More Than Conquerors: Living From Victory, Not Circumstances

"No, in all these things we are more tan conquerors through him who loved us." Romans 8:37 (NIV)

When Perspective Distorts Truth

If I were a cartoon character, I’d be Eeyore—pessimistic, melancholic, mildly undone when my tail falls off (to be fair, who wouldn’t be?)—and in no particular hurry.

Interestingly though, I don’t believe it’s Eeyore’s circumstances that make him this way. I believe it’s his view of his circumstances.

After all, he has a wonderful friend in Winnie-the-Pooh—the “tubby little cubby all stuffed with fluff”—along with all the other characters of the Hundred Acre Wood.

These friends support him and are there for him on his gloomy days and his somewhat less gloomy days. Sadly, Eeyore never really has what he would call a good day—even with such good friends by his side.

Remembering Who We Are in the Struggle

And that’s exactly why I identify as Eeyore—I tend to see life as gloomy or somewhat less gloomy, but never truly good, even with a loving and faithful God by my side and the hope of His promises.

How about you? Do you share the gloomy outlook Eeyore and I share? Have the difficult circumstances in your life caused the little raincloud that follows Eeyore around to follow you around day in and day out?

If so, may I gently remind you that, as believers in Jesus Christ, we are called to live differently—even in crises and circumstances we never asked for.

Crises Seen Through a Different Lens

It’s only a crisis for us because of our limited understanding and abilities. They’re only circumstances we would never ask for because we can’t see what God can—and will—do in them and through them.

I confess that when I’m facing a crisis or an unwanted circumstance, I can feel so defeated and hopeless that you’d think my tail just fell off, and no pushpin in the world will get it to stay on again. Ever.

But Scripture tells us that we will have trouble in our life (John 16:33).

True Identity Revealed

The presence of a crisis or unwanted circumstance in our lives is not meant to remind us of who and what we aren’t, but rather whose we are and what we are.

If you’re reading this, I’m sure you already know whose you are—God’s—but do you know what you are?

Romans 8:37 tells us that in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

Did you catch that? You are a conqueror—a victor, not a victim. And did you also catch the word more in that verse?

Living From a Victory Already Won

How can we be more than conquerors? On our own, we can’t be. It is only through Jesus Christ that we are conquerors at all. And because of Him, and all that He has already secured for us, the extent of our victory reaches far beyond what human understanding could ever define.

You see, a conqueror fights to win. He’s striving to be victorious. To be more than a conqueror means the outcome is not in question. We aren’t striving for victory—we’re living from a victory already secured by Christ.

Suffering Does Not Get the Final Word

Being more than a conqueror means suffering can touch us, but it cannot define us and it will not defeat us. Those things that may have been meant to destroy us are folded into God’s redemptive work—a work that continues until we are home with Him.

Not only are we victorious at the end of the war, but we are victorious in every battle because God remains present and purposeful even in what we do not fully understand—or like. Yes, even in the battles that cost us our health or the loss of someone we love.

We are more than conquerors because even when the battle costs us dearly, it cannot separate us from Christ’s love or undo the victory He has already won—our reconciliation to God.

Resolve to See Your True Identity

Friend, I’m not one for resolutions because, well, as I have said before, I know me. But we don’t have to begin this new year with a resolution—we can begin it with a new outlook.

We can choose to see ourselves as victors—more than conquerors—not victims, even when our tail falls off.