.........................................................................................................................................................
True
Believers And The Resurrection of Christ
Seven Ways the Resurrection of
Christ Affects True Believers
.
.
In spite of all the distractions, dissenting voices,
challenges, and circumstantial obstacles around us, our new life furnishes us
with more than enough ability to walk in life and godliness
Joseph Mattera
Often, many people view
the resurrection of Christ merely as a historical event that supplies us with
Christian doctrine without understanding the vast implications it has for
believers.
The following points will
attempt to make the implications of the resurrection of Christ much more real
and practical to us.
I. My
New Life Gives My Life New Perspectives
When I experience the
resurrection of Christ my personal values begin to change to reflect the heart
and character of God.
What I once valued as a
priority now becomes low priority so that eternal things can take the
ascendancy. Jesus said that the things honored by man are detestable in the sight
of God (Luke).
• Where
once possessions possessed me, now I own nothing and steward everything.
• Where
once I lived for today, now I live in eternity.
• Where
once I loved some people a lot, now I love all unconditionally with agape love.
• Where
once I wanted to live for my purposes, now I endeavor to die to self for His
purposes.
II. My
New Life in Christ Gives Me a New Perspective for the World
Jesus said in John 3:3 that
when we are born again we can see the Kingdom of God.
Seeing the Kingdom has to
do with noticing and understanding the personal design and rule of God in the
created order.
I do not see this world
in a humanistic sense anymore, as people just doing their own thing by their
own power, but as a place in which the ultimate power and government of this
world comes from the present reign and lordship of Christ over all!
This affects all that I
do and how I think about this world.
• Now
I view elected officials as civil magistrates called by God to represent His
law on earth, instead of those merely representing the highest paying special
interests and lobbyists.
• Now
I view the economy as a way to confirm His covenant, instead of a way to
finance lavish lifestyles or grant government entitlements.
• Now
I view education as the primary responsibility of parents, instead of those who
drink from the fount of John Dewey at Ivy League think tanks.
• Now
I view the sciences as an opportunity to plumb the depths of God’s wisdom,
instead of providing a naturalistic explanation to disprove His existence.
• Now
I believe that significance is found more in service than in power, money, and
titles.
III. My
New Life in Christ Gives Me Another Chance Every Day to Fulfill My Potential
Every day we have a
chance to make a difference and reach our potential because Christ bore our past
failures on His body on the cross.
He rose from the dead so
we could look to a great future as we share with Him in newness of life (Romans 6:4-6).
• Now
instead of believing in second chances, I believe in an irrevocable calling and
election from God (Romans
11:29).
• Now
instead of viewing failure as the end of my life, I view it as a necessary
experience to build upon with God’s help.
• Now
instead of viewing problems as obstacles, I view them as opportunities to
advance His kingdom.
• Now
instead of running from things that scare me, I realize they afford me the
ability to grow in faith and courage.
• Now
instead of focusing on what the devil is doing in people, I focus on how the
Lord turns Satan’s triumphs into God’s greatest victories (Genesis 50:20; Romans 8:28).
• Now
instead of focusing on what is wrong with my life and surroundings, I am
focusing on what is right with God.
IV. My
New Life in Christ Gives Me Supernatural Access to God’s Faith that Navigates
the World
When Jesus was in the
world He walked on water, fed thousands with a few loaves and fish, calmed a
storm, and commanded departed human spirits to come back into their earthly
bodies.
Those of us in Christ
have the ability to tap into the same kind of faith that can alter any situation
obstructing the assignment God has for us to fulfill Kingdom purpose.
Jesus even told us in
Mark 11:23 that by our faith even mountains can be moved.
First Timothy 2:1-3
speaks about how intercessory prayer for civic leaders can result in bringing
peace between nations.
My new life in Christ
enables me to walk as a king in this life under the King of all kings, Jesus
Christ.
• Truly,
if a mountain is too high, then speak to it (Mark 11:23).
• If
your road is too crooked, then believe that God will make it straight (Luke 3:5).
• If
your valley is too low, then know that God will elevate the humble and broken (1 Peter 5:6).
• If
your provision is not coming, then have a vision big enough for God to finance
it.
• If
there are too many problems, then God’s glory will manifest greater solutions.
• If
your faith is small, then do something worth believing for (James 2:17).
V. My
New Life in Christ Joins Me in Spirit to the Past, Present, and Future
Community of Faith
As soon as someone becomes a believer they are
instantly connected to the saints of old because we are part of the same family
and use the same Scriptures they use.
We also
are joined to the future church because they too will experience the same blood
and body of Christ, use the name of Jesus to pray, and have the same Father in
heaven we have.
What we
are building today regarding our business, writings, teachings, friendships,
family, prayers, and organizations will be those very things the saints of the
future will build upon to hand over to the next generation of Christians.
The
implications of this reality are vast:
• My
prayers are joined together with the billions of prayers the saints have
already prayed (John
17; Revelation 5:8).
• When
I stand up in the arena of faith, I am surrounded by a cloud of many witnesses (Hebrews 12:1).
• When
I read the Scriptures, I am reading the letters, laws, songs, and instructions
of God’s covenant people both before and after the fall of Adam.
• When
I drink of the Spirit, I am experiencing the same high-energy drink Peter drank
(Acts 2:17).
• When
I love my wife, I am mimicking Jesus who loves His church (Ephesians 5 22).
• While
I may be in a small congregation, I am also part of a large church.
• While
I may think I am in a large megachurch, I am really in a very small
congregation.
• Instead
of individual destiny, I now enjoy corporate purpose.
• Instead
of making private choices of faith, I know I am affecting other members of the
same Body of Christ. Thus, instead of being an individual sinner I am now a
significant saint!
VI. My
New Life in Christ Gives Me Access to God’s Spirit, Who Knows All Things
According
to 1 Corinthians 2:10-12, God gives His Spirit to those who have a new life in
Christ, so that we can make educated decisions based on God’s knowledge of the
future instead of our own.
This
ability to know the future is only given to those who exercise faith in God and
are sensitive to His Spirit.
• Truly,
hindsight may be 20/20 but foresight is based on Hebrews 11:3.
• Even
though I am not omniscient, I can be prescient and prudent (Proverbs 22:3).
• Because
God knows all things, it behooves me to know what He desires to reveal.
• Because
He knows the future, I do not have to be afraid of the present.
• Because
the past, present, and future are in Him, then my present and future can be
ordered by Him (Psalm
37:23).
VII. My
New Life in Christ Gives Believers Internal Strength to Overcome All Temptation
As
believers, we have the power of the risen Christ inside of us to prioritize His
Kingdom assignment and live moral and upright lives fully committed to the
fidelity of God’s will.
In
spite of all the distractions, dissenting voices, challenges, and
circumstantial obstacles around us, our new life furnishes us with more than
enough ability to walk in life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3-4).
Based
on this truth:
• The
power of the blood of Christ is greater than the fiery darts of the enemy (Ephesians 6:10-17).
• As
long as my priorities are His Kingdom priorities, then my priorities will be
His priorities to protect and secure (Matthew 6:9-13).
• When
God’s will becomes my will, then God will strengthen me for His Kingdom
assignment (Philippians 4:13).
• When
His voice becomes greater than my voice, then my voice will become greater than
all other contrary voices (Mark
1:3).
• When
I manifest His will instead of echoing my own sentiments, then He will manifest
His purpose for me in spite of other people’s sentiments for or against me.
• Greater
is He that is in me than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4).
Dr. Joseph Mattera is
an internationally-known author, consultant, and theologian whose mission is to
influence leaders who influence culture. He is the founding pastor of
Resurrection Church, and leads several organizations, including The U.S.
Coalition of Apostolic Leaders and Christ Covenant Coalition. Dr. Mattera is
the author of 12 bestselling books, including his latest “The Jesus
Principles,” and is renown for applying Scripture to contemporary culture. To
order his books or to join the many thousands who subscribe to his newsletter
go to www.josephmattera.org.
http://josephmattera.org/seven-ways-the-resurrection-of-christ-affects-true-believers/
The Greatest
Thing 
You might also like:
The GreatestThing
CLICK HERE . . . to view complete playlist . .
.
No comments:
Post a Comment