LIFE in the

SPIRIT

Christ
•
is Risen
CELEBRATE the SAVIOR
 LIFE in the
SPIRIT
Table of Contents:

4 JESUS’ DEATH, BURIAL AND RESURRECTION

10 A DIVINE TRUTH TO HELP YOU LIVE IN

RESURRECTION POWER

13 8 WAYS JESUS SUFFERED FOR YOU

CHRIST IS RISEN

17 EVIDENCE FOR THE RESURRECTION

21 OVERCOME THE PAIN OF YOUR PAST

30 INVITATION TO RECEIVE JESUS

31 INVITATION TO RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT

Life in the Spirit is a product of Charisma Media© 2017. Articles and

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Today (Ministrytodaymag.com), SpiritLed Woman (Spiritledwoman.com),
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used may not be reprinted without permission.

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 Opening
Scripture

H
e was despised and rejected of men, a
man of sorrows and acquainted with
grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces
from him; he was despised, and we did not esteem
him. Surely he has borne our grief and carried our
sorrows; Yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten
of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our
transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities;
the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and
by his stripes we are healed.

Isaiah 53:3-5 MEV

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 Jesus’
DEATH, BURIAL
and
RESURRECTION
T
hen Pilate took
Jesus and flogged
Him. The soldiers
twisted a crown
of thorns and put
it on His head,
and they put a purple robe on Him.
They said, “Hail, King of the Jews!”
And they hit Him with their hands.
Again Pilate went out and said to
them, “Look, I am bringing Him
out to you, that you may know that
I find no guilt in Him.” Then Jesus
came out, wearing the crown of
thorns and the purple robe. Pilate
said to them, “Here is the Man!”
When the chief priests and officers
saw Him, they cried out, “Crucify
S H O P. C H A R I S M A M A G . C O M
Him! Crucify Him!”
Pilate said to them, “Take Him
yourselves and crucify Him, for I
find no guilt in Him.”
The Jews answered him, “We have
a law, and by our law He ought to
die, because He made Himself the
Son of God!”
When Pilate heard these words,
he was more afraid, and entered
the Praetorium again, and said to
Jesus, “Where are You from?” But
Jesus gave him no answer. Pilate
said to Him, “Are You not speaking
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to me? Do You not know that I
have power to release You, and
power to crucify You?”
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 Jesus answered, “You would have no power at all over Me, unless it
were given to you from above. Therefore he who handed Me over to
you has the greater sin.”
From then on, Pilate tried to release Him. But the
Jews cried out, “If you release this Man, you are
not Caesar’s friend. Whoever makes himself a king
speaks against Caesar!”
When Pilate heard these words, he brought
Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a
place called The Pavement (which in Hebrew is
Gabbatha). It was the Day of Preparation of the
Passover and about the sixth hour.
He said to the Jews, “Here is your King!”
But they shouted, “Away with Him! Away with
Him! Crucify Him!”
Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?”
The chief priests answered, “We have no king but
Caesar!”
Then he handed Him over to them to be crucified.

THE CRUCIFIXION
So they took Jesus and led Him away. He went out,
carrying His own cross, to a place called The Place of a
Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha. There they
crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either
side, and Jesus in the middle.

Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross.

The writing was:
JESUS OF NAZARETH,
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THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Many of the Jews read this title, for the place where
Jesus was crucified was near the city. And it was written
in Hebrew, in Greek, and in Latin. The chief priests of

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the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write,
‘The King of the Jews,’ but ‘He said, I
am King of the Jews.’ ”
Pilate answered, “What I have
written, I have written.”
When the soldiers had crucified Jesus,
they took His garments and divided
them into four parts, a part for each
soldier; and also His tunic. Now the
tunic was seamless, woven from top to
bottom.
So they said to one another, “Let us
not tear it, but cast lots for it to decide
whose it shall be.”
a sponge full of sour wine on hyssop
This happened to fulfill the Scripture and held it to His mouth. When Jesus
which says: had received the sour wine, He said,
“It is finished.” And He bowed His
“They divided My garments among head and gave up His spirit.
them, and for My clothing they cast
lots.”
Therefore the soldiers did these THE PIERCING OF
things.
JESUS’ SIDE
But standing by the cross of Jesus
were His mother, and His mother’s Since it was the Day of Preparation,
sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and to prevent bodies from remaining on
Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw the cross on the Sabbath day (for that
His mother and the disciple whom He Sabbath day was a high day), the Jews
loved standing nearby, He said to His asked Pilate that their legs might be
mother, “Woman, here is your son.” broken, and that they might be taken
Then He said to the disciple, “Here away. Therefore the soldiers came
is your mother.” From that time, this and broke the legs of the first and of
disciple took her to his own home. the other who was crucified with Him.
But when they came to Jesus and
saw that He was dead already, they
THE DEATH OF JESUS did not break His legs. However, one
of the soldiers pierced His side with
a spear, and immediately blood and
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After this, Jesus, knowing that

everything was now accomplished, water came out. He who saw it has
that the Scripture might be fulfilled, testified, and his testimony is true.
said, “I thirst.” A bowl full of sour He knows that he is telling the truth,
wine was placed there. So they put that you may believe. For these things

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 happened so that the Scripture should Early on the first day of the week,
be fulfilled, “Not one of His bones Mary Magdalene went to the tomb
shall be broken,” and again another while it was still dark and saw that the
Scripture says, “They shall look on stone had been taken away from the
Him whom they have pierced.” tomb. So she came running to Simon
Peter and to the other disciple whom
Jesus loved, and said to them, “They
THE BURIAL OF JESUS have taken the Lord out of the tomb,
and we do not know where they have
After this, Joseph of Arimathea, put Him.”
being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly
So Peter came out with the other
for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate
disciple and they went toward the
that he might take away the body of
tomb. They both ran together, and the
Jesus. Pilate gave him permission.
other disciple outran Peter and came
So he came and took away His body.
to the tomb first. Stooping down and
Nicodemus, who at first came to
looking in, he saw the linen cloths
Jesus by night, also came, bringing a
lying. Yet he did not enter. Then
mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing
Simon Peter came, following him,
about seventy-five pounds. Then they
and went inside the tomb. He saw the
took the body of Jesus and wrapped
linen cloths lying there, and the cloth
it in linen cloths with the spices, as is
that was around His head, not lying
the burial custom of the Jews. Now
with the linen cloths, but wrapped
in the place where He was crucified
in a place by itself. Then the other
there was a garden, and in the garden
disciple, who came first to the tomb,
was a new tomb in which no one had
went in also. He saw and believed.
ever been buried. So because of the
For as yet they did not know the
Jewish Day of Preparation, and since
Scripture, that He must rise from the
the tomb was nearby, they buried
dead. Then the disciples went away
Jesus there.
again to their own homes.
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© Gettyimages/pixdeluxe

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THE APPEARANCE OF
JESUS TO MARY
MAGDALENE
But Mary stood outside at the tomb
weeping. As she wept, she stooped
down and looked into the tomb, and
she saw two angels in white sitting
where the body of Jesus had lain, one
at the head and one at the feet.
They said to her, “Woman, why are you
weeping?”
She said to them, “Because they have
taken away my Lord, and I do not know
where they have put Him.” When she
had said this, she turned around and
saw Jesus standing, but she did not
know that it was Jesus.
S H O P. C H A R I S M A M A G . C O M
Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you
weeping? Whom are you seeking?”
Supposing Him to be the gardener, she
said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried
Him away, tell me where You have put
Him, and I will take Him away.”
Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!”
(which means Teacher).
Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on to
Me, for I have not yet ascended to My
Father. But go to My brothers and tell
them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and
your Father, to My God and your God.’ ”
Mary Magdalene came and told the
disciples that she had seen the Lord and
that He had said these things to her.
“Peace be with you.
As My Father has sent
Me, even so I send you.” ©Gettyimages/ RomoloTavani, welcomia
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 THE APPEARANCE
OF JESUS TO HIS
DISCIPLES
On the evening of that first day
of the week, the doors being
locked where the disciples were
assembled, for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood in their
midst, and said to them, “Peace
be with you.” When He had said
this, He showed them His hands
and His side. The disciples were
then glad when they saw the
Lord.
So Jesus said to them again,
“Peace be with you. As My Father
has sent Me, even so I send
you.” When He had said this, He
breathed on them and said to
them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
If you forgive the sins of anyone,
they are forgiven them. If you
retain the sins of anyone, they
are retained.”
JESUS AND THOMAS
But Thomas, one of the twelve,
called The Twin, was not with
them when Jesus came. So the
other disciples told him, “We
have seen the Lord!”
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But he said to them, “Unless I see
the nail prints in His hands, and
S H O P. C H A R I S M A M A G . C O M
put my finger in the nail prints,
and put my hand in His side, I
will not believe.”
After eight days His disciples
were again inside with the doors
shut, and Thomas was with
them. Jesus came and stood
among them, and said, “Peace
be with you.” Then He said to
Thomas, “Put your finger here,
and look at My hands. Put your
hand here and place it in My
side. Do not be faithless, but
believing.”
Thomas answered Him, “My
Lord and my God!”
Jesus said to him, “Thomas,
because you have seen Me, you
have believed. Blessed are those
who have not seen, and have yet
believed.”
THE PURPOSE OF
THE BOOK
Jesus performed many other
signs in the presence of His
disciples, which are not written in
this book. But these are written
that you might believe that Jesus
is the Christ, the Son of God, and
that believing you may have life in
His name.
John 19 & 20 MEV
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 A
DIVINE
TRUTH
to Help You Live in
RESURRECTION
POWER by MATT SORGER
As we continually celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus
Christ, I want you to understand that you were created to live
in that same resurrection power.
Ephesians teaches that we have been raised with
Christ and are seated in heavenly places with
Him. We have been blessed with every spiritual
blessing in Christ in the heavenly realm. It’s a
past tense accomplished fact. You are not
fighting for victory, but from victory.
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©Gettyimages/DNY59

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 T
oo many Christians Repentance causes you to turn
have their own concept around and walk in the exact opposite
of spiritual warfare, direction of your sin, towards God.
where they are fighting His refreshing then brings resto-
to get a breakthrough. ration from the effects of sin. True
The reality is, you already have the repentance brings not only a change
breakthrough. Jesus died on the cross of mind and motive, but also changes
and stripped the enemy of his power our behavior. Repentance brings true
and authority and made an open show inner change producing an outward
of him. The victory has already been transformation.
won. The enemy has been spoiled and
overthrown.
As a believer seated in heavenly places
in Christ, you are simply administrat-
ing the finished work of Christ on the
cross. You are establishing on Earth
what has already been established in
heaven. You are ruling from the heav-
enly place and have already received
every spiritual blessing including
righteousness, holiness, peace, joy,
healing and provision. Everything
you need has already been deposited
in your spiritual account. You simply
need to receive it. You receive it by
knowing what you have and making a
withdrawal from your account.
If we are to live in resurrection
power, we need to understand Hosea’s
prophecy about the third day. God
doesn’t want us camping out at day
one or two. He wants us living from
day three. Hosea 6:1-2 declares,
“Come, let us return to the Lord, for
He has torn, and He will heal us. He
has struck, and He will bind us up.
After two days He will revive us. On
the third day He will raise us up, that
we may live before Him.”
The first day is marked by a turning to
© Gettyimages/ Dovapi

the Lord. To repent means to “change

your mind and purpose.” It means to
change your way of thinking and what
motivates you.

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Day two is marked by revival. Revival
means “to quicken and give life.”
Revival means to bring something
that is dead or dying back to life
again. Revival brings an awakening
to the heart. It causes us to be filled
with the fresh life of God and stirs
us from spiritual complacency and
apathy and ignites a zeal in our
hearts. It creates a passion in us for
intimacy with God and for the things
that move His heart.
We often experience deep inner
healing, freedom and personal victory
during this stage. While day two is
glorious, we can’t camp out there. On
day one we repent and turn to God.
On day two we are revived, awakened
and refreshed. On day three we
are raised up to live before Him in
resurrection power.
This is so clearly seen in God’s
prophecy to Ezekiel in Ezekiel 37.
First there is a divine alignment of
the bones. This alignment signifies
things being put in their right place.
The bones are shaken and brought
together. When we turn in repentance
to God, we get rightly aligned and
joined to the rest of the body. Once
proper alignment happens, then
S H O P. C H A R I S M A M A G . C O M
God revives the body by breathing
into it. This is when God revives and
awakens His people. It’s a glorious
second day. But then God continues
to move and eventually not only is the
body filled with new life, but then it is
raised up where it stands on its feet,
an exceedingly great host! This is the
third day!
Get ready! You are going to live
in such resurrection power that
everywhere you go the glory and
power of God is going to overflow
from you.
Matt Sorger, author, prophetic messenger,
revivalist, healing evangelist, teacher, television
host and philanthropist has served in full-
time ministry for over 23 years spanning over
200 nations of the Earth through travel and
media ministry. He hosts a weekly teaching
program titled Power for Life. Matt moves in
a unique anointing that fills entire rooms with
the tangible glory of God with many healed,
set free and empowered. He teaches believers
how to live a life saturated with the glory of God
and brings a great balance between authentic,
supernatural encounter and solid biblical truth.
He reaches cities and regions by partnering with
and impacting local churches to see a great
breakthrough of the Holy Spirit. © Gettyimages/ Dovapi
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 Ways
8
Jesus
Suffered
For You
by J. LEE GRADY

I
’m not lobbying for
anyone to wear a crucifix.
But I do think we
Protestants have at times
been so fearful of Catholic
© Gettyimages/ RomoloTavani
describing the torture that
led to Calvary and the pain
Jesus suffered while nailed
to a piece of wood. We should
ponder what Jesus suffered

doctrines that we minimized if we ever hope to fathom

Jesus’ painful suffering. In the the price He paid for our
Gospels, plenty of time is spent salvation.

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Here are 8
things we should think about
during the days leading up to Easter:
1 He was betrayed by
His disciple Judas.
Jesus’ pain was not just physical.
Can you imagine the sorrow He felt
when one of His own trusted friends
became the ultimate traitor? We
aren’t exactly sure how to calculate
the modern value of 30 pieces of
silver, but many scholars suggest
about $950. All the pain Jesus
endured on Good Friday began the
night before, when Judas took blood
money to have his Master arrested.
Think about it: There’s a bit of
Judas in all of us, and we all betrayed
Jesus to get our own way. Yet He
chose to forgive us!
2
He was abandoned by
His other followers.
We often focus on Peter’s denial of
Jesus. But the Scriptures remind
S H O P. C H A R I S M A M A G . C O M
us that all of Jesus’ disciples “left
Him and fled” after His arrest (Mark
14:50, NASB). Jesus had to suffer
alone. All the men He had taught and
invested in for three and a half years
abandoned Him in His hour of need.
Think about it: Jesus paid it
all. He accomplished His work of
redemption without our help. But He
forgave us for our denials!
3 He carried the burden
of the sins of the world.
Jesus’ greatest agony didn’t start on
the cross. It began at Gethsemane,
where God laid on His Son the sins of
© Gettyimages/ RomoloTavani, mbolina
the world. Jesus agonized so intensely
in those moments that He sweat drops
of blood (Luke 22:44). Scholars say
He probably developed a condition
known as hematidrosis, in which blood
is emitted through the sweat glands
because of intense stress.
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 Think about it: Your sin was
transferred to Jesus’ account,
and He bore the punishment you
6 He was crucified
between two thieves.
deserved! We cannot even fathom the pain of
crucifixion. Metal spikes were driven

4
He was falsely
accused and rejected
by Jewish leaders.
Can you imagine the heartache Jesus
experienced when the very people
He was sent to save spat in His face,
blindfolded Him, cursed Him and
accused Him of blasphemy? The
Sanhedrin set up a kangaroo court
and sentenced the Son of God to
death.
Think about it: Jesus did not
into Jesus’ hands and feet, and He had
to slide His mangled body up against
the wood of the cross in order to catch
His breath. And because it was the
habit of Romans to crucify criminals
naked, Jesus endured the ultimate
shame. What’s more, He hung on that
crude cross next to two men who had
been convicted of crimes—while He
was completely innocent.
Think about it: We should have
been on death row, not Jesus. But He
took our place!

7
open His mouth in self-defense when
He was falsely accused. Now, when His body was pierced
Satan accuses you, Jesus argues your with a spear.
case and declares you not guilty!
Even after Jesus took His last breath,

5
a soldier jabbed a spear up through
He was mocked and the chest cavity—most likely to make
abused by Roman sure Jesus was dead. John tells us
guards. that blood and water spilled out
(John 19:34), evidence that the spear
After Pilate caved into pressure from
the Jews, Roman soldiers flogged
Jesus with a whip, drove a crown of
thorns into His scalp, beat His head
with sticks and mockingly pretended
to worship Him. The flogging alone—
which would have involved leather
cords with pieces of lead or bone
© Gettyimages/ TonyBaggett, RomoloTavani

attached—would have drained much

of Jesus’ blood.

Think about it: Jesus could have

called on angels to stop His torture—
but He chose to endure the pain
because He loved us!

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pierced the pericardium, the sac
around the heart. Jesus’ heart was
literally broken for us.
Think about it: Just as Adam’s
side was opened to bring forth the
first woman, Jesus’ side was opened
to bring forth the church. His
piercing produced a fountain of life
for us!
8
He tasted death for all.
This is the most horrible reality
of the cross. Christ did not die
metaphorically or symbolically. He
died literally. The Son of God, who
had never sinned—and who was least
deserving of death—died so we could
have life. His heart stopped beating,
He stopped breathing and His spirit
left Him. First Peter 3:18 says: “For
Christ also died for sins once and for
all, the just for the unjust, so that He
might bring us to God.”
Think about it: Because Jesus
died in our place, we no longer have to
die. Eternal life is His free gift to us!
S H O P. C H A R I S M A M A G . C O M
E
This Easter season, ponder the steps
the Savior took from Gethsemane to
Golgotha. Look at His nail-pierced
hands and feet. Take a careful survey
of His wondrous cross, and thank Him
for hanging there six hours for you.
Note: If you know someone
who doesn’t understand what
Jesus did for them on the cross,
please forward this article to
them—and invite them to your
church on Easter Sunday.
J. Lee Grady was the editor of Charisma
for 11 years before he launched into full –
time ministry in 2010. Today he directs The
Mordecai Project, a Christian charitable
organization that is taking the healing
of Jesus to women and girls who suffer
abuse and cultural oppression. Author of
several books including 10 Lies the Church
Tells Women, he has just released his
newest book, Set My Heart on Fire, from
Charisma House. You can follow him on
Twitter @LeeGrady or go to his website,
themordeciaproject.org.
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E Evidence
Resurrection
for the
by DARREL DEVILLE

“... to know Him, and the power of His

resurrection, and the fellowship of His
sufferings, being conformed to His death ...”
— Phil. 3:10, MEV

The apostle Paul expressed that Jesus Christ’s

resurrection is the cornerstone of our faith in Him
—1 Cor. 15:14, MEV

A
nd although skeptics all the evidence. The truth
have tried to refute this, is being a believer is not a
the evidence for God blind leap of faith but a real
© Gettyimages/ Muenz, Imgorthand

and the resurrection of Jesus relationship with a living God

Christ is undeniable, if one is whose fingerprints seem to be
willing to objectively look at everywhere we look.

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There are many verifiable facts of the RESURRECTION
of Jesus Christ, and the following are only seven of them.
The Empty Tomb
Even the enemies of Christ never
denied the empty tomb. And all other
explanations, body stolen, He wasn’t
really dead, and so on, are easily
debunked when examined.
Post-Resurrection
Appearances
People saw, touched, walked along
side, ate with, and listened to Jesus.
Hundreds of witnesses (over 500!) saw
Him at one time (1 Cor, 15:6), which
psychologists confirm could not have
been the result of a mass hallucination
as some skeptics claim.
The resurrection of Christ was a bodily
one. Following His resurrection He
presented Himself as proof that He
indeed was alive! He offered Himself to
S H O P. C H A R I S M A M A G . C O M
be touched, revealing His crucifixion
scars, then eating with the disciples.
He presented clear evidence He had
risen bodily from the grave.
“... to whom He presented Himself alive
after His passion by many infallible
proofs, appearing to them for forty days,
and speaking concerning the kingdom
of God” (Acts 1:3, MEV). This is the only
place in the Bible the word “infallible
proof” is used. This word meaning solid
proof in a court of law.
The Testimony of Women
The fact women were the first to
discover and testify of the empty tomb
and that He had risen is noteworthy
because in the Greco-Roman world
© Gettyimages/ chinaface
the testimony of women was not
considered reliable. If the gospel
writers felt the liberty to make things
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 up, they certainly would not report persuasive as Jesus resurrection
that women discovered the empty could account for such a remarkable
tomb, for that would only weaken transformation.
their case and cause. They however,
reported what they saw with their own
eyes, trusting the truth would bear out. James Conversion
Jesus’ half-brother James was a
Transformed Lives skeptic until he encountered the risen
Christ. As a result became a strong
of Disciples leader in the early church.
There is no doubt something very
real and dramatic happened that
transformed eleven cowardly men,
Saul’s Conversion on
hiding in fear for their lives, into bold the Road to Damascus
outspoken evangelists. These men
Some supernatural encounter must
became willing to risk imprisonment,
have occurred to cause such a radical
excommunication, torture, and
change in Saul, transforming him from
even death in order to proclaim the
a fanatical hater and persecutor of
resurrection of Jesus Christ in the very
Christians into the greatest defender,
city he was crucified! They would not
missionary, and evangelist the church
willingly die if they knew this was all
has ever known.
a lie. The fact is they knew Christ had
indeed risen — they saw Him, talked to
Him, touched Him, and ate with Him.
Knowing the truth of the resurrection
they were willing to die for Him.

Birth of the
Christian Church
It’s evident that something of great
significance and supernatural power
took place that caused the Christian
faith to explode in growth in the
very city Christ was crucified and
buried in. Within a few centuries,
from Jerusalem all the way thru the
Roman Empire Christianity became
the dominant religion, displacing
centuries of pagan practices. All
this without any modern forms of
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communication, travel or media.

Only something as compelling and

S H O P. C H A R I S M A M A G . C O M 19 8 0 0 -74 9 - 6 5 0 0
 The Truth from
Two of the Worlds
Greatest Legal Minds
1. Sir Lionel Luckhoo (1914-1997),
Considered one of the greatest lawyers
in British history. He’s recorded in the
Guinness Book of World Records as the
“World’s Most Successful Advocate,”
with 245 consecutive murder
acquittals. He was knighted by Queen
Elizabeth II – twice. After his complete
examination of the facts, Sir Luckhoo
declared:
“I humbly add I have spent more than
42 years as a defense trial lawyer
appearing in many parts of the world
... I say unequivocally the evidence
for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ
is so overwhelming that it compels
acceptance by proof which leaves
absolutely no room for doubt.” – Sir
Lionel Luckhoo
2. Simon Greenleaf (1783-1853)
was one of the founders of Harvard Law
School. He authored the authoritative
three-volume text, A Treatise on the
Law of Evidence (1842), which is
still considered “the greatest single
authority on evidence in the entire
literature of legal procedure.” Greenleaf
literally wrote the rules of evidence for
the U.S. legal system. He was certainly a
man who knew how to weigh the facts.
Greenleaf was an atheist until he
accepted a challenge by his students
to investigate the case for Christ’s
resurrection.
S H O P. C H A R I S M A M A G . C O M 20
Simon Greenleaf
Investigation
After personally collecting and
examining the evidence based on rules
of evidence that he helped establish,
Greenleaf became a Christian and
wrote the classic, Testimony of
the Evangelists ... after thorough
investigation of the resurrection,
concluded...
“The resurrection of Christ is the
most verifiable fact of ancient
history” – Simon Greenleaf
What more could be said?
Note: Some of the information in this
article was also gleaned from authors
such as Lee Strobel, Josh McDowell
and others who have done exhaustive
research on this topic.
Darrel and Cindy deVille are
founders and Co-Senior Pastors of a
new Spirit-filled Family Church, House
of Prayer, and Biblical Training Center in
Frisco, Texas. For more information go
to ShekinahToday.org. They are authors
of the book “God’s Answer For America:
How to Save and Change a Nation”
GodsAnswerForAmerica.org. They also
founded “Pray America! Pray!” with
the 12 O’Clock Prayer Challenge, calling
people to pray daily at noon for our
churches and nation. Facebook.com/
© Gettyimages/ rdonar
PrayAmericaPray
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 Overcome
the PAIN of
Your PAST
by LISA DEAN
© Gettyimages/ Donald34
 LIFE in the Overcome
SPIRIT the PAIN of
Your PAST

OVERCOME PAINFUL LIES

S
atan loves to bring up the past. As a Christian, you need
to know you have authority in the spiritual realm. Easter
is supposed to be a celebration of the authority Jesus died
to give you. God created the world, gave authority to Adam (see
Gen.1:26), and Adam gave his authority to Satan when he willfully
ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Jesus, the “second Adam,” died so we could receive our authority,

in His name, back through His perfect sacrifice. Romans 5 :19
states, “For just as through one man’s [Adam’s] disobedience
the many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One [Jesus]
the many will be made righteous.”

The devil hates it when a Christian knows their authority in Jesus,

because he knows he has no legal authority to accuse them
anymore. The next time Satan, whom the Bible calls the accuser
of the brethren, comes at you with that painful memory of your
past, you need to remind Him exactly whom He’s talking to. You
have the same Spirit that raised Christ Jesus from the dead living
inside you. That makes you a new creature in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17).

He makes all things new. You need to know that the old you is
dead. You don’t even know that person anymore, because the
Bible says you died with Christ and were raised from the dead
with Him at the moment you received salvation. When Satan
reminds you of your past, you remind him He can’t accuse
someone who died. You are brand-new in Him, so take your
authority in Jesus’ name.
© Gettyimages/ Donald34

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 LIFE in the Overcome
SPIRIT the PAIN of
Your PAST

OVERCOME BARRIERS
TO FEELING FORGIVEN

F
orgiveness is not a feeling. Satan might try to make
you feel as though you aren’t forgiven, but that doesn’t
change the fact that you are. This is where you decide if
God’s Word is true and everything else that doesn’t line up with
His Word is a lie, according to Romans 3:4. This is the moment
you decide to either live by faith in God’s Words or to live by your
feelings.

When you made the choice to believe you were saved by grace
through the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, you
decided to believe in your heart and confess with your mouth
that you were saved (see Rom. 10:19). When the emotional high
of receiving salvation started to wear off, did that mean that you
weren’t saved anymore because you didn’t feel it? No!

When you were saved, your spirit man on the inside was the
only part of you that was made completely whole. So in a sense,
our soul (our mind, will and emotions) needs to catch up. The
problem lies in the fact that after we get saved, our mind, will
and emotions still need to come into agreement with the Word
of God. So what does God’s Word say about our forgiveness?

1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just
to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
If you choose to believe, or agree with God’s Word, over your
feelings, then you are choosing to believe 1 John 1:9, which says
you are forgiven after you confess your sins. You had faith to
believe you could be saved, so you have faith to believe you are
forgiven.

S H O P. C H A R I S M A M A G . C O M 23 8 0 0 -74 9 - 6 5 0 0
 LIFE in the Overcome
SPIRIT the PAIN of
Your PAST

OVERCOME PAST
MISTAKES

A
s Christians, we have a pure motive in wanting to
become more like Jesus. However, when we are
constantly looking at our past mistakes or failures in an
effort to grow, we need to make sure we aren’t dwelling on those
after we’ve confessed them to the Father and each other so that
we might be healed according to James 5:16.

If you’re struggling with constantly thinking about your past

mistakes, the problem is rooted in the way you see yourself. 2
Corinthians 5:21 says, “God made Him who knew no sin to be sin
for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
Remind yourself that God, the only person whose opinion really
matters, sees you as “His righteousness” through Jesus.

Think about that. You became “the righteousness of God” in

Him.

It’s all because of Jesus! Not dwelling on your past mistakes is a

discipline. It’s a powerful way to honor what Jesus did for you on
the cross. He died so you could see yourself the way God does—
through the blood of the righteous lamb, Jesus.

S H O P. C H A R I S M A M A G . C O M 24 8 0 0 -74 9 - 6 5 0 0
 LIFE in the Overcome
SPIRIT the PAIN of
Your PAST

OVERCOME GUILT

G
uilt is a nasty weapon that Satan uses to try to keep
us bound. Although we are set free, and made right
with God at the moment of salvation, we can still
have consequences from previous sin to deal with. This can be
confusing to a Christian who has consequences from past sin
starring them in the face every day.

So how do you break free of the bondage of guilt? You recognize

that all have fallen short of the glory of God. That no one has
ever lived a life worthy of receiving God’s free gift of sonship or
salvation except Jesus. You focus on the fact that you couldn’t
have been good enough for God on your own anyway.

Guilt says you are unworthy of God’s love and are shameful. But
the truth is without God, we all are. You need to remember you
are now God’s son or daughter. If we could have seen ourselves
spiritually without Him, we would have all been ashamed of who
we were. But you recognized your need for a Savior, and you now
have a chance to live a new life.

The promise of God making everything new is true, but it doesn’t

happen overnight. It comes from keeping God in first place in
your heart and above everything else in life. When Satan tries to
make you feel guilty about your past, you need to start thanking
God for how He has made you new! There is no condemnation for
those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:1) Say good-bye to the guilt
of your past and find your future in the Word and plan of God.

S H O P. C H A R I S M A M A G . C O M 25 8 0 0 -74 9 - 6 5 0 0
 LIFE in the Overcome
SPIRIT the PAIN of
Your PAST

OVERCOME REGRET

R
egret is like a voice that keeps you in mourning for
something from your past. Yes, there’s a time for
mourning, but there’s also a time to move forward. God
has great plans for you, a hope and a future. Yes, you may have
sown some bad seeds in the past, and you may regret them, but
the fastest way to get your eyes on the future and off the past is
to start sowing good seed.

Start speaking the good plans God says in His Word He has for
you. Start sowing as much good seed into good ground as you
can. If you regret the way your life has gone until now, start
sowing God’s Word in the garden of your heart. If you do this
every day, it won’t be long until the Word starts to produce a
good crop.

The incorruptible seed of God’s Word in your life will start to

overpower the bad from the past. The spiritual law of seed, time
and harvest works for the kingdom of darkness and the kingdom
of light. God will not violate His Word and wipe out a bad crop
that you sowed before. But He is a merciful God. When you
draw close to Him by reading His Word, He can show you what
Scriptures to start sowing in your heart.

Don’t let one more day of living in regret pass. Jesus said, “The
kingdom of heaven is like a grain of a mustard seed, which a man
took and sowed in his field (Matt 13:31).” If you want heaven on
earth in your life, start planting the right seeds. No more regrets.

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 LIFE in the Overcome
SPIRIT the PAIN of
Your PAST

OVERCOME SHAME

I
n John 15:5, Jesus says, “I am the vine, you are the
branches. He who remains in Me and I in him, bears
much fruit. For without Me you can do nothing.” He’s
clearly saying, you can’t do it on your own. Just as you can’t
heal yourself or forgive your own sins, you can’t do anything
apart from Him.

When we recognize the very breath we breathe comes from

Him, we can see that only He can help us overcome shame.
When we remain in Him, we become more like Him. We begin
to see ourselves in Him. Soon, we begin to see ourselves—and
ultimately everything else—the way He does. You will begin
to look at situations past, present and even future in the way
He does.

He is love, and when we find our identity in Him as we remain

in Him, we see ourselves as loved, not shamed. We never
deserved His love in the first place, and He still chose to love
us. Shame says you are not worthy of love. But we can never
earn our way to being worthy of God’s love.

Jesus is the only person who can ever make us worthy,

because He is. When you remain in Him, spending time with
Him, abiding in His Word, He will help you overcome shame,
as He has already overcome the world. As He overcomes, so
do you.

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 LIFE in the Overcome
SPIRIT the PAIN of
Your PAST

YOU ARE AN OVERCOMER

R
evelation 12:11 says, “They overcame him by the blood of
the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they
loved not their lives unto the death.”

Jesus was the perfect lamb slain for our sins, and it is through
His blood that we overcame sin and death when we received
salvation. If you’ve received Jesus Christ as your personal Lord
and Savior, you are already an overcomer. You overcome by His
blood, His sacrifice.

Jesus has already done His part in making overcoming power

available to you. After receiving His sacrifice through salvation,
your part is to overcome by the word of your testimony. Your
testimony, or your confession, of what He paid for has to line up
with His testimony. Why? Because He is the truth.

When you ask a witness to give their testimony about the

facts of a case in a court of law, you expect their story to stay
consistent. If there are any inconsistencies in what they say,
everyone knows they are lying.

Satan is the accuser and the father of lies. He will try to get you
to agree with Him and His lies. Your job, no matter what kind
of pressure or threats He brings you, is to keep your testimony
lined up with Jesus’ testimony. You have to know what He says
belongs to you through His sacrifice. That’s when you overcome!

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 Invitation
R to J ECEIVE ESUS as
LORD AND SAVIOR
A love note from Father God
I
love you. Not as the world
loves, but as an everlast-
ing Father loves. I sent My
only Son, part of Myself,
to reconcile you, My beautiful
creation, back to Myself. Believe in
My Son and receive My holiness in
your life. When you do, I remove
all your sins, past hurts, shame and
condemnation. Those are from the
world. You belong to My kingdom.
In exchange, I give you My peace,
love, mercy, forgiveness, gentle-
ness and patience.
We have much to do together.
Believe in My Son, Jesus, and open
yourself to Me fully. Tell Me about
all the hurts, wounds and offenses
you have. We will work on those to-
gether. The faster you bring them
to Me, the quicker I will heal you
completely.
My purpose and destiny for
you do not include carrying those
things that have caused you
pain. My Son paid the ultimate
S H O P. C H A R I S M A M A G . C O M
price. Come, give them to Jesus
now. When you do, you’ll be free.
Those whom the Lord sets free
are free indeed.
When you accept My
unconditional offer of salvation,
you are receiving the greatest gift
of your life. You are stepping into
your eternal destiny. Together,
we will begin an adventure that
will fulfill you beyond your
wildest expectations.
Are you ready to step into your
eternal destiny with Jesus as your
Lord and Savior? Pray this prayer
out loud with all your heart and
receive His unconditional love and
salvation today!
Jesus, I confess that You are my
Lord and Savior. I believe with all
my heart that God raised You from
the dead. By faith in Your Word, I
receive salvation now.
Thank You for saving me!
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 Invitation
R
H
to ECEIVE
the OLY
SPIRIT
SCRIPTURES: 1 CORINTHIANS 12, 14 and ACTS 2, 4, 8-10
T
he moment you received
Jesus as your Lord and
Savior, the Holy Spirit
came to live inside you.
To be empowered for all that God
has for you, including operating
in the gifts of the Spirit, you have
to ask and invite the Holy Spirit to
come upon you for the infilling or
baptism of His Spirit.
Our goal as a Christian is to
model the life of Jesus. As soon
as Jesus was baptized, “The Holy
Spirit descended in bodily form
like a dove upon Him, and a voice
came from heaven which said,
“You are my beloved Son; in You
I am well pleased” (Luke 3:22).
Your desire should be to please the
Father and receive everything He
has for you including His helper,
the Holy Spirit.
© depositphotos.com/ flowerstock
Once you receive the baptism
of the Holy Spirit, the gifts of the
Spirit will start to manifest in your
life according to 1 Corinthians
12:7-11. There are many gifts. One
of the manifestations is the gift
S H O P. C H A R I S M A M A G . C O M 30
of tongues. Tongues is the ability
to pray in an unknown language
from our spirit man. It is our spirit
praying to God’s Spirit (Acts 2).
The Holy Spirit gives many gifts
to believers. As you open yourself
up to receiving more from the
Holy Spirit, He will bless you with
more gifts.
Are you ready for more of the
Holy Spirit? Do you want to be
empowered?
Pray this prayer and ask the
Holy Spirit to baptize you in His
Spirit!
Jesus, I thank You for sending
me the Holy Spirit as my Helper.
Holy Spirit come upon me, baptize
me in Your Spirit and fill me with
Your fullness and power with the
evidence of speaking in tongues
and all the gifts of the Spirit.
I receive You now Holy Spirit.
Bless me with Your infilling.
In Jesus’ name, amen!
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 Continue your SUPERNATURAL
ADVENTURE with GOD!
T
he Life in the Spirit series of teaching devotionals help you
progress from starting a relationship with the Holy Spirit to
living each day as the Spirit-filled warrior of God who does
the unimaginable.

VOLUME I VOLUME II VOLUME III VOLUME IV

Encounter the In His Presence Holy Spirit Spiritual
Holy Spirit takes you deeper Baptism Warfare
gives you a deep into the Presence of brings truth and helps you to
understanding of who Almighty God. Learn clarity behind this understand how
Holy Spirit is, how He how to truly enter amazing experience. and why the enemy
works in your life and into His Presence. Once you know, attacks you. Learn to
how you can interact You were born to you’ll want to receive stop him in his tracks
with Him on a daily fellowship with your the power and gifts by putting on the full
basis. As you live the Creator. The veil was that come through armor of God. Go on
Spirit-filled life, you’ll torn. Come boldly this baptism. God the offensive. Use
gain truth, wisdom before the throne and has great plans for the power of your
© Depositphotos.com/ firewings

and insight about spend time with the you. His gifts are tongue to declare
how much God loves one who loves you irrevocable. No one and decree the Word
you. Answer the call eternally. Taste and else can do what of God in a powerful
to work closely with see that the Lord is He’s called you to way. Witness heaven
Him through His Holy good. do on Earth. Don’t move on your behalf.
Spirit. go empty-handed; You belong to the
receive all that He has Most High God. You
for you! His power are His ambassador.
Now Available in is available to those No weapon formed
Print and E-book Format who ask. against you will
prosper.

S H O P. C H A R I S M A M A G . C O M 31 8 0 0 -74 9 - 6 5 0 0
 Jesus said to her, “I am the
resurrection and the life.
He who believes in Me, though
he may die, yet shall he live.
And whoever lives and believes
in Me shall never die.
Do you believe this?”

John 11:25-26 (MEV)

LIFE in the SPIRIT

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