King over Death

Thursday 27 October
READ: John 11:25 - 44
MORE LESSON: John 10:17-18

Jesus is King not just because He has power over nature and demons but also because He has power even over death. Jesus raised the dead several times. It is always a big deal to resuscitate someone who fainted and it is definitely something great to raise someone who has stopped breathing for 24 hours. However when you talk about someone who has been dead for four days, clothed with grave clothes and buried in a sealed grave, then you are talking of a really dead man. Lazarus was dead for days and the Bible records that he was already stinking; that means that he had started decomposing. Jesus got to the grave and called him, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go: John 11:43-44. Someone commented that Jesus needed to confirm that the name of the man He wanted to raise from the dead was Lazarus, because if He had merely said 'come out', all the dead people in the graves would rise up and come out. Jesus is King even over death. At the word of His command, death released its captive. Death therefore recognises that Jesus is King.
Jesus did not only raise the dead but He Himself disgraced death. He laid down His life and died on the cross and on the third day, He rose from the dead. He didn't raise others from the dead only to later become a captive of death. He could do for Himself what He did for others. If Jesus did not resurrect from the dead, one would wonder whether His Kingship extends over death. He showed His Kingship by messing up death. He defeated death home and away. This is what the Bible means when it says, if the prince of this world had known, they would not have crucified the king of glory: 1 Cor. 2:8. If death knew, it wouldn't have dared Jesus.
Do you know that Jesus actually became greater after His death and resurrection? In John 20:26, the Bible shows how while the disciples locked themselves up for fear of the Pharisees, without knocking the door, Jesus showed up in their midst. What shocked them was that when they were together and the door was locked, they had to open it for Him. This time around, the door was firmly locked and there was Jesus standing in their midst. After His death and resurrection, His form of a Spirit, He passed through walls and appeared to many people in different locations at once. The death and resurrection of Jesus actually released His Spirit to operate at a higher frequency. It is that Spirit that is in you so you can also reign over death. Hallejah! Jesus is king. The greatest terror to man is death and he will do anything to stop it but no one has been able to conquer it until Jesus did! Praise be to my King, the Conqueror of death.

Prayer/Action
* Give God praise because Jesus has swallowed up the sting and victory of death.
* Declare that death and grave have lost their power over you, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
All satanic networks from the pit of hell organised to cut short my life, marriage, work and destiny, I declare you a failure, in the name of Jesus.