Since the dawn of creation, power has been on display, God’s power that is. Also, with such grandeur and majestic raw power and beauty, comes desire. The desire for power today is great. It can be legitimate—that is if it is used to serve God and people and God’s creation well. Power can also be idolatrous, if it is desired, for the sake of selfish ambition. But the desire for power is not necessarily evil. The desire for power may also be noble, righteous, and God exalting. Let us consider for your edification Christ’s resurrection power.
Ephesians 1:18-23 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might 20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come. 22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fulness of Him who fills all in all.
The power of the resurrection is that it holds forth a glorious hope to all who place their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from the grave not only manifest God’s power over life and death, but it also provides hope for all believers.
- Since Christ rose, believers can hope with confidence that Christ’s death on the cross for our sake was indeed acceptable to God the Father. The resurrection confirms this.
- Because Christ rose bodily from the grave, believers can hope with confidence that His promise that all who hope in Him will also rise with Him is made more sure. Unlike false prophets, who make up myths and fanciful tales, the Lord Jesus Christ actually proved His teaching to be authentic by rising from the grave. Anyone who believes this to be an empty prove can take my challenge, after you die go ahead and raise yourself from the grave. Sadly, no skeptic has successfully been able to resurrect themselves, but tragically have only died in their trespasses and sins, and like all who reject Christ await a judgment day without any covering for their sin.
- Christ was exalted at God’s right hand. Satan may have been able to “get” Christ to the cross, but all that really did was pave the way for all who hope in Christ to have their sins forgiven. Once Christ rose from the grave, Satan could not prevent the Christ from being exalted. Neither can he prevent all who hope in Christ from being exalted in Christ’s presence upon their resurrection. Because the grave could not hold Christ neither can it hold us who believe!
1 Corinthians 15:53-58 53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; 57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.
In Christ, you have all the power you will ever need for life and godliness!
The great expositor John MacArthur wrote: For evangelism you have the gospel itself, which “is the power of God for salvation to every one who believes” (Rom. 1:16). For difficult times you have the assurance that the surpassing greatness of God’s power is at work in you (2 Cor. 4:7). For holy living you have God Himself at work in you “both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13). No matter how weak or ill-equipped you may at times feel, realize that God “is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that [you] ask or think, according to the power that works within [you]” (Eph. 2:20). So keep striving according to that power (Col.1:29), but do so with the confidence that ultimately God will accomplish His good in your life.
I could not have said it better. There is so much more that can be said about the power of hope to purify our walk with God, and how it can motivate us to live for Christ. Hope has the power to radically transform people from selfish oriented to God and other oriented.
As far as leaders go, I want leaders who have hope. I can get behind someone with hope, because they have the necessary confidence and motivation they need to make tough decision to move forward. They fear God rather than evil men, and thus will not be willing to compromise good convictions. Hope is also contagious, therefore it is my prayer for you to be the kind of person others look at and are amazed that you are so filled with hope. May you be like the people in 1 Peter 3:15 who had so much hope that they were asked to give a reason for their hope.
Note the context, and how they first set apart Jesus Christ as Lord in their hearts!
1 Peter 3:8 — 4:1 8 To sum up, let all be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; 9 not returning evil for evil, or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing. 10 For, “Let him who means to love life and see good days Refrain his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking guile. 11 “And let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it. 12 “For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, And His ears attend to their prayer, But the face o“ the Lord is against those who do evil.” 13 And who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled, 15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; 16 and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong. 18 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; 19 in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, 20 who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water. 21 And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.
Marvel at the magnitude of the grace and mercy shown to you, and be ready to give a reason for the hope you have with gentleness, humility, respect and reverence. A possible prayer: Father God thank you for providing a hope so great that it transcends all earthly understanding, to such an extent that even evil men who may mean to harm us are confounded by it, and seek to know how it is that we have happened upon such hope. Help us to live that such may ask us, and help us to speak in such a way that it brings you glory and brings grace to those who hear.
