Be "En Guard!" & Conquer | A Bianca Olthoff Message Review

It has never been more important for you to host your people in your place. We are gonna talk about Jesus we.

Persevere. Because God is at work in us and this world and because he's God he is sovereign. Is this what Bianca Juarez will thoughtful teach in all these things?

We are more than conquerors through him who loves us.

Okay started out a little iffy but man did that turn around. I'm pleasantly surprised at this point.

She and in chapter 8 Paul is reminding them and us of the power we possess because God is on our side. Oh.

It was going so well. No, I don't think this passage is informing us of any sort of power. We possess. It's all about God's work. He is the one with the sovereign power. Really? I'm just not a fan of teachers who teach us that we possess some kind of power through the Holy Spirit especially since Paul has throughout the epistle of Romans basically laid out how humanity is Powerless to really do anything to save themselves, but it is by God's grace and his power.

Especially the gospel which is the power unto salvation that we are saved and as he is Expressing in this passage is by God's grace and power that we are more than conquerors. Welcome to the thoroughly equipped podcast where we compare the teachings from popular women's ministry books conferences Bible studies Etc to scripture.

Our focus is 2nd Timothy 3 16 to 17 that all Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching rebuking correcting and training in righteousness. So the man or woman of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

I'm your host Melba toast. May this episode bless you and bring glory to God. Hello ladies and welcome back to another episode of thoroughly equipped. I'm so happy that you chose to tune in to this episode and if you are new, well, welcome.

This season we're taking a deep look at the popular women's conference See if gathering and this episode is part six of the second part Of the teaching portion of this series. In part one, it's a little convoluted.

But it's the way my brain works. In part one, we looked at the purpose of the conference and compared it to the purpose of discipleship as found in Scripture. But in this part, which I identify as part two we look at the actual women who speak at this conference the ministries they have and Then dive into the way they handle Scripture at the 2020 conference.

The goal is to provide you with a litmus test first by not only judging whether they put themselves under the authority of God's Word. But also judging whether they believe Scripture is sufficient and efficacious to conform us to Christ this way.

You can determine whether or not to follow them and allow them to disciple you. To do this I picked the 2020 conference to dive into the type of messages presented at the if Gathering. It is at this conference that Jenny Allen had each speaker give a message on a portion From Romans 8 with the express purpose of giving the audience more of Jesus.

And whether you've known Jesus for a long time or you're just checking him out We're not gonna water him down here. We're going to Romans 8. I don't know that there's a deeper Theological piece of work in the Bible.

So we're going here. And what you will leave with I believe Is more of Jesus?

So the sessions went like this. Jada Edwards gave a message on Romans 8 1 to 4 proclaiming that God took care of our greatest need and now we can live without Condemnation. Jenny Allen gave a message on verses 5 to 8 teaching us to battle the negative thoughts that come from an enemy.

Beth Moore on verses 9 to 11 expressed how she wished that we would cherish what is in us So that we would live supernatural lives. Joe Saxton on verses 14 that 17 explains how we were Adopted and no longer need to be slaves to our fears.

So therefore we should open our inheritance to accomplish our callings. Ruth Chau Simmons on verses 23 to 27 Warned us that if we are counting our resources to fill to fulfill our callings Then we are not trusting in Christ.

And Today's session is given by Bianca Juarez Othoff on Romans 8 verses 31 to 37 To listen to my critique of those sessions and discern how they handle scripture. You can check them out though I highly suggest that you start from the beginning.

If you are new to the podcast and have of course just tuned in to the YouTube channel. Before we dive into miss Othoff's message, let's get a feel for her ministry so Bianca Othoff has been a speaker at the if gathering since I could tell 2019 and Probably even before that but the website only has access to the conferences after 2019.

She is the author of the books titled how to have your life not suck Play with fire and her newest release Gris Grit don't quit creator of the nonprofit Organization in the name of love. Bianca Othoff is an incredibly engaging speaker.

She is very enthusiastic and really knows how to draw her audience into her messages. On her website. She gives topical devotional messages derived from scripture verses very short verses mind you and In it she does a lot of proof texting.

The method by which a person appeals to a biblical text to prove or justify a Theological position without regard for the context of the passage. They are citing and while there is a right method that can be beneficial when proof texting It is very common for devotionals to give the wrong method.

For example taking historical texts and reading ourselves into it. Such teaching of historical texts make you David and Goliath your problems. Another example would be taking historical narrative and applying it as if it is normative something we should expect or Something we should expect to see on a regular basis.

Really Bianca Othoff more than not uses an Inappropriate method of proof texting when coming to her messages and devotions, but I hooked you didn't I miss Othoff? Also has no qualms over preaching and teaching nor any issues with calling herself a pastor.

Overmounds in the mixed audience as she and her now ex-husband co-pastored a church the father's house located in Orange County, California. By speaking to men to teach them what scripture means whether done correctly or twisted to do this in any congregation on the Lord's Day is to be in rebellion to his authority and sin against him by disobeying a clear command.

Not only does she do this regularly? She aligns herself with other women in ministry who do the same. She has been on the better together show on TBN. If you don't know that show often platforms female preachers and self-called pastors.

Yes God would not call a woman to preach or pastor his sheep. So therefore she is self called and not called by God. There's something else very interesting I found while doing light research on her ministry and that is that she's a speaker for the AAE the all-american entertainment.

This agency is quote a full-service talent booking agency specifically focused on the needs of event professionals looking to book keynote speakers and corporate entertainment. For their events in quote they work to quote connect audiences with innovative minds and powerful messages regardless of the industry in quote in The information about miss Juarez old off on this site.

They mentioned that she travels 40 times a year with this and the numerous times she speaks at her and her Husband's church or had spoken at her husband's church. I wonder about her family life and its effect, especially since she just announced her divorce a couple months ago and that breaks my heart and It really really does.

This is Matt's second divorce and yet as far as I could tell he is still the lead pastor of the father's house. The reason given for the divorce was Irreconcilable differences and there's a lot that could be said about divorce being a fruit of bad beliefs centered on gender roles within the church and home.

But that would be a whole different episode and so because of all of this I would not Recommend any woman follow listen or be discipled by this woman. She is disqualified. Older women are to teach what is good.

And so train the younger to love their husbands and children to be self-controlled pure working at home. Kind and submissive to their own husbands that the Word of God may not be reviled. Titus 2 3 to 5 if she's not training women up to do that.

It could be and most likely is because she is not doing those things herself. Rebellion lack of submission and discernment can play out in the marriage as well as the church. This is why if we want strong Marriages we must be firm and clear in regards to female roles within the church and Home, this will be an upcoming topic.

I will address in the Lord willing Series, I want to produce on biblical womanhood and the fight against feminism. But pray for me ladies. I am excited to share with you what I've been studying, but it is a task I tell you.

So while we have assessed her willingness to submit to Christ's authority and her role in the church. This episode will look at the way she handles scripture and in watching several of her videos and some of her podcasts I'll state that this is one of her better messages.

It's still problematic though. So let's dive in. Let's first go to the text. She is to address and read it for ourselves to see what the Holy Spirit has to teach us through the Apostle Paul the author of this epistle.

Let's get a little context to this message. Paul in the earlier chapters of the epistle to the Romans talked about all of humanity's problems. That all transgress God's law and are subject to death and will have to stand before God in judgment.

Paul himself relays how he sees within him. Two things at war his spirit and his flesh in his mind. He desires to obey God's Word get in his members. He's captive to the law of sin and this point right before chapter 8 Paul cries out to be set free from the body of death.

Right here, I believe Paul is Exemplifying what Jesus was pointing out in the first four beatitudes in his Sermon on the Mount. Like Paul the poor in spirit will mourn over their sin and like Paul did they are submissive or meek to God's Word.

And Like Paul, they therefore cry out in their hunger and thirst for righteousness. Matthew 5 1 to 6. After crying out in his wretchedness He praises and thanks God for Jesus Christ who sets people free from the law of sin and death.

For God has done with the law we can by the flesh could not do by sending his own Son in the likeness of Sinful flesh and for sin he condemns 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 3 to 4. Paul proceeds to remind us that there are two types of people. Those who set the mind on the flesh and those who set the mind on the Spirit and those who set the mind on the flesh cannot please God.

But he says we are not of the flesh if we have the Spirit of Christ in us. Those who do not have the Spirit do not belong to him. But if Christ is in us though 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 us.

He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to our mortal bodies Through his Spirit who dwells in us. Romans 8 9 to 11. So because the Spirit of God dwells within us We are not debtors to the flesh.

But are called to by the power of the Spirit be putting to death the deeds of the body. And if we do we will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall Back into fear, but you have received the spirit of adoption as sons whom By whom we cry the Father.

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God and of children than heirs heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ. Provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

Romans 8 14 to 17 this suffering the putting to death the deeds of the body the wrestling with our own sin the sin of others and this curse of sin upon this world is Nothing compared to the glory to be revealed to us.

That the creation was subjected to futility and is groaning in pains. We too like the creation in the spirit are groaning inwardly. Eagerly waiting for adoptions as sons the redemption of our bodies. This is what we hope for and it is in this hope that we are waiting for our redemption with Patience.

Now, let's get into the text. Let's begin at verse 26. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness for we do not know what to pray for as we ought. But the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words and he who searches hearts knows What is the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit intercedes for the Saints according to the will of God?

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son in Order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and those whom he predestined.

He also called and those whom he called. He also justified and those whom he justified. He also glorified. So Paul's letting us know that in this world We will suffer because of our sin others sin and the curse of sin upon this world.

Suffering leads us to see and acknowledge our weakness. So to encourage us Paul informs us of the great comforter the Holy Spirit Who's been given to us to strengthen us during these times of sufferings?

Letting us know that he intercedes for us. Praying for us with groaning too deep for words. God hears these prayers and answers them. His answer is that he works through the suffering to Discipline and work all together for our good and Conform us to Christ by them.

This was God's plan and work all along. He predestined the good and the bad the good times and the times of sufferings. To be used by him to mature us and make us more like Christ. He called us to follow Christ Justified us because of our faith in him and in the end will glorify us.

Clothes us with the imperishable when he returns. This is our great hope. With this as the context. Here's miss all thoughts portion. What then shall we say to these things if God is for us who can be against us?

He who did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us all how will he not also with him. Graciously give us all things. Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies who is to condemn?

Christ Jesus is the one who died more than that who was raised who is at the right hand of God who indeed is Interceding for us who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or Danger or sword as it is written for your sake.

We are being killed all the day long. We are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered. Now when all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I'm 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 and all creation Will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Verse 31 starts off with several questions. But it's the first question that sets the stage for the rest of the passage. What then should we say to these things? Well, what are these things if we come to a passage that starts with a question like this?

We have to go back to see what Paul means by these things. These things are the context to answering all the other questions in the text. So what are these things? That God sent his own son to fulfill the law for us.

Verse 3 to 4. That God's Spirit was given to us and dwells in us to put to death the deeds of the body and by whom we cry. Abba Father bearing witness that we are sons of God. Verses 12 to 16. That the Spirit helps us in our weakness.

Interceding for us according to the will of God. Verses 26 to 27 that God works all things out for our good. Because he predestined us to be conformed to the image of his son. He called us. He justified us and he glorified us.

Verses 28 to 30. Because all of it is God's work and because God is for us. There is therefore nothing that can come against us. Nothing else that we are in need of that God has not nor will not Graciously be given to us.

There's no charge that one can bring against us for it is God who? Justifies there's none who can condemn because Jesus Christ is interceding for us. Who is at the right hand of the Father? There is nothing then that can separate us from Christ and his love.

No tribulation. No distress. No persecution nor famine or nakedness or danger or sword and all these things we are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus. Nothing neither death nor life nor angels nor demons nor present things nor things to come nor height or depth.

Nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of God in Christ. Jesus our Lord. Amen. This passage is proclaiming our security in Christ. John MacArthur calls it invincibility that Christians are invincible.

The Reformers call it the perseverance of the Saints not because of anything within or about ourselves. But because of God he predestined he called he justified and he glorified. God does all his marvelous will and all for our good and his great glory.

We are invincible. We persevere because God is at work in us and this world and. Because he's God he is sovereign. Is this what Bianca Juarez Othoff will teach? Well, let's dive into our message. Shall we?

Miss Othoff starts her message with gusto. She draws the audience's attention by teaching them to holler back but to holler back millennial style.

As a millennial, I just want to bring in some new nomenclature into the lexicon of hollering back.

Okay, instead of replying to a message teaching or a statement with a man She instructs them to say facts. Instead of shouting Hallelujah, we're to shout big facts instead of preach it. We're to say say it again and The new word she instructs us to use is on guard now besides Perking the interest of the audience.

She set up this word to set up her message.

So let's listen in and a new word that most people might not know I'm gonna make it in vogue here at Hashtag if gathering 2020 is this on guard. All right. Can you guys say on guard? Yes on guard means to be ready to fight and let me tell you when it comes to being here at if gathering.

Y 'all let me be honest with you every year I have this like hope and ambition that I am going to be able to pass out scripture and be learned and educated. And be calm and wise and make all of the theologians in the room so proud.

But then they give me the verse that I'm supposed to go through and it's Romans 8 37. How do you not get turned up with my Bible boyfriend? Paul says you are more than a conqueror. Okay, no. And maybe you're here today.

You're like Bianca. I do not feel like a conquering warrior. That's okay. That's okay. When we are Surrounded by people who are stepping up to be conquering warriors faith is contagious. Can I get an amen?

That's a big facts right there.

Okay, she's laid out for what she's going to focus on in this message. Her purpose in it is to encourage us to be conquerors and I'm okay with that. The question is how are we more than conquerors? Why does Paul say.

This is Paul's answer to these questions. The same answer Bianca will give. Let's find out. She goes on to tell a story about how her husband has a literal sword under their bed in preparation for being on guard in case of intrusion.

She uses this story as an Illustration to how we are told to be on guard for what the Lord wants to do in our life because we have an enemy that wants to steal kill and destroy and to heaven. My husband has a.

5-foot sword underneath our bed now the I couldn't get it through TSA. So the lovely if girls got me this little baby sword right here. Okay, so my husband has a sword underneath our bed and I talked to him constantly.

I said baby. Why do you have a sword under the bed? He said if there's ever intruder, I'll pull it out. Matthew Ray Olthoff. Well, who are you. Some need to flinch man? This is I'm God. I will fight you.

I'm like, what are you gonna do, babe? But the truth of the matter is is that my husband Matt Olthoff knows something that I want to remind us of in here today. John 10 10 says that we have an enemy that has come to steal kill and destroy.

Y 'all you got to be on guard for what the Lord wants to do in your life.

Can I get an amen? All right, just starting out I gotta say that nowhere in Scripture are we instructed to be on guard for what the Lord wants to do in our life. Again, there's just this popular view that God is very dependent on us to get his will done.

We have to be cherishing what's inside us so that we are led by the spirit like Beth Moore taught us. We need not to be slaves to fear and open our inheritance the gifts that God has given to fulfill our purpose.

We need not to be counting our resources and now we need to be on guard for what God wants to accomplish in our lives. Well, what happens if we're not on guard? Those gods will get done. The other issue is what does Jesus mean by the thief comes to steal kill and destroy?

Steal what kill what destroy what? Steal kill and destroy what God wants to do in our lives. Well right off the bat. That is completely contradictory To what is in this passage? We just read how those God foreknew he predestined those He predestined he called and those he called he justified and those he justified he glorified.

It's all his work and he Accomplishes it. He doesn't need us to be on guard to get it done. Now we do have scripture that tells us to be on guard or watch out for false teachers and false Shepherds, in fact, they are described as thieves and robbers.

These are who Jesus is actually talking about in John 10 10 at this verse. But is this what Bianca means are we to conquer false teaching and false teachers. Well, I don't think she means this by using that passage she states that as conquerors, we need to know what it is.

We are going up against and we need to fight and Paul's words are going to help us out with this. Directs the audience to open to Romans 8 verses 31 to 37 then says this.

Now as.

Warriors as Paul says that we are conquerors. We need to know what we're going up against and yes. We have an enemy, but Paul is gonna talk about some opposition. No, I don't know what your opposition is, but the Lord knows your opposition.

Maybe your opposition is physical.

Relational.

Financial psychological hormonal. Fix it. Jesus, whatever your opposition is know this a Conqueror will never win if a conqueror never fights. Cuz Jenny can come and drop a word bomb on us, but if you ain't ready to fight You're gonna keep on wandering in the wilderness and saying why can't I get a victory?

So I want to let the words of Paul the Apostle Bathe over us in here as we continue on in our journey through at a Romans chapter 8.

So regardless of what our opposition is We are to know that a conqueror never wins if a conqueror never fights. So if we don't fight we will continue to wander through the wilderness. Well, is that a bad thing?

Is it a sin to not fight? Well gods will not get done if I remain in the wilderness so I'm supposed to fight so I do not wander in the wilderness and. This doesn't sound anything like what Paul has told us.

Paul writes as if the fight is over and we are conquerors because God gave his son who went to the cross for our sins and was raised from the dead and is now sitting at the right Hand of the Father interceding for us.

But maybe she will go into that. She reads the passage and explains.

Imagine the voice of Paul that says to his friends in Rome. What then shall we say in response to these things. We're gonna get to the responses in a second. But he says if God is for us who can be against us.

He who did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us. How will he not also along with him graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen. It is God who justifies?

Who then is the one to condemn no one if you step step correct. Why. Because Christ Jesus who died more than that who was raised to life is at the right hand of God and it's also Interceding for us. You that sweet lady.

That's super uber religious and her prayers just go to God way faster. And you love to go get prayer from her during intercession time at church. Guess what. You don't need her because Christ Jesus is Interceding for us there at the throne verse 35 who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall trouble or hardship or persecution.

Or famine or nakedness or danger or sword as it is written for your sake we face death all day long. We are considered as sheep to the slaughter. No, buck up buttercup life is tough and so are you in all these things?

We are more than conquerors through him who loved us. That's a big facts right there ladies. See what Paul did right now is he done jumped out of the pages and grabbed you by your collar. Shaking you like a drill sergeant and says check yourself before you wreck yourself.

Now remember remember he starts off chapter 8 with a reminder that there is no Condemnation in Christ Jesus. That we have been set free from the law. Hallelujah. That our minds have peace because the Spirit of God we are no longer slaves and serfs.

We are children and co-heirs with the Most High God. That the present suffering in this world Pales in comparison to the future that awaits us and we know that all things work together for good for those that love the Lord.

Therefore verse 31 if God is for us. I'll be y 'all heard me if God is for us. Who in hell could be against us now, that's the BIV the Bianca International Version. And don't get mad at me. We don't say hell in church.

Jenny said it first, okay. Secondly of all, I'm not speaking about a profane word. I'm speaking about actual location see because God says that the enemy has been banished to Hades and the word of Isaiah says no weapon Formed against you will prosper.

Therefore Literally if God is for us ain't nobody in hell could be against us. There's no man on earth. No demon in hell that can come against and separate you from the love of God. Amen, or amen.

All.

My.

Amen, amen and amen. I love the passion she exudes in this. I wish she had included verses 29 and 30 to salt solidify. Not only that God works all things for our good, but also our security in his work.

But man, oh man, that was good. She summed up Romans 8 very well. There a little disappointed that the speakers before that didn't touch on these topics. But if they did I of course wouldn't be doing these critiques.

So let's keep listening.

Big facts.

Paul. Paul like a lawyer Paul is making sure that we know that there is nothing that could separate us from the love of God in verse 31. We see that opposition cannot separate us from God. We see in verse 33 Accusations, that's when people come up against you cannot separate you from the love of God.

We see in verse 34 that Condemnation that's when you think God doesn't love you Condemnation cannot separate you from the things of God. And lastly in verse 35 that not even separation could separate us from the love of God.

Do you see the alliteration that I work so hard at pulling in through the words of my Bible boyfriend.

Opposition.

Accusations condemnation. Separation. Then you get to verse 37. And it should make sense in all these things. We are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Okay, started out a little iffy, but man did that turn around. I'm pleasantly surprised at this point. She's pointing us to scripture and actually teaching us what it is saying. She continues by saying that the whole passage is fantastic.

But she wants to hone in on verse 37 specifically and she wants to do that because it's a super popular verse one. Tossed around on Instagram or Facebook one. We have hanging on our walls and highlighted in our Bibles.

Oh many have heard this verse read this verse or seen this verse more than a conquer. Will you raise your hand? Yeah. Yeah, it's too super common. We'll scroll by it.

We'll like it on Instagram and our fear is that it's overused causing it to lose its power. Especially if we overlook why Paul wrote it.

My fear is that it's overused and as a byproduct of this we have diluted the power of what Paul is preaching. See Paul is writing to the Roman Church the Roman Church. Not only was the Roman Church facing Persecution and prosecution, but they were also feeling a feeling and a sense of oppression and depression on every side and in chapter 8 Paul is reminding them and us of the power we possess because God is on our side.

Oh.

It was going so well. No, I don't think this passage is informing us of any sort of power. We possess. It's all about God's work. He is the one with the sovereign power. He's the one who predestined us from eternity past who called us to himself.

He's the one who justified us by his blood Romans 5 9 and resurrection Romans 425. And he is the one that sanctifies us first Peter 1 2 Romans 1516. And he will glorify us with new bodies Romans 8 23.

She continues on talking about what is meant by power. What the Romans understood about power. That that to them power was the ultimate expression of authority. And that soldiers and conquerors were heroes.

Now power is something important that I want to pull out of the pages here because this word power is a concept that we're familiar With in our day and age, but during that time to the Romans Ultimate power and authority they were very familiar with because during this time they were the epicenter of Power.

Rome was the epicenter of power. Rome was the capital. In fact, they invented the new order of power so much so that even today in 2020 words like capital punishment Capital law capital land were all derived from this understanding in Rome and so to Romans Power was the ultimate expression of authority and to the Romans Warriors and conquerors were the heroes and here Paul is encouraging them that they aren't just conquerors.

No, you are more than conquerors. Hallelujah. In fact this expression more than conquerors in Greek is from a Greek word hyper Nikko. Some translations say Hooper Nikko, but what this is means is that it is a concise.

It's to go beyond a concise victory this prefix hyper Paul uses because he's saying essentially Okay, so there's conquerors, but this isn't good enough. I need to hype you up with a hyper verb. Okay. You are gonna go beyond because of the insane love of God you are beyond a conqueror.

We as it's been said do not fight for victory. We fight from victory and what Paul is saying here is you have a hyper Victorious love you are empowered to be unrivaled that there is no foe that can take you down.

No in all these things verse 37. We are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Okay, maybe what she says here is true, but something is off. First let's take some time and examine who the emphasis is on here. One. She emphasizes the word power and closely connects it to authority by making the claim that To the Romans power was the ultimate expression of authority after telling us that we possess power.