1. READ THROUGH v31-39
2. What shall we say to these things? WOW!
NOTE: It’s been a while since we looked at the beginning of Romans 8:1. It’s easy to lose some of the flow of the letter…
• But the CH started out remember, with NO CONDEMNATION.
• We are free in Christ to look forward, not looking back.
Philippians 3:13-14 (NKJV) 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
What shall we say to these things…? I’m NOT condemned!
• Everything is working out all coming together because of what Jesus has done for us…
• We’ve been foreknown, predestined, called, justified, glorified.
• God has been, and continues to be so good to us!!!
Philippians 1:6 (NKJV) 6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;
Psalm 138:8 (NKJV) 8 The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever; Do not forsake the works of Your hands.
IF GOD IS FOR US, WHO CAN BE AGAINST US?
• Because God didn’t spare His own Son, and delivered Him up for us all, how shall not give us freely all things.
• God IS for us… NOT against us.
That’s where Paul takes us through CH8… he wants us to be confident in God. To trust Him. To hold tightly to Him.
• Because even though we have great confidence in God, there are things in this world that come against us.
• There are Spiritual Enemies, Life’s Situations.
• We can even be against ourselves.
• All attempting to separate us from the love of God…
THEY ARE ENEMIES OF OUR FAITH, causing INSECURITIES & DOUBTS… We’ll look at 4 of them…
#1 – THE PROBLEM OF OPPOSITION. (v31-32)
• Every day, every week, at every turn there seems to be things that go against us.
• We could all take turns sharing the difficulties that we’ve faced, the hard things that have come our way.
• Life can be so hard & difficult… trials, temptations, testings.
• But our response to them is what really matters!
THAT’S the foundation of Romans… our response to the tough times in life will be determined by our understanding of who God is and how He loves us!
• We learn these wonderful truths about God so we can apply them to our daily lives! With God we are a majority!
• God is for you absolutely for you all the time and in control.
• His loving plan of salvation is life changing!
Where’s the evidence? V32!
• God who did not spare His own Son!
• That’s a supernatural revelation of the love of God!
• In my place and your place, Jesus died!
#2 – THE PROBLEM OF ACCUSATIONS. (v33)
• Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect?
Romans 8:33 (NLT) Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? Will God? No! He is the one who has given us right standing with himself.
Well, I’ll tell you, we have an Adversary who loves to bring accusations and charges against you and me!
1 Peter 5:8 (NKJV) 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
John 8:44 (NKJV) 44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.
SO even though no one can successfully accuse, that doesn’t’ mean that they won’t come… they will.
• Satan accuses, friends, family, enemies, even close loved ones.
• But in Christ, there is safety & security living for Him.
NOTE: That’s why it’s so important for Christians to live above reproach… above accusations. TURN OVER TO 1 Timothy 3:1ff
• Blameless?! Are you kidding? I’m not blameless!
• The phrase literally means, “there is nothing that you are holding onto in your life that you know is absolutely wrong and you refuse to deal with it through repentance.”
• You’re above reproach, so that when accusations come (and they will) nothing will stick to you. Because They aren’t true!
• A man that can’t deal with his own sin, is disqualified in dealing with and ministering to men with sins in their lives.
Colossians 1:21-22 (NKJV) 21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight—
Oppositions… Accusations…
#3 – CONDEMNATION. (v34)
• Condemnation is the enemy of our security in Jesus.
• I’ve seen more people walk away discouraged, beat up, bummed out, and done… because of condemnation!
• But it’s not coming from Jesus Christ.
• Paul gives us 4 reasons why Jesus doesn’t condemn us:
• He died, he’s risen, he’s at the right hand of the Father, He’s making intercession for us.
I love that… Jesus is interceding for us. He’s praying for you!
• Remember Peter? Jesus tells him he’s going to fall, to stumble.
Luke 22:31-32 (NKJV) 31 And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”
Even if we began to condemn ourselves for such knuckleheaded decisions… God is greater.
1 John 3:19-20 (NKJV) 19 And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. 20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.
THE BATTLE gets so heavy. The SPIRITUAL WAR so difficult…
• It’s easy to get so sick and tired of fighting.
• It’s gets to be where it feels like it’s just too much.
• Then with failure always comes this sense of guilt & shame which quickly turns into a heaviness of condemnation!
BUT friends, for those of you who are IN CHRIST Jesus, there is NO CONDEMNATION… your past sins forgiven.
• Your present sins… forgiven. Your future sins… forgiven.
• The Bible teaches us that there is NO condemnation.
• That word NO means NO POSSIBILITY! NONE. ZERO. ZIP!
WHICH BRINGS US TO THE 4th ENEMY THAT CREATES INSECURITIES AND FEARS IN OUR HEARTS TOWARD GOD…
OPPOSSITIONS, ACCUSATIONS, CONDEMNATIONS.
#4 – PERSECUTIONS. (v35-39)
LOOK AT V35… What can separate us from the love of Christ.
• Then we go on a mini-tour of the various things in life that try to take you away from the free-flowing love of your Savior, Jesus!
He says in v35, TRIBULATION… the word means to put on the pressure, to squeeze, to push down upon from the outside.
• It speaks of the issues & strains of life that are external.
• You’ve felt this before haven’t you?
• The stress, the pressure, the force of the situations.
• Can those things at your job, with your kids, at your school, can they separate you from the love of Christ? NO!
DISTRESS is the next word…
• It refers to internal problems & pressures.
• The word comes to us from 2 words, one meaning ‘narrow space’ and the other anxiety & distress.
• These are the internal things that keep you up at night, wrestling with things that overwhelm our peace in Christ.
THEN PERSECUTION & Famine, nakedness, peril, sword.
• None of these can successfully separate us from God’s love.
V37 – IN ALL THESE THINGS we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us!
• We overwhelmingly conquer through the one who loves us.
• We super conquer. It’s the kind of victory that when you’re done, you have energy left over!
• There is this incredible victory that comes through Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:57 (NKJV) 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 2:14 (NKJV) 14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.
VICTORY IN JESUS is a gift to receive, not a work to do!
• As we abide in Christ, walking in the power of His Spirit…
• There is victory!
1 John 5:4 (NKJV) 4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world— our faith.
And the chapter closes with great encouragement & assurance.
• Paul was persuaded, or convinced of these wonderful truths!
• He held on to them.
• Death nor life… -- Spiritual forces… good or bad.
• Things now or in the future
• Height, depth, any other created thing shall be able…
Because our God is full of love & compassion:
Hebrews 13:6 (NKJV) 6 So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
Psalm 56:3 (NKJV) 3 Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.
Psalm 4:8 (NKJV) 8 I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.
Deuteronomy 33:27 (NKJV) 27 The eternal God is your refuge, And underneath are the everlasting arms; He will thrust out the enemy from before you, And will say, ‘Destroy!’
Hebrews 6:19 (NKJV) 19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil,
We are not spiritual orphans sent out into a hostile world to make it on our own.
• OK KIDS, I HOPE YOU MAKE IT! NO WAY.
• I’m am super loved through Jesus & therefore I super conquer.
• I can face all these things that may be against me.
• OPPOSITIONS, ACCUSATIONS, CONDEMNATIONS, PERSECUTIONS.
Any of these things that threaten my feeling and sense of security in the Lord can be faced through Him…
• He’s always with me. I’m His child. I’ve been adopted into the family. AND the truth of God’s Word always supersedes my feelings…
