Victory

He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it. Isaiah 25:8 KJV

This is not inspired speech; this is direct reporting from the mouth of God. His actions and promises underscore the fact that whatever he says can be trusted. Death, the natural consequence of sin, has so much power that it can destroy the strong, the mighty and the weak. It doesn't matter what the world calls you, as long as you do not live in Christ, then the end of such a life is death. You only get victory from death when you believe in and accept the free gift that has been given in Christ Jesus.

We may cry now, but the promise is that he will wipe away all tears. There may be pain now, but the promise is that all reproach and shame will be taken away. It may look like mission impossible, but if I can believe God at all that any of his promises will come to pass, I can also rest assured that ALL he says will come to pass.

This Easter season, God wants us to live in the victory that his life has sealed. His life guarantees our own life; his death and resurrection has opened the door for our own eternal life. Picture a warrior who is dressed for battle, who fights death, sin and the devil on your behalf. You couldn't do this by yourself; Jesus already sealed the deal for you. Before you were born, victory had been obtained. Have you identified with this? Does Christ know you as his own? His time of favour is here.