Power From Within
I find it somewhat ironic that the precautions that the chief priests and Pharisees had the Roman officials take to secure the tomb of Jesus only protected the tomb from being opened from the outside. So arrogant and sure of themselves were these religious rulers that they never for a moment believed that He would rise from the dead and that the tomb would not need to be opened to remove the body of the Lord. It is rather pathetic for puny man to think that somehow he can stop the power of God- yet there are many who think that way today.
The power that was exhibited at the tomb operated inside the tomb before it was seen outside. The power of the Holy Spirit descended into the very depths of hell to retrieve the soul and spirit of Jesus Christ and then resurrected the body of Jesus that had been lying lifeless in the tomb for three days. Jesus’ spirit, soul, and body were reunited and the uncontainable power of God surged through every cell of Jesus’ body, bringing Him back to life. The power of the resurrection came from within the tomb, rather than without as the religious leaders assumed.
Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb. Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint. Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. Matthew 28:1-6 (New Living Translation, NLT)
The angel rolled away the stone, not to allow Jesus to get out, but to show that He was no longer there! The immense, immeasurable power of God had sent life throughout the body of Jesus, and Jesus was supernaturally liberated from death, hell, and the grave. The power to remove Jesus from the tomb did not come from the outside but it freed Him from inside the tomb. It was a power that cannot be topped by anyone or anything- it was the power of Love Himself. God is love and love is the most powerful force there is. And that power, the power of the love of God resides in each and every believer.
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 (New Living Translation, NLT)
The power that freed Jesus from within is now within us and has freed us as well. We do not have to look to external help for deliverance. The same Holy Spirit lives in us and we are made free by the power of God- from the inside. We have the power within- and we have it because of the loving sacrifice of Jesus.
