Jesus is alive! Hallelujah!
What does His resurrection mean for us, as we remain on earth with its suffering? The effects of sin, evil, our enemy Satan, and resulting death can feel so strong when we’re suffering. For me, daily trials mean I’m often bombarded with the enemy’s darts, “what if” thoughts that are anything but hopeful. You too?
Victory in Jesus!
Let’s sing of our hope in Christ together. Let’s battle the enemy’s anxiety-riddled “what if” lies with Christ’s victory this Easter week. The Easter hymn calls us into a praise interruption!
“Christ the Lord is risen today,” Alleluia!
sons of men and angels say; Alleluia!
raise your joys and triumphs high; Alleluia!
Sing ye heavens, and earth, reply. Alleluia!
(“Christ the Lord is Risen Today,” Wesley, C., 1739)
Jesus Has Overcome the World in Power
Jesus, we praise You that, by Your resurrection, we know You are God and You have triumphantly and powerfully overcome the world!
“(Jesus) was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead” (Rom. 1:3 ESV).
Jesus Has Overcome Death for Us
Vain the stone, the watch, the seal; Alleluia!
Christ has burst the gates of hell: Alleluia!
death in vain forbids his rise; Alleluia!
Christ has opened paradise. Alleluia!
Because “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23), we had no way to heaven. What a scary thought to wonder if we might go to hell, especially when we’re suffering and see death everywhere. But God accepted us, saying:
“if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom. 10:9 ESV).
Is Jesus Lord? Do you believe that He is supreme in authority, sovereignly powerful over all, resurrected, alive, and our reigning King? Believer, we are saved, no matter what we suffer today. We know the end of His grand kingdom story. Because He is alive, as one of my pastors once put it, “Jesus wins!”
Lives again our glorious King; Alleluia!
where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once he died, our souls to save; Alleluia!
where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia!
Dear one, singing Christ’s hope into your suffering is singing of His victory over death, by His death and resurrection. He has overcome all of it because He defeated death itself! So, we who are in Christ have complete hope!
Jesus Has Overcome the Power of Sin in Our Lives
Singing Christ’s hope also means singing of His power working in us, as we walk in His grace today. He promises us that “sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace” (Rom 6: 14). When we fail and sin, we turn back, repent, and walk forward in His grace. Because we are in Christ, who is victorious and all-powerful over all, including death and sin, we have “been set free from sin” and the “fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life” (Rom. 6:22). We are no longer “enslaved to sin,” but “slaves of righteousness” (Rom. 6:18).
In our newness of life as His beloved, we’re in the powerful and victorious hand of the One who lived, died and rose again, for you and me. He tells us He’s growing us in our trials, through His indwelling Spirit (Rom. 5:3). The power that raised Jesus from the dead is the power to grow us, through our suffering (Phil. 3:10), into His alive and reigning presence as King of kings.
The one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus, and will bring us with you into his presence (2 Cor. 4:14).
Jesus Overcomes My “What If” Thoughts
So what if today is hard? What if tomorrow feels impossible? What if what happens leads to more misery? What if I become sicker and die?
Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia!
following our exalted Head; Alleluia!
made like him, like him we rise: Alleluia!
ours the cross, the grave, the skies. Alleluia!
These “what if” thoughts might or might not come true tomorrow…but we know Jesus is holding us by His exalted and powerful hand, today, tomorrow, forever. We know where He is leading us, even in and through the suffering that will one day bring us into His presence, living in His restored kingdom forever.
“What if” can then become “What next, Lord Jesus?”
Jesus is risen! What next, Lord Jesus?
Our hope rests fully in our resurrected, alive Savior, triumphant over the grave and victorious over all of our tomorrows. This is our “what next” victory over “what if” as we suffer today. Hallelujah, He is risen!
Hail, the Lord of earth and heaven! Alleluia!
Praise to thee by both be given; Alleluia!
thee we greet triumphant now; Alleluia!
hail, the Resurrection, thou! Alleluia!
Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (I Cor. 15:57).
Easter playlist of praise and hope
This week’s Easter playlist sings to our risen and victorious Lord, Jesus Christ. It’s filled with our hope in Christ! We praise, extol, and glory in our Redeemer and King. It’s a playlist of various genres, old Easter hymns, and new Easter songs. It has lyrics so you can sing along. Fellow sufferer, I know it’s hard. But I also know that His resurrection victory is the substance of our hope, giving us lyrics of praise, especially when we are suffering. They help us battle those “what if” thoughts and lies. Will you join me in singing Christ’s hope INTO your suffering this week? If it would bless you to receive my professionally curated playlists and weekly devotionals, just sign up here and they will come to your email.
2 Comments
Patti Beck Burkett · April 9, 2021 at 10:49 am
What a powerful and encouraging post! Sharing with others.
Lauri Hogle · April 9, 2021 at 3:12 pm
Glory to God for bringing encouragement to each of us as we suffer, with hope in Christ! God bless you, dear sister!
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