Introduction

My friends, today we continue with the seventh sermon in our series on the theology of victorious warfare: "More than conquerors through Him who loved us." I must be frank with you. Preparing this sermon was an uphill task. I struggled. I faced my own defeats, and it plunged me into deep perplexity.

More than conquerors? Look around us. Where is this overwhelming victory? What we see, more often than not, is defeat—or at best, barely scraping through. We do not need to look far; just look at our immediate circumstances. Examples of true victory are rare, while failures are countless. How then can we be "more than conquerors"? Was Paul talking nonsense? I was thoroughly confused.

Over the past few days, I wrestled with Romans Chapter 8. I read it repeatedly. There is wisdom in the old Chinese saying: read a book a hundred times, and its meaning will reveal itself. I have one saving grace—I am prepared to discard my own preconceived notions and focus entirely on what the text actually says. Unlike some people who spend their lives trapped in their own narrow minds. How can such people ever achieve victory?

I have preached on Romans before, but today, I finally grasp the core of it. I pondered over it day and night—while walking, driving, sitting on the toilet, and eating. This is what it means to seek understanding. Throughout history, men have sought to comprehend the truth.

There is a story of Laozi meeting a young man who had prepared himself to receive him, as if he instinctively knew a master of the Dao was coming. They reasoned together, searching for truth, until they understood that the ancient spirit never dies. They got to the root of the matter.

Now, I have gotten to the root of Romans Chapter 8. This is not idle speculation. Laozi pondered the Dao De Jing; I pondered Romans 8. The principle is the same. Suddenly, it clicked. "More than conquerors" is not something we achieve by our own steam. God has already accomplished it for us, abundantly so. The problem is that man refuses to follow God.

Look at the Old Testament. The Israelites were slaves in Egypt. Could they defeat Pharaoh’s army? Absolutely not. Then how did they win? God won the battle for them. The Israelites did nothing; they simply waited.

One night, God struck down every firstborn in Egypt. Pharaoh, devastated by the death of his own heir, had no choice but to let them go. Before they left, the Egyptians practically begged them to take their gold and silver. They wanted them gone.

Every household was in mourning. The Egyptians knew that if they kept the Israelites, they would lose their second-born, then their third-born, until their entire families were wiped out. So they chased them out. What did the Israelites do to earn this? Nothing. Were they more than conquerors? Absolutely.

Let me ask you: of all the breakthroughs you have had up to this point, which one did you achieve by your own strength? None. It was God who gave you the victory. You couldn't graduate from your PhD, but you prayed, and you graduated. Is that not a miracle? If you cannot graduate, unless you have the talent of classmate Geng to pull in two million followers, you are stuck.

Securing a job is also a manifestation of being more than a conqueror. It is not because you are exceptionally good. You are no different from the Israelites—deep down, there is still much filth. Yet, God helps you. When they stood by the Red Sea and saw the Egyptian army pursuing them, they panicked.

God made you more than conquerors when you left Egypt; why did you think He would fail you at the Red Sea? God parted the waters, and they walked across on dry land. What did the Israelites do? Nothing but follow. It was God who secured the victory. Today, when we fail, it is simply because we refuse to follow God, refuse to walk by the Spirit. That path leads inevitably to ruin.

I wonder if any Israelites chose to stay behind on the seabed, waiting to be drowned along with the Egyptians. As I read this, it became clear: it is not about my effort. God has already prepared this overwhelming victory for us. We have only one duty: to walk by the Spirit, to follow His lead. Those who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God.

The Israelites were a difficult lot. At the first sign of trouble, they shifted blame, complained, and spoke nonsense. Are we any different? It is exhausting. I have shepherded many people who received immense grace, only to turn their backs and leave. Let them go. It pains me to see such attitudes, but that is the reality.

Take the case of a PhD student in our midst. His supervisor told him he could not graduate and had to redo his work. That is a devastating blow. If you have not done a PhD, you cannot imagine the horror of being told to start over after four years of hard labor. He asked me what to do. What could I do? Beat up his supervisor? I am not strong enough, and I would end up in jail. I told him: "We pray."

For one week, we did nothing but pray. He had nothing else to do, so he came to church and prayed daily. A week later, he received another email from his supervisor: "You can graduate. Prepare your defense immediately." That is what it means to be more than a conqueror. God fought that battle.

Later, he decided to leave. I did not stop him; I do not force people to stay. Then came another case—a man tormented by evil spirits, standing by the subway tracks, nearly throwing himself under a train. He was in constant agony, his mind buzzing, held hostage by demons. He found me online. We were strangers. When he came, I led him in prayer, and he spat out blood-stained phlegm.

He was delivered. His chronic insomnia of three months was cured. A few years later, he said, "Pastor, I want to leave the church." Many of these people have experienced their own "Red Sea" crossings. Does it hurt to see them go? Of course it does. But I must remain victorious.

Shall sword, or persecution, or people leaving separate us from the love of God? No. My Lord Jesus has already made me more than a conqueror. Our church has survived and thrived because God has won the victory for us. If you align yourself with Him, you win. There are many churches in this world; may God bless you in choosing which one you will stand with to achieve victory.

The truth is, God has already gone ahead of us to secure this victory. Scripture divides humanity into two distinct categories. If you read Romans 8 carefully, you will see: those who live according to the flesh, and those who live according to the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death; there is no victory there. To set the mind on the Spirit is life eternal. Hostility toward God leads to death. If you choose the path of destruction, this victory has nothing to do with you. Those who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God.

Let me tell you, what I am sharing with you is solid, practical truth. No fluff. Those who indulge the flesh have no part in God. In His sovereignty, God has destined some to remain carnal, and others to belong to Him. Therefore, those who follow Him and are led by His Spirit are more than conquerors. Let us stop relying on ourselves. Rely on the Lord, and be victorious.

in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. (Romans 8:4-8)

How do we navigate this life? Let us be absolutely clear. What does it mean to be "more than conquerors"? It means God has already done everything. Even for those who have indulged the flesh, if they repent and turn back to Him, God will help them. God’s provision is not just sufficient; it is overwhelming. It is not a tight fit; it is an abundant surplus.

We have no excuse to rely on ourselves, no excuse to live in the flesh, and no excuse to shift blame. If we fail, we cannot blame anyone else. If you choose the flesh, you choose ruin. If you choose the Spirit, you choose life. These are two entirely different outcomes. If you follow the flesh, you will be "more than losers"—your defeat will be absolute. If you follow the Spirit, you will be "more than conquerors." Stop making excuses.

A carnal person is bent on self-destruction. If a man knows that the road ahead leads to ruin, why does he persist? You may look healthy, prosperous, and comfortable in your fleshly lifestyle now, but what will you do when disaster strikes?

The father of one of our sisters was diagnosed with lung cancer. He carried bad habits and a cancer-prone personality. We must understand clearly: God detested the Israelites who died in the wilderness, just as He detests Christians who perish in their wilderness today. Why? Because they are too carnal, too focused on the flesh. Such people cannot please God.

If you want to live a victorious life, you must systematically demolish the carnal logic within you. Victory brings peace and prosperity; defeat, however, demands reparations. Can you afford the spiritual cost of defeat? God has shown us the fate of carnal Christians in the wilderness.

Why do people fail to claim God's promises? Because they are carnal. I knew someone who battled lymphoma, then colon cancer, then cardiovascular disease, then cerebrovascular disease. His entire life was a series of medical crises. It is a pathetic sight. Where is the victory of Christ in this? I tell you, if your theological framework is flawed—if it is a carnal theology—you will never recover. You will remain trapped in the flesh.

Our congregation needs to resolve just one issue: trust God, follow Him, and walk this path of victory. A Christian diagnosed with cancer cannot cure it by chemotherapy and radiotherapy alone if they do not rid themselves of their "cancerous personality." The cancer cell is driven by a spiritual force—a spirit of cancer. Yet, people run to doctors at the first sign of trouble, trying desperately to survive in the flesh rather than submitting to the Spirit. The spirit of death torments them, leaving them neither fully alive nor dead. It is a miserable existence. Start trusting God today. It is not that difficult.

You say you cannot control yourself. I tell you, once you pray, you can. People tell me, "Pastor, I have an insatiable appetite." If you pray in tongues persistently, that craving will vanish. God will give you the victory. If you lack self-control, pray in the Spirit. God will dismantle the carnal strongholds within you.

Why are people cured of depression here? Because we demolish its foundation. The foundation of depression is carnality and the judgment of good and evil. These are the roots of many afflictions. Depression is an agonizing torment, a bizarre disease where people suffer for no tangible reason. It happens because they have set their minds on the flesh.

Let me give you a concrete detail. Through the salvation accomplished by Lord Jesus, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. The law of the Spirit of life has set us free from the law of sin and death. God has already liberated us. You ask why you do not feel it? Because you must walk by the Spirit. It is as simple as that.

Why do people become obese? Because they cannot discipline their bodies. If you pray in tongues, it will curb your gluttony. Why can't people get out of bed? That is a poor excuse. Victory is simple: just get up. If it feels difficult, rely on the Holy Spirit. If a man cannot even get out of bed, he is useless.

When sickness strikes, if you walk by the Spirit, victory is straightforward. If your first instinct is to run to the hospital—when doctors themselves do not know who to turn to when they fall ill—how can they save you? Overcoming weakness is simple when you rely on Jesus Christ. Why do people struggle? Because their thinking is warped. Try relying on the Spirit to win.

We have young people here who pray, serve, and still excel in their studies. Changing your internal logic is not difficult; the only obstacle is your own stubbornness. If you insist that your way is right, you cannot be helped. Victory is simple; defeat is exhausting. Those who insist on relying on themselves are doomed to fail.

Scripture

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:37-39)

Prayer

Lord Jesus, we rely on You. Let Your Holy Spirit demolish the logic of defeat, the logic of this world, and the logic of the flesh within us. Grant us wisdom and understanding to depend on You. For whenever we rely on You, we are more than conquerors. Amen.

God, Your promises never fail. Even when we witness failures around us, Your promises are established in heaven; they stand firm. We rely entirely on You. Let every brother and sister declare this truth: through Him who loved us, we are more than conquerors in all these things. God, execute Your will. Tear down what is corrupt within us, and rebuild us to be well-pleasing to You.

God, we resolve to follow You. We hold the absolute conviction that 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. Lead us to victory. God, Your promises are established in heaven; they will not fail. They will be fulfilled in our lives. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Scripture Background

Consider why the Apostle Paul wrote this to the Romans. The church in Rome was founded by Christians from Jerusalem—those who experienced the Holy Spirit at Pentecost under Peter, faced persecution, and subsequently fled. The Jerusalem church was on the verge of decay; had it continued on that path, it would have rotted completely. Therefore, God led a remnant out of Jerusalem and back to Rome.

Upon arriving in Rome, they set up their businesses, found employment, and being a capable, intelligent group, established the church there. But look at their background. They lacked the concept of victory. The Roman church had no framework for prevailing. Their reality was likely very similar to what we often face: wherever they looked, they saw nothing but defeat.

Perplexed, they wrote to Paul. Why was the church in such a state? It was not supposed to be this way. Instead of reflecting the image of Jesus Christ, they saw only corruption. Can you imagine the scene? Power struggles, infighting over who would be leader—it was a toxic, chaotic mess.

In our church, I have eradicated such politics. But in other churches, political struggles run rampant. Wherever you have people, you have politics. This was their confusion, and they put it to Paul. In the Book of Romans, Paul addresses these fundamental questions: Why can we not achieve victory? Does the Gospel of Jesus Christ actually work?

You must understand that the Chinese Mingding Doctrine is born out of practical application. It is based strictly on Scripture, and we preach it because it works in practice. If it did not work, talking about it would be a waste of time. That is why we have cleared away all this confusing theological clutter.

Is being "more than conquerors" a reality? Paul makes it absolutely clear. He wrote letters to salvage them, dispatched Timothy and Titus, and worked tirelessly. The Corinthian church he wrote to was a carnal church. Wherever carnality rules, problems multiply. Mark my words: a church built by carnal people will never succeed.

A carnal pastor leading carnal believers to build a carnal church will inevitably end in disaster. This is why the Chinese Mingding Doctrine places heavy emphasis on confronting and destroying the habits of the flesh. If a person refuses to deal with their flesh, they are finished. The situation in the Roman church is highly relevant to us today.

Paul laid down the blueprint for victory. I have studied many commentaries on Romans Chapter 8, and frankly, most fail to grasp the point. A defeated person cannot comprehend the concept of victory. Paul draws a clear line on the left and a line on the right; what lies between them is being "more than conquerors."

If you fall outside these lines, these words are useless to you. Those who live according to the flesh are outside the boundary. To set the mind on the flesh is death—it has nothing to do with victory. What we are teaching here is hard-core truth. Romans Chapter 8 is absolutely critical.

The Law of the Spirit of Life Has Set Us Free

"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit." (Romans 8:1-4)

Why does the Gospel of Jesus Christ work? Because the law of the Spirit of life has set us free. How? Jesus Christ died for us on the cross, paying the penalty for our sins. Your death would achieve nothing. But because Jesus Christ is the Son of God, His death was effective. The sinless substituted for the sinful, bearing our transgressions on His shoulders. This is the crux of the matter.

Before this, we lived under a curse, bound by all kinds of strongholds. We wanted to escape but could not; we were completely trapped in a deadlock. As we always say: it is not because you performed well, but because God set you free. You did nothing to earn it; it is the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus that has liberated us.

Demonic spirits have no legal right to remain in us. As discussed in our last session, they must obey us. When you command them to leave, they depart easily. The real issue, however, is that our carnal nature remains. This is why our Gospel is one that puts the deeds of the flesh to death. At this point, you can no longer pass the buck.

Previously, you could excuse yourself by saying, "I was bound, I had no choice, I did not know." Now, ignorance is no longer an option. God has set you free; you now have the power of choice. You must decide which logic to follow. My brothers and sisters, you must understand clearly: we ruin ourselves; it is not the devil who ruins us.

If you allow the devil to engrave worldly logic onto your heart, you are finished. Look around at the fate of carnal Christians. A carnal Christian will never prosper. Christ set them free, yet they choose to remain carnal, choosing to "be themselves."

The Chinese Mingding Doctrine not only clarifies theology but also demonstrates practically how to be more than conquerors by relying on God and obeying the Holy Spirit. The reality is that humans gravitate easily toward carnality. Let me give you an example: when an elderly parent is dying, a believer might cry out, "You cannot die!" That is a failure of faith. Many Christians react this way. Is this not a personal choice to yield to emotion rather than truth?

Scripture does not teach us to behave this way. It is lamentable that people simply follow their natural instincts instead of systematically internalizing the Word of God. What they have inside is fragmented and lacks structure.

They argue, "Who wouldn't grieve when a loved one passes?" Yet Scripture states that to depart and be with Christ is far better. Why do you ignore this? The law of the Spirit of life has set us free so that we can make the right choice. You cannot claim ignorance.

You Can Choose to Obey the Flesh, or You Can Choose to Obey the Spirit

You have a choice. This is Paul's point. You have been liberated; now, what will you choose? In the past, you suffered from various sicknesses and problems. Jesus Christ delivered you by His grace, bringing you out of adversity. He did not do this so that you could indulge your flesh.

He did it to show you that your deliverance had nothing to do with your own merit. Grace is given to lead you to repentance. You fell into that crisis because you were carnal. Why return to carnality now? Do you wish to walk straight back into disaster?

Let me tell you, sometimes a crisis is no longer just a crisis—it becomes your grave in the wilderness. Why choose to obey the flesh? It is sheer foolishness. Yet, people persist in their folly. There is a peculiar trait among foolish people: they do not mind being foolish, but they cannot stand being told they are foolish.

They say, "I can act foolishly, make mistakes, and suffer the consequences, but you must not call me foolish." This is absurd logic. Why submit to the flesh? The devil is not forcing you. The law of Christ has set you free; He has become your sin offering. You have the power to choose.

What you choose now determines your destiny. Some choose the flesh, suffer, run back to God, and then return straight to their carnal ways. Ultimately, they will die in the wilderness, objects of God's displeasure, because they refuse to learn their lesson.

Let me warn you: do not ignore minor discipline when you face minor ailments. When severe discipline strikes, you will not be able to ignore it. It is painful to watch. People busy themselves with trivial matters until they are diagnosed with cancer—then, suddenly, they are no longer busy. In the end, it is entirely your own choice.

"For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace." (Romans 8:5-6)

What have you set your mind on? To set the mind on the flesh is to be hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. The choice is yours. Do not make the excuse that you cannot control yourself. If you fail to control yourself, you will pay the price. Remember, to obey the flesh is death—and it is a miserable death. Why reject a good life in favor of destruction? It is tragic.

When we first believe, we are entirely carnal. But in Christ, through faith—not because we suddenly became good, but because we believed and God gave us grace to repent—we begin to change. Can we reduce that 100% carnality to 99%? We must deal with it systematically: down to 98%, 90%, 80%, step by step. While you still have 90% carnality, God will continue to deal with you, and you will continue to experience trials.

Many of you have received healing; that is grace. But when you return to carnality, you invite the demons back. Human foolishness is common. Having experienced God's grace, people fail to discipline their bad habits, thinking it is noble to "be themselves"—only to suffer the consequences.

Now, I step back. If you choose to suffer more, that is God's dealing. If you are wise, you will choose to suffer less. The logic is plain: if you set yourself against God, you will not prosper. The Holy Spirit must enter us to put the deeds of the flesh to death. Will you submit to the flesh, or will you confront and destroy your carnal habits?

The amount of sickness in your body corresponds directly to the amount of garbage in your mind. It is as simple as that. God uses sickness to expose the hidden motives of the heart; He uses adversity to expose the mental rubbish within us.

All Who Are Led by the Spirit of God Are Sons of God

"You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 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.

So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God." (Romans 8:9-14)

This is profound truth. We must recognize this: some people, no matter how much you instruct them, refuse to follow the Spirit of God; others do so naturally. It is a telling phenomenon. When the Spirit of God dwells in us, we belong to the Spirit, and He works within us to put the deeds of the body to death.

If you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. The Holy Spirit dwells in us for this primary purpose: to put to death our carnal deeds. It has very little to do with demons directly; the degree of your carnality determines the foothold of demons in your life. When people invite demons in, they suffer. No one can live a good life with demons tormenting them.

Therefore, we must have a radical shift in our understanding of sickness. Why do people fall ill? It is simple: carnality. If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in us, how can such immense power fail to resolve our issues? This is what it means to be more than conquerors.

If the Holy Spirit is powerful enough to raise Jesus Christ from the dead, then this same Spirit dwelling in us will surely give life to our mortal bodies. And that life is not a carnal existence, but a spiritual one. For it is the Spirit who gives life.