It takes strong faith to believe that Jesus rose from the dead. It also takes faith to believe we rose to new life as well (when we got saved), but it is the truth. And if you accept this truth, it will set you free.
When Jesus said, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth” (Matt. 28:18), those weren’t empty words. They were illustrating His Father’s power. It is the same power that hung the sins of the world on His body at the cross. And it is the very same power that resurrected His body from the dead.
Victory over addiction, depression and every other diabolical thing sin brought into this earth was given to you the day Jesus rose from the dead! We got the victory when Jesus paid the price! That is the stone-rolling power of the resurrection. And that is more than enough to roll your stone away.
What About Weak Faith?
I can tell you from experience that when God rolls away the stone in your life, you get happy. That’s why I’m a very happy man today. “That’s easy for you to say, Brother Jesse,” someone said, “but I’m just not there yet. My faith is weak.”
If your faith is weak, I challenge you to take a look at your love. Why? Because the Bible says that faith “worketh” by love (Gal. 5:6). So, in other words, you’ve got to work it! Work that love! Put some effort into it. You’ll find that it helps your faith.
What do you use to work it? The Word of God! If you want to live by strong faith, you’ll have to first get into the habit of reading the Bible. You read what those God-inspired passages have to say. Then, you start chewing on it. You digest it a little. Let it get down into you so that you get some understanding concerning it.
It’s when you “get it” that you can apply it and use that measure of faith God gave you (Rom. 12:3) to help roll the stones of life’s challenges away from you.
Don’t Make the Stone a Yo-Yo
Only Jesus has the stone-rolling power. Not Buddha; he’s still in the grave. Not Mohammed. They don’t even know where he is. Mohammed said, “I’ve sinned.” But Jesus was without sin! He lived pure His whole life. Nobody had done that before. And nobody’s done it since.
I figured out pretty fast that I want to serve the One who never sinned and still lives. Jesus didn’t decay in a grave somewhere. He came forth from the grave with power! That stone couldn’t hold him, and no stone can hold you or me either!
That’s the difference between Christianity and other religions. Christianity is based on the birth, death, and resurrection of the Son of God. It’s not a religion based on moral living; it’s about freedom and power! It’s about the freedom and power that has been transferred to the people who believe.
The important thing is that you don’t turn a stone into a yo-yo. Don’t roll it back and forth over the exit to the tomb! If the Word of God has set you free from sickness, disease and poverty, but you continue to let it into your life, you’ve made that stone into a yo-yo.
It’s you who is in control now that Jesus has done the work. He said it is finished. And it is. Now, it’s time for you to cut the yo-yo string and step out of the grave.
The Power of a Clean Conscience
Does that mean you’ll never face problems again? No, the devil will always try his hand against you. But that’s all he can do. He hinders, but he can’t stop. Things happen, but you don’t give up and say, “Gloom, despair and agony on me. Deep, dark depression, excessive misery – I quit!”
Christ rose so that you might rise all the way out of your circumstances! If you don’t think Jesus is powerful enough to handle your situation, why was there a whole band of soldiers guarding him when He was dead? That ought to tell you something.
Break Out of the Rut! Step Out of the Tomb!
We’ve still got Christians living in the grave today – graves I call ruts! Ruts of sickness, disease, poverty, and misery – they just can’t seem to get out of the grave for anything. But why, when Jesus has done the job of rolling away the stone? It’s our job to say, “NO! I will not accept a life lived in this grave! I will walk out of this tomb and into the freedom that Jesus bought for me!”
It’s our choice. We’re free-will beings. Just because Jesus died and rose again for us doesn’t mean He’ll force the benefits of His sacrifice on us. We’ve got to do our part and fight the good fight of faith.
Sometimes you have to get strong with this thing; because the devil is going to try and roll that stone back over the front of the tomb and keep you locked up for the rest of your days. Why? Because He doesn’t want to accept that Jesus died and rose again! He doesn’t want to accept that he has been beaten – on his own turf – by God living His life as a flesh and blood man!
That means that Jesus Christ beat the devil as a man. You see, the devil knew that God could beat him as God – but that a flesh and blood man did the job? Oh, that one was a big blow to his ego! And you know how prideful the devil is. So, when you and I walk in our blood-bought freedom and refuse to back down and accept less than what Jesus died to give us, it completely irritates the devil!
The Power of the Resurrection Makes Life Worth Living
There is a reason why you don’t just die and go to heaven when you get saved. And the reason is because life is precious to God and He didn’t send Jesus for nothing.
There is a principle at work here. God won’t give in to the devil. He won’t retreat. And neither should you. Until Jesus comes back and kicks the devil into the lake of fire, you and I have a job to do. We are to be like lights in a dark place, enforcing Satan’s defeat and living in the power of the resurrected Christ. That’s part of the package of redemption.
You see, the light of the resurrection makes life worth living. Not enduring – but living! Life is something to enjoy. And joy can be found in all seasons of life. You can enjoy your salvation, even in the midst of trouble, because of your faith. Your faith in God can sustain you during the hard times.
Recognize the power of what Jesus did! He rose so that you might rise too! Speak that out in times of trouble. Don’t let the thief steal your joy. The stone in your life has already been rolled away!
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Jesse Duplantis, minister of the Gospel, motivational speaker, television personality, and best-selling author, has been in full-time ministry since 1976 and is the founder of Jesse Duplantis Ministries, located in the Greater New Orleans area of south Louisiana in the United States of America. With over four decades of sharing his unique blend of humor and faith around the world, generations of believers have been inspired by his messages and countless numbers have come to know Jesus Christ as Savior through his ministry.
Known for his unflinching, status-quo-breaking messages and humorous take on experiences in the life of the believer, Jesse continues to draw large audiences of believers through social media, television, and meetings held around the world. With speaking engagements booked years in advance, Jesse Duplantis continues to keep an intense traveling schedule, flying throughout the United States and the world preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. With no booking agents pursuing meetings for him and no set fees imposed upon churches for speaking engagements, Jesse chooses his outreach meetings based on the same two criteria he always has: invitations that come in and prayer over each one. This uncommon way of scheduling in today’s world means Jesse’s many followers may find him speaking in some of the largest churches and venues in America and the world, as well as a great many small and growing congregations, too. No church is too big or small for the Holy Spirit, as he says.
Side by side with his wife Cathy Duplantis, the co-founder and chief of staff of Jesse Duplantis Ministries and the senior pastor of Covenant Church in Destrehan, Louisiana, Jesse continues to fulfill his life’s calling by daily taking up the Great Commission of Jesus Christ: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). Through social media, television broadcasts, books, and other ministry products, as well as through many evangelistic meetings, the JDM website, the JDM app, and Voice of the Covenant magazine, Jesse Duplantis continues to see growth in his ministry and expand each year while maintaining his roots. Jesus is the center of his life. The salvation of lost people and the growth of believers is the purpose of his ministry. And for both he and his wife, every day is another day to “Reach People and Change Lives, One Soul at a Time.”