Resurrection Grace [podcast]

NOTHING – NO MAN, NO DEVIL CAN STOP THIS!

Just as no man, no devil could possibly stop the resurrection of Christ, no entity or army can stop the resurrection life of Christ in His saints, as they submit to their own death and burial. Resurrection follows!

“Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you.” 2 Corinthians 4:10-12

Jesus had to first be crucified, to consent to His own death, and to be buried before He could burst forth from that tomb!

If we are to rise, if we are to be raised up into any work or warfare, let it only come out of the crucified – the dead and buried – posture! The cross life is the life, the divine economy of the kingdom of Christ (Luke 9:23-24; 2 Corinthians 4:10-12; Galatians 2:20, etc.). There was no other way for man to be redeemed than for our LORD Jesus to come and die for His fallen race – and there is no other way to serve God than by way of the cross! Jesus conquered death by dying and then was raised up in divine resurrection power by the Holy Ghost – who now indwells every saint of Christ in the earth! (See Hebrews 2:14; Romans 8:11)

One writer notes:

“It is by dying, not by killing or retaliating with human power, that we conquer (Rom 8:35-37).  Victory is truly attained only by killed-conquerors.  God and we never conquer with earthly weapons, by earthly threat, force or violence (2 Cor 10:1-5; Eph 6:12-18). Romans 8:36: ‘KILLED all day long as sheep led to slaughter’ and then Rom 8:37:’in all these things (the things that kill us all day long) we are MORE THAN CONQUERORS. Hence we are KILLED-CONQUERORS.

“We ‘resist not evil’ in any earthly way of resistance.  We resist it in a heavenly way.  In this heavenly way, we ‘war a good warfare’ and are good ‘soldiers’ of the cross.  The cross and its mindset are our main weapons.

“We extinguish the blows of evil by absorbing those blows and returning agape love in exchange.  We extinguish the smiter’s blow by turning the other cheek not by smiting back against his cheek.  We know that to take up our sword against evil is to be destroyed by our sword (Matt 26:52).  This destruction is what happened to Satan (Heb 2:14).

“We repay evil with the ‘vengeance and wrath of God’ by pouring ‘burning coals’ of wrath on the heads of our enemies when we love them by feeding them when they are hungry and giving them a drink when they are thirsty.

“Rom 12:17-21 @v20. God’s and our vengeance against evil is to love people who don’t deserve it as did Jesus and His Father at the cross.  We kill with kindness and overcome evil with good.”

Down and Out? No! Down and UP!

In the world, we have this saying, “down and out” and yet, in Christ kingdom, as we submit to Him in the cross, it’s more like a “Down and UP”! Death. Burial. Resurrection. That’s the rhythm of the Gospel transpiring in our daily lives. We are not knocked out but rather knocked down in death and burial, and raised up in His grace! Down and Up! No down and out! Was this not the case with Paul the beloved?

“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

The cross makes us weak, especially in our “thorn in the flesh” afflictions, seasons of trying, trial. It is then, when we are weak – dead and buried with Christ, when we are laid low – that the resurrection grace of God raises us upward in His divine power and for His great glory! (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)

There is no such thing as “living the Christian life” outside of the cross life Jesus mandates and out of which He raises up His people!

For just a moment, let your mind reflect upon Galatians 5, beginning in the resurrection truth of verse 1. Freedom from law and sin and the law of sin and death, and walking in the Spirit and not the works of the flesh, is only through the cross life – Galatians 5:1-26. Verse 24 is the cross! Bam. Read Galatians 5.

“And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” Galatians 5:24 

Nothing can undo the first coming of Christ!

As sure as He came the first time, so shall He come again!

Nothing can undo or prevent the soon return, the second coming of Christ for His people and to crush His enemies!

Nothing can stop God from raising up that man who will humbly, worshipfully, obediently submit to Him by laying down his life in this fleeting world – by walking crucified, dead and buried with Christ!

Nothing can stop the work of Christ in the lives of His beloved people – and His “remnant” people are known in that they obey Him by denying self, taking up the cross daily, and following Him – on His terms! The Gospel of the cross – the death, burial, and resurrection, is all over Holy Scripture. Catch this…. see it?

“And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward (death and burial), and bear fruit upward (resurrection):” Isaiah 37:31

Nothing can stop the resurrection of Christ in your life as you lay it down for His glory! As Jesus burst forth, so shall you!