We Win In The End

ILLUSTRATION: Tell a Story About Professional Wrestling

• The 90s was the golden age of wrestling.

• This was not like modern UFC fights in an octagon made out of chain fences, nor was it like high school wrestling matches with strict rules, cushioned mats, and concussion-preventing helmets. No, this was way cooler.

• It was called WWF— World Wrestling Federation. It was a collection of the strongest men and women in the world who professionally punched each other to a pulp. This stuff was over-the-top.

•Grown men in unitards would throw their friends through tables, smack them with metal chairs, and then nail them into a coffin and pretend to run them over (Yep, that really happened in one of the episodes.)

• Can you imagine my shock when, due to a lawsuit, the WWF had to change its name to WWE— World Wrestling Entertainment? Why did they do this?

• Because apparently it was all fake. As a kid, I used to hang on to every melodramatic move.

•Watching in awe as some of my favorite athletes (or actors) would basically play fight for three hours was the best part of my week. Honestly, my child brain thought it was all real.

• It turned out that a lot of kids thought like I did and believed all this nonsense was authentic. Thus, they had to legally start calling it entertainment. It wasn’t wrestling; it was acting.

TENSION

• In those fictional televised fights, the victor had been predefined in a writing room weeks before the fight even happened. Every smack with a chair, every setback, every pretend pass-out was all pre-planned. Even when it seemed like there was no chance at victory, the scripted victor always came out as a winner.

• This got me thinking about the fights that we face every day.

• Scripture teaches that we are constantly surrounded by an ongoing fight between good and evil.

• Here is the cool thing: Just like in WWE, we already know who wins. Your victory was made possible by the miraculous work of Jesus who was killed and then defeated death.

• You will experience victory because it was predetermined an eternity ago when God wrote the script.

• Let’s look at how Paul explained this in Romans chapter eight.

• Romans 8 is one of the most quoted chapters in all of Scripture.

• This is largely because it’s like the hall of fame of theologically powerful phrases.

• There is something so awe-inspiring and approachable about this passage. Verses from this super-chapter have a way of resonating with Christians so deeply that they end up on Instagram posts, coffee mugs, wall art and even tattoos.

• This chapter is theologically dense and spiritually rich. That doesn’t mean it’s difficult to understand though. It’s not designed to be complicated, it’s designed to be celebrated.

• He is saying that we won, we are winning, and we are going to win in the end.

• Romans 8:32 showing up within this passage is a little ironic though. Paul just spent almost six verses talking about how there is still a massive spiritual battle going on.

• He doesn’t just speak vaguely. He literally lists things that attempt to defeat us daily (Romans 8:31-36). This passage reminds us that we are not just undefeated — we are undefeatable.

• Will you still face setbacks? Yes.

• Will they overcome you? No.

• You will face hardships, but you have already won.

— TRANSITION —

I know that you sometimes feel like you’re losing in life, right?

You have felt like the score is stacked against you and the clock is running out. It can easily feel like we are losing in our relationships, losing in our progress, or even losing in our spiritual lives.

Paul wants to remind you that you are a conqueror. You are destined to win in the end. That wasn’t just a message for the Roman church 2000 years ago — it’s a message for you today.

• So what exactly does this mean for us?

• Naturally, such a powerful passage has a powerful conclusion, right? Paul wraps up Romans 8 by celebrating, "We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."

• Paul uses an interesting greek word here for conqueror. This phrase means “complete and total victory” or a “landslide victory.”

• The apostle is not talking about just winning, he is talking about a complete blowout.

• This is when a soccer team wins by twelve points, the cross-country runner manages to pass someone twice, or when the Carolina Hurricanes played the New York Islanders in the NHL playoffs in 2019. (It was a sweep.)

• It’s not just winning, it’s super-winning. Paul is basically say, “no one else stands a chance, we will always win.”

• This means that they’re undefeated and undefeatable. The Roman church was facing serious setbacks. The government wanted to shut them down and constantly threatened them with death, but Paul reminded them that their fight is already won.

• This passage presents the powerful principle that Jesus is greater than death, demons, stress, struggles, sin, and anything that’s holding you back.

• Sometimes we feel like we just cannot win, like victory is no where in sight. I know that some of you are facing overwhelming circumstances in your life.

• You feel like there is no winning in your current social situation.  • You feel like there is no winning in your mental battles.

• You feel like there is no winning in your seemingly endless struggles.

• You may even feel like there is no winning in life itself.

• Paul puts an exclamation point on this principle by saying, "neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God.”

• Romans 8 serves as an emphatic example that winning is a way of life for Christ followers. No matter what you may face, you win in the end. Even as the battle wages, the war has been won!

• Even if you concur up the most extreme examples — death and demons. We have conquered them through Jesus.

• But I am here to give you good news! We win in the end.

• Jesus is greater than sin.

• Jesus is greater than your doubt.

• Jesus is greater than your insecurities.

• Jesus is greater than your past pain.

• Jesus is greater than your fear.

• Jesus is greater than death itself.

Landing:

Whatever you are facing, I can assure you that you’re going to win in the end. Why?

• Because Jesus is fighting for you— and He will never lose.

• Stop trying to fight your battles alone!

• Draw closer to Jesus because He’s undefeated, and He will refuse to lose.

TALK IT OUT  Go through these questions with your circle. Be honest. Be open. Talk through the tough stuff.

What’s your favorite [not so real] reality show? 

How do you respond to bad days when it feels like you just can’t win?

How can knowing that good defeats evil in the end change your mindset during struggles?

How can you draw closer to Jesus in times of conflict to fight from a place of victory? 

What’s one struggle you can commit to pray to God about every day this week?

READ THESE PASSAGES IN ORDER EVERY DAY

1 Corinthians 15:57

Psalm 119:105-112

Daniel 6:1-13

Luke 24:1-12 2 1

Timothy 1:8-19 1

John 1:1-10

Revelation 21:1-8

Do the following with each passage: 

ASK– God to connect with you here. In prayer, start by slowing down and inviting God to be present. Begin with focus and openness to see what God has for you today.

READ– the selected section of Scripture slowly. Take note of the words and phrases that intrigue you, reading them a second time if necessary.

REFLECT– on what grabs you. How does this passage personally relate to your own life and experiences?

RESPOND– to the Scripture. Speak directly to God about what’s on your mind and heart. Look for ways to live out what you’ve uncovered.