Reference

Romans 8:28–39

TEXT: Romans 8:28–39 and supporting texts

INTRO: Romans 8 declares something powerful: “We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” That’s not just a motivational phrase; it’s a divine reality.
But if we’re honest, many believers don’t feel like conquerors. Depression, fear, anxiety, addiction, disappointment, and discouragement they seem to conquer us more often than we conquer them. We sing about victory on Sunday, but by Monday, we’re already fighting to remember what it felt like. You’ve been there praying for a breakthrough that hasn’t come yet, fighting the same battle in your mind, wondering, “If I’m more than a conqueror, why do I still feel defeated?” That’s the tension we’re going to talk about today. Because Romans 8 isn’t just about what Christ did for you, it’s about what that victory means in you and through you.

Before we go any further, I want to say something I believe with all my heart: I believe Scripture is truth. I believe Scripture has the power to change us. I also know that in the world we live in today, people are searching for proof. They want evidence before they believe. And I understand that tension. But while I can’t scientifically prove that the Bible is true, I know it’s true because I’ve seen its power transform lives, starting with my own.
There’s power in the Word of God when it’s not just read but received. When we let it go to work inside of us, it renews us from the inside out. Learning to live in victory begins when we stop waiting for proof and start walking in the truth

Every one of us knows what it’s like to have faith in our heart but frustration in our head. We believe God’s promises, yet we battle thoughts that whisper, “Maybe not for me.”
And hear me, you’re not a bad Christian for feeling that way; you’re a human one. God doesn’t shame you for struggling; He equips you to overcome.

BACKGROUND… Romans 8 is the mountaintop of Paul’s letter, a declaration that nothing can separate us from the love of God. But that victory doesn’t happen automatically. It’s something we learn to walk in daily. That’s why Paul later writes in Romans 12:2 — “Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Before you ever live in victory outwardly, you have to believe it inwardly. Before the external battle is won, the internal battle must be surrendered.
So today we’re not chasing a feeling, we’re choosing a mindset. Because victory doesn’t begin with a change in circumstances; it begins with a change in perspective. The battlefield is the mind. And that brings us to our first truth today:

 

 

1.     VICTORY STARTS INSIDE: RENEW YOUR MIND… ROMANS 12:2

a.     Victory always begins on the inside. The enemy knows that if he can capture your mind, he can control your life.

b.     That’s why so many spiritual battles are mental before they’re ever moral or behavioral.

                                               i.         The Greek word here is the same word used when Jesus was transfigured before His disciples.

                                             ii.         It’s not surface change; it’s inner transformation

c.      “You can’t live in victory with a defeated mindset.”

d.     Your mindset determines your motion.

                                               i.         If you believe you’re powerless, you’ll act powerless.

                                             ii.         If you believe you’re unworthy, you’ll live like you’re unworthy.

                                           iii.         But when you begin to think with the truth of who God says you are…

1.     chosen, redeemed, victorious

2.      Your life begins to align with that truth.

                                            iv.         2 Corinthians 10:4–5 [NASB]… 4 “for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are destroying arguments and all arrogance raised against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.”

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                                             v.         Strongholds aren’t physical walls; they’re mental prisons built from lies we’ve believed.

                                            vi.         Illustration – The Radio Static: Sometimes God is speaking victory over your life, but all you hear is static, old voices, old failures, old fears. The signal hasn’t changed; the interference has to be cleared. Renewing the mind is tuning back to God’s frequency until the lies lose their power.

e.     Application:

                                               i.         Replace lies with Scripture truth daily.

                                             ii.         Speak what God says about you, not what your emotions say

                                           iii.         Surround yourself with faith-filled people.

                                            iv.         Once your mind begins to shift, your steps begin to follow. Because victory isn’t a one-time event — it’s a daily walk.

2.     VICTORY IS A WALK, NOT A MOMENT …

a.     Galatians 5:16… 16 “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.”

                                               i.          

b.     We often want instant deliverance, but God develops lasting freedom.

                                               i.         Victory is learned in the steps, one day, one decision, one surrender at a time

c.     Romans 8:11 [NASB]… 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

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d.     The same power that raised Christ is alive in you today

                                               i.         Freedom isn’t about trying harder; it’s about walking with the Spirit longer.

e.     Victory isn’t achieved in a moment of emotion it’s proven in a lifetime of motion.

3.     VICTORY FACES RESISTANCE EPHESIANS 6:10–12…

a.     The presence of a battle doesn’t mean the absence of victory

                                               i.         The enemy only attacks what he fears losing. If you feel under attack, it’s because something valuable in you threatens his agenda.

                                             ii.         Depression, fear, temptation, and spiritual fatigue these are not signs of failure but invitations to deeper dependence on Christ.

                                           iii.         Resistance is proof that there’s something in you worth fighting for

b.     Illustration – “The Man in the Arena”: Theodore Roosevelt once said in his famous 1910 speech, “Citizenship in a Republic”:  “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles... but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.”

                                               i.         I love that phrase “daring greatly” Because that’s what faith looks like

                                             ii.         Faith doesn’t mean you never fall, it means you keep getting back up. It’s showing up again and again, trusting that God’s strength is greater than your struggle

                                           iii.         You may have scars, but they’re proof that you’re still in the arena

                                            iv.         You’re still standing. And the One who stands with you, Jesus, has already won

  1. VICTORY IS RELATIONAL: ABIDE IN CHRIST JOHN 15:5
    1. We conquer not by trying harder but by staying closer
      1. When you abide, you draw strength; when you disconnect, you drain it. You can’t bear fruit if you’re unplugged from the Vine.
    2. Illustration – The Phone Charger: A phone might look fine on the outside, but if it’s not plugged in, it’s dying slowly. The same is true spiritually daily connection keeps your soul charged.
    3. Stay close to the Source, and you’ll never run out of strength
  2. VICTORY LOOKS FORWARD: HOPE AS A WEAPON Romans 8:24–25
    1. Hope isn’t wishful thinking; it’s confident expectation
      1. When the enemy can’t destroy you, he tries to drain your hope. But hope anchors your heart to what’s still coming
    2. Hope isn’t denial of reality; it’s dependence on God’s certainty
  3. CONCLUSION:
    1. Maybe you’ve been fighting battles no one else sees — in your mind, your emotions, your habits. You believe in victory, but it doesn’t feel real right now. Today, the Spirit is reminding you: Victory isn’t a feeling; it’s a faith that’s formed in the fight.
    2. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you. The door is open. The chains are broken. The only thing left to do is walk out
    3. Victory may not feel real today, but it’s already been secured. Your part is to stand in it, speak it, and step forward in faith
    4. Come bring your battle to the altar today. Let God renew your mind, realign your heart, and refill your hope. Because in Christ, you are more than a conqueror.