Scripture References: Isaiah 53.10-12

How We Know He Lives

First, we know His presence by His healing grace and His saving power. The only healing is divine healing. A surgeon may sharpen his scalpel and cut, but only God can heal. Jesus is the Great Physician. In how many sick rooms, darkened in despair, have we seen health, life, and length of days given in the gracious and healing hands of our living Lord!

Second, He is alive because He bows down His ear to hear His children when they pray. Without number are the times when we laid before our blessed Lord those decisions, problems, and hurts for which we are not capable of conquering in our lives. We told Him all about it. He, who was tried in all points such as we, has bowed down His ear in sympathy and understanding to hear His children when they pray. He is alive. I know Him in answered prayer. I don’t just believe, but rather, I truly know!

Third, the ability of His power to regenerate, to save, to deliver, to forgive, and to make new men and women can easily be seen. I see His power in the glorious conversions that are daily brought before God, trophies of grace under His saving hand. They are a Simon Peter, a Paul the persecuting blasphemer of the early Christians, an Ignatius who was fed to the lions in the Roman colosseum, a Billy Sunday, and a George W. Truett. Christ moves in saving power today to save you and me as He did yesterday; He is able just the same. His power, authority and will never changes, just as He Himself is unchanging.

Fourth, He lives as He walks in grace and blessing among His churches. In Revelation we again read:

Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. – Revelation 1:12-13.

Christ walks among His people, visiting in His churches. There have been times without number when seated in the congregation, I have bowed my head with tears overflowing in the sense of the presence of the power of Christ in this holy place. Our Lord can be found in the midst of His churches.

Fifth, He lives in the victory that He has brought to us over death. “Don’t be afraid! . . . I hold the keys of death and the grave” (Revelation 1:17-18 NLT). Lest one might think that those keys lie in some other hand, He avows that He possesses the key to our lives and to our deaths. I shall not die until He wills my death. Flame or sword, famine or plague can’t touch me until He appoints the time. Neither do I cringe before the specter of that pale visitor, death, for our Lord went to the cross and there He destroyed our enemy death and forever brings victory and triumph out of the tomb. There is no sting in death nor victory in the grave, for Christ has made death for us our entrance, our gateway into heaven. When I die it will be due to His perfect will and in His all-powerful choice. Death to the Christian holds no terror, for death is but a homegoing to be with Jesus.

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me.” – Psalm 23:4. The hour of our death is to be the greatest day for a Christian. It is our moment of triumph, when earth recedes and heaven draws near, first the cross and then the crown.

Oh precious cross, Oh glorious crown, Oh resurrection day,
You angels from the stars come down, and bear my soul away.

This is the victory Christ has brought us in His precious, nail-pierced hands.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, NKJV © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.