A Life of Victory

Romans 8

“The Holy Spirit longs to reveal to you the deeper things of God. He longs to love through you. He longs to work through you. Through the blessed Holy Spirit you may have: strength for every duty, wisdom for every problem, comfort in every sorrow, joy in His overflowing service.” T. J. Bach
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Romans 8 defines a life of victory by the work and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the life of a follower of Jesus. In this chapter, Paul pens the answer to the question posed in Romans 7:24 and shares the blessings God brings through Jesus Christ that make us “more than conquerors!”

“Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?”
Expanding on 7:25, Paul explained that Jesus Christ has done for us what the law of Moses could never do: He has delivered us from the law of sin and death. “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin." Romans 7:25 (ESV)

We can experience freedom from sin as we walk in the power of His Spirit. Paul did not say that there is no fault or sin or imperfection, but that because of Jesus Christ there is no condemnation. Think of that. In Christ, there is no condemnation.

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.” Romans 8:1-11 (ESV)

When God saved us, He gave us a new life, not a new law; as we yield to that life, we obey His law. Therefore, we must keep our mind centered on the things of the Lord and seek to please Him in all things. We must let the Spirit live His life in and through us. It is in this Spirit-led life we find joy and victory in this life, despite the difficulties.

“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” Colossians 3:1–4 (ESV)

So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” Romans 8:12-17 (ESV)

The Spirit leads us and assures us of our salvation. If we walk according to the Spirit as God desires, we prove ourselves to be God’s sons and daughters. Not only are we sons and daughters, but we are adopted children.

If a person was adopted in Paul’s time, that individual immediately received all of the rights of an adult heir. The chief right that Paul mentions here is intimacy with God. We therefore can pray, Abba, Father. If in this life we are his children, even when that involves suffering, we can be assured that someday we will share in His Glory. Abba is a term of intimacy meaning “Papa” or “Daddy.” We can say it with complete assurance that God is listening.

According to Paul, there is no comparison between today’s grief and tomorrow’s glory! Paul looked at the thorns, storms, floods, famine, sin, sickness, and death that characterize the fallen world, and declared that they aren’t even worth comparing to the glorious future awaiting God’s people. Meanwhile, however, the whole creation “groans” together with us as we await our day of liberation by Christ’s return. Our final victory over sin and death will be a victory for all creation as well. Unlike the rest of humankind and creation, however, believers have the indwelling Holy Spirit as an assurance of our future glory.

As a follower of Jesus, we need not be frustrated by the suffering we experience or see in this world because we have hope. When Jesus returns, we will enter into glorious liberty! The Spirit is the beginning of the harvest and assures us that the best is yet to come.

“Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” Romans 8:26-30 (ESV)

Warren Wiersbe says, “God’s purpose is to make His children like His Son, and He will succeed. The Spirit intercedes for us and guides us as we pray, and the circumstances of life work for our good, no matter how painful they may be.”

The Greek word for intercedes that Paul uses means “to appeal.”

Dr. Tony Evans says, “In our weakness, we may simply be groaning, but the Spirit translates that into an appeal that is according to the will of God. If we pray from the heart—even if our prayers are only groans—they are exactly as they should be by the time they reach God.”

He goes on by stating that, “the promise of 8:28 is a conditional one. If you and I as believers are not loving God and progressively being conformed to the image of Christ, we will not see things working together for good. Dr. Evans also says God always finishes what he starts and all who are called reach glorification, which guarantees the eternal security of all believers.”

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:31-39 (ESV)

Paul closes this powerful chapter to the Romans by clarifying that the Spirit of God makes the love of God real to us. The Father is for us, the Son is for us, and the Spirit is for us and nothing can separate us from His love.

Are you living above the condemnation that this life often offers? Do you understand that in Christ, you have been adopted? Do you know and trust that for those who love God all things work together for your good? Do you believe that you are called according to his purpose? What is He calling you to? Is there any reason why you should not be “more than a conqueror?”

Today, as a follower of Christ, know that you are victorious, for you are “more than conquerors?”

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