by A. W. Tozer
The two major elements present in the Easter story are the fact and the meaning of the fact. That Christ arose after He had been put to death by crucifixion is the fact; the true historicity of the event is too well established to require proof or even comment today.
The meaning of that resurrection, however, must be rediscovered by each believing soul and by the church age after age till our Lord returns to earth again. One meaning attached to the Resurrection is that Christ has conquered the enemies of mankind and guaranteed the final triumph of all true believers over every power of the devil. For the rescue of the lost race was effected only after a fight.
Let us not allow our poetic imagination to run away with us. Easter is more than sunshine and lilies. It signifies the appearance again of our David who went into the field to meet the Goliath of sin and death in mortal combat. Christ came back to assure us that the victory had been won. Death and the devil had been done in by the only One who was capable of such a mighty act, Jesus the Son of God.
An old hymn states this for us in ecstatic language:
The strife is o’er, the battle done;
The victory of life is won;
The song of triumph has begun—
Hallelujah!
The powers of death have done their worst;
But Christ their legions hath dispersed;
Let shouts of holy joy outburst—
Hallelujah!
He brake the age-bound chains of hell;
The bars from heaven’s high portals fell;
Let hymns of praise His triumph tell—
Hallelujah!
Not only has Christ won the victory over sin, death, and Satan, we may share in that victory. We can’t win it ourselves, but we can participate in it by faith identification with the Victor. Thank You, Father, for victory through the Lord Jesus Christ. I stand with Christ in His victory.
Taken from The Next Chapter after the Last, by A. W. Tozer.