Walking in Victory
All throughout Scriptures, where there is Resurrection, there is God’s presence and His power. To resurrect means to restore, revive, or bring new life. God wants to revive the parts of us that are weary and doubtful, remind us of the hope of resurrection, and restore us to believing in hope and abundance again.
In John 11, Jesus had heard of Lazarus’ sickness and chose to stay where He was for two days. I don’t know about you, but that is not what I want to read in Scripture. He waited and delayed, not showing up when Mary and Martha wanted Him to. When Jesus arrived fashionably late in Bethany, Lazarus had already been dead for four days. We can only imagine the frustration, pain, and sadness his sisters, Mary and Martha, were going through.
Martha met Jesus on his way into town, questioning his delay, but with understanding, she knew her brother would rise again on the final day. And Jesus responded in John 11:25, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?”
He’s confirming that resurrection and redemption will come one day for our bodies, but He’s also making her aware of the life He provides today. Resurrection breathes life into today. Abundance and hope is made available today, if we believe in Him and live in Him. John 15:4 says, “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.” Fruit bearing has everything to do with abiding and remaining and has nothing to do with performing or getting it exactly right.
As the story goes, Jesus was saddened by the unbelief of those around him regarding Lazarus’ death. He was saddened because He had shown His Father’s love and provision, yet there was still a lack of trust from those around him. Because if they truly knew Him, they would love Him and they would believe Him.
Jesus arrived at the tomb of Lazarus, and Martha so kindly reminds Him of the facts, knowledge, and scientific truth of what happens when a dead body has been exposed and is laid in a cave for a few days. As Pastor Aaron says, the smell would have been “Charles Barkley turrible!”
And Jesus gently responded by saying, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?” Then Jesus calls Lazarus out, wrapped in cloth and looking like death. He had breathed life and hope into his mortal body.
A few chapters later, Jesus had risen from the dead and Thomas had missed the Sunday night gathering with his friends where Jesus suddenly showed up in their home, alive and in the flesh. And he made it very clear that he would not believe until he could see and touch the wounds of Jesus. The Bible says in John 20:26-27, “Eight days later, the disciples were together again and this time, Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing with them. “Peace be with you,” he said. Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”
Jesus came and met Thomas in his weakness, his unbelief, and his struggle. He appealed to Thomas to see Him with eyes, touch Him with his body, and be filled with faith in His heart. He wanted Thomas to see Him as the Resurrection and the Life!
I believe Jesus is calling us up into belief. Receive the testimonies, believe the impossible, and see resurrection as a person. 2 Corinthians 5:7 says, “For we live by believing and not by seeing.”
Are you weary and frustrated with God’s timing or waiting for a breakthrough? Stand on the Word of God today and believe with all of your heart, mind, and soul. Resurrection is more than an event, it is Jesus, and He wants to show you how victory can be a present reality.
He is our Resurrection. In Christ, we will spend eternal life and forever with Him. He is our life, giver of hope, authority, and abundance for this life. What He did on the cross still saves us, and I choose to walk in that victory today. Will you?
In John 11, Jesus had heard of Lazarus’ sickness and chose to stay where He was for two days. I don’t know about you, but that is not what I want to read in Scripture. He waited and delayed, not showing up when Mary and Martha wanted Him to. When Jesus arrived fashionably late in Bethany, Lazarus had already been dead for four days. We can only imagine the frustration, pain, and sadness his sisters, Mary and Martha, were going through.
Martha met Jesus on his way into town, questioning his delay, but with understanding, she knew her brother would rise again on the final day. And Jesus responded in John 11:25, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?”
He’s confirming that resurrection and redemption will come one day for our bodies, but He’s also making her aware of the life He provides today. Resurrection breathes life into today. Abundance and hope is made available today, if we believe in Him and live in Him. John 15:4 says, “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.” Fruit bearing has everything to do with abiding and remaining and has nothing to do with performing or getting it exactly right.
As the story goes, Jesus was saddened by the unbelief of those around him regarding Lazarus’ death. He was saddened because He had shown His Father’s love and provision, yet there was still a lack of trust from those around him. Because if they truly knew Him, they would love Him and they would believe Him.
Jesus arrived at the tomb of Lazarus, and Martha so kindly reminds Him of the facts, knowledge, and scientific truth of what happens when a dead body has been exposed and is laid in a cave for a few days. As Pastor Aaron says, the smell would have been “Charles Barkley turrible!”
And Jesus gently responded by saying, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?” Then Jesus calls Lazarus out, wrapped in cloth and looking like death. He had breathed life and hope into his mortal body.
A few chapters later, Jesus had risen from the dead and Thomas had missed the Sunday night gathering with his friends where Jesus suddenly showed up in their home, alive and in the flesh. And he made it very clear that he would not believe until he could see and touch the wounds of Jesus. The Bible says in John 20:26-27, “Eight days later, the disciples were together again and this time, Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing with them. “Peace be with you,” he said. Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”
Jesus came and met Thomas in his weakness, his unbelief, and his struggle. He appealed to Thomas to see Him with eyes, touch Him with his body, and be filled with faith in His heart. He wanted Thomas to see Him as the Resurrection and the Life!
I believe Jesus is calling us up into belief. Receive the testimonies, believe the impossible, and see resurrection as a person. 2 Corinthians 5:7 says, “For we live by believing and not by seeing.”
Are you weary and frustrated with God’s timing or waiting for a breakthrough? Stand on the Word of God today and believe with all of your heart, mind, and soul. Resurrection is more than an event, it is Jesus, and He wants to show you how victory can be a present reality.
He is our Resurrection. In Christ, we will spend eternal life and forever with Him. He is our life, giver of hope, authority, and abundance for this life. What He did on the cross still saves us, and I choose to walk in that victory today. Will you?
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1 Comment
So good!