Resurrection Life Now!

Three Thoughts:

1. Jesus was not raised so that we could merely have an annual holiday. He was raised so that we can have life and power every day.
2. Jesus did not come so that we could live a religious life, but so that we could live a resurrection life.
3. Jesus did not come to make bad men good; He came to make dead men live! Out of this new life, then, proceeds transformation, resulting in a godly lifestyle.

What gloriously distinguishes the gospel of Jesus Christ from other faiths and belief systems is the literal, physical resurrection of Christ himself. There are two great resurrections taught in the Bible, one in the past (Jesus’ resurrection) and one in the future (when we receive glorified bodies – 1 Corinthians 15:51-57; Philippians 3:20-21).

But what about the present?

Thank God for what happened in the past, and thank God for what will happen in the future, but what about the here-and-now? Does Jesus’ resurrection have any influence on the life of a believer today? Thank God it does!

Imagine a person living in between two massive power plants, one ten miles to the east and the other ten miles to the west. How sad it would be for someone not to be tapped into the vast amount of energy flowing from those two sources of power. With the proper connection, that person could light his or her home, bring heat and cooling, etc.

We are living between two great power sources, Jesus’ resurrection and our yet-to-be-realized bodily resurrection. While these are past and future, there is still resurrection power for us to live from every day of our lives. Why? Because resurrection is not only an event. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25). Paul speaks of “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). Do you think the resurrected one could live in us without allowing us to benefit from his resurrection power?

Consider the following Scriptures and quotes that communicate how much God wants us enjoying resurrection life and power in our daily lives.

Romans 6:4 (NLT)

4 …And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.

Colossians 3:1 (AMP)

1 If then you have been raised with Christ [to a new life, thus sharing his resurrection from the dead], aim at and seek the [rich, eternal treasures] that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 

Philippians 3:11 (AMP)

11 That if possible I may attain to the [spiritual and moral] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among the dead [even while in the body].

“Before the Resurrection of Christ, the Holy Spirit came upon individuals only on certain occasions for special tasks. But now, after the Resurrection, Christ through the Holy Spirit dwells in the heart of every believer to give us supernatural power in living our daily lives.”

– Billy Graham

“If Christians understood and applied the resurrection and ascension of Christ, it would radically change much of the work done for God by them. Christians need not be defeated. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead works not only to save us but to assist us in our Christian life and service.”

– Elmer Towns

“Remember that He who rose from the dead, rose to pour out His Holy Spirit into human lives, and, by that Spirit, to make available to any individual all the fullness of Himself, twenty-four hours a day.”

– Ray C. Stedman

I share the following in my book, Lift: Experiencing the Elevated Life.

What does “lift” look like when it is operating in our lives? When we have yielded to the power that flows from the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we may be surprised at how pervasive and practical God’s influence in our lives can be. Resurrection power can drastically affect our overall attitude toward life and our attitude toward others. We can see hope where others see none. We envision possibilities when others have given up. Encouragement rises inside us even in the midst of discouraging circumstances. We reject pessimism, cynicism, and fatalism. We are empowered by a confidence that does not come from this world. Resurrection life provides a wellspring of joy and peace from which we draw and by which we are sustained. We don’t see the end of this temporal, mortal existence as the end of life. Rather, we have an eternal perspective of our own lives and of life itself. Everything and everyone takes on greater value because of how and why God created us. “Resurrection” is not just a past event or a future promise; it affects us dynamically in the here and now.

Living a “resurrected life” as believers now is a foreshadowing of the ultimate resurrection we will receive when the Lord returns and we receive glorified bodies. In the meantime, resurrection power can influence our:

• Attitudes
• Thoughts
• Mindset
• Focus
• Habits
• Pursuits
• Speech
• Behaviors
• Ways of relating to others

How much are you allowing power flowing from Jesus’ resurrection to influence your life in the here-and-now?

You can order my book (Lift: Experiencing the Elevated Life) by visiting our bookstore.