Just last week, the highly anticipated One, the Messiah and coming King plunged your life into a whirlwind nightmare that you never had anticipated. Sure, He had told you of His upcoming death and even of His resurrection, but you didn’t understand Him and even rebuked the Son of God (Mark 8:31-33; 9:31-32).
Just last weekend, you denied Him and just plain drifted off to sleep during His hour of agony.
But, you had come armed. You were ready to fight….and you came out swinging. You were going with Him to the death.
And then…He undid your work. He made new and healed the enemy you had attacked. He made you cease from your own kingdom-conquering, because it was HE who was conquering this kingdom. He was going to drink the full cup of the wrath of God that rested on your own head and that of all mankind. And He did.
Fear, confusion, and sorrow overwhelmed you this past weekend as the body of the crucified Son of Man was laid to rest in the tomb. Just.Last.Night you had locked yourself in a room with a group of fearful disciples, when Jesus came in. “Peace be with you,” He said, and you saw the nail holes and the piercing wound on His side (John 20:19). God had raised Jesus Christ from the dead.
That was last night…less than 24 hours ago. Today is Monday. Friend, you met the risen Savior last night! Resurrection weekend is not over on Monday morning! And, as a matter of fact, your life will never be the same again.
Within 40 days, you watch the ascension of Christ into heaven, but not before He promises the coming of His Holy Spirit to you. And what does He say? “…you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you…” (Acts 1:8).
Ten days later, you receive the Holy Spirit in a great demonstration of the power and working of God, and you, the one who denied Christ, who misunderstood and attempted to set up the kingdom of God by your own power and might, and who slumbered when asked to pray, you preach in the power of that Holy Spirit on Pentecost and three thousand souls are added to the kingdom (Acts 2:41).
And now you will live a life of power by that Holy Spirit. There will come a time soon when God will require your life for the kingdom, but you won’t go down fighting. No, in this new resurrection power, you’ll surrender. By the power of that resurrection Spirit within you (Romans 8:11), you will follow your Master’s example and “drink the cup” which your Father gives to you..
But, until then, God will build His kingdom through you as you teach others to believe on Him for the remission of sins, to suffer patiently, to defend their hope in Christ with meekness and fear, and to rejoice to the extent that they partake of Christ’s sufferings. You’ll be walking in Kingdom Power, but not the kingdom power you had envisioned last week. No, you are beginning to learn real kingdom power now. You’ll labor and strive by HIS power, not your own (Colossians 1:29). You won’t be swinging swords or conquering the kingdom by your own power or in your own strength.
Friends, just like Peter, you and I, if we are Christ’s, have been given the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead. That Spirit dwells within us, and we are not our own. We don’t fight this Christian life in our own strength, and we don’t win the kingdom by pure grit and determination and pulling up Christianity by the bootstraps. We can stop swinging swords, making messes, and arguing with God, and instead, we can rest in Him and cease from the struggling and anxiety and conquering done in our own flesh. We realize that the way up is down. God has called us to simply abide in Him, trust in Him, and rest in His finished Calvary-work. It’s done. We can be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, rather than striving and panting and scratching to “do” in our own strength.
We are full of confidence and faith. We just saw the Spirit of God raise our Savior from the dead! We have nothing to fear or dread. Our resurrected Savior-God leads us in triumph as we walk in Him. His call to us is not a dreaded weight hung around our necks, nor is His mission burdensome and boring and tiring, because THE work is finished. He’s done it.
We trust, wait, and rest in Him. We obey, love, and follow Him. We submit to, pray to, and serve Him in peace and in the strength and power of that resurrection Holy Spirit that He gives.
Yesterday was resurrection morning. He lives! And the Spirit that raised Christ Jesus from the dead lives in you. Strive according to HIS power. Work in HIS strength. Rest in HIS crucified life. Rejoice in HIS triumphant resurrection.
Live like yesterday was Easter morning.
“Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” (Hebrews 13:20-21)
He is Risen indeed!
<3, amanda
Resources and Links
..This resting, abiding in Christ life is seen so clearly in my very favorite book, “Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret.” (Available, too, as an audio book!)
In addition to the Bible, this book ranks as one of two of the most influential books in my life. (The other one is Kay Arthur’s, “Lord, Teach Me to Study the Bible in 28 Days.”)
..This post is happily shared at Fellowship Fridays and Thrive at Home Thursday {Link-Up}..
GREAT post Amanda! I love how you came at it from Peter’s angle. My heart has always gone out to him – he who was so fervent, so adamant he would always be by Jesus’ side, only to completely fall apart and melt away. But Jesus is faithful – to Peter and to us, who also fall apart and fall away. Wonderful encouragement, friend x
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