Orange Moon Monday, April 6, 2026 "More Than Conquerors"

The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe

“More Than Conquerors”

 

     So long as the tomb of the Lord Jesus Christ remains empty and His Heavenly throne occupied, born again believers must never view ourselves as on the defensive.  Because we never are.

   "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  As it is written, For Thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us" (Romans 8:35-37).

   Had we witnessed the life of the Apostle Paul during the years of his ministry, many events would have seemed to indicate Satan had our brother on the run.  Imprisonments, beatings, stonings, shipwreck, ridicule, distress, perplexities, and rejection by unbelievers and believers alike seemed to indicate Paul in frequent jeopardy regarding his calling and his very life.   Indeed, Nero ultimately put Paul to the sword and ended his time on the planet.  "More than conquerors?"  How can that have been true of the constantly challenged and finally slain Apostle who penned the affirmation of triumph? (II Corinthians 11:24-33).

    We know the answer.  The empty tomb and the occupied throne of the Lord Jesus bears witness.  Paul's life and death both affirmed the reality of Christ's triumph:

    My earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death" (Philippians 1:19-20).  

     The Apostle lived his life on the offensive by God's grace, realizing that battles and skirmishes won by our enemies do not affect the triumph of the ages already won by the Lord Jesus.  Born again believers in the Lord Jesus live from that victory, not for it.  Let the foes of Christ and Christians do what they will.  They can bluster, they can badger, they can batter.  They can even kill.  Our defeated foes nevertheless always fight an uphill, defensive battle wherein they lose even as they win.  Certainly, this does not minimize the challenges and very real sufferings of God's people.  However, it does affirm the "very present help in trouble" reality of our Lord, and His wondrous capacity to bring light in darkness, joy in sorrow, peace in turmoil, and even life in death (Psalm 46:1).  "Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savor of His knowledge by us in every place" (II Corinthians 2:14).

     Appearances and experiences often do not seem to confirm the triumph of the Lord and His people.   It frequently does not feel this way.  But it always is this way.  The tomb is empty.  The throne above is occupied.  Jesus Christ is Lord.  So long as these truths abide, we cannot be on the defensive.  We live and fight in the light and life of our Lord's triumph.  From victory.  Always from the triumph of the empty tomb and the Lordship of Christ.  We do well to often remind ourselves and each other that we "fight the good fight of faith” not to defend, but to attack.  Always relentlessly on the offense.  Always.

"Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savor of His knowledge by us in every place."

(II Corinthians 2:14)

Weekly Memory Verse 

   Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savor of His knowledge by us in every place.

 (II Corinthians 2:14)

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