Today is “Resurrection Sunday,” when Christians all over the world celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. So, today, we are going to look at “THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION!”
Paul said, “That I may know Him…” Many people know about God by studying the Bible, but they do not know Him personally because they have no personal encounter with Him.
The resurrection of the Lord Jesus was, in itself, a marvellous display of power. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit each was a part of this greatest miracle.
1. Jesus was raised by the Father. The resurrection of our Lord is ascribed to the Father who brought again from the dead that great Shepherd of the sheep (Heb. 13:20-21).
2. Jesus was raised by the Holy Ghost (Rom. 8:11).
3. Jesus’ resurrection was also a special instance of our Lord’s own power. He said, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up” (Jn. 2:19; Mk. 14:58).
Concerning His life Jesus also said, “…I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again” (Jn. 10:18).
Look at this testimony: some years ago, after a missionary in India had finished preaching in a market-place, a Moslem stepped up and said to him, “You Christians must admit that we Moslems have one thing that you don’t have, and it’s better than anything you have.” “And what is it you have,” asked the missionary? The Muslim said, “When we go to Mecca, we can at least find the coffin of Mohammed, but when you Christians go to Jerusalem, you find nothing but an empty grave.” “That’s just the difference,” replied the missionary. Mohammed is dead, and his remains are still in the coffin, but Jesus Christ suffered, died a shameful death on the cross and on the third day He rose from the grave.
And as He rose from the dead, He declared in Matthew 28:18-20 saying, “All power is given unto Me in Heaven and on earth…”
Beloved, Mohammed is still in the grave. Jesus of Ogbunike is still in the grave. Olumba Olumba Ogbu is still in the grave. D-Lawrence is still in the grave. Abraham, Moses, Virgin Mary etc. are all still in the grave. But Jesus is the only One who died and rose again never to taste death again.
In Revelations 1:18 Jesus said, “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forever and ever! And I have the keys of Hell [Hades] and of Death.”
Here is the point, Jesus did not just get up from the grave. There is a power that raised Him from the dead. That power that raised Him from the dead is what we call “The Power of (behind or responsible for) His Resurrection.”
Apostle Paul desperately desired to experience this power and that was why he said, “That I may know Him (that I may really know Christ), and the power of His resurrection (and experience the mighty power that raised Him from the dead), and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death; if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead” (Phil. 3:10-11).
There is a power that raised Jesus from the dead! Death could not keep Jesus captive in the grave. The entire demons of hell could not keep Him in the grave. Satan himself could not keep Him captive. Why? Because Jesus Christ is the all-powerful God. Jesus Christ was supernaturally raised from the grave by the power of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost (Eph. 1:19-21).
Jesus defeated death and the grave. He came forth in the resurrection and left the clothes just as they were. John saw and believed (Jn. 20:8). His Saviour is alive. He had been raised from the dead.
The Bible has an eight-fold description of this divine and irresistible power that raised Jesus from the dead (Rom. 8:11):
1. This power is GREAT! Acts 4:33 reads, “And with GREAT power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.”
2. This power is MIGHTY! Ephesians 1:19 says, “And what is the exceeding greatness of the power to us ward who believe according to the working of His MIGHTY power.”
3. This power is EXCEEDING GREAT! Ephesians 1:19 says, “And what is the EXCEEDING GREATNESS of the power to us ward who believe according to the working of His mighty power.”
4. This power is EXCELLENT! 2 Corinthians 4:7 says, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the EXCELLENCY of the power may be of God and not of us.” When you say that something is excellent, you mean that that thing is extremely good.
5. This power is ETERNAL! Romans 1:20 says, “For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even, His ETERNAL power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.”
This is not a power that fades with time. It never loses its strength or quality. It is the same today, yesterday, and forever. The miracles it did in the past, it will do today, and even in the timeless future.
6. This power is GLORIOUS! Colossians 1:11 says, “Strengthened with all might according to His GLORIOUS power unto all patience and longsuffering and joyfulness.” When you say that something is glorious, you mean that this power has great beauty and splendor. Colossians 1:27 says, “Christ in you the hope of glory.”
7. This power is DIVINE! 2 Peter 1:3 says, “According as His DIVINE power hath given unto us all that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that called us unto glory and virtue.”
As we get to know Jesus better, His divine power gives us everything we need for living a godly life. This power has origin in God and therefore it can never fail.
8. This power is UNLIMITED (Matt. 19:26). This unlimited power can do exceeding abundantly above all that you can ever ask or imagine (Eph. 3:20):
This is the very power that raised Lazarus from the dead (Jn. 11). This is the power that released Peter from jail (Acts 12:1-11). This is the power that released Paul and Silas from prison (Acts 16:16-34). This is the power that delivered the three Hebrew children from the fiery furnace (Dan. 3; Isa. 43:2; Ps. 23:4). This is the power that shut the mouth of the very hungry lions in the den of lions and delivered Daniel from the jaws of death (Dan. 6). This is the power that parted the Red sea for the children of Israel to pass through on dry ground (Ex. 14). This is the power that created the universe. This is the very power that pulled down the wall of Jericho (Josh. 6). This is the power that unlocked and lifted the gates of hell and set the government of hell in confusion when Jesus got there (1 Pet. 3:18-20; Ps. 24:7).
Finally, this same power is the power that is at work in you as a New Creation (Eph. 3:20-21). You can also use this power to enforce your authority over the kingdom of darkness, being spiritually violent against every assault and opposition of the devil. Peter and John realized the presence of this power within them as New Creations and they quickly used it to enforce their authority over the spirit of infirmity in a man that was crippled from birth (Acts 3). Beloved, allow this resurrection power to touch your life and begin to manifest through you as from today! Watch out for the next edition of the Good News from the Pulpit!
Your friend: I. I. MADUBUNYI (Senior Pastor)
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