By Pastor Shana Wise
1 Peter 3:18-20 (NKJV) For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, 19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20 who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.
Matthew 27:51-52 (NKJV) Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, 52 and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53 and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.
In Revelation chapter one, Jesus states that he is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the one who was, who is, and who is to come. Also, in the book of John chapter one, it states that in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. With all these facts about Jesus, we must remember that Jesus’ body died but his Spirit never died. Jesus was not killed; the bible states he laid his life down. When Jesus died on the cross, we think that he was “literally dead” for three days, yet we find his Spirit still ministering while his body was in the grave.
Jesus' Lordship is not confined to time, space, and location. For Jesus is a part of the Trinity: and due to this fact, Jesus Christ never “went away”, for he always was.
We have always known that Christ demonstrated his love for us when he died on the cross, but he proved his promise of eternal life for us when his body died, but His Spirit kept on being. Even though Christ's body was in the grave, his Spirit was still giving life to the captives of death, hell, and the grave!
If Christ can do all this while his body was dead, what are you doing for God while you still live on this side of eternity?
Wise Choice Ministries has monthly teaching themes and this past March one was Overcoming Strongholds. The WCM clergy preached and taught all month about this topic.
What was revealed to me through Christ’s body going through death, the grave, and the resurrection, is that He was breaking the stronghold of death, hell, and the grave once and for all over mankind!
1 Corinthians 15:54-57, So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55 “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Many people are living in their hells here on earth. Many are feeling like they are just existing and not living. Some are lost, tormented, depressed, hopeless, and live in agony every day of their lives. These various strongholds and lack of knowing their purpose have them feeling like they are in their hells with no way to escape.
John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
For the ones living in their hells, their location is in part one of John 10:10 verse, but praise God, Jesus knows their location and it does not stop him from coming where they are! God will meet you in your hell and set you free!
Psalms 139:8 If I ascend into heaven, you are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, you are there.
We should never feel that we are so gone that Christ can’t get to where we are. He loves us beyond our hells and issues, so much that he died for us!
This month’s WCM theme is God Still Heals with our theme scripture being:
Luke 4:18-19, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; 19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”
Jesus, the one who was, and is, and is to come; mission has not stopped. When He spoke these words in Luke, he was announcing his purpose for coming in the form of man for us. He came to break the power of sin over our lives. God never purposed his children to be captives to sin, his plan, since the beginning has always been reconciliation through salvation through His son Jesus Christ.
Jesus wants us to have a relationship with the Father. John 14:6, Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Jesus came to restore us to the Father. Do you accept what He did for you? If so, receive him today as your Lord and Savior. Confess Romans 10:9-11, that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”
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About the Author
Dr. Shana Wise is an ordained Pastor and CEO of Wise Choice Ministries (est. 2016). She is the founder of The Well Christian Women’s Network formally known as Christian Women Preachers United. Dr. Wise is the author of women’s devotional, Acts of Intercession, and The Impact of Your Election (available on Amazon). She received a Doctor of Divinity degree in 2019 from St. Thomas Christian University. Her passion is to teach and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, equip others to apply the Word to their lives, and demonstrate the Word through the power of the Holy Spirit. She is a televangelist that appears on social media outlets and television. Shana is married to Ron Wise and is the mother of four children.
Books available on Amazon at:
Acts of Intercession
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1721143629/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_BuKbFb8FMZHEB
The Impact of Your Election
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1792003307/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_vvKbFbA33J669
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