The Discouraged Conqueror

What do we do when we don't "feel" like or "see" the reality of being a conqueror?  Well, fortunately the Lord allowed me to experience it first hand so I would have something fresh to share (ha ha).  I have heard it said that we should watch what we share because we could be tested on it, and I found that to be true 98% of the time, which sometimes makes me wonder why I keep writing, but anyway...

In less than twenty-four hours after sharing about being MORE than conquerors, I woke to realize that I was feeling very overwhelmed.  We had said goodbye to company and I found myself with four beds to change, seven loads of laundry to fold, a son that needed a ride for the evening, a family that needed to eat, to say nothing of the other chores that were required just to accomplish the basics of life and tidying up.  The temptation, of course, was to pass on my quiet time because what needed to be done seemed so huge, but I have learned through years of trial and error that these are the times I need to be quiet with God the most.  So I started my morning in the Word and a devotional I use, and listen to what God gave...

First came the scripture found in Romans 12:11&12, in the Message version, where it says, "Don't burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame.  Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don't quit in hard times; pray all the harder."  It had only been a matter of hours, but I had forgotten to give this over to God for His help, and honestly I had not been feeling cheerfully expectant either.  Then, in my devotional, Faith to Faith, it said this...

       We are to live in hope.  We are to rejoice.  So, when Satan comes to steal your victory and tell you that God is not going to help you this time, you just think on the Word of God and start rejoicing.  Rejoice that you are in Him.  Rejoice that heaven is your home.  Rejoice that greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.  Rejoice.  Brag on God today.  The devil can't stand it!...When things get hard is not when you let go of the Word.  That is when you double up on it .  That is when you are constant in prayer so that you are immovable.

God is so faithful to speak to each of us and truly meet us where we are at!  I am so thankful that I took time in the Word today - I have a fresh hope for the day and a desire to rejoice; even though challenges still may come and the tasks that I have at hand have not disappeared.  I have a new "battle plan" for how to do all that needs to be done, and most importantly, I have taken it to prayer again and I will be standing on the Word and God's truth as I walk out my day rejoicing as a wife and mom.

You Are a Conqueror

Did you know that you are a conqueror?  A conqueror is someone who defeats someone or something or one who triumphs after great effort; and the good news of Romans 8:37 is this: "We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." What a verse...it is full of hope and promise because it says we ARE, not we will be or we might be, but we already are conquerors.  Not only are we already, but Paul says that we are MORE THAN conquerors - can you tell he was searching for the biggest way to tell us that we have everything we need at our disposal?

There is one key hidden in this verse, and that is the one that tells us where that ability comes from - it comes THROUGH Him (God) Who loved us.  How backwards is that in our society?  God already poured out His love and provision for us to conquer before we needed it - now it is accessible to us.  So, the question is not, "Are we conquerors?" but "What do we need to conquer?"

This is where the application comes in - what is in your daily life right now that you need to conquer?  Is the laundry piled higher than you know how to tackle?  Are the kids fighting so much your head hurts?  Is your husband needing more encouragement than you feel able to give?  Are the bills piling up to the point of what feels like no return?  If any of these things are true for you, then it is time to remind yourself of what the enemy doesn't want you to know - YOU ARE A CONQUEROR!  God has said that He doesn't give us more than we can handle, so as hard as life may feel, with His help we can walk through and overcome those things in our lives that are threatening to overwhelm us.

We may be tempted to think that this verse in Romans only applies to big things or important areas, but I would challenge us that laundry and fights are not little nor unimportant and that God deeply cares about all areas of our lives.  It can feel like those areas of our lives are ours to manage and God's job is to worry about the grander things, but I disagree ~ in fact in James 5:2-5 it is laid out why we have to work through these things and it confirms that God wants to help us.  In the Message version it says, "Consider it a sheer gift (all the laundry, the fights, etc.), friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides.  You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colours.  So don't try to get out of anything prematurely.  Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.  If you don't know what you're doing, pray to the Father.  He loves to help."  Isn't that wonderful - if we don't know what we're doing (that is me, most days) - pray - He loves (and really wants to) help us.

I encourage you today, that if you are feeling overwhelmed, have a chat with God about what you are finding heavy.  Tell Him that you have tried to work out these areas of defeat in your own strength and now see that you need and want to do it in His strength.  Victory may not be instant - but it will come.  Remember that you ARE (already) more than a conqueror THROUGH Him who loved us.