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He is Risen – The Transforming Power of the Resurrection

The resurrection of Christ brings renewed hope to all who place their trust in Him. His resurrection has a transforming effect to His followers everywhere. His inner group, Peter, James, and John, caught a glimpse of this firsthand at the tranfiguration (Matthew 17:1-9). It was so glorious that they didn’t want to leave.

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Luke 24:1-7 – “Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? HE IS NOT HERE, BUT IS RISEN: remember how He spake unto you when He was yet in Galilee, Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.”

A Firsthand Look at the Transforming Power of the Resurrection

1. Filled with boldness. Peter had denied Jesus but on the day of Pentecost stood boldly and proclaimed Him (Acts 2:14-38). When threatened not to speak in His name they were filled with the Holy Ghost and boldness (Acts 4:12-13, 31). Those who were once sheepish and beaten down now stood boldly and proclaimed Jesus to all.

   I’m reminded of a story about a group of Christians in a communist country where living for Christ, being a Christian, was illegal. Believers in this area had a tradition in the way they greeted one another. When they would see one of their fellow believers, they would greet them saying, “He is risen!” The one who was greeted would respond, “He is risen indeed!”

   The authorities hearing of this became agitated and decided to call them into account for their actions. They gathered them all together in a large group. The authorities stood on a raised platform and brought the believer’s young leader up on the platform with them. The people stood anxiously before them to see what they were going to do. They placed a gun to each side of their leader’s head and warned them not speak of Jesus and the resurrection ever again.

   The people stood in silence while the authorities waited for the young leader to address the crowd. They had warned him to encourage his people to comply or suffer the consequences. He stood there in silence for a moment, then shouted out “He is risen!” The response of the people, “He is risen indeed” was so thunderous that the shots to their leader’s head could not be heard. Let’s boldly stand for Him and proclaim, “He is risen! He is risen indeed!”

   Mark 8:38 – “Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of Me and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.’

2. Victory. The resurrection guarantees victory in this life and that which is to come.

   Romans 6:5-6 – “For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.”

   Revelation 1:18 – “I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”

   Ephesians 4:8-10 – “Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.”

   Ephesians 2:6 – “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”

   1 Corinthians 15:57 – “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

   2 Corinthians 2:14 – “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.”

3. Renewed focus. The resurrection gives us a new focus in life. We are no longer focussed and bound by the things of this life. We have a renewed focus on eternity. What our heart is set on is no longer merely the things of this life alone.

   Jonathan Edwards – “Lord, stamp eternity on my eyeballs.”

   Colossians 3:1-2 – “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”

   Romans 8:5-6 – “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”

   Hebrews 12:2 – “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

   1 Corinthians 2:9-10 – “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.”

4. Conformity to Christ. Conformity to Christ is the goal. As we keep our eyes on Him we are in the process of being conformed into His image. We are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:18).

   Galatians 4:19 – “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you.”

   Romans 8:29 – “For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.”

   Hebrews 12:2 – “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.”

   Philippians 3:10 – “That I may know Him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death.”

5. Life More Abundantly. An infusion of life is imparted to all who look to the resurrected Lord. He came to give us fulness of life. It’s not just that we are going to live forever but that we will live forever with life from above. We were spiritually dead and because of His resurrection we are made alive.

   Ephesians 2:1 – “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.”

   John 10:10 – “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

   Deuteronomy 30:15 and 19 – “See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil. I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.”

   1 John 5:12 – “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”

6. Resurrection power and authority. His resurrection imparts to all those that believe resurrection power and authority. Most are not tapping in to the power and authority privided us in Jesus’ resurrection. Meditate on the following passage and allow the Holy Ghost to infuse you with power from on high – “His power to us-ward who believe.”

   Ephessians 1:19-20 – “And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power, Which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is His body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all.”

   Ephesians 2:6 – “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”

   Luke 10:18-19 – “I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power (authority) to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

   2 Corinthians 10:4-5 – “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God.”

7. Physical healing. Because Jesus rose from the dead, we have the promise of physical healing, victory and a glorious resurrection of the body. Divine health and healing is a touch of future resurrection power. Claim it and stand on the following scriptures for divine health and healing.

   Romans 8:11 – “But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwells in you.”

   Exodus 15:26 -“I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians (the world): for I am the Lord that healeth thee.”

   Psalm 103:2-3 – “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; Who healeth all thy diseases.”

   Isaiah 53:3-5 – “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.”

   1 Peter 2:24-25 – “Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.”

8. Immortality. The ultimate result of Jesus’ resurrection is immortality for all those who put their trust in His finished work on the cross on their behalf. His death, burial, resurrection and ascension to the right hand of the majesty on high. We will made like unto His glorious body.

   1 John 3:2 – “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.”

   1 Cor 15:51-57 – “Behold, I show you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory. O Death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 – “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”

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