He is No Longer ON THE CROSS~

?JESUS IS RISEN, INDEED!

He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.

Luke 24:6-7

Just something to think about…

Today I am going to tread very lightly in order not to offend anybody, which is certainly not my intention.  But instead, just give you something to ponder.  JESUS IS ALIVE!  Death could not destroy Him, the grave could not hold Him and most importantly for today’s message, the Cross did not keep Him.  Instead, the suffering of the Cross was simply a means to an end.  And what a magnificent end it was.  It was an end to all suffering, sin and death marked by the Resurrection which reconciles us unto eternal life, rather than eternal damnation.

Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

Hebrews 2:14-15

I have a “pet peeve…”  Just like we all do.  You know those little things that bother us just a little, but we often just take notice and don’t say anything.  Well, today I am going to share one of mine.  I do not like pictures of Jesus ON the cross, in full display of His suffering.  I know that sounds silly and I also know it is important to recognize what He went through and all.  But, for some reason we seem to identify more to His suffering than His overcoming, at times.  In doing so, we begin to edify the death of Him, rather than celebrating with Him in eternal life of the Resurrection.

Jesus is no longer on the Cross.  The Cross is an example stating ALL evil was finished.

And although we too suffer in many ways just as He did, that is not the end of the story.  Do we recall the last words He said?  It is finished.  What was finished?  All power the enemy had over us to kill, steal and destroy was finished!  Jesus took the keys to hell and death.  Death has no sting to it anymore.  It is complete.  It is finished.  No man can alter what was done and no devil can reverse the completion of His rising again – out of the grave!

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Galatians 2

The truth is ~ The enemy desires to keep us on the Cross suffering, knowing he cannot keep Jesus there, as he has no power or authority over Him or us for that matter.  The Cross is a representation of our struggles and sufferings in this life.  But we are not to stay there, because of what Jesus already did, through Him we can overcome all things.  Even death.  Jesus is alive within us and therefore we are alive in Him.  As we TAKE UP OUR CROSS [suffering] daily, we are to be victorious by overcoming it.  The Word does not say to “hang on our cross daily,” but says to TAKE IT UP daily.  As I was considering all this, the Lord reminded me of the Scripture in which He told the paralyzed man to “Take up his pallet and walk.”  TAKE UP… Be victorious over it, to overcome, be complete and healed and then he could walk.  The same is true for us in our own lives, as we walk by Faith and not by sight.

My prayer is for us today to be reminiscent of all that Jesus suffered, while keeping our eyes fixated on what He did in the finishing product of us.   He is doing a mighty and complete work in each one of us for the Glory of His Name.  His Name is a strong tower and that everlasting life lives within each one of us as His children.

It is finished.  It is time for us to walk now in Him, as we overcome all suffering and death each day.

This is not about what we can and cannot do.  This is about what He has already done.

Thank You Lord, for granting us the opportunity to have life more abundantly.

And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.  Neither was there any among them that lacked…

Acts 4:33-34

May the Lord Bless You in His Saving Grace,

Love in Him,

?Angela ~ Marked By Heaven