29 When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put [it] on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" 30 Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head. 31 And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His [own] clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified. ... 35 Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: "They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots." [Mat 27:29-31, 35 NKJV]
I don’t know about you, but these words are hard to read for someone who is in love with the Savior of the world. No one wants to see someone treated in such a heartless and cruel manner, however, if this world was ever going to be reconciled to the Creator again, Jesus Christ had to take the cross. Isaiah gives a prophesied account of what the Messiah would go through and what God the Father had to say about it; “Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand. Isa 53:10
In simple terms, it pleased God to send His Son to earth and allow Him to be crucified for the sins of mankind because He knew this would bring the promise forth. God knew what was needed in order to bring His family about. Please don’t ever think that man took the life of Jesus Christ for He said, "No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father." [John 10:18]
Because Jesus gave His life for us, how much more should we lay ours down for Him and His Kingdom purposes? The crucified Christ disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross (Col 2:15), and the risen Christ allowed for us to have all authority over him.
Spiritual Gates Damaged
I recently had a vision while praying for the Church and for revival. This vision was of a broken and mangled body with the head being Jesus Christ. At first the “head” of Christ was like you might see in the movies right before they take Him to be crucified but suddenly the image revealed the crown of thorns, His eyes closed shut with injuries, His nose broken and contorted, His ears hung low filled with a putty like substance and His mouth opened in moaning. I realized this was the state of the Church in its ability to see, hear, discern, speak and do the things that Jesus Christ called it to do. All of the “gates” were damaged and useless. This wasn’t because this was the condition of Jesus rather the senses of the Body were not working, therefore, causing the church to be powerless and not allowing the plans and purposes of God to come forth.
Jesus is the head of the church, (Eph 4:15) and the people of God are the Body that should be moving the will of God throughout the earth. The Body is the hands and feet called out to the world, filled with power and gifts from the Holy Spirit. The Church or Body is not a powerless people on the contrary they are to operate as a governing authority in the world. We get the word church from a Greek word ekklēsia which is an assembly of people, used specifically for a religious group. It denotes a calling out of chosen people that are to assemble and convene in public places for the worship of God as well as for religious activities.
When we consider the fact that the church is a people and not a building because the Holy Spirit dwells in us then it is easy to see that the “church” was never designed to be hidden from the world. Jesus said "Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all [who are] in the house. [Mat 5:15]
Crucify means to destroy the power of the flesh with destruction of intense pain. To subdue and destroy the power or ruling influence of the Church. Resurrected means to bring back that which is dead. One can see by the scriptures that to be crucified means to be stripped of power, dignity, and left for dead. Jesus allowed these things to happen to Him as it was the Fathers will for Him to be crucified in order for Him to produce the Fathers glory and power. Death came before power and glory. It should be the same for the people of God, die to self and be raised in His strength but more often than not this doesn't happen. The church is operating in the crucified state instead of the resurrected state.
A Dead Church vs Resurrected Church
To resurrect or to bring back from the dead, putting life back into something that once was dead is what was done when we asked Jesus Christ to be our Lord and Savior, when we were born again. Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. Eph 2:1 NLT but now 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) 6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. [Eph 2:5-6 NLT]
Paul prayed that the Church would understand the power that was in them, that they would walk in the resurrected power of the Holy Spirit and not continue to live in the oppressed and crucified state. 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, [Eph 1:19-20 NIV]
The word power used here is dynamis meaning force, strength, and ability. It is an explosive power inborn in believers through the Holy Spirit to be put forth through a person to do miracles. We get our word dynamite from this word. This kind of power resides within the saints of God, it is a weapon to be yielded against the enemy, an instrument to heal the sick, cast out demons, and even raise the dead according to Jesus. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. [Luke 10:19 NIV]
The word authority is translated from the word power in the King James version and is from the Greek word exousia. Exousia means the physical and mental power; the ability or strength with which one is endued, which he either possesses or exercises. (Thayer’s Greek Lexicon) This is the power Jesus referred to in John 10 when He said He had the power to lay His life down and raise it again. This word makes perfect sense when you put the last words of Jesus Christ alongside this definition. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8
This word for power is dynamis power, the same power we just discussed that was used to raise Jesus Christ from the dead! We have, as believers in Christ miraculous and authoritative power from the Triune God, all three operating in us as children of God. So why is the Church living as if they are powerless?
One of the biggest reasons Christians do not operate in the resurrected power they have been given is they don’t read their word; therefore, they can’t identify with Jesus Christ or the disciples and the power they operated in.
Jesus said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works (érgon) that I do he will do also; and greater [works] than these he will do, because I go to My Father. [John 14:12 NKJV] Hebrews 4:12 tell us that the word is powerful and is an instrument of force as in a weapon. For the word of God [is] living and powerful (energes), and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Stay with me for a moment. The word powerful (energes) in Hebrews is translated from two Greek words, one of which is érgon and is the word Jesus used for works in John 14:12. What I believe we can glean from this is that the power that was in the works of Jesus Christ, of which He said we would do is the same power that comes from the word of God. Remember that in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1
There is transformation power in the word of God, it is Christ in the Word and Christ is the power of God; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. [1Co 1:24 KJV]
As Ministers, we often hear people make statements that the Bible was translated by men, therefore, it is in error and isn’t true. This is a lie from the father of lies, the devil. It makes perfect sense for Satan to try to weaken the truth of the Bible in order to keep people from reading it, yet we are told not to be ignorant of the enemy’s schemes against us (2 Cor 2) so that we may not be outwitted. Most everyone would agree that knowledge is power, The wise prevail through great power, and those who have knowledge muster their strength. Pro 24:5 NIV.
The Lord Jesus Christ took His cross and did not love His life into death. We are told by this same Jesus to deny ourselves, pick up our cross and do this daily. It is when we let go of our earthly weaknesses and walk in sonship that we can identify with the power of the Holy One who gave us a new life which in turn will allow us the courage to do the works of Christ Jesus. Stretch yourself today, decide to do something powerful for Your King and become part of changing the Church status from crucified to resurrected.