Not Just Survivors But More Than Conquerors

Question

35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written:

"For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."

Response

37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither 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.

We and Us refers to Christians

What can separate us from the love of Christ?

What can make us fall?

Lets bring the scriptures into understandable, modern terms

Trouble or hardship-when the going gets tough the tough get going

Not always possible

Persecution-being tried for your faith

Thousands suffer everyday

Famine-loosing your means of survival

Nakedness-when your dignity is stripped away from you

Danger-possibility of the monster under your bed just a fear

Sometimes the scariest thing is the unknown

Hypochondriacs

Or

Sword-"the dirty underwear from last month actually left under the bed" that will kill

"For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."

What’s the point of going on?

Seems hopeless.

Will fate or destiny bring you down?

Is there anything that will make you fall (separate you from the love of God?

37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Not Just Survivors but more than Conquerors

What is a survivor?

It’s a good thing to be / better than the alternative

What is a conqueror?

We have the victory Jesus won it for us a long time ago

Why are we conquerors?

We come in the name of Jesus Christ, the Master of the Universe and the one who defeated Satan, Hell and the Grave.

What effect does that have on me as a Christian?

"I am convinced"

Philippians 1:6

"For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus."

You always protect an investment never destroy it

What am I convinced of?

"neither death nor life" can separate us from the love of God.

Like many people today, Paul couldn’t decide which was more honorable and which was worse, life or death.

Philippians 1:21

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."

"angels" can’t separate us from the love of God.

This was a time when people popularly thought, as some think today, that angels were mean creatures.

This goes along with the idea that God is some angry giant that lives on a cloud and will throw a lightning bolt at you if you mess up.

I believe angels are very real and very ever-present beings employed God to help us.

"guardian angels"

"demons" can’t separate us from the love of God.

Demons are very real and very ever-present beings employed by Satan with the purpose to mess you up.

"I believe in demon possession"

"Many stories in the Bible of Christ and the disciples casting out demons"

I think Hollywood takes a little to much freedom in trying to mimic these devilish beings. I think they are very accurate in depicting the power these guys possess.

The power of God will forever overpower the attempts of Satan at any cost.

"Harry Potter" books fail to show this

Quotes from Young Harry Potter readers:

"I used to believe in what they taught us at Sunday School," said Ashley, "conjuring up an ancient spell to summon Cerebus, the three-headed hound of hell. "But the Harry Potter books showed me that magic is real, something I can learn and use right now, and that the Bible is nothing but boring lies."

"Jesus died because He was weak and stupid." This is a quote from 6-year-old Jessica of Easley, South Carolina after reading the Harry Potter books

God (Jesus) was not being a weak sissy when He died. In fact He was being the toughest man to ever cross the earth and he sealed Satan’s fate of eternal Hell.

"Misery loves company" Satan doesn’t want to go to Hell alone so he’s quest is to try to pull you down with him. You are young and impressionable (teachable) now so he is going to get you while it is easy.

GOD WILL WIN, HE ALREADY HAS.

"the present" can’t separate us from the love of God.

The world as it is now.

Every age has thought they had it worst. From Adam to you.

Classic Grandpa’s statement "This sure ain’t the good old days" "What’s this world come to"