For nearly 40 years, ABC aired a show called the Wide World of Sports.  It always began with Jim McKay referring to “the thrill of victory…and the agony of defeat… ”   It is true that defeat can be agonizing, while victory is almost always thrilling. The good news for Christians is that while life has a way of putting obstacles in our paths, nothing can stop us from being victorious, except maybe ourselves.  If we are faithful to God, we are conquerors in Christ.

Romans 8:37 (ESV)
³⁷  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Paul gives us four reasons that we can know this.

First, because God is with us (ver. 31).  Our strength to defeat the devil comes from God.  His power works in us (Ephesians 3:20).  Paul put his trust, not in himself, but in Jesus.  He said, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).  Paul knew that with God on his side, he could not be defeated.  How do we know that God is with us?  We know because He sacrificed His Son (ver. 32).  God watched as men tortured Jesus on a cross.  God could have stopped it at any time, but, instead, He let Him suffer.  The crucifixion of Christ powerfully proves that God is with us.

Second, because we have been justified (ver. 33).  The word justify means to be acquitted, and, just like in a human court of law, when one is acquitted of sins, he can never be charged again for those sins.  In other words, once God forgives us, we never have to worry about those sins anymore.  God does not remember them (Hebrews 8:12; 10:17).  What kind of sins have you committed in the past?  How did you live your life before you learned about Jesus and obeyed the gospel?  Well, it does not matter!  You are now a new creature in Christ, and you stand before God as if you never committed those previous sins.  You are victorious in Christ because your sins have been washed away by His blood (Revelation 1:5).

Third, because Jesus continues to make intercession for us (ver. 34).  The work of Christ did not stop on the cross.  He has now become our advocate (1 John 2:1-2).  He now lives to make intercession for us (Hebrews 7:25).  So, when we go before God to plead for the forgiveness of sins, we know that we are not going before God alone.  Our advocate is standing by our side, pleading for us.  And, fortunately for us, Jesus has never lost a case.  He is unbeatable!  As long as He is working on our behalf, we are unbeatable as well.

Fourth, we have the unstoppable love of God in our lives (vers. 35-39), and nothing can separate us from it.  God loved us when we were sinners, so we can be sure that He loves us still.  It is by the power of that love that we can overcome every trial that life throws at us.  At the end of every day, no matter what we had to endure, when we lay our heads down upon our pillows at night, we know that God loves us and that we are conquerors in Christ.

As you wind down for the night, think about these things