Song of the Day
“Resurrecting” (YouTube Link)
Scripture to reflect upon
- John 19:2,
- John 13:3-5,
- Isa 53:5-6,
- Rom 8:11,
- Phil 2:6-11,
- Eph 2:14,
- Matt 28:5-6,
Devotional thought
The Savior of the world was dead in the eyes of His enemies. They thought the battle was over and they were victorious in defeating this Man who was wrecking their world. He was turning upside down every preconceived idea of religiosity by instituting a New Covenant that had its foundation in grace! He was creating a new way for all of us to gain access to the Father, and it took His death to accomplish that!
Our death is also necessary if we have any hope of rising from this current world system into the eternal life God offers us through Jesus Christ. We need to die to ourselves and accept the Spirit-filled life God wants us to walk in now. Those of us who have died with Christ know that we will also be united with Him in the likeness of His resurrection (see Rom 6:5)! Because, Jesus was not defeated, and was resurrected from the grave to claim His place as King of kings and Lord of lords forever!
God is in the business of delivering us out of lifestyles that lead to death, and putting us into the kingdom of life! He has given the one who has accepted Jesus Christ into their lives as Savior the greatest gift ever – the Holy Spirit! He has come into our lives to regenerate a new life within us (see Titus 3:5-6). A life that rises from defeat and claims victory as we learn to trust in Jesus for everything we need. The Holy Spirit of God is the power that raised Christ from the dead and now that He lives in us He is giving us the power to rise from defeat and death as well!
I will leave you with a text from Galatians:
Now those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also behave in accordance with the Spirit.”
Galatians 5:24-25
Die to those things that cause death in your life (sinfulness), and embrace the Spirit which leads us into the full life that Christ has died to purchase for us!
Prayer
Dear Lord, thank You for offering me eternal life, the opportunity for a new life in You! I want to live a Spirit-filled life that brings You glory in all things, so help me put to death those sinful areas of my life and to embrace Your ways. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and helping me to rise from the ashes of defeat into a resurrected life. In Your name, Amen!