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By Funmi Komolafe

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! He is risen. That is our song on a day like this, that we mark the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who was dead came back to life and lives forever. It’s Easter Sunday.

This is the essence of Christianity. This is the reason we confidently say that our Lord lives. Jesus lives. He has triumphed over death so we are too can triumph over all challenges.

This season, whatever has been a burden to you will become your testimony in the name of Jesus.

Brethren, the resurrection of Jesus didn’t come on a platter of gold. As a Christian, you must be familiar with the betrayal , trial and crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was a painful period for our Lord but he bore the pains that you and I may not be enslaved to challenges.

Let’s consider the word of the Lord as recorded in Matthew 27 vs. 22 &23 “ Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, let him be crucified. And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified”.

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Reflect on Pilate’s question, “ why, what evil hath he done?”.

Brethren, what you are going through may follow the same pattern. You have done no evil but you are being punished.

Let me bring it nearer home. A young man presents a lady to his parents for marriage . The mother takes a look at the young girl and just does not like her. She vows that her son will never marry this one. Note that they met for the first time and the girl has done nothing wrong but the potential mother-in-law will create faults that she presents to her son. So, the marriage plans are aborted.

Or is it the case of the couple that are married and yet to have biological children. The man’s relations begin to put pressure calling the woman a man. They even conclude that she must have misused her youthful days. The excuses go on and on and the aim is to get the lady out of the marriage and have their son have another wife. They never for once think that their son could have issues physical or spiritual.

Perhaps, you are a product of a polygamous home. Your mum is the first wife but the other wives gang up to ensure that as the first son, you never make it in life. Meanwhile, this first son, has done nothing wrong. The aim of the conspirators is to create a point for sorrow for the mother who is the “legal wife”.

Even the office is not isolated from these issues. Some managers just gang up to ensure that the hardworking, dedicated worker is never promoted. They cook up excuses and give him negative ratings in his annual appraisal form.

Brethren, issues like this cause pain . Such pain may remain perpetual for a non- believer. Anyone with such challenges has had something killed in his or her life.

I mean, the womb that has not produced children is considered dead. Death in this sense is not limited to barrenness. The one who is overdue for marriage but remains single, something has died in that person’s life.

For someone who carries about a certificate or knowledge that has not earned him a living, the certificate or knowledge is dead.

Have you set up a business that is supposed to be booming but you are not making enough to sustain yourself let alone make profit, that business is dead.

Since Jesus resurrected, brethren, fear not, everything that has been dead in your life will resurrect because He lives. However, resurrection is not automatic, you may have to deny yourself some pleasures of life.

Matthew 27 vs. 28-31( KJV) captures the sufferings of our Lord Jesus : “ And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand.: and they bowed the knee before him , and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!

And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. And after that they had mocked him, and they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him”.

In the name of Jesus , every crown of thorns that the enemy has placed in your life shall be removed by the power of resurrection this season .

Brethren, Jesus was mocked. People have been mocking you because of your condition but because He lives, very soon, your mockers will have no option but to rejoice with you in the name of Jesus.

Do you know that those who crucified him, were also part of those that shouted Halleluiah when he rose? This should give you confidence that you too can overcome those challenges of life.

Jesus sacrificed his comfort. Are you ready to sacrifice yours? In this period of lock down, how much time have you spent reading the Holy Bible? What have your learnt? Has your prayer life changed for the better? If you have been using the lock down to watch videos, eat and sleep, then you are the one prolonging your challenges.

This is the time to pray often. It is the time to lift up the name of the Lord with praise worship. It is the time to fast, if your health condition permits. At this time, you need to open your heart to the Lord so that he can visit you.

Do you have a child that has gone astray? This is the time to sit the child down and feed his life with the word of God.

Brethren Jesus rose from the dead never to die again. Luke 24 vs. 2-6 is our authority. “ And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulcher. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus . And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? . He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee”.

Just the way, there were perplexed when they didn’t find his body rotting in the grave, in the same way, your enemies will be perplexed when they hear that your wife that has been called a man gives birth to a set of twins.

Brethren, as we pray, we must invoke the Blood of Jesus that was shed on the cross of Calvary for us. Jesus did not shed his Blood in vain.

Luke 4 vs. 18 summarizes the essence of the life of Jesus. It states: “ The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised”.

Whatever ever you are going through falls into the category that Jesus listed. Therefore, there is hope for you.

Just continue to hold on to your faith and cry unto the Lord.

Claim your right in the power of resurrection and you too will shout Halleluiah!

As he lives, Halleluiah is your song. This season many will join you praise the name of the Lord.

Happy Easter!

Vanguard News Nigeria.