POWER IN RESURRECTION:

Jesus is Risen! What Comes Next?

by Bob Crittenden, Director of Special Projects

On Easter Sunday, we celebrate our risen Lord. The resurrection of Jesus was the fulfillment of a promise, and He desires for us to be raised to new life. In Philippians, Paul writes:

“Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead…”

(Philippians 3:8-11, NKJV)

David Jeremiah has written: “Over and over again, we read that Jesus Christ has given us the power to live a special life . . . we have the same power available to us to live that Christian life that God used to bring Jesus Christ out of the grave.”

That resurrection power is expressed in at least four areas:

POWER TO PRACTICE. We need the strength of the Lord in order to live a life that pleases Him. It cannot be done by human capability. If we have been born again, we have the power of the Holy Spirit available to us to enable us to walk in His ways.

POWER TO PERSEVERE. The Bible instructs us that the trying of our faith produces patience in and through us. When we encounter adversity, we can rely on that resurrection power in order to withstand the struggles we face and to learn and grow from them.

POWER TO PRAISE. The Lord invites us into His presence. Because Jesus is risen, we have been raised to new life. That means we can stand before a holy God, not cowering in fear but confident in faith, able to bring the sacrifice of praise before Him, which exalts the Lord and brings joy to our hearts.

POWER TO PROCLAIM. Jesus taught His disciples to go into the world and to proclaim the gospel. We have His instruction to go. Go where? Wherever the Spirit leads us. Proclaim what? The good news of salvation, relating what Jesus has done in our lives and what He can do in the lives of others.

That power - the power of Christ’s resurrection - comes through a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Jeff Schreve has written, “Jesus didn’t die for a faceless humanity, He died for you (Galatians 2:20). He rose again for you. He wants you to know Him, not just know about Him. You see, it must be personal in order for His death and resurrection to be effectual in your life.”

If you desire to have the resurrection power that comes through a relationship with Christ, then today is the day of salvation!

HOW CAN YOU KNOW CHRIST AND EXPERIENCE HIS POWER? YOU CAN HAVE PEACE WITH GOD.

The PeaceWithGod.net website, a ministry of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, which can be accessed through FaithRadio.org, provides steps in order to experience a relationship with God.

Here is how you can accept Christ into your life:

• Admit your need. (I am a sinner)

• Be willing to turn from your sins. (Repent)

• Believe that Jesus Christ died for you on the cross and rose from the grave. (Be saved by faith)

• Through prayer, invite Jesus Christ to control your life through the Holy Spirit. (Receive him as Lord and Savior)

The website offers this suggested prayer:

“Dear God, I know I’m a sinner, and I ask for your forgiveness. I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son. I believe that He died for my sin and that you raised Him to life. I want to trust Him as my Savior and follow Him as Lord, from this day forward. Guide my life and help me to do your will. I pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.”