Choose To Conquer.
Romans 8:35,37
Conquering is a choice. It’s a big choice, it’s a choice with bumps in the road. Paul commanded Timothy to endure hardness as a good solider.
Listen fully to Paul’s plea to Timothy—2 Timothy 2:3-5NKJV You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. 5 And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.
Those who compete—That should be all of us. We’re competing to stay focused, in tune, Refusing bittiness, Resentment, Refusing pride, Saying no, to every lie—Believing whatsoever is good, true, praise-worthy, produce good report, Honest and forth-right, Believing the report that produces joy and virtue.
“Greatness comes as believer’s stay focused. There are thousands of ways to break focus. However, the ultimate prize is worth everything! P.H
Thinking of huge mountains, what would you consider huge?
Some might call John’s Mountain huge, and it is. However, Denali National Park and Preserve also known as Mount McKinley, is the highest mountain in North America. It’s found in south central Alaska—its highest peak 20,310 feet, with 6,045,153 acres, which is larger than the state of New Hampshire.
Got some huge mountains in your life? In extreme cases, if God commands that we can actually speak to literal mountains and they can be moved—How much more can God move your individual or family crises?
Paul wrote in Romans 8:35,37NIV Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
Here’s a word for you today—Stop looking for excuses to fail; Start looking for reasons to succeed.
Temptations? They’re a dime of dozen, Pride of life? Lust of the eye? Lust of the flesh?
Verse 37 Again, No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
These words—More than conquerors, In the ‘Greek' carries with it an, Over and above, greater than normal report.
Romans 8:37AMP Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us.
Many have faced adversity greater than your own, Yet, they overcame. Their secret was that they chose to conquer.
Conquering Is Simply A Decision—Before anything can succeed there has to be a made up mind.
You have to believe and begin to say—I will conquer; I will go forward!
Here’s how 'I will’ go about it— Believe it or not, but this part of you succeeding can change, but success always begins with a—I will!
In a painful situation or an angry disagreement please remember this…
* Don’t curse it.
* Don’t rehearse it.
* Don’t nurse it.
* Reverse it.
“Your mountain will not just go away.” P.H
Stop cursing your situation, or your mountain—Speak to it!
God created you to speak His word—to prophesy.
Psalm 121:1-2NKJV I will lift up my eyes to the hills—From whence comes my help? 2 My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.
What hills do we look to?
Whose help are we looking for?
What kind of eyes are we looking with?
Just like the Apostle Paul, you need to believe and speak—“Who, who, who shall separate me from God’s love and His wonderful provisions!”
Mark 11:22-23NKJV So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. 23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.
We were created to speak faith over every mountain. Think about this, “You wouldn’t need faith if there were no mountains.”
Zechariah 4:6-7NKJV So he answered and said to me: “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the Lord of hosts. 7 ‘Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone with shouts of “Grace, grace to it!”
God said, “When you hit a dead-end, rehearse, grace.”
It’s all about what you do during rehearsal. What is rehearsal? It’s practice.
It was the biggest meeting of Bill’s life, and it had gone well. He couldn’t wait to tell his wife and his boss. As he rushed out of the Brooklyn office building with the rest of the team, they noticed a vacant cab—a rare sight during rush hour. Eager to get to the airport to catch their flight home, they bolted toward the cab, yelling to get the driver’s attention. But as they made their way across the sidewalk, they inadvertently knocked over a small produce- stand. The rest of the team seemed oblivious until Bill stopped and turned around to go back. From beside the taxi the others called out to Bill, “Come on, you’ll miss your flight.”
“Go ahead without me, Bill replied as he made his way back across the street toward the sidewalk covered in produce.
At that moment, he realized that the women who had behind the produce stand was blind. She was just standing there crying softly with tears running down her face.
It's OK it's OK, Bill said to her as he got down on his hands and knees and begin picking up the fruit and vegetables. There were 100’s of people passing each direction, but nobody else stopped to help her. They just scurried off to wherever they were going. When the fruit was back on the stand, Bill begin neatly organizing it, setting aside anything that was spoiled. Now he turned to the woman and asked, are you OK? She nodded through her tears. Then reaching for his wallet, he took out some bills and pass them to the woman, saying, “This money should cover the damages.” With that, Bill turned and begin the walk away. Mr., the woman called after him. Bill paused and turned around. Are you Jesus? Oh no he replied, the woman nodded and continued, “I only ask because I prayed for Jesus to help me as I heard my fruit falling all over the sidewalk.” Bill turned to leave again, only now his eyes begin to feel with tears. For a long time he wandered around looking for a taxi. After finally finding one, he sat in bumper to bumper traffic all the way to the airport. He had missed his flight, and because it was Friday night, all the other flights were full. Bill spent the night in a hotel by the airport, this gave him time to think. He couldn't get one question out of his head; “When was the last time someone confused you for Jesus?”
Remember Romans 8:35TPT Who could ever separate us from the endless love of God’s Anointed One? Absolutely no one! For nothing in the universe has the power to diminish his love toward us. Troubles, pressures, and problems are unable to come between us and heaven’s love. What about persecutions, deprivations, dangers, and death threats? No, for they are all impotent to hinder omnipotent love,
2. Stop rehearsing old wounds or past defeats.
In your car there is a rear-view mirror, but also a windshield.
Rear-view-mirrors are necessary, every driver has to look backwards occasionally.
Notice, this mirror is small and adjustable.
However, the windshield of every car is huge. It shows you where you’re going. It offers the driver protection as well. It shows us what’s ahead.
Again, “Stop rehearsing old wounds or past defeats!”
Paul wrote in Philippians 3:12-14TPT I admit that I haven’t yet acquired the absolute fullness that I’m pursuing, but I run with passion into his abundance so that I may reach the purpose that Jesus Christ has called me to fulfill and wants me to discover. 13 I don’t depend on my own strength to accomplish this; however I do have one compelling focus: I forget all of the past as I fasten my heart to the future instead. 14 I run straight for the divine invitation of reaching the heavenly goal and gaining the victory-prize through the anointing of Jesus.
Paul is saying, “I press onward!”
3. Stop nursing old wounds and past mistakes.
Several years ago, I took personal to an email one particular person sent me on several occasions. I finally expressed my anger; whereas later I found out that my anger wasn’t warranted. I had wounded my relationship with this person.
Latter as I saw him, I ask this person to forgive me, He replied by smiling and nodding his head okay.
Later I saw him again, I still felt bad, so I brought it up again, he said a few words I’ll always remember— “I don’t remember that.”
I said, “what?” He said again, while smiling, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Do we know how silly it looks for a grown man or woman to nurse a baby-bottle? It might produce a sense of security, but know this, It’s false security.’ ‘It’s time to throw away the bottle and begin to reach forward into the future.” P.H
4. It’s time for you to reverse every situation that has left you feeling defeated.
Overcomer’s are rewarded! Say that, “Overcomer’s are rewarded!”
Jesus said these words about the church of Philadelphia—Revelation 3:7-13NKJV “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, ‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens” 8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. 9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 11 Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. 12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.
13 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Philadelphia is the sixth church addressed by Jesus. Like Smyrna, Jesus offered no rebuke, only encouragement for their faithfulness and endurance in the midst of opposition.
Jesus knew they were a people of “little strength,” and yet they prevailed in a hostile environment, maintaining their witness for the Lord.
Many agree they faced intense opposition from legalistic Jews, and likely were expelled from worship within the synagogues. The church of Philadelphia was an overcoming church. Overcoming, which means they had opportunity to have set backs and sin, but they refused.
They were known for:
Brotherly Love—The Church of Philadelphia learned how to have holy moments. To help others.
Giving—They didn’t always have it to give, but they gave anyway.
Keeping God’s word—It’s easy to keep God’s word when everything goes well.
Little strength—However, they persevered.
Remember this, Every satanic attack against you is simply another opportunity for your promotion.
Again in closing, “You have to choose to conquer! Choose not to give up.
Benediction.
