Have You Exerienced His Power Of Resurrection?

“…The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life -- only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father" (John 10:17-18, NIV).

The great power of Jesus Christ is being experienced in the life of every true believer. In your case, what God did for you that you always thank Him? Did you experience healing? Did you experience supernatural protection? Are you enjoying abundant provision?

In my case, the geat favor I also enjoyed from God was when He restored my breath. There was a time in my life that I could not breathe anymore -- I could not even think of anything, not even God! I just realized and was alarmed that I could no longer breathe! At that moment, what I needed most and so important to me: air!

But before I could totally lost my consciousness, I felt I could again take in air -- and as if I could taste it -- it was so "sweet"!! By His grace, I was breathing again.

As we go on, we will realize that God did manifest His Divine Power for His followers that most of us fail to acknowledge and appreciate!

According to Jesus Christ, God the Father loves Him – “The… Father loves me…” He also prayed for His followers, “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that THE LOVE YOU HAVE FOR ME MAY BE IN THEM and that I myself may be in them" (John 17:25-26, NIV).

Indeed God the Father loves the Son, for there is love that permeates among the triune God. And if the love of God for men is so great, the kind of love that reverberates in the Trinity is much greater – with all the capacities and power of the Divine Being. Jesus prayed that the love the Father have for the Son may be also in us – loving Him – “with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matt. 22:37, NIV).

Next, notice the words: “I lay down my life…” For WHOM He laid down His life? Verse 11 says, “…for the sheep” and it is more specific in verse 3: “…HIS OWN sheep.” We read in Matthew 1:21 that He was given “the name Jesus, because he will save HIS PEOPLE from their sins."

Caiaphas, who was the high priest during the time of Christ, “…prophesied that Jesus would die FOR THE JEWISH NATION, and not only for that nation but ALSO FOR THE SCATTERED CHILDREN OF GOD, to bring them together and make them one” (John 11:51-52, NIV).

And in John 15:13 we read that Jesus “lay down his life FOR HIS FRIENDS.”

If you ever have the conviction that He died for you, you should rejoice as you realize that He came to die for you not because you are just a “part” of mankind, or just one of the lost and sinners in the whole world. He died for you specifically – you are among His own sheep, you belong to His people, you are one of the children of God and one of His friends!

You did not choose Him to become your Friend. He chose you (John 15:16). And He chose you to become His sheep, or to be in His fold NOT after He was resurrected, nor after you change and improve your lifestyle. He did not decide to adopt you as His child only when you started to trust Him or when you are baptized.

Paul wrote the Christians in Ephesus: “For HE CHOSE US IN HIM BEFORE THE CREATION OF THE WORLD to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will -- to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves” (Eph 1:4-6, NIV).

Yes, if we consider ourselves Christians – His sheep, His people, His children, or His friends, we need to realize that “…God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8, NIV).

Remember also His great concern for us. Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this…” (John 15:13, NIV). He laid down His life in His “own accord.” No one pressured or persuaded Him to lay down His life.

And it is also significant to note – He did not just gave up His life voluntarily, but He had the authority to do so. He said, “I have the authority to lay it down…”