Those who succeed in various aspect of life are usually referred to as having conquered in their field. They have been able to successfully organise themselves, exploit opportunities at their disposal and exert efforts towards ensuring that they excel at what they do. However, being a conqueror in the spiritual must begin with being in sync with God and this begins with accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. We face an onslaught of temptations daily, it is thus not in the power of anyone to overcome in one’s own personal strength. As Christians, we must depend on the supernatural power that only God can supply to enable us overcome. Apostle Paul asked a critical question:
Romans 8:35-39 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? [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.
The question implies that as Christians, we have an established, beautiful, meaningful, peaceful, positively challenging, enjoyable and rewarding relationship with God, one that is has benefit for now and eternity. Will anything separate us from this relationship? He proceeded to declare, NO. We are more than conquerors, that is, we are more than able to overcome the various areas that challenge our Christian walk through Jesus Christ that loved us.
Who is a Conqueror
wordWeb free dictionary defines the word ‘Conquer’ as:
1. Overcome by conquest or to put down by force or authority
= curb, subdue, contain, control, moderate, quench, repress, silence, smother, strangle (WordWeb free dictionary)
2. Take possession of by force, as after an invasion
It thus implies that conquerors are in no way lazy people. In context of this discuss, conquerors are those who have placed their trust in God by accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour and who daily live to please God through obedience and striving to build a Christlike character by depending on the enabling power of the Holy Spirit. Conquerors contend against the subtle advances of satan, the enemy and they resist with the word of God and their in God. They therefore possess character traits that are unique, they stand out and they are inspiration to those who are around them. In order to conquer or do exploits, you shoud grow theses characteristics
Characteristics of conquerors
1. They operate with a clear understanding of the covenant they have with God and the power associated with it.
2 Timothy 1:10-12 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: [11] Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. [12] For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
2 Samuel 22:3-4 The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence. [4] I will call on the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. Psalm 91:11-13 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. [12] They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. [13] Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. Isaiah 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.
2. They know, meditate on and walk in the conviction of their identity
How you think is very important. If you think that you have failed even before you undertake any responsibility, the likelihood of failure is more than 70%. What you think in your mind matters. The Bible states in:
Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:
The context in which the verse above was used is different but it is very relevant to this topic. We have not been given a mindset of a loser. Conquerors know the God they serve, they meditate on who they have been made to be and they walk with total conviction of who Jesus Christ has made them to become.
Numbers 13:30.33 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. 31. But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. 32. And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. 33. And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.
Caleb and Joshua’s mindset made them not to see conquering the new land God had promised them based on the size of the people they saw in the land, rather, they saw the greatness of God and believed that they they were well able to overcome and conquer while the others only saw themselves as ‘grasshoppers’. How are you seeing yourself right now in relation to what God has spoken to you?
3. They acknowledge their humanity and vulnerability but exalt the supernatural and limitless power of God
Exodus 6:30 And Moses said before the Lord, Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh hearken unto me?
Exodus 33:15 And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence
Jeremiah 1:6-8 Then said I, Ah, Lord God ! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child. [7] But the Lord said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. [8] Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord.
Lamentations 3:22 It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
1 Samuel 17: 32-37 David said to Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine. [33] And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. [34] And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: [35] And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. [36] Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. [37] David said moreover, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the Lord be with thee
4. Conquerors walk in boldness and are not intimidated or afraid of the devil and his tactics.
Conquerors are very willing to step into areas that others are too intimidated to go into. Their boldness is not driven by pride but their understanding of who God is and what He is capable of using those who avail themselves for. If you are hemmed in by fear or too intimidated to even start, how can succeed? God only reward efforts not day dreamers. You must step out in boldness against situations you are not happy with after you have prayed. You must choose to conquer aspects of your character that has undermined where you should have been by taking concrete steps of actions.
Proverbs 28:1 The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.
John 7:23-26 If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day? [24] Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. [25] Then said some of them of Jerusalem, Is not this he, whom they seek to kill? [26] But, lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ?
Acts 18:24-26 And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. [25] This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. [26] And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.
Ephesians 3:9-12 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: [10] To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, [11] According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: [12] In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.
5. Conquerors hate evil and run away from it knowing the consequence it brings to their connection with God.
1 Peter 3:10-11 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: [11] Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.
Psalm 26:5-6 I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked. [6] I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, O Lord :
Psalm 97:9-10 For thou, Lord, art high above all the earth: thou art exalted far above all gods. [10] Ye that love the Lord, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.
Genesis 39:7-9 And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me. [8] But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; [9] There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?
You cannot be aligned with sin or those who are engrossed in it and expect to walk as a conqueror that Jesus Christ made possible through His sacrificial death on the cross. He died to empower you to walk in righteousness and it is only in this you can conquer.
6. Conquerors walk unreservedly in love and strive to emulate Christ
True conquerors are driven by love, love for God and people. You cannot walk as a conqueror if you are not expressing love to the He who saved you and others He died for. We are called to a life of love. Many people have conquered enemies by simple acts of love. The departure point of proof of loving God is obedience
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. [2] And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. [3] And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothin
John 15:9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
Luke 10:27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”
1 John 4:19-21 We love him, because he first loved us.
20 If a man say, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar: for he that love not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 21And this commandment have we from him, That he who loves God love his brother also.
The greatest love that can shown is reach out to the unsaved. They should be made to know how much God love them, the reality of eternal hell and the brevity of time. It is also to strengthen the faith of those who already believe and assist in whatever way we can. Conquerors are concerned about spiritual captives being set free. It is not too late to begin, the Holy Spirit can help you if you are willing to overcome selfish tendencies.
Look out for Part 2
