Before Closing Your Doors, Remember God's Resurrection Power

Some churches find themselves on the brink of financial collapse, very possibly meaning they’ll have to close their doors. Before caving into discouragement because of such a bleak outlook, step back and consider the power of our God who out of stones “can raise up children for Abraham” (Matt. 3:9) and who can bring very dry bones together, add tendons, flesh, and skin, and cause them to breath (Ezek. 37:1-14). When all hope is gone, before closing your doors, remember God’s resurrection power.

Remember God’s Resurrection Power Before Closing Your Church Doors

God has the power to bring the dead back to life. If He can even give life to stones and very dry bones, certainly He is capable of doing something with dying churches due to insufficient funds. We do, however, need to understand some points about resurrection power which we’ll find in the story about Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead.

1) Resurrection power isn’t just for the end times.

When Jesus told Martha her brother would live again, she thought He meant the resurrection in the last days. But, He intended to do a miracle right then and there (Jn. 11:23-24). That same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available today (Eph. 1:19-20).

Jesus is the Resurrection - Remember Resurrection Power 2) The resurrection isn’t just an event to cling to but a Person to trust in.

Jesus assured Martha, saying, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die” (Jn. 11:25). When our trust is in an eternal, all-powerful Person, no matter how the circumstances go, we can still find hope because we have Him.

3) Faith in the Lord, who is able, releases resurrection power.

Jesus said, “The one who believes in me will live, even though they die …” and then He asked Martha, “Do you believe this?” (Jn. 11:25-26). Do we, today, really believe that our God is able to meet all of our “needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19)? Do we truly believe He is “able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (Eph. 3:20)?

4) Being resurrected requires removing the old trappings from when we were dead or dying.

When Lazarus came out of the tomb at the command of Jesus, he still had burial strips of linen wrapped around him, and a cloth around his face. Jesus then said, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” (Jn. 11:43-44) Similarly, if God exercises His resurrection power in a church in financial ruin, they must let go of the old trappings. He’ll want to be doing something new. We don’t remain the same.

5) If you experience God’s miraculous resurrection power, expect broader consequences.

The Word tells us that “many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him” (Jn. 11:45). We also read, however, that this event also put His enemies on higher alert and more intent on doing Him harm (Jn. 11:46-54). We, however, know the rest of the story. Though they did eventually kill Jesus, God raised Him up from the dead on the third day. Similarly, if God exercises His resurrection power on a financially dying or dead church, it should cause much rejoicing and serve as a testimony of His greatness. That, however, doesn’t mean all our troubles will be over. We must still be on the alert, diligent, and fervent in living within God’s bigger purposes.

6) Just because God exercised His resurrection power in this instance, doesn’t mean He will do it the same way again.

Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead. It was God’s will to display His resurrection power at that time, but Lazarus’ physical body, however, did eventually die and was not brought back to life. It’s up to our sovereign God for when and how He exercises His power. We must ultimately rest in His purposes not trying to manipulate Him into doing our bidding.

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. (Eph. 1:18-23)

Before Closing Your Doors, Remember God’s Resurrection Power

Remember God’s Resurrection Power Before Closing Your Church Doors

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