And Christ rose from the dead!

But the shocking thing is that the disciples forgot (or they did not believe) he said he would rise the third day. Luke 24:1 tells us how the women brought spices to try and preserve him in the tomb. Well, they found it empty! People always try to preserve you where they left you. The […]

But the shocking thing is that the disciples forgot (or they did not believe) he said he would rise the third day.

Luke 24:1 tells us how the women brought spices to try and preserve him in the tomb. Well, they found it empty! People always try to preserve you where they left you.

The angel asked them why they were looking for the living among the dead. Anyone looking for you among the poor is making a mistake.

Your predicament is about to be history! When you are not where they expect you to be, you are where you ought to be.

•    They expect you to be dead but you’re alive

•    They expect you to remain small but you are growing bigger.

•    They expect you to remain sick but you are healed.

•    They expect you to beg but you are giving out stuff.

•    They expect you to remain barren but you are giving birth to twins.

•    They expect you to remain jobless but you are choosing between five jobs.

•    They expect you to remain single but you are getting married next month.

•    They expect you to remain poor but you are growing richer.

Tell someone, don’t look for me where I have been; I have moved! I have changed places! “Don’t look for me among the poor”. Why are you looking for the rich among the poor?

5 Important lessons to remember

1.    There is nothing in man’s plan that can stop or change God’s plan for your life. The jealousy and envy of the religious leaders could not stop Him from fulfilling His mission on earth. The stone could not prevent the Rock of Ages from rising. No witch or wizard can stop you. No wicked person can stop your promotion. No household conspiracy is strong enough to turn back the hand of God from lifting and blessing you. God will disappoint your enemies. He will bless you right before their eyes.

2. If you don’t believe in yourself you will remain where you are. Jesus believed He would rise again. He was so conscious of the temporariness of His stay in the grave, He only borrowed one to use. They were shouting come down and we’ll believe you. It does not matter what people think about you, it is what you think about yourself that counts. World heavyweight champion George Foreman said the first trainer he contacted refused to accept him because he thought he George was not good enough and that he could never make it in boxing.

He left him and looked for another coach. Not long after that, won the Olympic gold medal. He defeated many legendary heavyweight boxers including Mohammed Ali to win the heavyweight title.

3. God is a covenant-keeping God. He promised to raise the Son, He did! All other promises will be fulfilled. He will come again. Expect the promises of God in your life to be fulfilled in Jesus name. Your neighbour’s testimony is a sign to you that your miracle is on the way. It is safe to surrender your destiny to God. He surrendered His destiny to God and He was not disappointed.

4. With God you can survive anything. In the hands of God even the worst trouble leads to your improvement. It may be too far for you, too deep for you but not for Him. Too late for you but not for Him. Too much for you but not for Him. Too costly for you but not for Him. Too hopeless for you but not for Him. Daniel survived the lion’s den; Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego survived the fiery furnace; Joseph survived the cruel treatment of his brothers, he survived slavery and prison to become the Prime Minister of Egypt. Your present problem is nothing. Tell your neighbour “I’m coming out of lack, I’m coming out of this!”

God loves to turn crucifixions into resurrections so you can see his greatness. God will turn your crucifixions into resurrections. He died limited, He rose unlimited. He died a bleeding lamb, He arose a reigning King. When He arose, hell’s hope was dashed, terminated. I see you coming out of that trouble, grave, valley. I see you coming out of bondage, poverty, etc. God will dash the hopes of your enemies!

5. He rose to prove that Christ is the only One that can save mankind. He alone had defeated death and has the answer to the sin question. Salvation is now freely available to all those who believe. He was scarred that you might become a star. Isaiah 53:4-5 “4Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” Acts 4:12 “12Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Nothing else matters if you are not saved.

At the fullness of time, He came out. He resurrected with a body that is totally mysterious. He disappears and reappears. He moves through physical obstacles as though they did not exist. He ate human food and yet simply disappears with them. What kind of body was this? The bible says that we shall have this kind of body one day!

I see you coming back! I see you coming out of that problem! See you coming out of poverty, out of death, out of that sickness, out of debt, out of failure, out of loneliness, out of depression, out of confusion and out of shame.

He was not only raised but healed. He came out with scars only on His hands, feet and sides because someone demanded to see them as evidence that it was really the Lord. The scars on the face were not there. He will show you aspects of His life that matter to you or that you seek to know. But I believe the greater lesson is that you can retain only those scars of your past that you choose.

Rev. (Dr.) Olowojoba is the Snr. Pastor of Dayspring Bible Church, Sabon-Lugbe, Abuja, Nigeria and President, Dayspring Christian Ministries International.  E-mail: [email protected]