Our word for the week: CONQUEROR
Be sure to print it and post it everywhere! You can download in a PDF or in MSWord.
God’s WORD for US this week:
“No, in all these things you are more than [a] conqueror through Him who loved you.” Romans 8:37
Connecting in Community: As you read Chapter 7, let’s talk about sentences and/or verses we underline or highlight. Do you have any yet? Click “Share Your Thoughts” below to do just that. {And if you’re reading this via email, click here to return to my website to comment.”
I’m beginning to trust more in the fact that God can use me no matter what my past is and….that He can use me anytime and anywhere!! <3
Highlighted for me is: God still loves (me) and He forgives (me). God’s spirit will convict (me), but His heart will never condemn (me), And that God uses conviction lovingly, to show (me) my sin and to lead (me) to repentance. He does this to draw (me) away from destructive behavior that hinders (my) relationship with Him and others. I have seen many times, after looking at the event that this is what and how it worked in my life. I do tend to be very hard on myself but I must continue to remind my self that I am not where I was and that each day I continue to build my relationship with God. Reading your book, Renee, helping more than you can imagine in my life, and for that I thank God for your testimony and ability to write and relate to me.
To all my sisters in Christ, have a blessed day with love.
Well, it is the end of the week and i still haven’t qiute finished chp 7, mainly because i have been carefully working through all of the treasured words of wisdom and encouragement you have so abley written.
Thankyou for beginning the week with the praying God’s Promises, this helped me to walk strong over these last days. The heading’ Failure doesn’t have to be Fatal’ was really significant for me, because it brought back words that I believe the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart many years ago at a difficult time in my life – ‘ I am the golden thread in your life , I am your constant theme’….. Your words about God being the gold miner ressured me that there is gold deposited in my life already and that i only have to allow the work of the Holy spirit in my life to draw it up and out, not just for myself but for others. My family of four is all grown up now, I pray for them all constantly and I now have the privelege of playing a big part in my 6 grandchildren’s lives. This is where I can put into practice seeing the gold in their lives and encouraging them as little people to become all that they can be and not least praying for them and sharing Jesus with them too.
At the moment I don’t want the Study and the book to end , as I am learning so much, yet i know the time will come and then I will have to continue to put it all into practice and encourage others to as well. That is my challenge.
The first few pages of this chapter really hit home. I struggle so much with my children! I get angry and frustrated and yell and then feel guilty and cry…I want to be supermom but I feel like a super mess.
Life is happening and I am just finishing the chapter, but it is so rewarding,it has brought to light so many eye opening things in my life that are going on that I need to become more aware of and turn to the light and not the darkness. I have underlined A LOT! one is that accusation does not come from God, it comes from our accuser, so when feeling that way we need to go to God and let HIm have the final say. Also that we may try to make up for our sins, but we can’t and we don’t have to. Also, and I talked of this to a friend, we are all wrecked up and God still loves us, we may be rejected by man but we are accepted and adored by our Maker. To feel rejected and not loved and have a bad day at work or hear someone say something about you or just even thinking things of yourself that you are fixated on like: I’m fat, or old, or not kind enough or don’t do enough good things for people or I should be doing this or that or I should not have done or said that, and the list could go on and on, it all makes you feel so wrecked and rejected but to turn it around and know really know that no matter how wrecked you are Jesus died ~gave His life for every one of us so He could have us with Him yes, with HIm in heaven for all eternity~~~~~all He really wants is US~~wrecked up and everything, HE WANTS US~~~He wants our neighbor, He wants our boss, He wants the cashier at the grocery store, He wants the person who cut us off in traffic, He wants the person you sit next to on the train, He wants all of us to come to HIm. I also underlined the part on pg 124 that Jesus did not condemn the woman, but He did tell her to go and to leave her life of sin. Sometimes I think we need to accept the fact that what we did was a sin and we do need to confess and be sorry and turn to the light, and realize God does not look on our sin~~~He gives us so much grace and mercy~~~He loves us! and because he shows us grace we need to practice showing grace to others~~~that is hard but the more you do it, the little whisper comes into your head, GRACE and you do it and don’t look back.
The discussion about condemnation versus conviction was great. I have struggled with the two throughout my life. I think by telling us that condemnation is very general and conviction is specific opens eyes. I feel that by being able to tell the difference allows us to be more confident. We will not fall for another one of the enemy’s schemes. Thank for you also providing examples of the two. Thank you for also showing us how that failure can be a positive and benefical experience in our lives. I have always viewed failure as something to avoid, even to the point of not trying new things, so by seeing it as a positive makes it seem worth the risk, Thank you, Renee.
I am a little bit late posting here because I have been on a road trip literally conquering my fears and being blessed by how much God revealed Himself. The word Conqueror is so important for me to conquer my fear of confrontation and interestingly, the fear of the fear of confrontation. The dread of the possibility of being unfairly accused, confronted, and blame.
“You know your fear is not from God,” my friend David assured me as I drove with shaky hands to a funeral of a dear soul. I had to conquer the fear of the possibility of voices from the past, all too eager to believe unfair accusations. And in the fear, in the possibility of fear was His Grace.
“Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world”
And in accepting this fact, in welcoming my fear as a vehicle for His grace to be revealed, my soul quieted.
And so did the voices of the accusers. The accusers were primarily of my own making, in my own head.
And, at the funeral, hugs replaced fears. They far out-numbered the couple of people who tried to feed my fears. Because of Grace, a soul named Wanna, who we honored at her funeral trumped the frowns of fear.
I love this chapter and it really was like you were talking about me when you were talking about how you dont want to reveal the real parts of yourself. I too have taught bible school, womens study,vbs, volunteering just active in any way I can to do what I wanted but not what God was asking because I didnt want to show that hurt part of myself to others afraid that they may judge me or think different of me. Thank you so much for making me see I wasnt being truly faithful and understanding that God will love me no matter what and he will take care of me and it will be okay. Thanks for making me realize I need and He needs us to step out of our comfort zone in order to be a Conquerer and teach others about his grace.
I really needed this chapter and the Word for the Week, because this week I’m feeling like such a failure, and so less-than-a-conqueror on so many fronts.
I’ve been in constant prayer. I don’t talk to my friends about my struggles, because, well, let’s just say that I seem to have the same friends that Job had. (LOL…at least I can find some humor in my situation.) I know that worrying solves nothing, but that has been a constant pattern for me throughout my life, one that I’m trying earnestly to change.
What I need are some prayer warriors. Please pray that I become victorious in plowing through my difficulties with an attitude of a conqueror.
Thank you, ladies!
Thank you for this chapter and the verses. I haven’t been able to keep up with every chapter of this study, but I am glad that I hav been able to read this chapter. I have been feeling trapped in sin and feeling like I will never be able to overcome it. I use to believe satan’s lies to lure me to the sin and then after sinning I have felt overwhelmed by guilt and shame. I believed I wasn’t good enough and that I will never change. I was letting the sin define me. But reading this chapter a second time has helped m see that I am IN Christ. There is no condemnation for those IN Christ Romans 8:1. I am convicted and I pray the Holy Spirit direct me to find ways to overcome this sin because I have tried so hard without success. Please pray that God would show me how to overcome this sin but also not let myself be defined by this. I pray that God can use this pain to some good use, just like Renee was able to change and help her children grow in Christ.
My mistakes aren’t what define me. I am forgiven, redeemed, set free! Amen!!!
Cheryl – when I read your post, I felt like I had written it for it expresses what I am going through right now to a tee. I too am struggling with a sin that I have left overcome me and define me. Thank you for bringing to light some of the lessons from this chapter that God wants us to learn. I am praying for your deliverance from your sin. Please pray for me as well. In Christ we are more than conquerers. Let’s claim this promise as our own.
Cheryl and Michelle,
I think most everyone has a sin that Satan keeps throwing back in our face. I too have one that I have asked God to forgive, but I keep condemning myself. I think God has forgiven me ( I’ve only asked 1000 times) but I have not forgiven myself. We must confess our sin, and I just don’t want to. The pain would be unbearable. But I think it’s at the point that if I don’t, I won’t be set free. God has forgiven me because He doesn’t want to have anything more to do with it. { Isaiah 43:25 I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.}. I really don’t want to talk with the person involved, but I think i must to grow in Him and make atonement(?)
Thank you Michelle for sharing. I am definitely praying for you and your struggles. Indeed, we are more than Conquerers through Him who loves us!
Thank you Suzy for sharing our struggles too. I too keep condemning myself. I agree that bringing sin to the surface can be so scary and painful. I pray that we remind ourselves that there is no condemnation because we are In Christ. We have a God who does not remember our sins. I am praying for you as you try to talk to the person involve and make atonement. May the spirit of Our Lord be upon you each moment.
Renee, So many words that you have put into print form, are speaking directly to my heart and apparently, many other hearts as well. God is using this book and study to reach many women’s lives for change. We are all a work in progress but God always wants the best for us, yet we allow the world to creep into the thoughts we think and then the conquering part of us gets smaller and smaller. God Bless You
God bringing “gold to the surface” stood out to me due to a dream I had several years ago. In it, I was having “strands” of gold, like the density of a small paper clip, growing on my arms, but each time one would appear, out of concern, my husband would pull it out. Until, they started coming so fast my arm was becoming covered by them! (???)
While reading Ch 7, I think I may be realizing that I feel like a failure concerning my job and/or any of the jobs I’ve ever had. I am never happy and usually quite miserable at most jobs I have had since I had my children. I don’t think I am looking for the job to fulfill me since I don’t want to be working full time, away from home like I have had to do, but nothing I do brings contentment. I feel like I am wasting my life, like I am missing out on something else I was created for, but not sure what that is. Maybe, I am feeling like a failure because I don’t know what I am supposed to do. IDK…rambling a bit here.
Maybe, I need to revisit the chapter and come back later…hope that is ok. 🙂
Maybe the feeling of failure comes from not being able to be content “in whatever situation”….
Hi renee,
I love the section on page 119 where God said to you that He is the gold miner. God sees “the gold of His image woven into” (can I paraphrase it to mean each of our) “hearts” when He created us. It is so awesome that He said to you that He wants to bring “gold to the surface so others can see it too.” I completely believe that He is saying that to each one of us. In us He sees gold and He wants to bring it to the surface.
I have heard this song by contemperory christian artist Britt Nicole. The title of the song is Gold. One of the lines goes like this. “whatever you’ve been told, you’re more than gold. So hold your head up high it is time to shine. From the inside out it shows you’re worth more than gold. gold, gold, you’re gold……….” It is a lovely song that resonated with the idea in this chapter that God is a gold miner who see gold in us and not the dirt.
I also liked the section in page 130 where you say “Although it sounds contradictory, failure can help us become the confident women God created us to be. It can make us become stronger and better –if we go to God for help. Failure produces wisdom when we ask for it and maturity when we learn from it. Failure pushes us to do more than we think we can and try other methods of doing things when one way does not work. Failure can be hurtful but it can also be beneficial.”
I love that section coz I have never heard failure being described as helpful or beneficial in any way. I used to think that at best God will help us overcome failure but I never heard of how God will not only help us overcome but also cause the whole failure experience to benefit us. That is really powerful teaching.
I also loved the section where you described the Mining fr Gold in the heart of your child character chart. I am going to pray about how I can implement it in my home.
This chapter, and this whole book is very very rich. I don’t think we can finish studying this chapter in one week coz there is a lot of good stuff to learn from.
Thanks,
Anna
This week I’ve underlined Revelations 12:10. Psalms 18:35. Romans 8:11. I love that we DO sin. but in Jesus we are NOT sin. Shame says you ARE Bad. Conviction says you DO bad…but God will forgive and cleanse repentant HEARTS! PTL!
What a deceptive enemy we have!!
I, too have been caught in the trap of feeling like there is a part of me that is seriously defective. Too often I feel like a failure as a mom, step-mom, wife, friend, the list can go on and on in my head some days!
Each chapter of this book has been so revealing, and I wish I had more time in my day to spend meditating on them. I know this book will become a daily reference for me. I’ve read many books, but this one is the first that I feel I am really ‘working’ through and I want to thank this entire community for the encouragement I get by reading all your posts.
Chapter 7 is almost entirely underlined, sometimes twice!
Like many of you have already shared, getting a fresh new understanding of the difference between conviction and condemnation was awesome! I pray that God will continue to nudge us with loving conviction so that we can refute the condemnation we get from the enemy!
There is NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus!!! Rom 8:1 (I have that scripture written on my wall in my closet so that I can read it frequently when I am changing!!)
The words that spoke to me from your book Renee, were on page 125…. that “God wants to give us a new starting place”. I had to add (again) to the end of that sentence, I hope that is ok!
I have been given so many chances to start over, Jesus has been so gracious, forgiving, patient and loving towards me when I have been consumed by doubt (fear, guilt, shame, self-loathing…) I totally believe HE wants us all to have Confident HEARTS and I am so thankful HE led me to find this resource on-line.
Have a blessed day
Karen
Something else about this weeks quote stuck out to me. We are more than conquerers THROUGH HIM who loved us. We are conquerers “through him.” I am learning this means that I can relax a bit more and trust Him to do the work. I am especially starting to practice this in the work place by letting go, not staying late and trusting God to help me complete all my assignments within an appropriate time frame.
I am excited to read this chapter. One thing I learned this weekend is the power of perseverance. Specifically in terms of praying God’s Truths and promises out loud and repeatedly throughout the day, even and especially when I don’t feel like it. Praise God! This is changing my heart.
“Some of us feel like we are too…old to make a difference.” This book is helping me realize that I shouldn’t question where life has led me all these years and in my eyes its been an unexceptional life, but to keep trusting God that He has me in His hands. It is because of Him that I am great! Praise the Lord!
Psalm 18:35, “You have given me your shield of victory. Your right hand supports me; your help has made me great” (NLT). God wants to give us a new starting place. He sees beyond who we are to who we are becoming.
Swope, Renee (2011-08-01). Confident Heart, A (p. 125). Baker Book Group. Kindle Edition.
I compare myself to others all the time why am I not that courageous or why don’t they like me but I know that God loves me and i we were all the same it would be an interesting world.
I like when you said when God whispered to you that I am that gold mine. You are the one who is so critical of yourself. You are the one who focuses on your mistakes and beats yourself up with accussation and condmenation. Those are not My not thoughts. I see the gold of My image, woven into your heart when I created you. I want to bring it to the surface so others can see it too.
I like that part too
This is my second x through this study! This morning I felt God’s hand and tonight I bombed in the feeling inadequate for anybody, anywhere! I trust God caught me and I can regain that knowledge that I am enough! Thank you Renee for this study! I could have changed your name to mine and tweaked a few of your circumstances and we would be soul sisters! I’m holding on that God lifted you OUT and He has to do the same for me!
Debra in Arkansas
I’m with a few of you, I have a lot highlighted in this chapter. My favorites:
“God wants to give us a new starting place. He sees beyond who we are to who we are becoming.”
“Although you may condemn yourself fo ryour failures, Jesus never will.”
Loved the entire section on conviction vs. condemnation as well as the Failing Forward. “Failure produces wisdom when we ask for it and maturity when we learn from it.”
And I love that you ended this chapter with the realistic reminder that we will continue to have failures. “Every time you fail to eb the woman God calls you to be, or the woman you expect yourself to be, let God remind you of theprogress you’ve made.”
“Even though you may not be quite who you want to be, you are not who you used to be! You get that much cloer to who you are meanto to be every time you fail forward.”
This chapter made me cringe (If I was going to “throw my book away” this is the chapter that I probably would’ve done it). One of the many sentences (well, it’s a whole paragraph!) I underlined is: “In Christ, you are a woman who is becoming all God created you to be. Trusting in His power and relying on His promises, you are a woman who is growing – a woman who is becoming more like Jesus each day. A woman who is not perfect, but who is surrendering to God’s Perfect power and love at work in her.”
God whispered, “Renee, write these words for Jessica” because I am still a work in progress and perfection is my enemy. My shame of failing and/or the possibility of failing has caused me to run away from God when I should reach for His hand/run towards Him and rely on His promises. This study has strengthened my relationship with God and this chapter helped me to realize that my sin/failures doesn’t define who God sees me as. Instead, He sees me as who I am becoming.
This was exactly what I needed today. Was feeling like a failure as wife, mother, and with a lack of career. I’m so thankful for the words of truth in this book. It’s changing my perspective daily.
Hi Stephanie, same here. I was feeling like a failure today @ work. God had plans for me to begin chapter 7 tonight. I really did not feel like it, kept trying to put it off. The enemy was defeated, praise God.
This book has brought me so much healing and a much deeper relationship with God. I also love these forums where I get so much comfort in seeing that I’m not alone in my struggles. I battle with feeling like an outsider looking in and that I’m defective somehow; this is the enemy. It is wonderful to have victory through Jesus!
I love the dog Marni!.
Chapter 7 sentences that spoke to me:
Even whe she falls, she doesn’t stay down. Instead, she reaches for God’s hand and rises again. Proverbs 24:16
I’m never going to not fall, because I’m not perfect. But falling forward knowing God will catch me and lift me back up is a great comfort. Falling backwards, I would stay flat on my back, but falling forwards I fall on my knees which leads me to prayer for forgiveness from the Father and making ammends with other’s if necessary, and continued prayer to keep me moving forward with God’s help!
Conviction vs Condemnation: I need to stop condemning (to be declared unfit) myself for any misdeeds and be convicted (establish an awareness of my sins, especially those which may be habitual) so I can be on the lookout for those times sin may be lurking at my doorstep!
Cool idea about falling forward on your knees. Innever thought about it like that. Thanks
Hey renee thank you so much for the verses that come with those beautiful pictures. I just wanted to say thanks.
I have felt like a failure many times. Some of it. Was true, some of it was Satan’s. Lies. I have felt like a horrible mom most of my children’s lives. I never completed college, I was angry with my parent’s for several reasons, I still feel like I don’t fit in anywhere. This is my second time going through this book and I am eternally thankful for God giving you the words to those of us that have felt this way. I carry the real book and the e-book with me and am constantly making notes, seeing g something new, something meaningful. Mmost of the anger that took my life is gone and I am trying to learn that its ok to be mad but need to handle it differently. Thank you for all of your honesty and willingness to share your thoughts with us!
I want to agree with you and I am running this Study again because there is so much information and areas that I need to spend more time soaking in. Some areas are painful but healing at the same time.
Thank you Renee.
Ellen, sounds like we have a lot in common! This book has been life changing for me. Renee’s word are speaking straight into my heart and my mind is finally grasping and understanding. I have been such a failure and sinner for so long and for so many things I have never truly believed God loves. Why would He as awful as I am? Renee has written out what condemnation vs conviction really is and I finally understand. (ADD runs in the family). I have still so much to learn and understand, but thanks to the Holy Spirit workin through Renee, I know that I belong to Him, and I am going to heaven. I want to live my life for Christ, and maybe I’m over analyzing, but I want to know exactly what He wants me to do for Him. I also must remind myself His mercy is new everyday, so if I messed up yesterday, I have a new day to try again. I just have to keep reminding myself of His truths. We are so blesses Renee has written out the 7 day doubt diet. THANK YOU RENEE!
This chapter is great. There are so many things I underlined, I can’t possibly share them all. The first life changer is my sin is not who I am, it is what I have done AND God wants to come to my rescue and give me victory. This is taking me to a more personal relationship with God. I can finally get how different it is to have the knowledge in my head about God and feeling His presence in my heart. Thank you Renee for sharing your relationship with God in such a personal way.
The second idea is the difference between condemnation and conviction. This is a totally new concept for me. It is a simple yet profound way to distinguish the Holy Spirit from the devil. I can’t begin to tell you how this knowledge will change my outlook. I am so thankful God brought me to your bible study, Renee.
Hey Christine! I agree with you about the difference between condemnation and conviction – gave me a new perspective!
Love hearing how God is working in your life too Jessica.
Hi Christine, Happy Monday! Ditto, you are speaking verbatim for me. Praying that we are drawn closer to the Lover of our souls during this study.
Praying that for you too, Martha!
Hi Martha, Happy Monday to you too. You know, it amazes me how we are all so similar inside and try to cover it up by dressing up our outsides. It’s actually very comforting to know we are learning the same same concepts in our walk with Jesus. Looking forward to hearing more from my sisters in Christ.
Blessings to you Martha
Oh Christine, I love reading how God is speaking to you so personally and giving you new perspectives that are deepening your relationship with HIM. Those two truths changed my life, too, and helped me overcome the power of Satans accusations and condemnation. Walk in those truths sweet friend – I pray you will take them like tools and use them in your life this week 🙂
Amen Sistah Renee & and thank you for sharing what you are learning about conviction vs condemnation Christine. satan has such a good time trying to trip up those of us who love Jesus and Romans 8:37 reminds us of our power in Christ ♥.
I have not read the chapter yet…. but, the verse says everything I need today. I have been struggling with “fitting in ” with people at church and not being good enough this weekend. This morning I believe God spoke to me that I was not made to fit in, but stand out for Him. This verse confined I can accomplish anything God calls me to because He loves me.
Yes Angel you can do anything HE calls you to. I have been in that place where I was new and felt like I didn’t fit in. Everyone already had lots of friends and didn’t need another. God challenged me to be the friend I wish I had. To reach out instead of trying to fit in. To invite a visitor to lunch instead of waiting to be invited by someone in the “in” crowd. It wasn’t always easy but it made me feel like I had purpose — and it was to give instead of getting. I was really blessed in the end and I pray your will be too!
Thank you so much for this encouragement. I am starting to step out of my comfort zone and seek out people to be friendly to. Again as long as I follow God’s will and be who He wants me to be then He will provide those who will be friends to me as well. I will rely on Him to protect my heart and not get hurt. I will rely only on him to fill me and give me confidence. Thanks again.
I cried so much answering the questions in the back of this chapter! I know that it’s so painful, but it’s doing a lot of healing in my heart in not listening to the lies that my failures define me. I am more than a conqueror!
Yes you are Song!! I’m praying for the truths of this chapter to sink deep into your heart. Please take time to read it again and pray the end-of-chapter prayer each morning out loud so that your faith can be strengthened and your heart can be renewed by the power of God’s truth. You are loved and your failures DO NOT get the final say – JESUS does!! Just like the story of the woman caught in adultery – He wants to dismiss your accuser and help you realize He is the only one you stand before. Forgive, redeemed and set free!!