The skies broke forth with a light rain that July 25, 1994; nothing that came close to the torrential rain of tears in my own heart. As I stood there beside that open grave and they lowered the casket into the ground, I felt as though my own life was draining from my body—I could barely stand. Yet, I saw the eyes of my sons filled with tears and I knew I must rise up to go forward with every ounce of strength and hope within me. I thought back to 16 years earlier when I had first met Pedro Barba (Arroyo), Jr. He had stolen my heart in an instant with his smile and held it captive with his brilliance; yet, there had always been such a sadness about his eyes and there were time when that sadness held his heart captive. Throughout the years there were many trials and many obstacles; yet, this was certain—he held my heart captive and my life circled around that love. Now, he was gone and all I could do was ask God for the strength and the might to go on. Yet, there was this—Pete had accepted Christ as his Savior on January 15, 1994—six months before he died. In the midst of that dark, dark hour; there shone into my heart the light of this truth. “Pete was no longer sad. For him, this earthly pilgrimage journey had led him home to life eternal.” What I was still yet to learn was that life—now, here should no longer be sad because of the life we have in Christ.
In Christ, we have victory over death because He rose from the grave and conquered death once and forever for each believer. Yet, this truth is not just victory over death someday—it is the truth that we are now freed from the death that we were born with as a result of our spirits being separated from God because of sin’s curse. Christ died that we might have life and live life abundantly filled with all the spiritual blessings and endowed with the Holy Spirits power to live our lives filled with joy, hope, love and strength.
Let us look again at these verses in Ephesians 1:
EPHESIANS 1: 17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
Feast upon those words. The truth is that when Christ rose from the grave, having paid the price for my sin, he won the victory over sin’s penalty of death and he was then seated at the right hand of the Father in the heavenly places, far above all principality, power, and might and dominion with all things being put under his feet.” In him I have all the riches of Glory of His inheritance—not that I will have one day—I have now. If I fully understand what that means and what are those riches, why would I ever walk around defeated? Oh, that the eyes of my heart might be enlightened to a knowledge of Him and to an understanding of what are the riches of my inheritance and the exceeding greatness of his power toward me.
Gaining an understanding of those truths will transform my life to one that is fully alive. Knowing who I am in Christ frees me from the chains that bind me. Only then can I become truly a Power-filled Positive Thinker—empowered by the truths of who I am in Christ.
So, my dear friends; do not let your hearts be held in the death grips of depression, sorrow, shame, guilt, and sin any longer; awake to the truth. Christ died to give you life—here, now. If you are saved, awaken to the joy that is yours. If you don’t know him, ask him into your heart today. Now is the time of salvation.
Listen to this song and arise to new life as found in Christ. Christ is Risen Matt Maher
©2014 Effie Darlene Barba
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