Easter celebrates the greatest miracle ever to take place on Earth, along with Christ’s birth. But it’s easy to get caught up in the egg hunting and dinner planning without taking time to honor the personal meaning behind resurrection Sunday. When we stop to meditate on what the phrase “He is risen” really means, Easter becomes the treasured, meaningful experience for our family that it was meant to be.  Here are four powerful truths about what the resurrection means for every one of us today.

“He Is Risen” Means We Don’t Have To Fear Death

No one really enjoys thinking about dying, but it’s obviously a reality we’ll all face someday. When Jesus rose, he broke the power of death for all who follow him. There are only two destinations for the soul when we pass on…Hell or Heaven. Romans 8:11 says “And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of^[ his Spirit who lives in you.” Jesus died so we never have to face Hell. His resurrection proved He was able to remove sin and its penalty. If He remained dead the opposite would be true – that believers are still in sin. And the inevitable end of a sinful life is death.

“He is Risen” Means We Have The Power To Overcome (Everything)

When Jesus rose from the dead after three days, he didn’t just overcome death. He overcame the enemy’s  power over us. From the moment Jesus’ eyes opened on that first glorious Easter morning, the power of sin became completely null for all t follow him. We now have the upper hand against the enemy and his plans to steal, kill and destroy.   Christ’s resurrection enables our victory over addiction, fear, anxiety, love of self, people pleasing, really everything that separates us from God’s love, and becoming our best self. We don’t have to succumb to any of it.

“He is Risen” Means We Always Have Access To The Holy Spirt

Before Jesus died, we did not have direct access to God the father, and we did not possess the Holy Spirit within us. In John 14:27 Jesus told his disciples “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” The gift of the Holy Spirit only came through Jesus’ death and resurrection. He is our great comforter, friend and guide in life. Aside from the gift of eternal life, the Holy Spirit is one of the greatest treasures ever bestowed upon human kind.

“He is Risen” Means We Always Have Reason To Rejoice

In these trying times, with a war in Europe raging on, endless political tumult in our country and stills stuck in Covid aftermath, every Christian still has a reason to rejoice daily because Jesus lives. This life is a shadowed fraction of what life will be like in Heaven. Thanks to Him, this is just the beginning.  Jesus’ selfless obedience and love for us drove him to voluntarily endure unthinkable torture, pain and fear. When we’re feeling defeated, depressed, alone, etc. it helps to remember how valued and loved we are…to the point of Jesus’ self sacrifice.  When he rose, he gave us a new, abundant, liberated life. Nothing can separate us from the love of God, and we have total communion with Him, because of the resurrection. That is enough to rejoice, even from the trenches.

Easter Sunday is one of the most celebratory days of the year, for those who are born again in Christ. We all walked out of the grave with him that day. We all have reason to shout from the rooftops, “He is risen!” Happy Easter.

For more on the meaning of Easter, check out Bill Johnson’s sermon, “Resurrection Power.”

For more on how to incorporate the meaning of Easter into your family fun, check out my blog, “5 Ways to Incorporate the Meaning of Easter Into Your Family Fun This Year.”