Tap The Ressurection Power

 

In the fourteenth century two brothers fought for the right to rule over a dukedom in what is now Belgium. The elder brother’s name was Raynald and he was horribly obese. After a heated battle Raynald’ s younger brother led a successful revolt against him and assumed the title duke over his lands. But instead of killing Raynald, Edward devised a curious imprisonment. He had a room in the castle, build around Raynald.

The room had only one door which was not locked and the windows were not barred. Edward promised Raynald that he could regain his land and his title anytime he wanted to. All he would do is leave the room. The obstacle to freedom was not in the doors or windows but with Raynald himself. Being grossly overweight he could not fit through the door, even though it was a near normal size.

All Raynald needed to do was diet down to a smaller size and then walk out a freeman, with all he had before the fall. However his younger brother kept sending him an assortment of tasty foods and Raynald ’s desire to be free never won out over his desire to eat. Raynald stayed in that room for ten years until Edward himself was killed in battle.

In Philippians 3: 10, Paul declared “I want to know Christ, yes, to know the power of his resurrection”. By the time Paul wrote this, he had been a faithful servant of Christ for many years.  He knew so much about Christ to be able to teach others. Paul was close to the end of his life, yet there was still a lot about Christ that he did not know yet. We shall continue discovering new things about Jesus until we see him in Heaven.

Paul did not pray to receive the power of resurrection, as a Christian he already had it; he prayed to know it. He desired a close personal experiential walk with Jesus to such a degree that he should feel His power at every point. He wanted to experience in full all that Jesus had made available to him by his life, death and resurrection. Most of us have no idea of the spiritual power that belongs to us.

Paul stated a marvelous truth in Philippians 3:10- we can experience in this life the same divine power that raised up Jesus from the dead. In John 11 we read about Lazarus death and resurrection. Jesus told Martha “your brother will rise again” v.23. Martha said “I know he will rise again at the last day” v. 24. Jesus responded “I am the resurrection and the life” v.25.  To have Jesus is to have resurrection and life.

We were saved by the resurrection power of Christ. Before salvation we were dead in sin. We followed the ways of this world and the spirit who is at work in those who are disobedient. We gratified the cravings of the flesh and followed its desires and thoughts. But God who is rich in mercy made us alive with Christ; he raised us up and seated us in the heavenly realms with Christ (Eph. 2:1-6).

Paul kept asking that God may give the Ephesians the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that they may know him better.  He prayed that their hearts may be enlightened in order that they may know the riches of his glorious inheritance and his incomparably great power for those who believe. He prayed that  they may know the power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,  far above all rule and authority, power and dominion (Eph. 1:17-22).

Paul wanted to know better, the incomparably great power, that could not only resurrect his physical body after death, but power that could resurrect what was spiritually dead in his life. Paul wanted to receive through his relationship with Christ the ability to overcome sin in his life. He wanted to experience victory over himself; sin is all about pleasing self. What makes us do things that displease God is the desire to gratify self.

In Romans 6:2-12 Paul describes how salvation changes our relationship to sin. After salvation we die to sin and we can’t live in it any longer v.2. We are baptized into the death of Christ in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead we too may live a new life v.3-4.  If we are united with him in death, we will certainly also be united with him in resurrection v.5.

When we accept Christ as Lord, our relationship to sin is permanently changed. Galatians 5:24 says that those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. We are not dead to sin in the sense that our nature is henceforth incapable of sinning. Tendencies are within us, but we must reckon that we have died to sin. Sin is no longer on the throne, it’s a despised enemy.

After salvation the believer is expected to put off the old self with its corruption  and put on a  new self that is created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness (Eph. 4:24); a new self who is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of God (Col. 3:10). In Colossians 3:5-25 and Ephesians 4:25-32 Paul describes how we can practically put to death the old man and cloth ourselves with the new man.

 As believers we count ourselves dead to sin; we do not allow sin to reign in our mortal body.  We do not offer any part of ourselves to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer every part of ourselves to God as an instrument of righteousness (Rom. 6:12-13).  If you yield your body parts to the service of sin, you will live a life of defeat and imprisonment.

Disconnect yourself completely from the old sinful life and offer yourself to God. The priests in the Old Testament consecrated their bodies to God (Exodus 29:20). Sacrificial blood was applied to the ear, to the thumb and on the big toe showing those parts of their body belonged to God and were used for his glory. Enlist your ears, lips, eyes, heart and mind in the service of righteousness.

Sin no longer has mastery over you (Rom. 6:14). This is not a promise that sin will not hover around you, it’s a promise that it has no dominion over you. God told Cain “sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it” (Gen 4:7). Do you not know that when you offer yourselves as obedient slaves, you are slaves to the one you obey, whether you are slaves to sin leading to death, or to obedience leading to righteousness? (Rom 6:16).

Christ’s resurrection graphically demonstrated the extent of His power. The greatest display of power Jesus ever accomplished was his resurrection from the dead. By rising from the dead, Christ displayed His power over both the physical and spiritual worlds. Paul wanted to experience the same power that raised Christ from the dead surging through his own being, overcoming sin in his life.

Jesus died so that we too might die to sin and live for righteousness (1 Pet. 2:24). Christ gives resurrection power to your otherwise impotent life. This power flowing through you gives you victory in this life? The Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies, because of his spirit who lives in you(Rom 8:11).

The resurrection power is essential for the everyday life of a Christian. Many Christians are living defeated lives, far below their potential. They live in spiritual poverty making the world think that God is too small. But we have a great God whose riches are beyond measure. Jesus came so that we can have life to the full (John 10:10). We can dwell in the heavenly places with him (Eph 2:6).

The resurrection power is available to us; let us not fail to tap into it. That power can give life to the dead areas of your Christian life today. It can bring you out of a horrible pit, set your feet upon a rock and establish your steps. It can put a new song in your mouth such that many will see it, fear and put their trust in God (Ps. 40:2-3).

 The resurrection power can give life to bones that are not only dead, but have been dead for a long time until they dried (Ezek 37:1-10). It can resurrect dead relationships. Nothing is too hard and no case is hopeless because nothing can resist the resurrection power of Christ.