No one likes to be a captive. One of the most desired quests of man is freedom. All over the world, the pursuits of mankind has always been to be free of one thing or the other.
Whether it’s freedom from political oppression; financial hardship; race and tribal subjugation; emotional torment; spiritual attack; sickness and disease; gender repression; etc. We all want to be free.
The challenge however has always been that freedom does not come with ease. It is usually difficult to achieve. For example, most political freedoms are gained by revolution; sickness and diseases by rigorous medical research; spiritual attack by fasting and fervent prayers; the power of sin by the death of the Son of God; etc.
Man, as a creature of God is a very knowledgeable being, who has been able to overcome many things in life, except for three:
- Death – it is appointed to man once to die and after that judgement (Heb. 9:27).
- Grave – dust are you and dust you shall return (Gen. 3:19).
- Hell/Lake of fire – whosoever name is not found in the book is cast in the lake of fire (Rev. 20:15).
That is why the most remarkable miracle yet, is the restoration of life from death. Or the most sought after power is not to die.
Throughout history, it’s only one Man that has successfully gained freedom from these three facts of existence. Today, we are here to celebrate that Man – Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
The joy of Easter and of those who believe in Jesus Christ is that He rose again from the dead as He has said (John 2:18-19). The preaching of Peter on the Day of Pentecost was on this issue.
Acts 2:22-24
Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
Many scholars, religions and even the Jewish community has tried over time to discredit or refute the resurrection of our Lord Jesus. Some people have said that Jesus actually fainted and later became conscious again.
But we have convincing evidences that Christ died through crucifixion and later rose from the dead. When the disciples came to the tomb, it was empty, except for the cloth they used to cover Him. There were detailed evidences of how the corpse of Jesus was handled after He had died.
Some have claimed that though Jesus died and was buried, but his corpse was stolen.
Again, this was not so. Who would have stolen His body? There were Roman soldiers guarding the tomb day and night; there was a huge stone at the entrance the tomb; more importantly is the seal of Caesar that none should attempt to remove.
Could the disciples have stolen His body? No. They were already perplexed about His death. They were even hiding. It was Joseph Aramathea and the women that came forward for Jesus body. More so why would it be difficult for them to believe the resurrection if they had stolen Jesus body?
Could it be the Jews or the Romans that arranged Jesus body to be stolen? No. Otherwise, when His resurrection news came out, they would have produced His body to shame the disciples and stop further escalation of His resurrection.
Some have also claimed that it was the spirit of Jesus that the disciples saw. That His body would have still been in the grave. Such that some have been trying to fake their resurrection in that fashion. However, Christ rose with a glorious body and not just a ghost. He had a touchable body which could not be denied.
Jesus therefore is the only Man that has lived who was able to defy death, grave and hell. Many people in history have been raised from the dead before, but they died again! Jesus did not only resurrect then, but He rose eternally!
Jesus again is the only religious leader that does not have His body lying in any grave. Other religion figure, except of course Moses which God ordered his burial. All other religious leaders died and were committed to earth or burnt to ashes.
Not only did Jesus defy death, grave and hell. After His resurrection, He holds the three captive.
Rev. 1:18
I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
Thank God because the celebration of Easter did not end there. But we that know God and believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God also have the power to overcome death, grave and Hell.
Mt. 16:15-19
He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
The bible says those who know their God shall be strong and do exploits. The exploits is linked to a key in the custody of Jesus.
Revelation 3:7
And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;
The ‘key of David’ give us the authority over other kingdoms: rulers of wickedness, spirit of Hell, spirit of death, spirit of grave, etc. May it work for you in Jesus name.
For death could not hold Christ captive, we cannot be held captive by any form of death as well.
I Thessalonians 4:13-14
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
I Corinthians 6:14
And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.
Romans 8:11
But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
What is the ‘death’ that is threatening your existence and living? Are you going through any trouble, hardship, persecution, famine, nakedness, or you are faced with danger or any kind of sword?
The good news of Easter is that we are more than conqueror through Him that loved us and gave Himself for us.
Prayers
- Whatever Christ has purchased by His blood that is still missing in my life, come forth now in Jesus name.
- Father, let the Holy Ghost power locate any of my glory that has been buried and release them to me now in Jesus name.
- Almighty Father, remove my destiny from depth of limitations to mountain of elevations in Jesus name.
- Whatever stone that might have been placed against my destiny be rolled away by the power of the Holy Ghost in Jesus name.
- Every seal and embargo upon my destiny be destroy by Holy Ghost fire in Jesus name.
Delivered on Easter Sunday, 20th April 2014