It’s been said that if the Devil can’t get you to sin, he’ll get you busy. The quickest path to an ineffective, unfruitful faith is busy, daily living. A distraction-filled life robs us of the strength we gain through an intimate walk with God. Further, it keeps us from tapping into a power source that is IN us: the power of Christ’s resurrection, which we are just days away from celebrating. Curiously, the Easter season is one of the busiest seasons around a church. The time when we are celebrating our pinnacle event is the time when we are most distracted. So, we dedicate this week’s post to doing everything possible to be reminded that the power of Christ’s resurrection is IN us!
Below you will find some ideas and a couple of tools you can use personally and in your ministry to encourage evasive action in being reminded of the power of Jesus’ resurrection.
But first, be reminded of this truth: The power that God used to raise Jesus from the dead is the same power that is unleashed in us, transforming everything it touches, bringing life out of death. In 1 Corinthians 15, a pinnacle chapter about the Resurrection, the apostle Paul lists nearly 15 items as an example of this transformation: from perishable to imperishable, from weakness to power, from dishonor to glory. In Romans 8:11 Paul tells us how and where this happens: in us, by way of the Holy Spirit.
But we forget it’s there. So, perhaps the best thing we can do for our souls, as we navigate overloaded schedules and life stressers, is to stay reminded of this power. At that point, here are a few ideas, or better yet, here are a few prompts to spark your own creativity in being reminded of the power that is in you.
- Foam Finger with a String
Use the image in this post as a phone/tablet/computer wallpaper. It’s a depiction of the classic string-around-finger-reminder. The spring daffodils in the background serve as a nod to new, resurrected life. You’ll see three versions, two of which include a couple other ideas from below.
- Set a Reminder/Notification
Use your date of birth as a time to set a notification alarm on your phone every day (e.g., the date of 9/13 becomes the time of 9:13 am/pm). And depending on the date (and time), you might be able to set two notifications for each day.
- Reflect on a Resurrection Reference
You’ll find some Resurrection Power verses at the end of this document to use with the following suggestions. Copy/paste these verses into a convenient e-doc or make your own Scripture cards for these suggested uses:
- When your notification pops up (see number 2 above), take a minute to reflect on a verse about the Resurrection.
- When you’re steeping your tea, or brewing your coffee, or waiting on your breakfast sandwich to cook in the microwave, use those 2-ish minutes to reflect on a Resurrection Power verse.
- When you’re waiting in traffic, listen to these verses with an audio Bible app (e.g., Gateway.com has an audio button for any passage you search for) or record the verses yourself into your voice memo app.
- tpoCriiy
Use the acronym of the phrase “The Power of Christ’s Resurrection Is In You” as a simple reminder. I know, the acronym doesn’t spell a word and looks like a random set of letters, but this adds to its allure! Soap this on your bathroom mirror, create a tag you can hang somewhere in your car, put this acronym on sticky notes throughout your house. Better yet, ask a friend or family member to place the sticky notes in surprise places throughout your house or apartment.
- Add to the dialogue at #tpoCriiy
Use the hashtag #tpoCriiy to encourage others, and be encouraged by others, with the truth that the power of Christ’s resurrection is in us!
- Feel Free to Create More!
These ideas are just a start. Let them spark your own creativity on how you can be reminded that the power of Christ’s resurrection is in you!
Click here for a PDF version of these reminders.
Resurrection Power Verses (ESV)
Romans 1:1-6
1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, 6 including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ…
Romans 6:3-7
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin.
Romans 8:11
11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
1 Corinthians 15:12-17
12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.
Ephesians 1:15-21
15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
Ephesians 2:4-7
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Colossians 2:9-14
9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.
1 Peter 1:3-5
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Happy Remembering!!
Barry Shafer
Click here for a PDF version of these reminders.