Gracious Father, we pray that that, above all, the name of Jesus will be raised high in and through our lives. We ask that as we go on living in the body, we will experience fruitful labor as we become more enamored with Christ and empowered for His glory. We also crave the absolute confidence and heavenly anticipation that Paul exhibited regarding death when he said, “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” What hope, power, and liberation this Biblical perspective brings! Help us to believe.
We confess that when considering fleshly death, we can find ourselves emotionally impacted by a sense of loss or fear related with the process of death and the unknown. We are easily lured into a hopeless state looking at death as the end of life, the grave. Father, this wasn’t Paul’s perspective, and we pray that you would make that so for us as well. As believers, rather than living in fear or denial regarding death (unless Christ returns first), we desire to consider truth that will set us free.
Oh Father! Just the opposite of a fleshly, fatalistic view is true regarding death. Secure in our heart and mind that to die is gain, which is far better. Replace our fear with supernatural faith that yields peace and confidence in the incredible work of Christ. Exchange any sense of fear with the hope we have as we anticipate eternity in your indescribable presence and in your perfect kingdom. May our sights be set on your promise:
“Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with us. We will be his people, and God himself will be with us and be our God. ‘He will wipe every tear from our eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!”
Lord Jesus do not let our hearts be troubled. We believe in you. You tell us your Father’s house has many rooms and you have gone there to prepare a place for us. You will come back and take us to be with you that we also may be where you are. Our gain is eternal presence with Christ our King, heaven with eventual eternal presence on the new and unblemished earth, and fellowship with the saints.
We ask that our lives be permeated with faith which leads to joyful anticipation regarding our eternal presence with Christ. Supernaturally empower us with confidence that exudes hope knowing, “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. What a blessing it will be to experience everlasting life at home with our Lord!
In Christ,
Blessings!
Philippians 1:21 -24
21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.
2 Corinthians 5:6-8
Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord.
For we live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
John 14:1-3
1 Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.
II Corinthians 5:1
1 For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.
Revelation 21:1-7
1 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes.
There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.
I Corinthians 15:55-57
“Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 8:37-39
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.