So What?
I trust that you celebrated the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ on Sunday. However, yesterday is over and now the question must be asked, “So what?” What difference does yesterday’s remembrance make in today’s living? How can yesterday affect today?
The truth of the matter is that the celebration of the resurrection can have little or no affect on your life today. Many people went to church yesterday, but they will wake up today and live today as though the resurrection of Jesus Christ never took place. You see, you can go through the motions of walking past the empty tomb and acknowledge that it is indeed empty, but you must do more than simply acknowledge…you must believe.
Yesterday can only affect today if you have faith. Paul wrote, “…if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved” (Romans 10:9-10). I know that this verse is often used in terms of salvation, but the principle applies to every day living. You must walk in faith to realize the true power of Christ’s resurrection in your life. Again, from Paul we read, “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you” (Romans 8:11).
Here is the challenge for you toady and everyday. When doubts, fears, temptations, depression, or any other challenge begins to come upon you, rise up in your own spirit and declare, “I believe in my heart that God raised Jesus from the dead and the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead is living in me and because of this I am more than a conqueror.” Go ahead, say it! Get it in your spirit. Confess it with your mouth! Say it often, say it always because it is the truth that will set you free! You need to get mean with the enemy of your soul, don’t roll over and play dead any longer! Jesus died on the cross to set you free and now his resurrection guarantees that his death was not in vain, but in fact give you freedom. He is risen and he is risen in you!
Hear it. Believe it. Live it!
God bless,
Pastor Gary
