We all have a choice as to what kind of affect adversity will have on our lives. Paul, in Romans 8:35-39, described how followers of Jesus can choose as to what kind of affect adversity will have on them. Paul lists seven things that a follower of Jesus might perceive as coming against or separating them from Christ’s love – trouble, hardships, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, and sword. Instead of letting these things separate and defeat us, Paul says that we are more than conquerors.

The Greek word that he uses is hypernikao – hyper (super) and nikao, (conqueror, victor, prevail). Nikao comes from the root word nike (yep, just like the shoe company). Thus, we are Super Nikes, through Jesus! A Super Nike is someone who doesn’t just defeat his enemies, adversity, and hardships, but he overwhelmingly conquers, prevails and causes adversity and hardship, through Jesus Christ, to become his helpers.  Through the One who triumphed victoriously over every enemy, we too can conqueror and overwhelmingly prevail over every enemy that comes against us. These difficult circumstances do not have to discourage and defeat us, but they can become our helpers, shaping and molding us to look, talk, think and act more and more like Jesus.  

Each day we have the difficult decision and the great opportunity to be Super Nikes. So, let’s allow Jesus’ victory over death, the grave, the devil, sin and every hardship, to be made real in our lives today – moment by moment. Through Christ,

illness can become our helper

pain can become our helper

ridicule can become our helper

financial difficulty can become our helper

a broken family can become our helper  

loss of a job can become our helper 

stress on the job can become our helper

We are Super Nikes! Will you let adversity and hardship weaken your faith? Harden your heart? Or, become your helpers in conforming you to his image? Our difficulties, in God’s hands, can lead to our good and God’s glory.

What difficulty or adversity do you need to place in God’s hands today? Think of the last bout you had with adversity. Did you run from from God or run to God?

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