The Victory of Resurrection

As we approach the season of Easter, we turn our hearts and minds to the ultimate triumph in all of human history—the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This Teaching Legacy Letter is adapted from the booklet by Derek Prince: Hope Beyond Grief.

Christ’s resurrection assures us of our victory over all our enemies—particularly over death. Any religion that does not have a satisfactory answer to death cannot meet humanity’s deepest needs. Personally, I believe Christianity is the only religion which has this answer. And it comes by way of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The Resurrected Victor

A glorious picture of Christ as the resurrected victor is found in the book of Revelation. This is how Jesus appeared to the apostle John on the Isle of Patmos:

“I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice as of a trumpet, saying, ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last’... 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. His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, ‘Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.’” (Revelation 1:10–11a, 12-13a, 16b-18)

This passage is a description of the resurrected Christ: “His feet were like fine brass... His voice as the sound of many waters... His head and His hair were white like wool... His eyes like a flame of fire... out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword.”

It is significant for us to remember that before the resurrection of Jesus, John the Apostle actually rested his head on Jesus’ chest. He had been that close and relaxed with Him. But when John encountered the resurrected, glorified Christ, he was totally overcome. John himself says, “I became like one dead.” That reveals the measure of the power and the glory displayed in the resurrected Christ.

Death Defeated

We know from our study that through the resurrection of Jesus, death has been defeated. Jesus has taken the sting from death.

“For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory’ [Christ’s victory has swallowed up death.]. ‘O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?’ The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:53-57)

Jesus has taken away the sting from death. Death is now a servant of God’s purposes—a defeated enemy waiting to be destroyed.

From Death to Life

In light of Christ’s victory over death, I want to point out some promises Jesus gave in anticipation of His victory. When He uses the phrase “most assuredly,” it introduces a statement that is absolutely authoritative.

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.” (John 5:24)

Please notice that this truth is stated as something which has already taken place. It is not something that is going to happen in the future. By our belief and faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we have already passed from death into life. Death has no more dominion over us, and no more claims against us. Death is merely the gateway into a new life. In John 8:51–52, we have this promise from Jesus Himself: “Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death... If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.”

Can you believe this truth for yourself and your loved ones? It is a promise from the lips of Jesus. He does not say that we will never experience physical death. But He says that those two evil angels, Death and Hades, have no more claim upon us. Their former dominion over us is excluded by the name and the blood of Jesus. When we face death, we are not going down into a kingdom of darkness. Rather, we are going up into the very presence of God. This is guaranteed for us by our belief in Jesus Christ.

Resurrection of the Righteous Dead

As an integral part of the return of Jesus, the resurrection of righteous believers will take place. Speaking by revelation, this is how Paul describes it:

“But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus [that is, those who have died in the faith]. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13–18)

We need to bear in mind that these are words of comfort for us, and we can receive them as such.

We Shall Be Changed

This same event is described again by Paul in 1 Corinthians:

“Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we [who are still alive on earth at the time] shall be changed.” (1 Corinthians 15:51–52)

The word 'sleep' is only used in these Scriptures of those who die in the faith, because it speaks of an awakening. What a dramatic event that will be!

I love that phrase, “in the twinkling of an eye.” It means that at one moment you and I, as believers, will be looking at one another—then there will be a flash of brilliant light that will cause us to blink for just a moment. When we open our eyes again, we will see one another as completely different. In that split second, our physical bodies will have been totally transformed by the supernatural power of God. That is the glorious hope that lies ahead for every true believer.

We Shall Be Like Him

“Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” (1 John 3:2)

Already we are the children of God by the inward life we have:

“Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27)

But the full manifestation of that life in our external person will only happen when Jesus comes in His glory. Then we will be like Him. We will receive a body like His, because we shall see Him as He is.

There will be a revelation of the resurrected, glorified Christ to the believers who are waiting for Him that will be transforming in its power. That revelation will transform our mortal bodies into immortal bodies, our weak bodies into strong bodies, our bodies of humiliation into bodies of glory, our corruptible bodies into incorruptible bodies.

Paul says it like this in Philippians 3:21:

“...according to the working by which He [Jesus] is able even to subdue all things to Himself.”

Do you believe that? Do you believe Jesus can subdue all things to Himself—even these weak, corruptible, frail bodies of ours? The Lord says we will be like Him—that our bodies will be brought into the likeness of His glorious body.

If we take these wonderful words to heart, they will continually encourage us and inspire us in this matter of facing death victoriously.