The celebration of the Easter season in the Christian Church ends with euphoric worship on Resurrection Sunday, eclipsing the pain usually associated with Good Friday. I woke on that day of victory, singing and reflecting on the lyrics of the song from Elevation Worship, Resurrecting. The bridge echoes these lines:
By Your spirit I will rise
From the ashes of defeat
The resurrected king is resurrecting me
In Your name I come alive
To declare your victory
The resurrected king is resurrecting me
It created in my mind a powerful reminder and personal challenge that resurrection power is not only divine but personal, because of the concept of resurgence that it suggests. As I meditated on the phrase ... By your Spirit I will rise from the ashes of defeat, I began to think about the defeats in my life. There were those moments that were shrouded in frustration, the pain of things going awry, poor decision making resulting in inner pain, and just those chaotic experiences that left me feeling entombed in defeat. There were also those moments that I felt defeat because of what was thrown at me, that left me feeling hurt.
But, through the power of His Spirit, I have experienced time and again, the victory of rising from the ashes of defeat. The story of the phoenix in classical mythology, illustrates this concept, as it is reported to have burnt itself to ashes every five hundred years, then rising from the ashes renewed and empowered to go through another life cycle. The proverbial 'rise like a phoenix from the ashes' holds true for me. It is by no means a 500 year cycle but an emergence that strengthens me to face life again, ready for the next battle. We can all identify with the feeling of release that comes from rising out of tough experiences.
The writer of the epistle to the Corinthian church knows this feeling. This is the power of the work of the Spirit that we can embrace as Christian believers. We are able to lift our heads and testify of fresh anointing and strength. The Message Bible translation encapsulates this beautifully:
2 Corinthians 4:7 -12 The Message (MSG)
If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious
Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That’s to prevent
Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That’s to prevent
anyone from confusing God’s incomparable power with us. As it is, there’s not much
chance of that. You know for yourselves that we’re not much to look at. We’ve been
surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what
to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but
God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t broken. What they
did to Jesus, they do to us—trial and torture, mockery and murder; what Jesus did
among them, he does in us—he lives! Our lives are at constant risk for Jesus’ sake,
which makes Jesus’ life all the more evident in us. While we’re going through the
worst, you’re getting in on the best!
I am sure you want to say Hallelujah! From my heart to yours, I want to remind you that resurrection power, resurgence, rising from the ashes of defeat is always ours. The times of defeat will come time and time again, but the war is always there to be won, despite losing some battle. I say, RISE FROM THE ASHES OF DEFEAT! Live in resurrection power!
Dee's💜 Heart
