Super Victorious Romans 8

Super Victorious

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Text: Roman 8:17-39

Introduction: Do we, as Christians really know what God as done for us in Jesus Christ?  We should walk, talk and sleep victory but too many times we do not. 

We may be like the story of a farmer who, on his first trip into the big city, bought an expensive talking bird at a pet store.  The bird spoke 5 different languages and cost a fortune.  The man had it shipped by special courier to his wife with a note saying, “Hope you enjoy the bird.  I’ll be home tomorrow.”  When he arrived home, his wife was cooking dinner.  “Mmm, something smells good what it is.”  “Well it’s that bird you sent home I just got through fixing him for dinner.”  “What? You mean to tell me you plucked that bird and are cooking him for dinner?  Woman, don’t you know that was a talking bird?  It was a pet to keep you company.  It spoke 5 different languages.”  The wife thought for a moment and then said, “Well, then why didn’t it say something before I put it in the oven.”

Sometimes we are like that as Christians, we just don’t realize what we really have.

Review

Romans 1-3 Sin: Guilty before God

Romans 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

Romans 4-5 Salvation of God

Romans 4:3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

Romans 5:6-9 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

Romans 6 -8 Sanctification: Victory in God’s Power

Romans 6 is Victory over Sin Romans 6:6-7 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin.

Romans 7. Victory over the Law

Romnas 7:8-9 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.   For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.

Romans 8 Super-victorious

Romans 8:36 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

I. Summary: Victory Over The Flesh Romans 8:10-16

And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

A. Paul summarizes the two previous chapters.

1.            The body, the flesh and its desires are dead. They were all crucified with Christ, buried with Christ and now. “the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you and shall one day quicken (make to live again) your bodies.

2.            Therefore, (always pay attention to the therefores) we are debtors not to the flesh, this mortality, this life, but instead of giving into the flesh and living as though we were dead, we should through the Spirit mortify (put to death and bury) the old man.

3.            Paul say, “We have not received the spirit of bondage, by the Spirit of Adoption and now as the children of God we cry out “Abba, Father!” The Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God!

II. Victory through the Hope of God Romans 8:17-25

17 ¶ And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. 24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? 25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

A.  Paul tells of the power of Hope

1.            Hope because we are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ

a)            Joint heirs first with His suffering but later with his glory.

b)            The suffer will not compare to the glory that awaits us.

2.            This hope is not just ours but all of creations.  Vs 19

a)            Creation itself waits in hope for the glorifying of the sons of God, for when they are glorified then all of creation will become what God originally created it to be.

b)            Creation shall be delivered from bondage in the liberty of the children of God.

c)            Creation groaneth and labors in pain until that day.

3.            This hope is the great hope the redemption of our bodies.

a)            Our final sanctification, final proof of God’s love and power.

B. How victorious is your hope?

1.            Hope is the long range goal while faith is the short term. Hope looks to the ultimate and final promise of God, while Faith trusts in this present day.

2.            Hope is what Paul is trying to get our eyes on in this passage. He is trying to get us to see the great victory that our hope in Jesus Christ truly accomplish.

3.            Victory in understanding who we are as the children of God. Victory over our suffering now because one day we will trade glory for pain.

4.            Victory in fully seeing that not only will be glorified but all of God’s creation that was scarred by sin will one day be delivered from that bondage in our freedom and finally be the perfect creation that God intended it to be.

5.            Hope that gives victory not only to us but to all of creation. No that is victory.

C.            Illustration:  Hope in the eyes of a cancer patient.  Mrs. Booker and death.

III.  Victory through the Work of God Romans 8:26-30

26 ¶ Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 ¶ For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

A. Paul reminds us of what God has done

1.            We have victory in the future through Hope vs. 17-25

2.            We have victory in the present through the work of Holy Spirit vs. 26

a)            Given to help in our infirmities, our weaknesses.

b)            He makes intercession, prays and pleads for us.

c)            Intercession in words that are beyond any words we could utter in prayer.

d)            The Holy Spirit can do this because he has the very mind of God. The Holy Spirit prays according to the will of God.

e)            Finally, the Holy Spirt gives us this great and abiding assurance, All things work together for good to them that love the Lord and are called according to His purpose. vs 28

3.            Next we have victory in eternity past through the work of God’s fore-knowledge vs. 29-30

a)            Not only do we have hope of victory in the future through the promises of God but we have the surety of  knowing that God took care of the past for us as well.

b)            The Bible says, He foreknew us. He knew us as his children, as those who would accept His Son as savior.

c)            He then predestined us. He determined before it happened that we would be conformed to the image of His Son.

d)            Finally when the time was right, He called us. Called into salvation, called to the cross of Calvary, called to the children of God.

e)            He Justified us.  Pronounced us as just before Him.

f)             He glorified us.  Gave us the glory of Jesus Christ.

4.            All this done in God’s mind before the world began. You cannot understand it but you can know victory by believing it.

B. We are victorious because God is working in us.

1.            God is working through the Spirit to overcome our weaknesses in this all sufficient strength.

2.            God is working in us as a Father who loves his child, reminding us through His own Spirit that we are His for all eternity.

3.            Not only is the future sure but God because He is God has already taken care of the past. He looked own through eternity and saw the day, you would accept his Son as Savior and before the world even began, across all time He claimed the victory for you.

4.            Ephesians 1:3-6 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

5.            All this God has done in and for us that we might have a victorious life in Him.

C. Illustration:  Harry Houdini can’t open the lock.

1.            Harry Houdini’s only failure to escape from a jail cell almost came in a little English town with an old fashioned lock.  After regurgitating the lock pick he worked for hours on the old lock but could not make it budge.  At the point where he was ready to quit he leaned against the cell door and it swung open.  The sheriff had forgotten to lock the door.  Houdini had been working on an open lock.  Christian you are experiencing defeat because you are trying to do the work which Christ has already done.  We are already victorious.  It’s time we swung open the door and began to act like it. 

IV.          Victory through the Power of God Roman 8:31-39

31 ¶ What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord

A. Paul’s Challenge

1.            What shall we say to these things?

a)            If God be for us who can be against us?

(1)          He did not spare His own son will he not give us all we need?

b)            Who shall lay anything to the change of God’s elect?

(1)          God has justified us.

c)            Who is he that condemns?

(1)          Christ died, rose and now intercedes on our behalf.

d)            Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

(1)          Tribulation, distress, persecution, famine nakedness peril or sword.

(2)          For thy sake we are killed all the day long, we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

2.            Joey Martinez and Greg Guiterezz.

3.            No, in all these things we are more than conquerors

a)            The phrase “more than conquerors” is just one word in the Greek and it means super-victorious.  It means we are beyond mere victory. He have become super-victors, experiencing victory above and beyond the normal understanding and experience of the word because of the power of God working in and through me.

4.            I am persuaded.

a)            The word literally means, “I stand utterly convinced.”

b)            Because we cannot be separated from the love of God.

(1)          Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor thing present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, no any other created being, shall be able to separate us from the love of God,

c)            Paul, like a fighter on the battle field, stands before the enemy and says, “Bring it on! I stand in the power of God and nothing you do can separate me from His love.”

B. Are you super-victors in Christ.  Is your life and eternity beyond victory?

1.            Why not?  Perhaps because you have not begun in Romans 5 with salvation.

2.            Or have not continued through Romans 6 with Victory of Sin.

3.            Or stopped in your Christian life and growth before realizing you have victory over the Law in Romans 7.  And so you never can fully understand Romans 8 and come to a place of being super-victorious in Christ this side of heaven.

C. Illustration: Paul walks back through the city of Lystra after being stoned. 

Acts 14:19 ¶ And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead. 20 Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. 21 And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,

V. Conclusion

A. The great Baptist Missionary, William Carey is called the father of modern missions because he believed that the Great Commission meant going to the ends of the earth.

1.  He began life as a cobbler of shoe, a shoe repair man, and he married Dorthy who could not read and signed her marriage certificate with nothing but an x. Yet God called this humble and simple man into the ministry.  As he set at his workbench he would read the Bible and study. In a few years he had learned Hebrew, Italian, Dutch and French.

2.  In 1783 he was baptized into the local Baptist Church and later served as a schoolteacher and pastor. At a ministers' meeting in 1787, Carey raised the question of whether it was the duty of all Christians to spread the Gospel throughout the world. An older preacher is said to have retorted: "Young man, sit down; when God pleases to convert the heathen, he will do it without your aid and mine."

3.  Carey went to India with his family but the East India Company did not want missionaries reaching out to their tea plantation workers and refused to let him enter. He finally landed in Dutch territory and started his work. While there his oldest son fell sick and died and this cause his wife to have a nervous collapse and never again recover her mind and after years of caring for her and the work, she died of a fever.

4.  Carey remarried and after a few years his second wife Charlotte died, followed by his second son.

5. During this time Carey learned Bengalese and Hindi and then translated the Bible into those languages for the Indian people. He also found a Bible college and began to train men for the ministry. Throughout his time in India he endured sickness, opposition and terrible stress.

6. Carey years before he left for England preached a sermon that became famous for launching the modern missions movement. Throughout the sermon he returned again and agin to this phrase. “Expect great things from God, attempt great things for God.”

7. This was a man who understood what it was to be super-victorious in Christ.