“And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins.” 
1 Corinthians 15:17 (NLT) 

 “The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.” 
Romans 8:11 (NLT) 

 “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” 
John 17:3 

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On Easter weekend of my freshman year in college, a guy from my brother’s floor in his dorm was shot and killed. Looking back, the timing seems eerily coincidental. I didn’t know it, but God was working to bring life out of death almost 2000 years after He did that with Jesus. 

I didn’t understand how God could allow this horror to happen. I was angry at how invasive the media seemed to be. Life at 19 felt like a beginning, not an ending. If Ward’s parents felt those same things, they didn’t show it. Instead, they displayed a hope and graciousness that astounded me. They talked about their son’s faith in Jesus and the life they were certain he was living in Heaven with God. They also shared how that faith caused Ward to live differently before he died. 

In the several months following, I fell into an existential search for life’s meaning. I wanted to know if my life mattered or if it was just subject to fate. I remember coming across a booklet entitled “Have You Made the Wonderful Discovery of the Spirit-Filled Life?” And that was where I read Romans 8:11, “The Spirit of God who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you.” 

For the first time, it hit me that Jesus is as alive today as He was when He first rose from the dead. More than that, His Holy Spirit has mysteriously united with my spirit, and we can live my life together. That is the most amazing result of the Resurrection. My friend’s death that day was horrible, but Jesus Christ used it to lead me into a new life in Him. That is the life-changing hope that He wants to give to every single one of us.  

Next Steps: 

Spend some time thanking God that the same power that raised Christ Jesus from the dead lives in you. Name the struggles where you want to see His victorious power in your life. Invite Him to teach you how to live more fully empowered by His Holy Spirit.  

Consider if you live as though Jesus is alive in and with you today. What practice or reminder might you implement to increase your connection with Him daily?