What It Means To Be More Than A Conqueror

I had a lot of road time last week.  I was up and down the interstate helping out at work in a way I do every so often.  It gave me a lot of time to reflect and just sit in the presence of God. 

One particular morning my mind was just wandering through a few things when the Lord remarked, “You are more than a conqueror.”

Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us. –Romans 8:37

I almost missed it because I’ve heard it so many times.  But just before my brain shooed it away, little hooks dug in and I stiffened. 

More than a conqueror

I rubbed my eyes and turned the phrase over in my head.  What does it mean to be more than a conqueror?  I’d never really considered it.  My whole life spent hearing that popular passage and I hadn’t ever thought about what it means to be more than a conqueror.

As I thought about it I heard the Lord begin to explain.  “I’ve not only called you to conquer the strongholds of the enemy, but to establish my kingdom on the taken land.”

Jesus didn’t come only to destroy the works of the devil, but to establish the kingdom of heaven here on earth (1 John 3:8, Matt. 6:10).

And so is our assignment.  We are not only to destroy the lies of the devil, but to establish God’s kingdom in its place.

So, what does that look like?

I think it looks like asking God to show us how to deposit the seeds of his kingdom as we minister and live.  It’s approaching ministry with the knowledge that the ultimate goal isn’t physical healing, a prophetic word,  a word of knowledge, etc., but rather that the recipient is drawn into the arms of God in a deeper way than they were before. 

It’s not, “Okay, the person was healed and now I’m done.”  It’s “Okay, the person was healed.  Lord please show me how you want to establish your kingdom in this persons life.”

I don’t know what this looks like in every situation.  But I do feel like many have been left with the job only half done.  For whatever reason, street ministry keeps coming to mind as I write this. 

More than ever people are taking to the streets and ministering to strangers.  It’s a great thing and lives are being touched.  I love that more and more people are becoming willing to get uncomfortable.  But I think (and I’m guilty of this) there are times we minister, see something amazing happen (or nothing we can immediately notice), and then scurry away without another word.  The person is healed, and then what?  The person receives a word from the Lord, and then what?  The person gets delivered, and then what?

I’m not sure what the “and then what” will look like in each situation, or if the Lord will even lead us to stick around any longer.  But what I do know is that we might see even more amazing things happen if we take another minute to ask the Lord if there’s anything else he wants to do before we walk away.  If there’s any way he wants to establish his kingdom where the enemy has just been destroyed. 

Blessings,

Jesse and Kara Birkey