Easter is a very joyous time for Christians. Easter is a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. For Christians, Easter is also symbolic of new beginnings in our own lives. The following Bible verses speak of both Jesus’ resurrection, and also of the power of God to breathe new life into the dying or dead areas of His followers’ lives.
Ezekiel 37:4-5 (NLT)-“Then he said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to these bones and say, ‘Dry bones, listen to the word of the LORD! This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again!”
God urged Ezekiel to speak a prophetic message to the bones that would bring life to them once again. Of course, Ezekiel doubted his own ability to raise the dead. God reassured Ezekiel that he wasn’t operating under his own power, but by the power of God, Himself. Operating under God’s power, Ezekiel commanded breath to fill the bodies. The bodies stood up and appeared before him as a great army.
This is a wonderful bible verse for Easter. No matter what appears to be dead in our life (finances, marriage, relationship, health, business, etc.), it can be brought back to life again. During times when it seems financial ends aren’t going to meet, I meditate on this verse and begin to speak life into that area. I may not always receive the exact blessing I am asking for, but usually because God has a better plan.
Romans 8:11 (NLT)-“The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.”
One day, while reading my daily devotional, this verse seemed to jump right off of the page! The same powerful Holy Spirit that was able to bring a dead Jesus back to life now lives in me! I started imagining all the areas of my life that seemed dead or dying, and then imagined the Holy Spirit sweeping over them and instantly brining them back to life. The most amazing revelation was that, not only could He restore those areas, He could make them prosper and be more abundant.
Ephesians 1:20-21 (NLT)- “[God’s Power is the same mighty power] that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else-not only in this world but also in the world to come.”
When Jesus was resurrected, His power and authority was also exalted above and over any thing, person, and being on earth. As lovers and followers of Christ, we have the privilege of using the name of Jesus to remove evil and negative spirits that may be trying to hinder our walk with Him. I’ve used the name of Jesus to expel the spirits of addiction, poverty, selfishness, envy, jealousy, conflict, and just about any other negative spirit you can think of.
Romans 4:24-25 (NLT)- “for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God.”
For me, this is one of the best Easter bible verses. Jesus’ death and resurrection was for one purpose: To unite God with His people. God always wanted a family; that’s why He created us. Sin kept us separated from Him, and no amount of animal sacrifices or good deeds could ever atone for our wrong-doings. God sent Jesus, who would serve at the perfect and “spotless” sacrifice that would atone for the sins of God’s people forever. It is by the blood of Jesus that we are able to expect His forgiveness and a lifetime of fellowship with God in Heaven, in spite of our many transgressions.
1 Peter 1:3-4 (NLT)- “It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance-an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.”
Nothing will last forever in this physical world. Everything is subject to the cycle of life and death. No matter how hard we work, we can lose everything in an instant. It’s comforting to know that there is an eternal inheritance available that isn’t subject to the law of life and death. This inheritance cannot be confiscated by the IRS, or taken away by the mortgage company. Not only is this inheritance priceless, it is ours to keep forever. What is this inheritance? Heaven!
As Easter approaches, stay in remembrance of the true meaning of Easter: Jesus’ resurrection. Meditate on these Easter bible verses and ask God for a deeper understanding of His love for you.