More than Conquerors

More than conquerors. The word conquerors here is the Greek word “nikao,” (we get Nike from it), and it means “to conquer, carry off the victory, and come off victorious.”  In a war, the nation who conquered not only won the battle but carried off the spoils of war; They not only survived, but they gained gold, treasure, overthrew the enemy king, and carried him off as a prisoner. Today, when we think of winning, we think of going home with a trophy and eating a celebratory dinner because we scored more points than the other team. Conquering meant so much more; To win meant not to die. 

When Paul says we are conquerors, he is saying the devil and death themselves have been overthrown. The devil has no authority, and we are no longer slaves to sin. In this passage, Paul encourages the church of Rome through their persecution and struggles. He reminds them who they are in Jesus. Right before Romans 8:37, Paul gives a long list of possible obstacles Christians may have to go through in their lives. He poses a question, “What can separate us from Jesus? Can persecution? Can danger, hunger, or fear? Can even death separate us from what we have won in Jesus?” That is the set up for Romans 8:37, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” Paul fires back at the question he posed. No way! In famine, we have Jesus. In danger, we have Jesus. In pain, we have Jesus. In every single situation, we have Christ’s love! Even in death, we have Jesus! It is the same for us today. Can anything separate you from Jesus? Can the loss of your job? Can turmoil in the nation? Can sickness? No! Nothing can separate us from Jesus! 

If Paul said conquerors only, that would have been enough, but he didn’t. He added to it. He said we are more than conquerors. More. We are amazingly above and beyond conquerors. Jesus did not just barely beat the devil; He utterly destroyed the devil’s power. It was an embarrassing loss for the devil, not an even match. Think of a dark room. When the light switch is flipped, does the light struggle to push out darkness? Do you have to cheer it on, encourage it to usher up strength for the battle? Absolutely not. It is not even a battle. The switch is flipped, and the war is over. Light completely devours darkness. It is not even close. 

Jesus unreservedly removed the power of darkness from our lives. He smashed the devil’s power on the cross, and now, through Jesus, we are more than conquerors. Let us be voices of victory calling people to the One who already defeated it all. When the world is trembling, may they see us at peace, resting in the victory of the cross. 

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Lord, I am so grateful nothing can separate me from you. Enable me to live from a place of victory, to be a light in the darkness and a person of confident peace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.