LIVING WORD DEVOTIONAL
By Pastor Mensa Otabil
Sunday 20th April 2025
OUR RISEN KING
Scripture Reading: Luke 24:1-12
Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here but has risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, Luke 24:5-6
On the first day of the week, the women from Galilea set off for the newly carved tomb where Joseph of Arimathea had laid the body of Jesus. They were carrying spices and fragrant oils for the body of their former master. No doubt they were saddened and upset by the events of the previous Friday.
They got to the tomb and found to their shock, that the stone covering the tomb’s entrance had been rolled away. The Roman authorities had placed a seal on the stone to prevent tampering. Additionally, a guard of soldiers was stationed at the tomb to ward off any intruders. The authorities took these measures to ensure that Jesus remained dead and buried. As they did then, people still go to all lengths to try and stop what the Lord has promised to do. How mistaken they are.
As the women from Galilee made their way to Jesus’ burial ground, they had no clue of the resurrection events that had taken place in the earlier dawn. When they arrived at the tomb, they were surprised to see the stone covering the tomb rolled to one side. The Roman seal set to prevent tampering was broken; the soldiers placed on guard were nowhere to be found. The door of the tomb stood open. They didn’t know what to make of it.
The women mustered courage and entered the tomb, where they had their biggest shock. The body of Jesus was gone!
As the women tried to make sense of what they were seeing, two angels announced the good news to them. The impossible had happened. The resurrection that Jesus Himself had so often predicted had taken place. And the angels declared, “He is not here; He is risen!” The miracle was true! Christ had risen indeed.
Christ rose triumphantly over death. As Christians, we died with the Lord when He died and rose with Him when He rose from the dead. Through Christ, we are triumphant.
– We are triumphant over Satan and his demons.
– We are triumphant over sicknesses and diseases.
– We are triumphant over every virus that seeks to keep us under.
– We are triumphant over the spirit of fear and panic.
– We are triumphant over every force that seeks to bring us down.
– We are triumphant over every evil agenda set against us.
– We are triumphant over poverty and limited resources.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, today I arise with Christ. I am a brand-new person in Christ. I walk in victory over every situation. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
