THE RESURRECTION

Pastor Bankie Many have argued the fact that Jesus was raised from the dead after having been so for 3 days and 3 nights. Some have said it is impossible; others have said the resurrection is not literal but figurative. Yet others claim it is a fairy tale.

Well, I have not purposed today to answer any of these arguments, just like the Bible did not start with arguments about creation versus other theories of the origin of things. It simply began “In the beginning, God created…” That, my friend, is a fact. In a like manner too, the resurrection of Jesus on the third day is a fact, not a subject of debate. What I intend to do, however, is to tell you who accept the fact about the workings, the implications, and the conclusions of it.

Let’s take a ride.

You see, there is more to the resurrection of Jesus than the mere raising of a dead body. At that level, He wouldn’t be the first to be raised; He Himself had raised up many including a four-days-dead Lazarus. We know that even the bones of long dead Elisha caused a dead body that fell into his grave to rise up again to life. All these were miracles; the people in question were still subject to death and so all died again.

Now, the resurrection of Jesus was different; it was not just a miracle. No. It was more of a sign and an inevitable outcome of the events that led to it. It was not an event standing by itself; it was the conclusion of a series of events. These events we shall see in a moment.

Paul lets us know that there is a “power of His resurrection.” That is there is a power introduced it the heavens and the earth as a result of His resurrection, just like the introduction of a magnet into a coil produces electric power! That power of His resurrection is something you must strive to encounter. Paul said he was ready to let go of all his previous achievements. Why?

“…that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection…”

What is the power of His resurrection?

As I mentioned earlier, the resurrection of Jesus was inevitable and automatic when certain things had been accomplished. At the crucifixion He became subject to death as a consequence of bearing the sin of the world. When He had completed the issue of sin, there was a mighty working of God’s power that made Him no longer subject to death; at that point death had to let go of Him. Peter explained it this way:

“And God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was IMPOSSIBLE for Him to be held in its power.” Acts 2,24

The agony of death is that which came as a result of the entrance of sin;”…for the wages of sin is death…”

Death is a force that pervades everywhere there is sin. The agonies of death are the manifestations of death; it is also called corruption. Peter explained that there is a corruption that is in the world by reason of lust i.e sin. Physical death is the ultimate manifestation of this agony of death, but there is more to it than the idea of someone ceasing to breath. Sickness is an agony of death; poverty is an agony of death; all negative things in this life are manifestations of death.

The Bible also makes us realise, in the book of Romans, that when sin came into this world death gained supremacy over all.

“It is true that through the sin of one man death began to rule…” Rom 5

We are also told that this reign of death spread to all because all sinned. So, you see, the reign of death has produced the agonies thereof everywhere. This is what is responsible for epidemics including that of AIDS, for miscarriages, and for cancers in every form. The reign of death is responsible for failure in life, for marital disharmony, divorces, mental illnesses, for poverty and many more negative things. What’s more? It has affected the physical earth too.

The earth upon which we walk experiences the agony of death also. It manifests in droughts, earthquakes, storms, volcanic eruptions, and other such natural disasters; the consequences of these all still fall on Man. These are the agonies of death.

That is the reign of death, powered by sin.

Now you can understand that popular verse of scripture – “for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

God wanted to deliver Man from the agony of death, so He sent His Son; He came to do away with sin.

“Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”

“…He was pierced through for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities. The chastening for our well being fell upon Him…” Is 53

“…without the shedding of blood there is no remission…”

We see that Jesus came to obtain the remission of our sin; He did not commit any sin, God only made Him our sin sacrifice. He only became subject to death because of our sin.

Now, when He had made done His remission of sin, He was no longer subject to death, and it therefore became impossible for death to keep holding Him down; He had to rise. He, through death, rendered powerless him who had the power of death. He effectively ended the reign of death and all the agonies thereof. One of the agonies of death was to keep Him down, so now He just had to rise. It is very much like getting a leather ball that had been submerged in water and filling it with air; it will rise to the surface, gravity and the weight of water being no longer able to hold it down. This is how His resurrection is different from that of Lazarus and others.

“…Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death is no longer master over Him.” Rom 6v9

That is the power of His resurrection!

Now, this is the good part: All He did was for you and me. The Bible says He went through all these so that He might bring many children to share His glory, that is the resurrection (Heb 2,10).

”…we were dead in our trespasses, (God) made us alive together with Christ…and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in heavenly places…”

When Jesus rose, it was a sign that you were being lifted out of the domain of death, that death no longer has dominion over you. Jesus, for you, ended the agony of death. The Bible tells us that He rendered powerless the one that had the power of death so as to deliver those who for the fear of death had been subject to slavery all their lives.

The agony of death is no longer your portion. This means that sickness, and premature death and failure are no longer yours. The agony of death is ended. It means poverty has been set on the run; your life can now be long and full. Why? It is because you have been raised together with Him.

It is the agony of death that makes a man not reap a good harvest after labouring; the same makes a woman unfruitful. God is saying all these are ended by reason of His resurrection.

Now you can see the power of His resurrection.

When this power of His resurrection is at work in a man, the Bible says such a one will not die before the age of 100 years (See Isaiah 66); nothing shall hurt in his environment; there shall none be barren in his home; his wife will be fruitful, his children prosperous, and in all he does he will prosper. He said no evil shall befall him, neither shall any epidemic affect his family; polio will not need a vaccine because of this power.

The entrance of this power into the earth produced a new law called the law of the spirit of life. Paul said that this new law overrides the old law of sin and of death. The old law ensured that death reigned as a result of sin, whereas the new one ensures forgiveness and an impartation of life.

“…though the body be dead because of sin, the Spirit will give it life because of righteousness.” Rom 8v10

Having said all the above, now let us see the reason why many do not experience this power in their lives.

You see, this power works, as Paul explained in Ephesians 1,19, only towards those who believe. The Lord puts it this way:

“I am the resurrection and the life; he that believes on me, though he has died, yet he shall live.”

There important word here is “believes.” It is by faith that you enter into this experience. Faith means accepting what God says as final on any issue, disregarding the perception of your senses and the opinions of men.

Whatever God says, accept it, build your life on it and you will experience the power of his resurrection. If He says you are healthy, forget what the doctors say: you are well! If He says you are prosperous, then stop looking at the situation of your country to make decisions; a land is blessed because of you, and not you because of the land. Stop answering the title “common man”; how dare you call common what He has called peculiar.

That is faith; the Bible says it becomes to you, in God’s sight, righteousness. Faith is counted as righteousness. Recall that death spread to all because all sinned; in a like manner the power of His resurrection will spread because of this righteousness. Christ Jesus, the life giving Spirit, will impart life to every aspect of your life where faith and the resulting righteousness are found. Death will no longer reign but you will begin to reign; you will declare a thing in any aspect of your life and it will be established.

“…if by sin…death reigned…much more shall those who receive the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life…”

You will therefore prosper
You will be successful.
You will be fruitful.

No sickness will afflict you; you will not die.
You will be a blessing wherever you go.
You will be above only, not beneath.

That is the power of His resurrection!

Now you know why any one in his right sense will gladly let go of everything so as to know this Christ Jesus and the power of His resurrection!

One more thing: there is a how to activating this power.

“The righteousness which is of faith speaks…, the word is near you, in your mouth…”

“…we also believe, therefore we speak.”

The power is switched on by the mouth. Your body, your situation, your life, your children, all must hear the word from your mouth before they will experience this resurrection power. Turn to them, therefore, and speak!

“My body, I say unto you ‘be well.’’
“Sickness, be gone. Hypertension, disappear!”
“Poverty, die! Promotion, come!”

“Child, be! Wife, be fruitful. In Jesus’ name.”

Declare:
“I am up, not down, above only, not beneath.
“I am a positive influence in my environment; this land prospers because of me.
“No evil befalls me; no epidemic comes near my home; I am immune to all diseases.
“I live, not die. No man can take my life – God is my defense, my protector, my shield, my hiding place.
“I have working in me the power of the resurrection of Christ Jesus.”

If you are reading this and do not yet know Him, then why waste time? Indeed, tomorrow may be too late. Get down on your knees now and ask Jesus to come into your life. Tell Him that you believe that He is alive; ask Him to show you the power of His resurrection!