Don't Forget Easter This Christmas

12/22/2013

Tiffany Ann Lewis:
http://elijahlist.com/words/display_word.html?ID=12936

I'm a well-seasoned holiday veteran. I have celebrated enough holidays to know that they are not just filled with love, joy, and peace but also, at times, filled with fear, loneliness, disappointment, anxiety, and regret. I know that I need to fight the good fight of faith so that the "Grinch" can't steal Christmas from my heart. Nevertheless, once again, those negative emotions have crept in and threatened to steal my Christmas joy.

To help me fight these feelings, the Lord gave me a word that I pray will be a blessing to you this holiday, too. He said, to my heart, "Don't forget Easter this Christmas!" Just typing that phrase makes me laugh out loud. Now the Lord wasn't asking me to put some rabbit ears on Santa Claus, but what He was doing was reminding me of the power of the Resurrection.

Let's take a look at the fifth "I Am" statement of Jesus recorded in John's Gospel. Five is the number of grace, and O how we need this grace today! The statement comes in the midst of a conversation between Jesus and Martha. Lazarus, Martha's brother, has died and Martha is heartbroken. The situation seemed hopeless. Lazarus hadn't just died; the body wasn't even warm. He had been dead four days and was now buried in a tomb with a stone sealing the deal! O, but God! You see, the situation is NEVER hopeless when you have the Resurrection and Life with you.

"Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?'"(John 11:25-26). It's interesting to note that Martha already stated that she did believe in resurrection. "Martha said to Him, 'I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.'" (verse 24). She believed that anything was possible with Jesus; "But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You." (verse 22).

Do you believe this? Hmm...what was Jesus getting to?

He Will Become For Us What We Need

You see, when Jesus said, "I Am the resurrection and life," He wasn't just stating a fact. He was making a bold declaration of His divinity and His power. The authority of the statement is revealed in Exodus when God had sent Moses to deliver His children. Moses was concerned that they wouldn't believe God Almighty had given him this task and would quiz him on God's name. So he was wondering what calling card God would give him to prove he was on a divine mission. God's answer..."I AM has sent you" (see Exodus 3:14).

The root of this name of God is hayah (Strong's#1961) and has the fundamental meaning of:to exist, become, and to be. Yet it also contains the idea of an abiding presence, to accompany, or to be with. Most commentators understand this to mean that God is capable to responding to us and be whatever is needed. Not only will He be with us in every situation that we face, but He will become for us what He, in His wisdom, knows that we need.

You see, not only is He here with us, He will be what we need at that moment. Nothing is lost, nothing is gone, and nothing is so broken that it cannot be put back together again. Resurrection is about restoration.

The question is, I guess...do we believe this? I'm guessing you answered, "Yes." Therefore, let's allow the hope of the Resurrection to course through our being this Christmas and to fill us up with supernatural joy, supernatural love, and a supernatural peace that passes our understanding.

Because He Lives, We Can Face Tomorrow

There is a popular song today called, "Mary, Did You Know?" written by Mark Lowry and Buddy Greene. The third verse of the song not only wraps up the song but places a glorious bow on top. We can open this gift this holiday season and receive whatever we need from the Lord as we remember Easter this Christmas.

Mary, did you know
That your baby boy
Is Lord of all creation?
Mary did you know
That your baby boy
Will one day rule the nations?
Did you know
That your baby boy
Is Heaven's perfect Lamb?
This sleeping Child you're holding
Is the "Great I Am"

They didn't know prior to the Resurrection, but this side of the Cross of Christ we do.

We don't know what tomorrow will bring, yet because He lives, we can embrace the past. Because He lives, we can find purpose in today. Because He lives, we can face tomorrow.

Merry Christmas. Amen and Amen.

Tiffany Ann Lewis
Dancing With the Flame of the LORD Ministries
Email: tiffanyann@tiffanyannlewis.com
Website: tiffanyannlewis.com

Tiffany Ann Lewis is a prophetic worship leader and Bible teacher with a unique focus on Biblical Hebrew, and whose heart has been passionately awakened by a God who sees us in our shortcomings, loves us in spite of it all, and calls out to us so we can live (Ezekiel 16). Her vision is to create an atmosphere in worship where we can meet with God face to face, where the Spirit of God moves freely, releasing emotional, spiritual and physical healing, and igniting a passion for our Heavenly Bridegroom, Jesus. Tiffany Ann has been ministering for over 15 years in the Body of Christ through worship and the Word. Her newest opportunity will be to serve as an Adjunct Professor of Biblical Hebrew at the Quest Bible Institute in Georgia where she is also a fully matriculated student enrolled in a graduate level Biblical/theological studies program at Quest Bible Institute and Seminary. Upon completion of her studies she will be awarded a Master's degree in Biblical Studies.

Tiffany and her husband Rodney have been married for more than twenty years and have one darling daughter, Ashley, a glorious granddaughter, Gloriana, and two precious pups that are also a part of their family.