Creflo Dollar - Resurrection Benefits
If you have your Bibles, go with me to the book of 1 Corinthians chapter 15, beginning at verse 12 in the NLT. I'm gonna read verse 12 through 26. 1 Corinthians 15 in the NLT. Verse 12 says this.
"But tell me this, since we preach that Christ rose from the dead, why are some of you saying there will be no resurrection of the dead? For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless. And we apostles would all be lying about God, for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can't be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world. But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. So you see, just as death came in the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life. But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back. After that the end will come, when he will turn the Kingdom over to God the Father, having destroyed every ruler and authority and power. For Christ must reign until he humbles all his enemies beneath his feet. And the last enemy to be destroyed is death".
This morning for a few minutes I wanna talk to you from the subject entitled, "Resurrection Benefits". "Resurrection Benefits". In other words, we hear about the Resurrection, we celebrate Easter every year, and we need to know what benefit for me, for my family, for my life comes from resurrection. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is a significant event in our Christian faith. It is the foundation of our belief and the reason why we have hope in eternal life. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of our faith and it is something that we celebrate every year. The Resurrection of Christ is a powerful and life changing event and today we will explore the many benefits of this Resurrection.
I want to, if I have time, to share with you 11 benefits with scriptural reference so that you'll walk out of here, not just, you know, a usual normal Easter celebration, but you will know how his Resurrection has impact on your life. And that every day you can take hold of this impact that comes as a result of the Resurrection. We are celebrating the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is Resurrection Sunday. And like the scripture said, if Jesus was not raised from the dead, then what we're doing is useless. That if Jesus was not raised from the dead, then all of this is a lie and a waste of time. You might as well be outside playing golf somewhere, or at Waffle House, or something if Jesus was not raised from the dead. But the fact of the matter is, he was raised from the dead and he was the first one to be raised from the dead. And then all of us who die in Christ Jesus are gonna be in the many numbers. He's the first fruit of that.
And, honey, you and I have hope that if God raised Jesus from the dead, those who believe in Jesus will be raised from the dead as well. So, when you die, that is not the end, praise God, you will chill out a little bit and then God will release a trump or commandment, and those who are in Christ shall be raised from the dead, and we'll put on our new heavenly body, and none of that would be possible if Jesus was not raised from the dead. So, the first benefit, the Resurrection, number one, gives us hope. The Resurrection gives us hope. It is the hope of eternal life. And the Resurrection gives us hope of eternal life, which is the foundation of our faith. The Resurrection says to us that when we die believing in Jesus, when we die saved, when we die as Christians, Satan didn't win because the Resurrection gives us hope of eternal life.
Look at 1 Peter chapter 1 and verse 3 through 4. 1 Peter chapter 1 and verse 3 through 4 in the King James. And he says here, he says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead". See, we have a hope or an expectation. We leave this place with an expectation that we're gonna be raised from the dead because of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Verse 4, "It is to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, it's reserved in heaven for you". See, I got good news for you. You will... everybody's gonna die one day, but you wanna make sure you die as a Christian. You wanna make sure you die as somebody that got saved. You wanna make sure you die as somebody that believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. And when you die as somebody who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, then your great hope is, I am going to be raised from the dead and I am gonna have eternal life in heaven with the Lord Jesus Christ.
So, I tell you right now, those who are born again, when they die, understand the old song, "Don't Cry For Me," because it's not like what you think it is. It might be sad on your side, but on the other side, they are having a party. They're having that, "I used to". I don't know if they'll sing that there, so I'll stop right there. And then look at 1 Corinthians chapter 15, verse 20 and 22. You get that same great hope. That's a joy that's on the inside of you that says, "You know, now that I am born again, I have the assurance that I'm gonna be raised from the dead and have eternal life with Jesus Christ that came from the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior".
1 Corinthians chapter 15 and verse 20 through 22. He says, "But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruit of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of dead". So, death came by a man, but then Jesus showed up and said, "Not only death came by man," but he says, "the resurrection comes by a man". So, if that one man, Jesus, was raised from the dead and you believe in Jesus, honey, you're gonna be raised from the dead. The Bible says that. They said, just, "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, the trump of God will sound, and the dead in Christ shall rise first". I sure hope you don't live near cemetery because it's gonna be a sight to see, amen.
And he says in verse 22, he says, "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive". In Adam, man has gotta die. But in Christ, man who believes is going to live again. It's not over at death, praise God, for a Christian, amen. You just taking a little break, praise God, getting ready for a new house that's gonna last for eternity. Hallelujah. This house won't be able to help you throughout eternity. It fades away. You're gonna put on a new body, you're gonna put on your glory house. Hallelujah. Somebody say, "What's that glory house gonna look like"? Something similar to what Jesus had on when he was raised from the dead. The Bible says he walked through the door, the door being shut, and yet he sat down and ate some fish and honeycomb. You will have access to the spirit realm and, at the same time, access to the physical realm, glory be to God. Amen.
And so, you gotta understand that this hope is not just wishful thinking, but it is a confident expectation that we will spend eternity with God. And the church said, "Amen". Here's the second benefit. Romans chapter 4:25 in the NLT. The second benefit, the Resurrection gives us forgiveness. The Resurrection gives us forgiveness. In Romans chapter 4 and verse 25 he says, "He was handed over to die". Why? "Because of our sins". That's why he died. He was handed over to die because of our sins. "And he is raised to life to make us right with God". See, he was handed over to die because he died to save me from my sins, he took on all my sins upon his body, but the scripture says he was raised to life to make me right with God. I have an assurance that God has forgiven me. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ assures me that God has forgiven me from all of my sins.
So, don't walk around sin conscious. Don't get up in the morning talking about, "Lord, forgive me for the sins I hadn't committed yet". Jesus was raised from the dead. You can believe that all your sins have been forgiven. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ was the ultimate sacrifice that paid the penalty for our sins. And this means that through faith in Jesus Christ, we can be forgiven of our sins and we can have a right relationship with God because his Resurrection gives us forgiveness. Number three, the third benefit of his Resurrection. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ gives us power. Everybody say, "Power". Now, power is the ability to get results. Power is the ability to get the job done.
Look at Philippians chapter 3 and verse 10. His Resurrection gives us the ability to have power. Verse 10, he says this and he says, "I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead". Now, he says here, "I wanna experience the power that raised him from the dead". I'm telling you, it was the power of God that raised Jesus from the dead. And he is saying, because that power was responsible for raising him from the dead, you and I will experience the very same power that raised Jesus from the dead. He says, "I want to suffer with him, and share in his death, and so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead"! I don't know what you need to be raised from, but I do know that you have access to the power to raise you from whatever it is you're in.
See, Jesus had access to the power that raised him from the dead. You might need to be raised out of depression. You might need to be raised out of debt. You might need to be raised out of a bad relationship. You might need to be raised out of unemployment. You might need to be raised out of some sickness or disease that's on your body. But the assurance is, is that the Resurrection of Jesus Christ grants you access to power that raised Jesus from the dead. And that same power that raised Jesus from the dead can certainly raise you out of your mess. Look at Ephesians chapter 1 and verse 19 and 20. Ephesians chapter 1, verse 19 and 20 in the NLT. He says, "I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God's power for us who believe".
So, those who believe have access to the ability to get results. Get results in whatever area that you might be failing in, you have the ability to do that. He said, "This is the same mighty power that raised Jesus from the dead. The same mighty power," verse 20, "that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God's right hand in the heavenly realm". So, the power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to us how? Through the Holy Spirit. The day you got born again, the Holy Spirit moved on the inside of you. You have the power of God to raise you up out of things by the Holy Spirit that was given to you on the day you were born again. This power enables us to live a life that is pleasing to God. There's power to help you live a life that's pleasing to God and to overcome the challenges that we face in this world.
See, you depend on your ability and your intellect and your power, but he's granted you power, or ability, through the Holy Spirit to help you to overcome the different challenges that you have in this life. So, what we need to do is, in the midst of challenges, we need to just go to God and say, "Father, I trust you that the power that's in me is going to assist me in getting me out of this challenge right now". Quit looking to yourself every time you go through something and look to Jesus, praise God. Look at Philippians chapter 2, verse 13 in the NLT. There's power available and not many Christians use that power. You just think, well, that's the devil and the devil is busy. But there's power. We need to access that power.
I tell you, in Jesus's name, over the next three months, I believe some of you gonna access that power and you won't be able to brag about how you got out because you know and understand it was the power of God that got you out. Nobody but Jesus can go around and rearrange and change things in your life. And then later on you sit there and try to figure out, how did this happen? I'm telling you how. It's the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, providing power to us through the Holy Spirit to those who believe. Now, if you're always going around, well, I don't know if I can believe that. Well, I don't know if I can believe that. Then you won't access power, because there's one thing you need in this life. You're gonna need to believe that Jesus was raised from the dead and made power available to you.
In verse 13, Philippians 2, he says, "For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him". You don't have to depend on your discipline lifestyle to do what pleases him. The Holy Ghost will help discipline you so you can do what pleases him. In fact, everything you've been trying to do in your life, and you're sweating trying to do it, the power of God's available to you, but you've gotta access that power. Not by the five things you do, just by believing. "I believe I have the power of God. And I believe that this is gonna be all right, and that's gonna be all right. And I believe somehow the money gonna come in somewhere".
Have you noticed that maybe you didn't get a big, big miracle, but things just seem to always work out all right? That's what the power of God is. The power of God is, things always work out right. I don't know how, I don't know when, I don't know where it's gonna happen, but I trust God that it's gonna happen. Some of you came here this morning sitting in a situation that you don't know how you're gonna get out of and you're doing the best thing right now. You're sitting here receiving from Jesus instead of out there trying to do something for Jesus, praise God. Honey, if you can receive from the Lord, how many of you know his power is gonna be released to do some amazing things in your life? I prophesy over your life right now that burdens are gonna be removed and yokes are gonna be destroyed because of the power of God.
Not because you deserved it, not because you earned it, but you just believe God and you entered into a rest where you quit sweating trying to make something happen and you say, "Lord, I trust you. Lord, I believe in you. Lord, I don't know how to do this, but you do. Lord, I know how I got in this but I don't know how to get out, but you do. I don't know where the money gonna come from, but you do. Lord, I lost my job. I need another job. You know how to get it to me right now". Stop depending on yourself and start depending on the only one that can help you. His name is Jesus. Are you listening to me now? Number four, the fourth benefit. The Resurrection gives us victory, watch this, over death. The Resurrection gives us victory over death.
1 Corinthians 15, verse 54 through 57 in the King James. 1 Corinthians 15, verse 54 through 57. This is amazing, man. He says, "So when this corruption," look at this now, "when this corruption". Now, he's referring to this physical body. This body is gonna be corrupted. "When this corruption shall put on incorruption," now, you're gonna take off the physical body and you're gonna put on your glorified body. He says, "And this mortal," you're mortal because you don't live forever. You were created to live forever, but sin stopped that. He says, "And this mortal shall have put on immortality".
So, there's coming a time where you're gonna take off this mortal, having to die, and put on the immortality, never having to die. My God. "Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory". Verse 55, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death," look at this, "the sting of death is sin," it's a sting, "and the strength of sin is the law". So, it says the law strengthens sin. And you're still trying to live by the laws in the Old Testament because that's what you're used to living by. You come to church and you hear about the laws.
And so, what happens, as a pastor, if I sit up here and just preach the law of Moses to you, guess what happens? I am strengthening sin in your life. It's a guarantee you're gonna be sinning somewhere because I'm preaching what gives sin strength. I'm teaching it, baby, I'm teaching it. And we say we don't understand why we're talking about grace or, "I don't believe, I don't believe that", because all you heard was the law. And you come to church condemned, come to church full of shame, come to church full of guilt because that's what the law does. The law was given to strengthen sin. The reason why God gave the law is so he can strengthen sin so it could bring man to a place where he would finally realize, "No matter how hard I try, no matter how much I sweat, I need a Savior. I can't do this by myself. I might go ten days without cussing at all, but on the 11th day, I'm cussing everybody out. I need a Savior".