Obedience ensures resurrection power – By Pastor George Lehman
The cross is the victory, the resurrection is the triumph.
Victory is an instance of having won a battle; while triumph is a conclusive success following and effort, conflict of obstacles.
Without the cross, there is no resurrection.
1 Corinthians 15:14 (NIV) – And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.
Galatians 2:20 (Amp) – I have been crucified with Christ [in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ (the Messiah) lives in me; and the life I now live in the body I live by faith in (by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
Victory is success – triumph is joy over the victorious success.
Victory is in Christ (ALONE) – to triumph in victory this is our part.
Paul confirms this:
2 Corinthians 2:14 (Amp) – But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumph [as trophies of Christ’s victory] and through us spreads and makes evident the fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere,
Despite the difficulties of this life, just like Christ who experienced awful suffering on “Good Friday”…
We can expect God to turn things around just as He did in the resurrection.
Hence, it’s Friday but Sunday is coming.
The resurrection has great implications in the life of a child of God.
It’s Friday but Sunday is coming.
The problem is many believers are still living in “Friday” and Sunday is not coming.
Many are waiting for breakthroughs, and nothing seems to be happening.
Many are broke, defeated discouraged and depressed.
Couples are waiting patiently for God to heal their marriages.
I’ve seen pastors hang on to ministries hoping things will change and eventually leave the church.
What happened?
Do they wait longer? Maybe so. However, this passage of scripture really got me thinking.
Philippians 3:10-11 (Amp) – [For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope]. That if possible, I may attain to the [spiritual and moral] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among the dead [even while in the body].
Paul shared the concept… “It’s Friday but Sunday is coming.”
He wanted to experience the power of the resurrection in his own life.
It wasn’t a physical resurrection because he was still physically alive.
A physical resurrection belongs to those who have died.
Paul is speaking here of “Resurrection Power”.
The truth is… Resurrection power can make alive your dead dreams.
It can turn dead situations you’ve given up on around.
It can transform lifeless, empty circumstances into vibrant joy full breakthroughs.
It can turn dead desires to a burning passionate fire.
It can turn a dead hopeless situation to a joyful hopeful outcome.
Question: Do you need this resurrection power?
Through a life of “obedience” we become like Him in His death.
Notice carefully that Paul says he wanted to know both “The power of His resurrection” and “Sharing in His sufferings”.
It’s at this point in the sermon when people jump off the bus because they want the blessings and NOT the sufferings.
People want to go from point A. directly to point T. (Triumph).
Without counting the cost of real life in between.
Here’s the point – you cannot be qualified to experience the power of His resurrection if you have not shared in His sufferings.
You may say, “Hey, wait a minute, I have suffered so, so much.”
Ah!! Suffering is no proof you have “Shared in His sufferings”.
It can be you are going through some tough stuff as a result of your own disobedience and impatience doing things you knew you should not have!
Paul said he wanted to “become like Jesus in His death”.
This is how you share in His sufferings – you become like Him in “His death”.
An obedient life is a crucified life.
Jesus said it…
Mark 8:34 (Amp) – And Jesus called [to Him] the throng with His disciples and said to them, If anyone intends to come after Me, let him deny himself [forget, ignore, disown, and lose sight of himself and his own interests] and take up his cross, and [joining Me as a disciple and siding with My party] follow with Me [continually, cleaving steadfastly to Me].
Your willingness to obediently surrender, disown, forget, ignore and deny yourself.
This is how you become like Him in “His death”.
Romans 6:5-6 (Amp) – For if we have become one with Him by sharing a death like His, we shall also be [one with Him in sharing] His resurrection [by a new life lived for God]. We know that our old (unrenewed) self was nailed to the cross with Him in order that [our] body [which is the instrument] of sin might be made ineffective and inactive for evil, that we might no longer be the slaves of sin.
2 Corinthians 4:8-10 (NIV) – We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.
We must incorporate these principles in our own suffering to truly become like Jesus in His death.
Then you will most certainly experience the power of the resurrected life.
#1 Simon carried His cross.
Jesus did not suffer without help. He needed Simon to carry His cross. This showed humility.
Do not attempt to suffer alone.
Often people go through suffering times in marriage, finances, sin.
When offered help they push you away.
They don’t want help – they tell you to mind your own business.
Sadly, most times Sunday never comes for these people!
#2 Do not weep for me.
Self-pity blocks God’s aid.
Jesus had every reason to seek sympathy. He told His mother and the women not to weep for Him.
So many times, when we suffer, we want the lime-light to shine on our suffering.
Self-pity is really pride. Self-pity says…“I deserve recognition because I have sacrificed so much”.
They are really looking for applause – not for what they have achieved but for the amount of suffering they have had to endure.
Although Jesus suffered, He never sought hero status. Wow!
#3 Father, forgive them, they do not know what they do.
No animosity[vyandigheid] toward the thieves on the cross.
No hatred toward the soldiers doing their duty.
No meanness toward the crowd.
You cannot expect Sunday to come if you continue to disobediently hold onto bitterness (negativity, hate, hurt, bad feelings, unforgiveness).
You cannot claim to suffer with Christ if you do not forgive like Christ forgave on the cross.
Jesus made sure there was no reason for Him not to qualify for the resurrection.
He did not want to be disqualified simply because He held onto unforgiveness.
Can I just say this – you have been given a New Nature. It’s God’s love nature within you.
“You can forgive.”
You can ensure by an obedient life that you will experience the power of His resurrection flowing out of your life.
*****
