Victory in Jesus!

The following was written on Saturday, but I didn't get to proof-read it until now.  Here are some of my Easter thoughts.

     Once, long ago in the story of our Savior, this was a dark night, as the disciples tried to make sense of all that had happened!  Jesus, our messiah is dead!  How can that be?  And what do we do now?  And what of all those words he spoke that last night we were together.  I am going to my Father and you know the way and I am the Way and I will come back for you and I will send you the Helper.  So much not understood, but they endured the dark night, and were witness to the greatest victory, the greatest joy in all history!
     Early in the morning, the grieving ladies went to finish the burial preparations to find an empty tomb and hear the thrilling words, "He is not here! He is risen, just like he said!!"  What an echo that must have made in the universe!  He is ALIVE!!!  And not the 'alive, but still going to die' kind of alive!  The 'alive forevermore, conquerer of death' kind of Alive.  Never before in history had such a thing happened!  But never before had there been such a man as Jesus!
     As I pondered these and many other thoughts last night at the House of Prayer's Good Friday worship time, I was overwhelmed again at the magnitude of the sacrifice and at the depth of love that was and is lavished on humans in the act of Jesus's death on the cross.
     I also got a new understanding of His work on my behalf and of my place before God.  Jesus had the ultimate victory! He overcame!  And because he overcame, I also am an overcomer!  He leads me in triumph, in victory!  My success, my victorious life comes as I abide in Christ, trusting in the complete work of the cross and in His resurrection!  It is not about what I do or how good I do it!  It is not about me getting it right all of the time!  It is about me resting in His work, walking in faith and obedience.
     Sometimes I get so focused on my attitude, my own perceived success or failure at a certain task, my emotions, etc... and then it becomes about how good I am or how strong or how talented, etc... very self focused!   When in reality, I am wretched, poor, blind, unable to do one thing to help or save myself or anyone else!  I can do nothing on my own, but abiding in Christ, I can bear much fruit and live in victory!!