Victory of the Resurrection
(Easter, 2002)
Olubi Johnson
Easter the consummation of God’s plan of redemption
In our article last week we discussed the majesty of God and said it would lay the foundation for our faith in God’s sovereignty, which we were to study this week. However, instead we will be talking about the victory of the resurrection this week and then look at the sovereignty of God next week.
So this week we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Easter along with Christmas is the most important event in human history. It is the combination of Christmas: the birth of Christ and Easter the resurrection of Christ that has brought life, light and victory to humanity. If there had been no Christmas there would be no Easter, but right on the other hand Christmas without Easter would have been a waste of time.
Easter is the consummation or completion of God’s redemption plan. If Christ’s suffering on the cross had not been crowned by His resurrection on Easter Sunday His suffering on the cross would have been in vain. So the scripture says that the resurrection is the basis for our faith.
1 Corinthians 15:17 (KJV) And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
The resurrection of Christ signifies to us the ultimate triumph of good over evil, righteousness over sin, light over darkness: wisdom over ignorance, healing over sickness, prosperity over poverty. The resurrection of Christ gives us the hope that we will ultimately be victorious in our Christian lives no matter the present difficulties or problems we may be currently facing.
John 16:33 (KJV) These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
Jesus overcame by His resurrection. So by revelation of and faith in that resurrection we also can overcome anything Satan attacks us with.
Revelation of the resurrection
To enjoy the benefits of the resurrection in your own life you need to have a personal revelation of the resurrection. This comes by having a meek and lowly heart (Prov. 11:2), praying for the spirit of wisdom and revelation according to Eph. 1:17-23 and praying in the spirit (1Cor. 14:2, 2: 7, 10, 13, 16). See our article on Keys of the Kingdom for details.
Resurrection power in this life
We do not have to wait until the resurrection when we receive an eternal glorified body to experience the resurrection power of the Lord Jesus Christ. We can receive a measure of it in this life in our present physical bodies:
Philippians 3:10 (KJV) That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
Philippians 3:10 (AMP) [For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope] 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].
2 Corinthians 4:10-11 (KJV) Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
This power of His resurrection is firstly manifested in our physical bodies in dominion over the sin nature, making it possible to live a pure and holy life, in which our physical bodies have been exercised or trained to love righteousness and hate sin (Heb. 5: 14).
Secondly this resurrection power is manifested in virtue or raw as it was in the life of the Lord Jesus and Paul when people were healed, delivered or even raised from the dead when they made physical contact with their bodies or clothes in contact with their physical bodies. (Mark 5: 27-30, Matt. 14: 36, Acts 19 :11-12 , Acts 20: 10-11).
As we celebrate this Easter holiday, may we get a revelation of His resurrection and the power and victory that it makes available to us as Christians. Have a wonderful Easter Holiday!
