Part 12: Life in the Spirit Romans 8

Romans 8: 36-39 Bible Engagement

Part 12: Life in the Spirit Romans 8: 36-39 Bible Engagement

36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:36: As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

• As it is written in the Scriptures: “For you we are in danger of death all the time. People think we are worth no more than sheep to be killed.” ICB
• Just as it is written and forever remains written, “For Your sake we are put to death all day long; We are regarded as sheep for the slaughter.”
• As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” ESV

I feel like repeating, “As it is written, As it is written in the Scriptures, Just as it is written and forever remains written, and place a period at the end. It is written! The foundation behind this entire Romans chapter 8 Bible engagement/study is “it is written”.

A portion of Romans 8:36 was quoted from Psalm 44:22. For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. The theme of Psalm 44 was a “plea for victory by the battle-weary and defeated. When it seems that God has let you down, don’t despair. Instead, remember God’s past deliverance and be confident that he will restore you. Psalm 44 was written by the Sons of Korah who were Temple assistants.

The Note for Psalm 44:22 says, “Israel had been defeated despite their faith and obedience to God. The psalmist could not understand why God allowed this to happen, but he did not give up hope of discovering the answer. Although he felt his suffering was undeserved, he revealed the real reason for it: He suffered because he was serving God.

Paul quoted this psalmist’s complaint to show that we must always be ready to face death for the cause of Christ. Thus, our suffering may not be a punishment, but a battle scar that demonstrates our loyalty. The writer cried to God to save his people for his mercies’ sake (vs. 22-26); that is, because he is by nature merciful. Nothing can separate us from God’s love, not even death (Romans 8:36-39). When you fear for your life, ask God for deliverance, and remember that even physical death cannot separate you from him.“

I found this commentary on bibleref.com:

• Paul wants the Christians in Rome to have the right perspective on the circumstances of their daily lives. Whether or not they experienced hard times or good times, it does not change whether God loves them or not. Paul has made it clear that God’s love is absolute, and God will fulfill His purpose for them: He will succeed in bringing them to glory. Now he seems to want them to be ready for trouble on this side of eternity. They should not be surprised when it comes. In fact, they should be ready to be killed, slaughtered like sheep, for Christ’s sake, if that’s what it comes to (John 6:1–2; 16:33).
• John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

I feel led to this. Pray the Word and Have faith in God: (James 5: 10-18)

Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation. Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.

Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

When I think about sheep, I can’t help but think about the Shepherd. “For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop (Overseer) of your souls (1 Peter 2:25). I confess: The Lord is my Shepherd.

1 The Lord is my shepherd;

    I have everything I need.

2 He lets me rest in green pastures.

    He leads me to calm water.

3 He gives me new strength.

He leads me on paths that are right

    for the good of his name.

4 Even if I walk through a very dark valley,

    I will not be afraid,

because you are with me.

    Your rod and your shepherd’s staff comfort me.

5 You prepare a meal for me

    in front of my enemies.

You pour oil of blessing on my head;

    you fill my cup to overflowing.

6 Surely your goodness and love will be with me

    all my life,

and I will live in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23 NCV

I plan to focus the rest of verse Romans 8:36 on, It is written.

Jesus said, It is Written

Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. 3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. 4 But he (Jesus) answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. 5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, 6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. 8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. 11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

Notes from Life Application Study Bible verses 35-39

• These verses contain one of the most comforting promises in all Scripture.
• Believers have always had to face hardships in many forms: persecution, illness, imprisonment, even death
• These could cause them to fear that they have been abandoned by Christ.
• But Paul explains that it is impossible to be separated from Christ. His death for us is proof of his unconquerable love
• Nothing can stop his constant presence with us. God tells us how great his love is so that we will feel totally secure in him
• If we believe these overwhelming assurances, we will not be afraid

Romans 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. KJV

37 But in all these things we are completely victorious through God who showed his love for us. NCV

37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors and gain an overwhelming victory through Him who loved us [so much that He died for us]. AMP

37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. NLT

37 but in all these we more than conquer, through him who loved us; YLT

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

Reference Scripture Vs. 37

• John 16:33-These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
• 1 Corinthians 15:57-But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
• 1 John 5:4-For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

Conquer-to crush-overthrow-quell-rout-subdue-surmount-vanquish

• Verb—action—overcome and take control of
• Implies gaining mastery of
• To take control or possession of-by force or to defeat someone
• To dominate, to bring under one’s control by force
• To succeed in stopping or dealing with a bad feeling or a difficult problem

Conqueror-We are conquerors, hallelujah, that’s us-the body and the bride of Christ. We are MORE THAN conquerors!

What does a conqueror do?

• John Piper explain it like this: (jdgreear.com) “A conqueror defeats his enemy, but one who is more than a conqueror subjugates his enemy.
• A conqueror nullifies the purpose of his enemy; one who is more than a conqueror makes the enemy serve his own purposes.
• A conqueror strikes down his foe; one who is more than a conqueror makes his foe his slave

Let me try to describe my personal feelings about being more than conquerors. If forced to describe it in one word, I would shout VICTORY!

If they said well can you briefly elaborate? I would say:

• Nay-No. Smh back and forth arms lifted in adoration. I would give them nonverbal indications of the presence of the Lord—then I would Declare:
• We have the Victory because of Him who loved us and gave Himself for us…………………………………………………………….………..………………….. Jesus
• We are Completely Victorious because of Him……………………………Jesus
• We Overcome all —– And they (We) overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of (our) their testimony; and (We) they loved not (our) their lives unto the death. Rev. 12:11……………………Jesus               
• We Win No Matter What We are overwhelmingly victorious-Why? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..Jesus
• We are the Redeemed of the Lord……………………………………………….Jesus
• We succeed because there is no failure in our God……………………..Jesus
• We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us…………….Jesus
• We are more than conquerors….No man is an island…
• We stand together on the Rock…………………………………………………..Jesus

Nay, no, but, yet, despite, amid all these things we are more than conquerors completely victorious, with overwhelming victory, gaining a surpassing victory through him that loved us, God showed His love for us, Jesus died for us. They hung Him high and stretched Him wide. Jesus said, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me” (John 12:32). “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” (John 3:14-18) NIV.

Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. John 3:1-5.

Woman, If you only knew John 4:13-24

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” “I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”

“Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

A Promise Keeper

Jesus Comforts His Followers: John 14:1-31—This is not long, it’s rich

• Jesus said, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust in me. 2 There are many rooms in my Father’s house; I would not tell you this if it were not true. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 After I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me so that you may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to Jesus, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going. So how can we know the way?”
• 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. The only way to the Father is through me. 7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father, too. But now you do know him, and you have seen him.” 8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father. That is all we need.” 9 Jesus answered, “I have been with you a long time now. Do you still not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. So why do you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
• 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I say to you don’t come from me, but the Father lives in me and does his own work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or believe because of the miracles I have done. 12 I tell you the truth, whoever believes in me will do the same things that I do. Those who believe will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And if you ask for anything in my name, I will do it for you so that the Father’s glory will be shown through the Son. 14 If you ask me for anything in my name, I will do it.

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

• 15 “If you love me, you will obey my commands. 16 I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper to be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it does not see him or know him. But you know him, because he lives with you and he will be in you. 18 “I will not leave you all alone like orphans; I will come back to you. 19 In a little while the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you will live, too.
• 20 On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and that you are in me and I am in you. 21 Those who know my commands and obey them are the ones who love me, and my Father will love those who love me. I will love them and will show myself to them.” 22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you plan to show yourself to us and not to the rest of the world?”
• 23 Jesus answered, “If people love me, they will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Those who do not love me do not obey my teaching. This teaching that you hear is not really mine; it is from my Father, who sent me. 25 “I have told you all these things while I am with you. 26 But the Helper will teach you everything and will cause you to remember all that I told you. This Helper is the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name.
• 27 “I leave you peace; my peace I give you. I do not give it to you as the world does. So don’t let your hearts be troubled or afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going, but I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you should be happy that I am going back to the Father, because he is greater than I am. 29 I have told you this now, before it happens, so that when it happens, you will believe. 30 I will not talk with you much longer, because the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me, 31 but the world must know that I love the Father, so I do exactly what the Father told me to do.

Romans 8: 38-39: For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Persuaded-Past tense; already settled; thoroughly convinced; completely satisfied that, in total agreement; determined; I believe it by faith; ain’t no doubt about it; I’m locked in on it; it’s a wrap; not even open for discussion; I know too much about Him; been there and done that; take it to the bank. I am persuaded!

But he (Abrahma) did not doubt or waver in unbelief concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and empowered by faith, giving glory to God, being fully convinced that God had the power to do what He had promised (Romans 4:20-21).

Persuaded By Faith

But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?  And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:8-17.

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

Notes Romans 8: 38-“Principalities” and “powers” are unseen forces of evil in the universe, forces like Satan and his fallen angels See Ephesians 6:12

• In Christ we are super conquerors and his love will protect us from any such forces

Scripture References 8:38

• John 10:28- And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

• Col. 3:3- For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

For I am convinced [and continue to be convinced—beyond any doubt] that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present and threatening, nor things to come, nor powers, AMP

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature (created thing), shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. None of these things

• Death
• Life
• Angels
• Principalities
• Powers
• Things present
• Things to come
• Height
• Depth
• Any created thing

None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us. MSG.

Are you persuaded?

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1 KJV.

You Must Be Born Again Romans 10:9-10

John 3:16 & 17 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Romans 10:9-10 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

I want to encourage you today to cultivate your relationship with

God-Holy Spirit

• Address Him by name
• Invite Him into every area of your life
• Thank Him
• Worship Him
• Read your Bible alone and Read it with others
• Pray privately and Pray with others
• Spend quiet time with Him-Silence in His presence
• Cultivate the Gifts of Holy Spirit
• Fast specifically for His leading
• Listen, look, watch, and Respond to Him
• Steward well-pray, journal-write down, record-He reveals you deal
• Most Important of all: Put some Respect on Him-Honor Holy Spirit