June 12, 2012 - More Than Conquerors!

I woke up this morning with this phase on my heart - "more than a conqueror." Isn't conquering good enough? Isn't "knowing we win" the best part of the game? Absolutely not! We have to constantly remind ourselves that IN THIS WORLD, there are MULTIPLE trials and temptations and battles. It's ALWAYS been like that throughout history in the real world. Always! The kingdom was always in need of protection as various rulers saw the political gain of land as another "jewel" in their crown. This morning, I don't want to focus on conquering - I want to focus on the phrase "more than." Romans 8:31-37 gives a wonderful picture of never being separated from the LOVE of God. That one concept is so eternal some of us miss the real implications. We miss that life is a daily battle but even in our failure, God's love never changes. We often miss that nothing can remove us or separate us from God's love and yet we struggle to accept that as we should. Coming to the full realization of the POWER of this passage places us in the "MORE than conqueror" category. There is a place in our mind, where we REALLY understand: "Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ's love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture." And yet everyday is a struggle........I hear that from so many on a regular basis. Sometimes our health plan is more than a daily struggle - sometimes it's an hourly battle and we become tired. I so understand. I had that day yesterday. I was tired, had a lot on my plate, had my physical (so shouldn't I celebrate 18 months of "no cheating"???? REALLY?) I actually got up about midnight (7 hours ago) and ate some nuts, as I was starving. WRONG time to eat - but I was really hungry from water aerobics late. UGH! But this morning the Spirit of the Lord awakens me with "MORE THAN" a conqueror. YES, WE ARE! SoI began to meditate on that and while looking at this passage in several translations it says, "overwhelming victory, surpassing victory, more than a victory" because of the way Jesus embraces us! Amen! In order to be more than conquerors on this health journey, we have to realize that God's help is constant - he never sends us to battle without HIS armor. We must realize and see our food situation from his perspective and embrace the fact that God cares enough to place deep within us a CARE for our health. (if you didn't CARE, you wouldn't read this daily). We must begin to operate in the confidence that GOD gives each of us strategies and that we MUST do the victory dance OFTEN as reminders that we are MORE THAN......... MORE THAN means above, beyond, not limited by (a defeat - whether one meal or three months - we get back up), embracing of, understanding at a different level than the other "soldiers" on the field.........this is a place of confidence because we KNOW that hunger and occasional food blunders are a momentary BLIP on the radar. And we ask daily for OUR battle plan and we execute it with determination and expectation. I feel that someone needs to see in spite of months of "seeming" failure, YOU ARE MORE THAN a conqueror through Christ! Keep referencing that - keep saying that confidently all day - "I am more than conquering my health plan." Keep reminding yourself that you KNOW what to do and you CHOOSE to follow the battle plan! To all my "more than conquerors" - someday we will feast at the table in our eternal home and smile at each other with that God confidence that says, "I was one and so were you!" Conqueror well this day and live above! PK PS - no blog for the rest of the week as I will be at summer camp with our youth. LOVE you dearly. PK PSS - getting my blood work yesterday reminded me to REMIND you - check your systems. :) PSSS - I will be preaching tomorrow morning to our youth - please pray!