More Than Conquerors?

In a letter to his friends in Rome, Paul declared that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love—nothing at all. In every trial, he wrote, “we are more than conquerors” (Romans 8:35-39).

More than conquerors? In trials? In chains for Christ’s name?

Oswald Chambers put it this way: “The ‘things’ Paul speaks of here aren’t imaginary; they’re intensely real. Yet, in the thick of our hardships, Paul calls us ‘super-victors’—not because of our intelligence or strength, but because nothing can sever our relationship with God in Jesus Christ.” Chambers added, “I am sorry for Christians who have nothing difficult in their circumstances…” (My Utmost for His Highest, May 19).

These verses—and Chambers’ words—remind us of  Brother Sagren, a faithful servant in North India who has found that nothing can separate him from Jesus’ love. 

Sagren serves the Lord in North India, an increasingly hostile area where Hindu nationalist groups like the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) maintain offices. Hundreds of house churches are part of Sagren’s network, and he has been arrested three times. With police assistance, one nationalist group managed to intimidate at least 300 families into turning away from Jesus. Officials searched the homes of new disciples for Bibles, and any family found with one faced severe beatings. Many were denied jobs and government-supplied essentials, such as rice, flour, and oil. Local leaders even threatened to cut off access to basic utilities unless families renounced their faith.

Despite these obstacles, Sagren has stood firm, continuing to encourage local believers to obey Jesus’ command to make disciples (Matthew 28:19-20). Risking arrest, beatings, and more, he courageously ministered to the 300 families who had turned back. Within six months, he saw 134 of those families and their house churches re-established. He baptized 643 new believers and trained 39 new “Timothys”—house church leaders who are now carrying the gospel forward.

Sagren is a victor, not because he’s the most educated or boldest, nor because he has financial security or health insurance, but because he has taken Paul at his word, “In Christ we are MORE THAN CONQUERORS!

Join us in praying for Brother Sagren and these disciples, that they, like Paul, would know nothing can separate them from God’s love. Nothing! May they continue to share it boldly.

For those of us blessed with education, security, and opportunity, we have much to learn from these faithful disciples.

*pseudonyms

WOMEN IN INDIA …
*Mahima was already a dedicated disciple-maker before attending the meetings, but something in her heart  read more …