(This morning’s devotion is based on the Easter message: Jesus Wins! (CLICK HERE)
Is Easter over?
Last evening my wife and I went over to church and packed away the Easter decor from our church’s Easter celebration. The special table decorations and chair coverings now are in a box in the attic of the church. The special banner inviting the community to worship on Easter morning and the thematic flags we had flying, folded and put away for the year. As we walked out the door, I quipped, “Well, I guess Easter is done for the year.”
Of course I was saying it “tongue-in-cheek” but there is probably some truth to that in our lives. Preparations, special celebrations and visits by family are now a thing of the 2023 past and captured in our memories and in our phone photo storage. It’s easy to move on.
But not so fast.
Easter which marks the resurrection of Jesus is not just an event and a day on the calendar, it is to be a transformative reality each and every day.
Yesterday, we highlighted the reality that we live forgiven. Today, we live with power!
Ephesians 1:18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20 which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead…
I can’t even imagine or begin to grasp the power that was used to raise Christ from the dead. Is it measured in an amount of TNT explosives? Is it measured in the amount of horsepower? Is it measured in the number of things it can overcome in a short period of time? What is this power?
We often think of the great “powers” of this earth. In fact we have labeled countries like the United States “Super powers.” This is more of an economic and military term. However, there is a realm that we often lose sight of or don’t think about. It’s the power of darkness that manifests itself as evil and darkness in the world around us. The power that we need is not a political power, a positional power, or an explosive power. We need power to overcome the spiritual forces of darkness that lurk in our own heart and the tragedies they bring.
What are those? Sin. Death. Devil.
The power that raised Jesus from the dead was the same power that overcame the condemnation of sin, the sting of death and the power of the devil. This power equips us for spiritual warfare against all that would want to separate us from the Lord and lead us to live for ourselves and our own selfishness.
The Apostle Paul said it this way, “10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
This is the power that is at work in you today. So get ready for the battles you will face today…but do so with the confidence you have the power to say no to sin, stare down death with confidence it will not win and very clearly tell Satan to “Go to hell” and stop bothering you.
The power that resurrected Jesus is the power of God at work in you!
Have a great day!
Apply: What spiritual battles do you anticipate fighting today? What new confidence can you have as you face those battles knowing the power that raised Jesus is the power that is at work in you as you have placed your trust in Jesus.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for your power that is at work in me. Allow me to use this power with precision to disarm any spiritual attack that comes my way today. AMEN.