Taking Hold of Romans 8-37 and Not Letting Go

“Yet those [people and things] that be against us, so far are they from thwarting us at all, that even without their will they become to us the causes of crowns, and procurers of countless blessings, so that God’s wisdom turns [those] plots unto our salvation and glory. See how really [nothing] is against us!”

~Chrysostom, Early Church Father (Italics added).

This is the indwelt Spiritual power of the risen Lord Jesus Christ in us. Do we often enough realise who is for us?

God’s wisdom, as I’ve italicised for emphasis, is the thing that has always existed since Jesus defeated the power of persecutory sin at the cross and in his resurrection. This wisdom works practically for us in our responses to life situations, if we let things not beat us.

And this great truth is simply this:

No matter what is against us—and the worse they might be—these are rendered void against the power of God. Furthermore, the harder things seem, the bigger the victory of salvation and glory accorded when we respond the right way. The test of godly obedience is before us; obedience is all that matters; we trust. God’s wisdom wins over the rest. In this truth we can stand, humbly smiling. This work’s done!

Christ, our heavenly Intercessor, has crushed the power of this sin against us, and if we’re merely aware of this fact, we allow his strength and power to emanate on the situation. In effect, we get out of the way.

In this way, faith can almost be seen that we don’t care. And this is true. We don’t care too much about the outcome, because God has taken care of it. All we care about is obeying his will in genuine love and concern of others; despite their approach to us.

Satan and others might think they have a way to get to us, but the fact is Jesus has already done his work of salvific victory—and we may draw on his power of love and grace over our situations any time at all.

Take hold of this; don’t let go.

© 2010 S. J. Wickham.