resurrection

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Door of Deliverance

Door of Deliverance 2We celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. It is the very foundation of our Christian faith. God made a way for all mankind to be delivered from the wages of sin which the Bible tells us is death.

Romans 6:23 NLT

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”

I have devoted my life to tell people that Jesus is alive and that He loves them so much He died and took their place. God offers us a choice to be saved from hell and damnation. Even though we deserve the worse, God has given us His best so we are delivered and redeemed and set free from any power sin had on us. It is our choice to receive deliverance or not.

In this message I want to look at the “Door of Deliverance” God has placed before us, to step back and see how God delivered the Israelites from bondage as a foreshadowing of what Christ will do for us, and to see how it is the biggest and best door we could ever walk through. This is the last message on the “Doors” series. What a powerful ending of the open doors to look deeply at the Door of Deliverance God has provided each one of us.

What comes to your mind when you think of the word deliverance? I am sure it conjures up many thoughts.

Psalm 32:7 KJV

“Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah”

God is our hiding place. As a believer no matter what we are going through, no matter what we have done, we can hide in Him. Songs of deliverance is a powerful thought because this is exactly what God does for us as we hide in Him; He delivers us from our trouble. Remember last weeks message; Door of Hope? God places a door of hope in the middle of the Valley of Achor (trouble) [Hosea 2:15]. Right in the middle of our struggles God will open up a door of hope for you.

The word deliverance in this passage means “escape” [pallet (pal-late) Strongs Hebrew and Greek Definitions H6405] and when you bring that word back to the Hebrew primitive root it expands to mean; “out, that is, escape; causatively to deliver: carry away safe, deliver, (cause to) escape” (H6403).

We can escape death and an eternity in hell all by receiving what Christ did on the cross for us. That is first and foremost the biggest door of deliverance God has provided for each of us. I can’t think of any worse trouble then spending my eternal future burning in hell. Remember what the Bible says is true; there is a God, a heaven, a devil, and a fiery hell.

Looking at the word deliverance further:

Joel 2:32 KJV

“And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.”

The word delivered (malat) is a primitive root (H4422) and is translated; “to be smooth, to escape; to release or rescue, emit sparks, save speedily and surely.”

Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be delivered! This is a promise. We have a deliverer Who is ready and willing to come and rescue us and smoothly provide a way of escape from our troubles and bring us speedily and surely to a safe place. How many of you want to be safe? Me too! Turn to somebody and tell them “You are safe in Jesus!”

Luke 4:18 – 19 KJV

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”

Jesus read these words from the book of Isaiah in the Synagogue. All present marveled and looked intently at Him. It is what was prophesied in the Old Testament in Isaiah 61:1- 2. But when Jesus read this to the Chief Priests and Elders they didn’t like it. They kept the people in bondage by their rules and laws and rituals. How can this man be professing that the Spirit of the Lord is upon Him? This was the beginning of much hatred and rejection from the Religious rulers and eventually plotting to kill Jesus.

The word deliverance (aphesis pronounced af-es-is) in this passage of scripture gives an even better definition: “freedom, pardon, deliverance, forgiveness, liberty, remission (G649, from G863).

Jesus came to set the captives free from any enslavement. He wants us to walk in freedom because we have been forgiven of all the wrong we have done. Walking in freedom means to walk away from what held you captive. It means to walk in obedience to God and enjoy your life. You never go back to it again. Even our own fleshly, selfish desires can put us in prison and hold us captive, but once you have truly tasted freedom, you no longer want to go back to anything that put you into slavery in the first place.

You and I can be in bondage and not even realize it. Once we come out of slavery we realize how captive we really were. We can be entrapped by sin, un-forgiveness, bitterness,

haughty spirit, our past, or even our future if we allow it. God wants to deliver us all from that and much more today.

Jesus is our Passover Lamb of Deliverance

Did you know that the Passover is being celebrated right now with all Jewish communities. How is this important to this message? Looking at the Old Testament we can see an event that was extremely prophetic for our deliverance.

The Passover lamb was the animal God directed the Israelites to use as a sacrifice in Egypt on the night God struck down the firstborn sons of every household (Exodus 12:29). This was the final plague God issued against Pharaoh, and it led to Pharaoh releasing the Israelites from slavery (Exodus 11:1). After that fateful night, God instructed the Israelites to observe the Passover Feast as a lasting memorial (Exodus 12:14). How amazing they celebrated their deliverance even before they were delivered! 

God instructed every household of the Israelite people to select a year-old male lamb without defect (Exodus 12:5; cf. Leviticus 22:20-21). The head of the household was to slaughter the lamb at twilight, taking care that none of its bones were broken, and apply some of its blood to the tops and sides of the doorframe of the house. The lamb was to be roasted and eaten (Exodus 12:7-8). God also gave specific instructions as to how the Israelites were to eat the lamb, “with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand (Exodus 12:11; cf. Ephesians 6:14). In other words, they had to be ready to travel.

God said that when He saw the lamb’s blood on the doorframe of a house, He would “pass over” that home and not permit “the destroyer” (Exodus 12:23) to enter. Any home without the blood of the lamb would have their firstborn son struck down that night (Exodus 12: 12-13).

Exodus 12:13 NKJV

“…And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.”

When I see the blood… When God saw the blood on the doors He didn’t kill the first born. Those who obeyed God were saved. Not only were they saved but this very act made for their freedom from slavery. They were set free from Pharaoh and Egypt to pursue the promise land.

This is what Christ did for us. The Bible tells us that Jesus is our passover lamb.

1 Cor. 5:7 NKJV

“Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.”

The Israelites were to find a lamb with no blemishes. No one else could have ever fulfilled being the Passover Lamb except Jesus Christ.

John the Baptist proclaimed who Jesus was stating He was the Lamb of God.

John 1:29 NKJV

“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”

Jesus was crucified when the passover was observed. The ultimate Lamb was sacrificed for you and me to take away every sin, every wrong we have done, and took our place. He was like a lamb being led to the slaughter and didn’t speak a word (Matt. 27:14).

If it was me I would be telling everyone my innocence so I wouldn’t be killed. But Jesus remained silent. He remained silent for you and I. He knew why He came to earth. He fulfilled His assignment His Father gave Him. Touch someone and say, “He took, my place!”

Power in the blood

There is power in the Blood of Christ. Christ shed blood is the act of dying that leads to our redemption. Most of the time seeing blood makes you think of death, but in this powerful case it means LIFE!

Jesus is our Passover Lamb. Christ’s blood was spilt and applied for our salvation.

20 Things the Blood of Jesus Does*

1.      It remits sins (Matt. 26:28).

2.      It gives life to those who consume it (John 6:53).

3.      It causes us to dwell in Christ and He in us (John 6:56).

4.      It is the means by which Jesus purchased the church (Acts 20:28).

5.      It is the means by which Jesus becomes our atonement through faith (Rom. 3:25).

6.      It justifies us and saves us from wrath (Rom. 5:9).

7.      It redeems us (Eph. 1:7; 1 Pet. 1:18-19; Rev. 5:9).

8.      It brings those who were far away from God near to Him (Eph. 2:13).

9.      It grants us the forgiveness of sins (Col. 1:14).

10.    It brings peace and reconciliation to God (Col. 1:20).

11.    It has obtained eternal redemption for us (Heb. 9:12).

12.    It cleanses our conscience from dead works to serve the living God (Heb. 9:14).

13.    It is the means by which we enter the most holy place with boldness (Heb. 10:19).

14.    It speaks a better word than the blood of Abel (Heb. 12:24, NIV).

15.    It sanctifies us (Heb. 13:12).

16.    It makes us complete for every good work (Heb. 13:20-21, NKJV).

17.    It cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7).

18.    It bears witness in the earth along with the Spirit and the water (1 John 5:8, KJV).

19.    It is the means by which Jesus washes us (Rev. 1:5; 7:14).

20.    It is the means by which we overcome the accuser of the brethren (Rev. 12:11).

The amazing news is that Jesus didn’t stay dead! No, He rose from the dead and sits at the right hand of the Father interceding for you and I. We all need a Passover Lamb! He is our Door of Deliverance. Jesus took the keys of hell and death so that we might not die but live and spend eternity with Him.

Who needs a passover? We all do! We have “do-overs” but this is far greater then any do-over. We have a God who passes over our mess, mistakes, sins, wrong-doings, and washes us all clean and white as snow through His Son, Jesus Christ. This was Jehovah’s plan from the beginning of time. One can not argue over all the facts of how Jesus was our Passover Lamb. What about you? Have you asked Jesus to be your Passover Lamb yet? Don’t hesitate. Today is the day for your salvation, your deliverance as you walk through that open door God has provided for you.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, I realize You did come to save me from all the wrong I have done. You truly are the Son of God to take away my sins. I ask you to be Lord of my life and forgive me of it all. Thank you for being my Passover Lamb. Thank you for choosing to go to the cross in my place. You paid it all and I owe you everything. From this day forward I will follow You all the days of my life. I want all of You so I give You all of me. I am free as I walk through Your Door of Deliverance today, Amen!

I rejoice in the Lord for the transformation in your heart today!

Your sister in Christ,

Pastor Kris Belfils

www.KrisBelfils.com

www.HopeFellowshipSpokane.com

www.KrisBelfils.WordPress.com

 

 

*(http://frankviola.org/2012/03/01/thebloodofjesus/)

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The Living Hope Of Easter

The Living Hope Of EasterWhat Jesus did on the cross is everything. He died so that we might live. But He didn’t stay in the grave, No, He is risen. He is alive! It gives us hope for tomorrow.

Hope is the sustainer of life. It’s the motivator to action. It’s the promise of tomorrow.

What each one of us needs more of is hope. What our country and world needs is hope.

What is hope? Often we use the word hope as a form of wish. “I hope it doesn’t rain tomorrow.” “I hope the Seahawks or Bulldogs win their next game.” However, hope in the Bible, has quite a different meaning.

Hope in the Bible is a “confident expectation of a divinely provided future.” Biblical hope is a confidence and expectation that God has provided for a good future for you. This morning God wants to fill every person here with hope that God has a great future planned for you.

The opposite of hope is despair or hopelessness. We see examples of despair and hopelessness all around us.

”Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”

Martin Luther King Jr.

I would like to add to this quote;

“Despair cannot drive out despair: only HOPE can do that.” 

Pastor Kris Belfils 

How many times do we try to drive out our own despair with more despair? This will never bring encouragement.

The word despair means: “A state in which all hope is lost or absent, The feeling that everything is wrong and nothing will turn out well, abandon hope; give up hope; lose heart. Other terms:  Discouragement, disheartenment, dismay, hopelessness, pessimism, resignation, surrender.”

This happens to many people everyday. When a tragedy occurs or our expectations have not been met, we can fall into despair easily. We can fall into despair just by thinking wrong thoughts about our self and others.

There are really only two things you can have in life: 

1. Despair

2. Hope

Hope in the dictionary means: “A general feeling that some desire will be fulfilled, grounds for feeling hopeful about the future, Someone, or something on which expectations are centered, One of three Christian virtues (‘Faith, Hope, and Love’), expect and wish, intend with some possibility of fulfillment.”

Having hope is so essential to surviving in life. If we lose hope, we have lost the race.

Despair and hopelessness drives people to harm themselves or others in many ways. Hopelessness leads people to try to escape life’s despair through different kinds of addictions. Despair about your future saps the joy from life.

Where can we get the hope that we need in life? …….Our hope comes from Jesus.

Matthew 12:21 (NIV)

“In his name the nations will put their hope.”

Some people put their hope in wrong things and they are disappointed. But everyone who puts their hope in Jesus will never be disappointed. Easter is all about the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

 A Living Hope

Peter 1:3 – 5 (NJKV)

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

“…a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead!” God’s Word Translation states this phrase; [] “We have been born into a new life that has a confidence which is alive because Jesus Christ has come back to life.”

Hope is something that is living and alive! This Living hope is like living waters flowing from a constant spring which never runs dry, it is always flowing, always giving and constantly moving and active.

I want you to note that a living hope means that it is not dead, or lifeless. It is not the kind of hope that we use to stir positive thinking for the moment, but does nothing for us beyond the grave. It is not the kind of hope that gives us meaning and motivation for life but is dead and lifeless beyond this life. This hope is for this life and beyond.

I also want you to recognize that a living hope means that it is not a probable hope; it is not the kind of hope that may or may not come. It is always present, always working in us. We just have to believe and stand on it! This is called “faith!”

The hope that God gives is a hope that is real and true, a hope that actually exists. A living hope is active and functioning; it acts and works both within the heart of the believer and within heaven apart from the believer.

Eternal life is a living hope because it is reality; it is a life that really exists in another world, the spiritual world, that is more real than the world in which we live. The believer’s hope for eternal life lives, acts, and works within the believer now, even while they are on earth. It is not that the believer is going to receive eternal life; they have already received eternal life. Their hope for eternal life is living, acting, and working within them right now. This is the glorious hope of the believer, the living hope of living forever with God face to face.

Eternal life is promised to believers in Christ:

John 3:15 – 16 NKJV

“That whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

1 John 2:25 NKJV

“And this is the promise that He has promised us — eternal life.”

Romans 6:23 NKJV

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

1 Peter 1:3 tells us how this kind of hope is possible—it is due to the source of our hope: the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! Our living hope finds its source in the Living God in whom all things “live and move and have their being” (Acts 17:28). This kind of hope dispels all fear.

Our God’s not dead He’s surely alive!

I watched the movie “The Hunger Games” and one line in the movie stuck out to me: “Hope is the only thing that can stand against fear.”  There is truth to that.

Having hope propels you to keep trying in the middle of your fears. This is the action or active part of hope. Hope helps us to stay focused. If we don’t have hope, we will fall into our fears and doubts and give up. Don’t give up!

We hope in the resurrection power of Jesus Christ. The word “resurrection” means: “Standing up again, that is, a resurrection from death: raised to life again, rise from the dead, rising again.”

Let Hope arise in you today! The Hope of Jesus Christ is powerful. No one can take that away from you. Hope sustains you. Hope keeps you.

You might be living in a hard situation right now. It might seem hopeless, but remind yourself Who is living inside of you! Jesus, the conqueror of death! Jesus, the giver of new life and new beginnings!

Death could not hold Jesus! We have that same spirit dwelling in us everyday!

Romans 8:11 (NKJV)

“But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”

Romans 8:11 (Message)

“It stands to reason, doesn’t it, that if the alive-and-present God who raised Jesus from the dead moves into your life, he’ll do the same thing in you that he did in Jesus, bringing you alive to himself? When God lives and breathes in you (and he does, as surely as he did in Jesus), you are delivered from that dead life. With his Spirit living in you, your body will be as alive as Christ’s!”

God can breathe new life into any situation, circumstance, or issue, and bring forth life again.

Jesus was raised from the dead. Resurrection Life came from the One who is the Resurrection and the Life.

We have to remember the term: Resurrection Advancement! The bigger the stone the enemy places on you to stop your advancement in life, the stronger, and bigger the stage of your advancement so rejoice! Just look at the stone the enemy tried to place in front of Jesus’ tomb. Even death could not keep that stone in place. If you feel a huge stone has been placed on you, get ready for a resurrection advancement!

When I say; “the enemy” I am referring to the devil. He is the enemy of our soul. The Bible tells us that He is a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). But remember that this lion has no teeth. He may roar, but has no power because Christ took it from him when He was resurrected.

When the stone was rolled away so was our sin. When the stone was rolled away so was our disappointments we have experienced. Rolled away was all our regrets. Rolled away were the hurts and un-forgiveness we may be holding onto. Rolled away were any lies we’ve said or mistakes we have made. New life and a new beginning is there for you to walk in.

Don’t let anyone or anything make you feel “less” in life when God gave His Son for you to be and live the best!

Don’t look at the big stone in front of you. Look to Jesus who didn’t let anything, or anyone stop Him from bringing Living Hope to this world. You are being set up! If your way seems blocked, if your dreams have died, if you have no hope, REJOICE because God is setting you up for greater things. It could be the “midnight hour” for God to do the impossible, but He WILL do it! Don’t give up! Don’t lose hope!

Hebrews 10:35 (NASB)

“Do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.”

James 1:12 (CEV)

“God will bless you, if you don’t give up when your faith is being tested. He will reward you with a glorious life, just as he rewards everyone who loves Him.”

How would you describe your level of hope today? Is your “hope tank” on full or is it dangerously close to empty? Is the hope your experiencing right now one that is merely based on positive thinking or probability, or is it a living hope resting on the promises of God?

God’s design is for you to know and experience this living hope. He has done everything necessary to make it available to each of us as a living reality. Will you accept His offer today?

Allow the Living Hope to rise up inside of you. If you don’t know this Living Hope, Jesus Christ, today is your day. Don’t delay in asking Him to come into your heart.

Your sister,

Pastor Kris Belfils

www.krisbelfils.com

www.HopeFellowshipSpokane.com

www.krisbelfils.wordpress.com

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You Are Never Too Dead For A Resurrection

We just celebrated Easter. The very crux of our Christian faith. Christ came and died and rose again for all of us.

 Corinthians 15:3 – 4 (NKJV)

“For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: 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.”

We know this all happened. We stand on this everyday of our lives. We believe that Christ was raised from the dead. There is a resurrection of the dead.

Corinthians 15:12 – 14 (NKJV)

“Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty.”

This concept is powerful. There is a resurrection of the dead. Not only did Christ raise from the dead, but there is story after story of people who were dead and were raised to life. I am sure you have heard of many, here are just a few:

  1. CBN – JOHNATHON ALDEE – 28 minutes without oxygen 
  2. Daniel Ekechukwu from Nigeria (2001) –  CBN.com
  3. God Can Breathe Life Into Dead Things –From Pastor Kris Belfils book: “Revive, Rebuild, andRestore”

God Can Breathe Life Into Dead Things

Eze 37:3 (KJV)

“And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.” 

My oldest daughter had a school project when she was in the 4th grade. The students were given a caterpillar in a jar. Each student was assigned to take care of their caterpillar and make sure there were plenty of leaves for them to eat. Soon, the caterpillars would make a cocoon and look dead. The students, including my daughter, were worried as they thought they did something wrong to make the caterpillar look dead. One by one the cocoons would open up and out came the beautiful butterfly they transformed into. My daughter’s cocoon didn’t open up as quickly as some of her class mates did. She was constantly thinking about it and telling me about her cocoon. I assured her that she will have a butterfly soon, and to just wait and let nature take its course. Before long, her cocoon opened up and a beautiful butterfly came out. My daughter was very happy, and when our family went camping, soon after the re-birth, we set aside a time for her to release her butterfly from the jar into the wide open space of our camping site.

This makes me think of God and how He is at work in the middle of what looks dead. He has the power to bring forth life from dead places.

Just like CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation) is used to help a victim of cardiac arrest or, respiratory arrest, to keep them alive, God can and will breathe life into dead things.

Eze 37:1 – 14 talks about the dry bones that came back to life as the breath of the Lord was prophesied and breathed into them. Eze 37:3 (NKJV) states, “…can these bones live?” The word “live” is translated: “To live, whether literally or figuratively, to revive – keep, make alive, promise life, nourish up, preserve, quicken, recover, repair, restore (to life) revive – Be whole.

As the wind breathed life into the bones, and as the word was prophesied, the bones received life. This is what God wants to do with our dead places. God wants to revive us. He wants to breathe life into our dead areas.

Eze 37:12 (NKJV)

“Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.”

God will bring us out of our graves and cause us to live.

The dead have to listen to God’s voice.

There is an old hymn entitled, “O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing.” It has twenty verses, but there is one verse that pops out to me; “He speaks, and, listening to His voice, New life the dead receive, The mournful, broken hearts rejoice, The humble poor believe.”

Lazarus was one of the dead that listened to the voice of Christ (John 11:1 – 44). Jesus spoke and breathed, “…I am the resurrection, and the life. He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die…” this is what he breathed or spoke to Martha when she met Him after hearing He was coming. Martha knew where her source was. She said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.” There was still faith even after seeing the dead.

He is the Resurrection and the Life! If you believe, though you were dead, you shall live. All it takes is a little faith to see the wonders of God.

Scripture states, in John 11:5 and 6 “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was.” Jesus stayed two more extra days after finding out Lazarus was sick. Why would He do this? I believe for two reasons, First, He was setting the stage for a miracle so the people would see His glory as verse 4 states, “…this sickness is not unto dearth, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it,” but there is more to the reason why Jesus lingered where He was instead of making hast to get to the one He loved to heal him. Secondly, if Jesus would have hurried and healed Lazarus before he died, it would be like what He had done for many. If Christ had raised him to life after he recently died, it would be no more than He had done for some, but waiting so long gave Jesus the opportunity to do more for Lazarus, Martha, and Mary then He had done for anyone. This is His love.

I like how the Message Bible states John 11:11, “He said these things, and then announced, ‘Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, I’m going to wake him up.’” To God, raising someone from the dead is like waking them up from a sleep. It is no difficult thing for God to raise our dead things.

What areas of your life need to be resurrected, restored, or revived? Remember that the Father God is constantly watching you to bring resurrection life into your dead places. Look at delays as His love in action, just waiting for the right time to truly show you how much He loves you.

The prodigal son was dead and came back to life. We read in Luke 15:11 – 32 the story of how a father’s son asked for his inheritance before His father died. His father granted the request and gave the son what was allotted to him. The son went out and squandered all the money on extravagant living and ended up with no money wishing he could eat what he fed the pigs. He thought in his heart that even a hired hand, or a servant, was well fed in his father’s house. He came to the end of himself. He made up his mind to go home and ask to be a servant. But his father had other plans. His father missed him so much it felt like his son was dead. He grieved over the loss of his son. He longed for life to come back to him, to come back home. This is exactly like our Heavenly Father who sees the dead in our life and longs for life to come again.

God is waiting for us to “come to the end of ourselves” and come to Him for help. Resurrection power brings new life. What was resurrected, by the power of God, is even better than what was there before.

Everyone who calls on Jesus will be saved, will be revived, and will be brought back to life!

John 5:24 – 28 (KJV)

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in Himself; so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself; And hath given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of man. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice…” 

Jesus said this concerning His coming, but we can truly apply this to anything dead in our life.

The dead have no choice but to obey the voice of the Lord to come back to life. God is the Beginning and the End; He is the Alpha and the Omega. He alone knows when someone will be born and when they will die. He is the one who breathes life into them. Since He is the Alpha and the Omega, He always finishes what He starts. Nothing ends without His permission.

Resurrection Advancement

The bigger the stone the enemy places on you to stop your advancement in life, the stronger, and bigger the stage of your advancement so rejoice! Just look at the stone the enemy tried to place in front of Jesus’ tomb. Even death could not keep that stone in place. If you feel a huge stone has been placed on you, get ready for a resurrection advancement!

Hebrews 10:35 (NASB)

“Do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.”

Sometimes the fruit of our labor takes time to see. Planting a fruit tree it will take 2 or 3 years to see the fruit in an adult stage. We are to never give up!

James 1:12 (CEV)

“God will bless you, if you don’t give up when your faith is being tested. He will reward you with a glorious life, just as he rewards everyone who loves Him.”

The Living Dead

There are people, who call themselves Christian, walking around as the Living Dead. They go to church, are much involved with the activities there, but hardly have life in them. They think they are alive just because of their activity. But reality is they are walking zombies. There is no life in them. They are not relying on the resurrection power of God or even expecting good things from God. Often they feel the way their life is will never change. “It is what it is” is often said from their mouth. This kind of talk is not standing on God’s word or promises. It is not activating the resurrection power in their life.

It is God’s will for us to live in His resurrection power. Let His resurrection power quicken or enliven us to do His will. He will give us eyes to see and ears to hear what is causing us to walk around as the living dead.

Peter 1:3 – 5 (NJKV)

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

Living Hope

“…a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead!” Hope is something that is living and alive!~ I watched the movie “Hunger Games” this past week and one line in the movie stuck out to me: “Hope is the only thing that can stand against fear.” Having hope propels you to keep trying in the middle of your fears. Hope helps us to stay focused. If we don’t have hope, we will fall into our fears and doubts.

We hope in the resurrection power of Jesus Christ. The word “resurrection” means: “Standing up again, that is, (Literally) a resurrection from death (individual, general or by implication (it’s author)), or (figuratively) a (moral) recovery (of spiritual truth): raised to life again, resurrection, rise from the dead, that should rise, rising again.”

Death could not hold Jesus! We have that same spirit dwelling in us everyday!

Romans 8:11 (NKJV)

“But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”

Message Bible

“It stands to reason, doesn’t it, that if the alive-and-present God who raised Jesus from the dead moves into your life, he’ll do the same thing in you that he did in Jesus, bringing you alive to himself? When God lives and breathes in you (and he does, as surely as he did in Jesus), you are delivered from that dead life. With his Spirit living in you, your body will be as alive as Christ’s!”

God can breathe new life into any situation, circumstance, or issue, and bring forth life again.

Jesus was raised from the dead. Resurrection Life came from the One who is the Resurrection and the Life. We have to remember that the same spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in us.

God can resurrect your dreams and passions that seem to have died while you have been waiting for a miracle. When God gives us a dream it must first die. Just like a seed that is dead has to be buried, so our dreams have to die so they can bring forth life. And just like the growth from the seed that bursts from the ground, which is exactly what happens when life comes from dead things.

What dreams has God given you? Do they seem like they will never come true? Have you held onto them too tightly for God to breathe new life into them? We need to learn to “hold on loosely” to our dreams. Don’t hold onto something so much that it consumes you. Allow your dreams to die. Give your desires to God and watch Him make something from nothing.

God can make beauty from ashes (Isaiah 61:1 – 3). What if the ashes where made from your own match? What if you started the fire that burned your life into ashes, can God breathe new life into our wrong choices? Can God birth life from our mistakes? I say, “YES!” God specializes in making beauty from ashes.

What is dead in your life, your emotions, your finances, your relationships, your family, or circumstances? Maybe you feel dead inside? Do you feel God is far away and you don’t feel close to Him? Allow God to come and breathe new life into your spirit.

You might be feeling dead inside due to sin in your life. You might be feeling dead because of something you had to walk through. No matter the reason, God is there to breathe new life into your spirit today!

All our powerful God has to do is to speak or breathe life into dead things and the dead have to listen.

Do you have faith to believe God can breathe life into you? Ask God to come and breathe His life into your situation. Believe that situation will listen and be born again.

Remember “You Are Never Too Dead For A Resurrection!”

Blessings,

Pastor Kris Belfils