Romans 8:37 which says:
“Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”
No loving Father ever wants His children to lose
God wants us to win…..EVERY TIME
2 Corinthians 2:14 says:
“Now thanks be unto God, which ALWAYS CAUSETH US TO TRIUMPH in Christ….”
The enemy only has the ability to deceive, accuse and tempt. . .that’s it. Jesus took away the power of death, hell and the grave when He made an open show of the devil.
The Bible plainly states that Jesus disarmed Satan and all his demon hoards.
Colossians 2:15 in the Amplified Bible says:
“(God) disarmed the principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made a bold display and public example of them, in triumphing over them in Him and in it (the cross).”
Remember the Word of God says we are always supposed to triumph, not just 51 percent of the time, not even 85 percent of the time, but always.
6. Remember who gives you the victory.
As a victorious fighter. . .an overcomer who gives you your victories? The answer is found in 1 Corinthians 15:57 in the Amplified Bible which says:
“But thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory [making us conquerors] through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Can the enemy. . .the devil defeat you or any other member of the Body of Christ. Consider the words of Revelation 2:11 in the Amplified Bible which says:
“Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches. Christ-conquerors are safe from Devil-death."
Let’s see . . . you have a choice. . .you can fight till you’re a winner in the game of life by overcoming every storm of life as a conqueror or you can experience the consequences of Revelation 21:6 in the Message Bible which says:
“Then he said, "It's happened. I'm A to Z. I'm the Beginning, I'm the Conclusion. From Water-of-Life Well I give freely to the thirsty. Conquerors inherit all this. I'll be God to them, they'll be sons and daughters to me. But for the rest—the feckless and faithless, degenerates and murderers, sex peddlers and sorcerers, idolaters and all liars—for them it's Lake Fire and Brimstone. Second death!"
7. The recognition you will receive as a victorious conqueror and overcomer.
In the athletic events and contests of this life. . .the winners always achieve some sort of recognition. . .what will you achieve as a result of your fighting the good fight. . .as an overcomer and by being, more than a conqueror.
The answer can be found in two scriptures. . .
First, Revelation 3:5 in the Message Bibles says:
“Conquerors will march in the victory parade, their names indelible in the Book of Life. I'll lead them up and present them by name to my Father and his Angels.”
The second scripture is also found in Revelation chapter three. . .this time, it’s verse twenty in the Message Bible which says:
"Look at me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I'll come right in and sit down to supper with you. Conquerors will sit alongside me at the head table, just as I, having conquered, took the place of honor at the side of my Father. That's my gift to the conquerors!”
You may feel like you’re in the battle of your life right now. . .then draw strength from this teaching and recognize that the only way you lose in the game of life. . .is if you quit.
And I know. . .you’ll never do that.
Why should we never quit. . .because WE WIN.
1 John 5:4 in the New King James Version says:
“For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world our faith.”
Yes, we have the victory. . .not just on Resurrection Sunday. . .but every day of the year.
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Harold Herring