The YWAM DTS Journey: More Than Conquerors

We are more than conquerors. (Romans 8:37) These are some of my favorite words in the entirety of Scripture. Let's start first by talking about what it means to conquer. In my mind, I picture a conqueror as someone standing on top of a mountain with his hands up. He's peaked. He's reached the summit, and there is not one step further he can take because he's already beaten the mountain.  

So, what greater feeling is there than to conquer something great? There's few things I've seen that could compare to that sense of triumph. It's this rush, this feeling like you’re standing on top of the world, like nothing could get any better than this. Now, compare this to a father cradling his newborn baby for the first time. Imagine the incredible love that swells within him as he gazes at his child. There is nothing that that tiny baby can do that would make the father love him more. He will stop bullets, lasso the moon, go to hell and back all because he has deemed this tiny human being worthy of it. That little person can't even speak, yet they have more than conquered the heart of their father. We are commanded to have the heart of our Heavenly Father, like King David. He was powerful and assertive, but he was also loving, compassionate and tender-hearted.

What are we called to do?

When we share the gospel with people we tend to run out banging our bibles wanting God to help us "win souls". We want people to say, “I'm a Christian now!” and then move on and get the next one. We so badly want to conquer--but instead we are called to love, to be more than conquerors.  We are called to love one another deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:8)  

Let's look at it this way--if we're out on the streets trying to be conquerors for Christ, how well do you think we actually reflect Him? I used to like to argue with my parents about decisions, make excuses, never admit that I was wrong, stuff like that. It was probably the most annoying thing in the world for my mother, yet she never responded in anger with me. She was kind and firm and always loving to me no matter what. Now that I'm a new creation in Christ, I've apologized for acting like that to them, but I will always admire the way they handled those ridiculous times of rebellion when they could've easily said, "we're you're parents, do what we say!". God could conquer the world easily if He wanted to, I mean, come on, He's God--The Great I Am, King of Kings, Lord of Lords. However, instead He chooses to look at us with complete love no matter what. 

After we have screwed up over and over again, He still loves us so much that He sent His son to die for me, for you, for us. God has more than conquered me. I am enamored by His character, His love and His nature.  We have been called to reflect God to those who do not believe. Love them and do more than conquer. Conquerors have plaques on the walls and empty funerals, but lovers have too many friends to fit inside the church with too many stories to fit in a book.  

The YWAM DTS Journey: Mine Begins at YWAM Mazatlan