You+And=Victory
In my Bible, the heading for Romans 8:31-39 says “More Than Conquerors.” Just the sound of that phrase makes me feel like Wonder Woman or something! But I think it is safe to say that 2020 has given us a run for our money in the conqueror department. Many of us are probably sitting here thinking, “I can’t even conquer my daily routine these days, how am I MORE than a conqueror?!” I get it! This has been a ROUGH season… mentally, financially, spiritually… basically in all the ways! We’ve spent a lot of this year talking about putting on the full armor of God and I firmly believe that that is crucial to being more than a conqueror. See, we don’t conquer out of our own strength – God gives us that power and he loves us so much that he gives us more than we need. Victory with victory to spare!
Oddly enough, this reminds me of a cornerstone principle of one of my favorite types of comedy – improvisation or improv for short! If improv sounds familiar, it may be because you have seen the show Whose Line Is It Anyway. The actors on the show are improv pros and they perform a variety of sketches, all completely unrehearsed. They get suggestions from the audience and they run with them.
There are 2 critical things that make improv successful: First, improv requires partnership- it can’t be done alone. Second, to be successful on stage, improv actors must live and breathe the principle of YES, AND! It’s the acceptance principle — when someone in a scene states something, accept it as truth- say “yes.” Then, you follow it up with the “and” part, which builds on that reality that has been set. Need examples of this? YouTube is full of them! Just search for the show and you’ll see lots of examples of this principle at work.
Although improv has no script, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a lot of preparation to be able to do this kind of comedy well. When improv actors are training, they spend a lot of time building up relationships through exercises that increase trust, encourage playfulness together, and put the partners in situations where they have to let go of their preconceived notions about how a scene should go.
Do we ever have preconceived notions about how our LIVES should go? I certainly do!
All of 2019, we were walking through the book of John in Ignite Life. Our theme came from John 1:35-39, where Jesus is asked where he is staying and his response is the invitation, “come and see.” This is such a perfect example of how gently Jesus invites us into relationship with him. He doesn’t give us a list of requirements to follow before we accept his invitation. When Jesus invites us to “come and see,” all that is required from us is our “yes.” This is where “yes, and” starts to take shape in our faith life.
So, what about the “and”? In my life, I have always approached the “and” in one of two ways – either I would quickly jump into frantic activity immediately after giving Jesus the “yes” OR I would insincerely tell Jesus that I was going to trust Him with the “and” and then start resenting Him when he doesn’t move as fast as I think he should. Can anyone relate?! Both of these responses come directly from my ego and actually kept me from a surrendered relationship with Christ for a long time. In improv, when two (or more) improv actors walk onto a stage, if they are only focused on their own success, they will fail 100% of the time. I’ve seen it happen. One person is REALLY trying to be funny and have all the best jokes and in doing so, they completely miss what is going on around them. Ego is one of the biggest enemies of good improv. I think it’s one of the biggest enemies of our faith too because it drives those preconceived notions that keep us from surrendering.
It can be hard to recognize this in the midst of a struggle, but Jesus takes our “yes” (even if it’s a reluctant one) and abundantly blesses us with the “and.” Simultaneously, He says “yes” to us by accepting us right where we are in the midst of the mess, then continues to work, revealing more “and” than we thought possible. Victory with victory to spare.
In John 10:10 (NIV) Jesus says, “The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” Jesus wants to give us not just life but ABUNDANT life. Victory with victory to spare. When we say “yes, and” to him, he says it right back and we enter into a deeply loving, surrendered partnership that sustains us through the peaks and valleys of our lives.
Maybe you’re still not convinced. And depending on where you are in your struggle, what I’m about to say might not feel like much encouragement to you. I feel you! I’m going to say it anyway because it’s true. BELIEVE JESUS. Believe what he says about your identity in Him. Say yes to the place you find yourself in right now and let him take care of the “and.” If it means you have to sit in ambiguity for a while not knowing where to go, do it and seek the face of Jesus while you’re in that place. He’ll come through; I promise you. Romans 8:37-39 (NIV) says “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced 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 that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Erin is a speaker and leadership development professional who has been in the learning and development field for over 12 years. She has a unique ability to engage with her audience and create learning experiences that inspire change and action. She is poised, articulate and delivers her message with passion.
Erin feels that God has called her to use her professional skills to further His kingdom. She is passionate about helping people develop skills and knowledge that will empower them to answer Jesus’ call in their lives and understand how they are uniquely wired to respond to His leading. See Erin's other writings at: www.erhspeaks.com