WHEN THE PERISHABLE HAS BEEN CLOTHED WITH THE IMPERISHABLE, AND THE MORTAL WITH IMMORTALITY, THEN THE SAYING THAT IS WRITTEN WILL COME TRUE: ‘DEATH HAS BEEN SWALLOWED UP IN VICTORY.’

‘WHERE, O DEATH, IS YOUR VICTORY? WHERE, O DEATH, IS YOUR STING?’
THE STING OF DEATH IS SIN, AND THE POWER OF SIN IS THE LAW. BUT THANKS BE TO GOD! HE GIVES US THE VICTORY THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
(1Corinthians 15:54-57).

I have experienced the sting of death a few times. After the death of my daddy, the sting of death manifested as abandonment in my heart. With the death of my mother, it was fear. When my sister died, my heart was infused with rejection. When I looked closer at the sting of death, I discovered the father-of-lies behind it. When someone dies, he uses his negative, destructive beliefs (the same oppressing beliefs that cause us to sin) to fill our hearts with abandonment, condemnation, fear, shame, and rejection.

FOR THIS VERY REASON, CHRIST DIED AND RETURNED TO LIFE SO THAT HE MIGHT BE THE LORD OF BOTH THE DEAD AND THE LIVING
(Romans 14:9).

But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ, who came to remove the sting of death. When I embraced the negative, destructive belief that caused me to feel abandoned after my daddy’s death and exposed it to the Lord Jesus, He exchanged it for His Belonging in my heart. When I faced the sting my mother’s death caused—that I could not live without my family—God introduced me to His Family. When I invited the Presence and Participation of the Lord Jesus into the belief that I was forever cut off from my sister’s love after she died, He showed me that He was the Lord of the living as well as the dead. She was alive and well on the other side where the perishable was clothed with the imperishable, loving me, still, with all her heart. I was not rejected. “O death, where is your sting?”

SINCE THE CHILDREN HAVE FLESH AND BLOOD, HE TOO SHARED IN THEIR HUMANITY SO THAT BY HIS DEATH HE MIGHT BREAK THE POWER OF HIM WHO HOLDS THE POWER OF DEATH—THAT IS, THE DEVIL
(Hebrews 2:14).

Have you experienced the sting of death, maybe even at Christmas time?

What are the negative, destructive beliefs behind your sting of death? Are you willing to find these, lay them before the Lord Jesus, and ask Him for the Truth? If you do, He will remove the sting of death in your heart.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank you that You are the Lord of the living as well as the dead. By Your death You broke the power of him who holds the power of death. Come and remove the sting of death from my life, too, so I may enjoy this glorious season and rejoice in Your birth.