I didn’t have trouble singing it in Honduras with a house full of brothers who added some Spanish freestyle to the Tomlin melody. But here in the States the words catch in my throat.

“And if our God is for us,
then who can ever stop us?
and if our God is with us,
then what can stand against?”

It sounds so… imperialistic or something. Is God really for me as I face people who are against me? It almost sounds like God is in an indestructible army bulldozer and he invited us on board. If anyone tries to get in the way, we don’t need to fear – we’ll just run ’em over.

I know that’s not what Tomlin intended. As I’m studying the life of Jesus (and how we are called to imitate Him), I am realizing that this only makes sense if we believe the right kind of conquer.

The song, and the passage in Romans 8 it references, is not about Christians gaining popularity in politics and climbing corporate ladders. The song is about the greatness of God – the power He has to overcome the death grip of sin on our lives. When we ask, “Who can stop us?” we don’t mean we will always advance. We do mean God will always advance.

Though we may suffer and be conquered by this world (even to death), God will not be conquered. His message of hope and life and peace will not be conquered because it is not a message that depends on our strength.

Yes, our God is for us. Yes, our God is with us.
No, that does not mean we will always beat our opponents or always have the right words or always show the most grace.

We are more than conquerors because we do not “lose” when our opponent wins or has the right words or shows the most grace. We are more than conquerors because God wins, even in our weakness.

It is not so magical for a domineering type to conquer. What is magical is when the loser walks away winning. That’s what it means to be more than conquerors.

let LOVE fly like cRaZy