An Easter Proclamation
Theme: Restoring Spiritual Life This Easter
When Jesus was crucified on the Cross, and was raised again on the third day, He got victory over sin and death and that purchased the abundant life in Christ which is available to all who will but surrender to His Lordship.
The Apostle Paul, moved by the Holy Spirit wrote a powerful truth that should govern the lives of all Christians who desire to be anointed to proclaim the “Ever-flowing Life of Easter.”
2 Corinthians 5:14-15 says, “For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again.” (2 Corinthians 5:14-15)
I would propose that Easter has a whole lot more for us than just a special Sunday for family meals. Resurrection Sunday is about thriving not just surviving.
The heart that understands what Jesus accomplished on the first Easter births forth a “Life Filled with Meaning,” and is “Empowered by Grace.” We can enjoy this because the Easter story for Spirit-filled Christians is this: “And if Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you. He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.” (Romans 8:11)
Does our lives reflect a life that is surrender to the same Holy Spirit whom raised Jesus from the dead?
The Easter Story is God taking a life which was being spent on self, the pleasures of this world and was blinded by the devil, and turning it around to achieve all of His good purposes.
Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians is also for us today, “I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. (Eph. 3:16-17)
One of the secrets to finding meaning in this life that satisfies the soul is to understand what God’ means in regards to having Christ dwell in your hearts. To “dwell” (katoikeo) means to give Christ full permission to take up full residence by His Spirit in your spiritual heart. (Zodhiates)
The idea is of letting Christ come into our heart and life that He may be a ruling master, so that He may take every part of our body and life and use it for His Father’s purposes. Our first and most important meaning of being created is that we become an inhabitation of the Lord, reflecting the likeness of Christ through all we do. We are created for His glory not our own.
What God is saying, “Let Me tell you what your purpose for living is and then you can start to enjoy your life.” This is why the Holy Spirit moved the apostle to write, “And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again.” (2 Corinthians 5:15)
A lesson from the horse business: There are horseman and there are horse lovers. Horse lovers work with horses from the perspective how it makes them feel. Horsemen become caretakers for horses – thinking what is best for the horse, the animal’s mental and physical wellbeing.
Half-baked pew warmers live from the perspective of what keeps them out of hell and gets them into heaven, what makes them look religious. Spirit-filled Christians are stewards of all God has given them. They are constantly mindful of their Lord’s feelings and what is good for the works of Jesus Christ. They often ask, “Is Jesus glorified in what I think, say and do? Are my thoughts, words and actions a pleasing aroma to the Lord?”
Heart probing questions are: Does our lives have eternal meaning? Are we living for self, chasing the world or being deceived by the devil? Does our lives reflect a heart that is seeking God’ will for us? Are we enjoying all the spiritual blessings that are found in Christ Jesus?
Christians find their meaning when they allow the Lord to show them their Holy Spirit given gifts and use those gifts through sacrificial love. They sacrifice time, self and the pleasures of this world to develop their gifts and to exercise their gifts for the benefit of Jesus Christ, the Body of Christ whom are the children of God and all of mankind.
We need to make it our goal this Easter Season to make time for Him, Jesus made time for us.
I was blessed with the opportunity to be guided by some mature Christian leaders who know that the Spiritual gifts are for today: Two of those gifts are the “Word of Knowledge” and the “Word of Wisdom.” While attending a Pentecostal service, I received a “Word of Knowledge” of what my calling was and while attending the North America Conference for Evangelist, through the Billy Graham organization I received the “Word of Wisdom.” Thus, enjoying the blessing of an internet ministry helping others teach God’s Word around the world for FREE. It takes a good amount of sacrifice of time, strength and finances if I want to see it to the fullness of my life. It is the same for everyone’s calling.
Can people see that our lives in Christ is meaningful?
Once we are living a meaningful life in Christ - we can live a life which is empowered by Grace. God is willing and wanting to give us His grace. The Holy Spirit moved the apostle Paul to write about this powerful truth, “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8)
The Apostle Paul tells us the gifts of the Holy Spirit are given for the common good. (1 Corinthians 12:7) A very good way of keeping the ever-flowing life of the risen Christ flowing is to be sensitive to and walk in step with the very same Holy Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead. Satan wants us to question God giving us the grace we need. Our Lord wants us to be assured we will enjoy His anointing and enablement in our task for Him. When our Spiritual gifts are exercised through sacrificial love there are three blessing which are a sure to come.
One: God is blessed and honored. Jesus said, “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and praise your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)
The Greek word Jesus used for Good works (??a??? agathós) in the NIV is translated as “good deeds” which refer to works which are benevolent, profitable and useful. In regard to the person doing the work - it refers to someone who is of good character, is pleasant, is agreeable, joyful, distinguished, upright, honorable, one who strives for quality in their service. (Zodhiates, S. (2000). The complete word study dictionary: New Testament (electronic ed.). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers.; Strong, J. (1995). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship.)
I always get excited and have given praise to God when a Holy Spirit-filled theologian has encouraged me, exhorted me and given me good direction. I just can’t thank God enough for those ministries which equip and enable me to accomplished my task for the Lord.
Two: The Body of Christ will be one unit working in good order – The Bible says, “For God is not a God of disorder – but of peace – as in all the congregation of the Lord’s people.” (1 Corinthians 14:33) In 1 Corinthians 12:12 the Apostle Paul compares the Lord’s church to the human body. Although the human body has many parts it is one unit – each part needing and complementing each other. Just as the human body functions most effectively when each part does what it was created for, the body of Christ will function effectively when each member exercises their Spiritual gifts to please the Lord, for the good of one another and all mankind.
SermonCentral is a website-hub, enabling all who have one of the Gifts Apportioned by Jesus Christ (Ephesian 4:11-12) to sacrificially exercise their gift. The writer of the Book of Ephesians says the gifts are handed out by Jesus Christ, “to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the Body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.” (Ephesians 4:12-15)
When the modern-day church repents of her embracing the cancers of denominationalism, traditionalism, legalism and faddism, and repents of her way of misfunctioning, she will be able to embrace God’s grace to correct false doctrines, enlightened the spiritually blind and minister to the needs of the children of God.
SermonCentral has embraced the whole counsel of God’s Word. Thus, they are daily walking in God’s grace to enable the Holy Spirit enlightened to teach God’s Word all over the world. The highest charge to the soldier of Christ is “Preach the Word.” (2 Timothy 4:2) The Apostle Paul writes to a carnal church who mishandled their Holy Spirit Gifts. In 1 Corinthians 14:1, “Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.” The word “prophecy” and “prophesy” are the same Greek word, (p??f?te?? propheteúo). As used in 1 Corinthians 14:1 and 14:31 it means to speak with the help of divine inspiration to proclaim what God wants to make known… expounded from the Holy Scriptures. (Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament)
Three: People without Christ will be given the opportunity to receive Jesus as Savior and Lord. Romans 10:14-16 says, “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’”
In both 2 Timothy 4:2 and Romans 10:14 the same Greek Word for “preaching” and “preach” come from the same ????ss? kerússo which means to herald or proclaim or publish publicly religious truth, the gospel with its attendant privileges and obligations in this gospel dispensation. (Zodhiates, S. (2000). The complete word study dictionary: New Testament (electronic ed.). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers.; Strong, J. (1995). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship.; Swanson, J. (1997). Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Greek (New Testament) (electronic ed.). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc.)
The Easter Proclamation – The Bible says we are living letters, known and seen by everyone. (2 Corinthians 3:2) This Easter we are called to present the truth that Resurrection Sunday is an Ever-Flowing life with real meaning and Jesus offers the grace we need to do what we need to accomplish with Him.
