To Be Heroic
Take a moment and think of the greatest superpowers. What are you picturing? Flying across the sky? Smashing through a wall? Running across the city at breakneck speeds? Those powers all sound pretty amazing.
But there is no power greater than the ability to raise someone from the dead.
Even our greatest superheroes don’t come to life back after they die.
Even our strongest heroes don’t come back to life after they die, and they can’t bring their sidekick back to life either.
Jesus did both. He rose from the dead and brought his friend, Lazarus back from the grave after he had been dead for days. Jesus wept we he saw that his friend had died. The tomb reeked of death, and his followers wondered, “What are we doing here?”
“Lazarus, come forth,” Jesus commanded. And a dead man walked out of the grave. It’s one of the most powerful miracles in recorded history.
The incredible part is that Jesus wants to share that same power with us! The Bible talks about following Jesus as “being buried dead and raised back to life.”
What does that mean?
Jesus is strong enough to walk with you through any fear, failure, or addiction.
There is no crisis that He won’t walk you through. You don’t have to live afraid. You don’t have to live life feeling dead inside. God’s power is available to you.
There is no power greater than the ability to raise someone from the dead.
SUPERPOWERS DESCRIBED IN THE BIBLE
FIRE FROM HEAVEN
Elijah called down fire from heaven to show God’s power to a group of unbelievers on Mount Carmel.
ANIMAL CONTROL
Daniel was literally thrown into the lion’s den and was going to be torn to pieces. But when the king’s men showed up the next morning, it was clear that God had saved Daniel from the mouth of the beast. Daniel 6
SUPER STRENGTH
Sampson fought and killed 1,000 people with the bone of a donkey. In one final act of fearlessness, God gave him the strength to pull down pillars and defeat 3,000 enemies. Judges 15, 16
WATER POWERS
Moses held up his staff, and God parted the Red Sea so the Israelites could escape from Egypt. The Israelites walked across the enormous body of water in this iconic moment of God’s power. Even Aquaman would be in awe of this miracle. Exodus 14
FIREPROOF
Three men: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, were thrown into a fiery furnace. Just getting near the furnace killed the king’s men. But miraculously, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego walked out of the furnace without a singe. Daniel 3
HOW CAN YOU LIVE WITH POWER?
A life with Jesus means being a part of God’s powerful people. Does that mean you have super strength? Does it mean you can control the elements like wind, fire, and water? No, but you follow the God who controls all of those things.
Research has shown that people with faith feel more powerful when it comes to dealing with problems. They feel more equipped to find their place and purpose. There is nothing more powerful than being raised to life with Jesus.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Sometimes you may not feel heroic or strong. There could be moments where you don’t know if you can make it through the rest of the day. That’s okay. You don’t have to do it all on your own.
In fact, sometimes the most heroic thing you can do is ask for help. Know this: God wants to walk with you through any trial, obstacle, or circumstance you’re facing.
It starts with a simple prayer. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but it can be honest. You can even read the prayer right off the page. Take a deep breath right now. Go ahead.
We’ll wait.
Jesus, I need your strength today. Sometimes I feel lost, and I need help to face everything that’s before me.
Can you give me your strength?
Can you give me your courage?
Can you help me to grow closer to you?
There is a lot that I’m processing right now, and I need your help, Jesus. I would love some wisdom and peace as I walk into everything I have to do today. Will you show me what to do next? Show me how to live a life of joy and rest and health.
Okay, be honest. You feel a little better, don’t you? This is just the start of your journey. You can find a local Christian church and explore encounterlife.com for more ideas and tools in your journey.
If you want to discover more about what it means to walk in God’s power and purpose, visit your local church, or you can read more from the book of Colossians.