Secondly, to be MORE than conquerors, we must win the victory over “self.” “Self” is often at the root of our problems. There are probably more of our problems that are caused by selfishness and self-centeredness than any other one thing. And putting our “self” ahead of God is the very ROOT of sin.

I imagine we’re all familiar with the parable, which Jesus told, and which is recorded for us in Luke, the 12th chapter. It is referred to as “The Parable of the Rich Fool.” Jesus tells the story there of a man who was so self absorbed and preoccupied with SELF that he had no time for others! He had no consideration for others! And he had no time or consideration even for God! The man had the worst kind of “I” problem; not eye, E-Y-E, but “I,” as in the pronoun “I”.

As Jesus tells this very brief but poignant story about this man, you can see that this selfish man uses the pronouns “I,” “my” and “mine” numerous times. And so God calls this man a “FOOL.”

[The Parable of the Rich Fool, Luke 12:16-21, New International Version of the Bible:

“And He (Jesus) told them this parable: ‘The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, “What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.”

“‘Then he said, “This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I’ll say to myself, ‘You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.’”

“‘But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?”

“‘This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.’”]

We need to have the wisdom to perceive the implications of this parable, and NOT allow SELF to stand in the way of achieving life’s greatest victory. Instead of blaming others for the way we are, let us be big enough to see that it is SELF that keeping us from being what the Lord would have us to be.

Finally, to be MORE than conquerors, we must also win the victory over disappointment, heartache, suffering and, ultimately, over physical death. In this life, family problems are going to come our way. Heartaches and disappointments will be ours to bear. Suffering has to be endured, and personal tragedies are going to occur. And death will ultimately come to us all.

Not everyone has found the spiritual and emotional resources, to cope—to cope with these things, and to conquer these things. Sometimes we see individuals who appear to be strong, who appear to be faithful. But they grow bitter, and they renounce God when these things happen to them.

The story is told that years ago a widowed mother, who had lost her son in the Civil War, asked Brother J. W. MacGarvey [I am not sure the spelling is correct], with tears and bitterness in her voice, “Where was God when my son was killed?” And the story goes that Brother MacGarvey’s reply was that he didn’t know, unless God was in the same place where He had been when His Own Son was killed!!

Yes, we all have disappointments to face, and crushing blows to endure, in this life. How will we face them? Where is the strength? Well, let’s return to Paul’s bold affirmation in verse 37 of our text once again. “…in all these things we are MORE than conquerors through HIM Who loved us.”

Self reliance is a wonderful thing, but it is insufficient in living the Christian life. Dependence on self is nothing but a “broken reed” [this phrase means to be weak and damaged; to depend on SELF is to be weak, broken, damaged, not at full strength, not complete]. Jesus frankly pointed out to His disciples on one occasion, “Without ME you can do NOTHING!” John 15, verse 5.

If victory is to be ours, if we are to be MORE than conquerors, it will NOT be by our own might or our own strength or power, but it will be through the SPIRIT of CHRIST. In the words, once again, of Paul, “I can do all things THROUGH CHRIST Which strengtheneth me,” Philippians 4, verse 13 [King James Version of the Bible]. [Philippians 4:13, New International Version of the Bible: “I can do everything through Him Who gives me strength.”]

It is OUR battle to fight, but it is HIS resources to use. Alone, we are helpless. We cannot achieve victory. But IN Christ, THROUGH Christ, and BY Christ, there is victory—victory over sin, victory over self, victory over all of the hardships of life, including physical death. This calls forth the “shout” from Paul when he says in 1 Corinthians 15, verse 37, “But THANKS BE TO GOD! He gives us VICTORY THROUGH the Lord Jesus Christ.”