You have a comeback story of some kind. Maybe it was a moment you stood up to the bully on the playground. It might have been a business venture that turned around because of a decision you made. Maybe you repaired a relationship because of the words you chose to say. We’ve all had moments when we had a come back. But the most incredible come back of all time would be Jesus being killed then rising from the dead.

When Jesus died, the disciples thought it was all over. They were there when he was arrested, beaten, crucified then place in a tomb. There was no question, he was dead and gone. Can you imagine what when through their minds on Friday night and all day Saturday? They thought they had wasted 3 years. They were confused, heartbroken, lost. God had forsaken them.

That may be the way you feel in your story. You are working through the failed marriage, the loss of a career, a horrible doctor’s report or a moment where you are living with depression and darkness. But like the disciples, while you may be living in a valley moment that feels like Friday and Saturday, know that Sunday’s coming.

Then there’s the moment you start to believe things are actually different than you first thought. When you’re talking about dying then rising 3 days later, well that’s a tough story to hear. Some of us believe in Easter but more of a family holiday or a church ritual, not necessarily that Jesus rose from the dead. But the disciples realized it was true! They bet their very lives on it.

Did you know the apostle Paul reminds us in Ephesians 1 that the very power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you as a believer. Think about that for a moment. The incredible true story of Jesus rising from death is your story as well. Just like Jesus, you can rise from your difficult story because you believe.

Then finally there’s the moment your celebration begins because you know it’s all true. Jesus appeared from between 1-500 people after his resurrection. The disciples are told to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit to indwell in them and that’s exactly what happens. We know they were different acting people because of the power of Jesus. In Acts 1, we see a scared, fearful, chaotic group of followers. By Acts 2 after the Holy Spirit comes, the disciples are bold, preaching publicly, and convicting others by their lives.

So no matter where you are in your story, know you can rise through the power of Jesus. In Him, you can have life and life to the full. You can lay your burden down and celebrate in the arms of a risen Savior. But it’s your choice. Choose life and life in Jesus. Blessings on the journey.

Have you ever prayed for strength and power to be present in your life? My guess is most of us believe in the power of prayer but know we don’t nearly pray enough. There may be many reasons why we don’t. Maybe you’ve heard others pray eloquent prayers and thought you couldn’t possibly measure up. Other times, you start to pray but you’re ADD kicks in so the ding on your phone gets you off track and you don’t finish your prayer.

I do think we have two major mistakes when we pray. We pray way too small and way too general. It’s probably because we don’t want to be let down. I mean, what if I pray and God doesn’t grant my request. I don’t want to risk it so we keep everything generic.

But we serve a God who goes before us (Deuteronomy 31) and who levels our mountains (Isaiah 45). Jesus said it you have the faith of a mustard seed, you can move mountains. Paul said we serve a God with whom all things are possible. I wonder if we are undercutting our God by praying too shallow.

Paul wrote the house church in Ephesus from a Roman prison cell in 60AD. In the first 3 chapters of Ephesians, Paul reminds us what God did for us. In the last 3 chapters, Paul reminds us the type of life practically that we are called to live because of what God did for us. Right in that transition in chapter 3, Paul prays for the church, and us, to be empowered with the incredible power of God and the indwelling of his strength.

Paul in Ephesus 3:14-20 reminds us that we have every possible resource from our God to accomplish what comes our way everyday. Paul also said in Philippians 4 that God would meet all our needs through His glorious riches. Yet, you and I pray as if we are impoverished children. God wants us to ask for the good things which He will give us as it falls into his plan.

In this section of Ephesians, Paul uses the word “power” multiple times. The Greek word Paul uses is the same word we get the English word “dynamite” from. It means we have access to the miraculous, explosive power of God through prayer.

Paul’s prayer reminds us to be rooted in love so that we may have the power that only comes from God. When we are rooted in Jesus, we are able to live into the power of His glorious riches so that we have the ability to love the unlovable, be patient with our coworkers, and stay calm while others are abrasive in their interactions with us. We can do that because the power of God lives within us.

Verse 20 Paul says that through Christ, God can do more than we can imagine in our life. So my prayer for you is that daily, you pray the power and strength of our God dwells in you. Be specific for what you pray. Be bold and ask for things that only God will do. I know prayer changes things. I have seen it in my own life. May you pray with passion and may the Spirit of God dwell in you. Blessings on the journey.

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