Releasing the Redeeming Power of Calvary

Releasing the Redeeming Power of Calvary

Mat 27:50-54 “Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. 51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; 52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, 53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. 54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.”

There was enough power released from Calvary to heal every sick person in the world. There was enough power released from Calvary to raise every dead person. When Jesus comes back, billions will be raised from the dead. This will be the greatest miracle ever because some of those people were burned at the stake, eaten by sharks, attacked by lions, etc.

The power has already been released, but there is something that keeps that power from being released: Doubt. Doubt has another form: Tradition. They are actually triplets, with the third being Guilt.

God hasn’t given us doubt. Doubt keeps people from being healed. Sickness was designed at the fall of man. The power to redeem you from that fall is already here.

What fights you is not always a lie from the devil. Sometimes, it’s fact. Sometimes, what’s true can negate the Truth. Sometimes, the circumstances and the facts that are there stop you from introducing the Truth into the scenario. Seeing isn’t always believing. Sometimes, you’re looking at the wrong information.

It’s not about denying the facts. Perhaps you have had a stroke or an empty bank account. It’s not about pretending something isn’t that actually is. It’s okay to confess the facts. There is a lack, a need. It’s okay to confess your struggle to Jesus. Truth never lies.

When does reality meet faith? However, speaking facts only denies the power that is already here. Long before you were born, bigger sins were under the blood. People have already overcome tougher stuff than you’re dealing with. This is why your excuses won’t work on Judgement Day.

Learn to tap into the power that was released at Calvary. This year is a year of redemption. This is the year, you cast your net on the right side and pull in an enormous catch. But, you need to tap into it.

Seeing the facts as they are is not the problem. It’s not wrong to say, ‘I’m sick’ or ‘I’ve been down and out.’ It puts you in a prison if that’s all you speak and look at. There is a Greater Truth, something higher and more powerful than what is already happening in your life.

Gravity is what keeps us to the ground. The laws of truth, the fact of gravity says it won’t leave the ground. Yet, that piece of steel gets off the ground and defies gravity for hours at a time, the law of aerodynamics. There is a greater truth to counteract gravity.

Your situation may be truth but introduce the Greater Truth that Jesus released at Calvary.

The facts aren’t the issue. The issue is releasing the power to counter the facts. There are dimensions to grace. That grace is available to everybody. After you’ve been saved, there is more grace to be redeemed to counteract your situation.

Where we make a mistake in our movement is trying to make converts without helping them grow. The convert must become a disciple. Let Jesus be formed in me and you and in those new converts. Let Him convert something new in me every day.

You might be stuck and bound in the medical report, your bank account, your relationship situation, but there is a greater truth to counter that.

There is a secret sauce.

There is something cooking in the Spirit that will bring light into your darkness. There is power that was released at Calvary available for you today. Greater truth!

There is a word in Scripture that few talk about.

2 Tim 4:14-18 “Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works: 15 Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words. 16 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. 17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. 18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

‘Notwithstanding’ means ‘all of these facts are true, but…’ or ‘in spite of the facts.’

‘Notwithstanding God stood with me!’ Now, you have introduced a Greater Truth which locks a greater power, Greater Truth in your life.

Calvary was a bloody man, beaten, unreasonable pain, tragedy. A precious, beautiful man died on the cross. Notwithstanding, God raised that man from the dead. Let this Greater Truth be introduced to your situation.

The world is demanding. If you separate from the world, you’ll be persecuted by it. Fact, three men refused to worship a statue and were thrown into a furnace as punishment. They should have died, yet, FACT: a fourth man appeared in the fire and the three men didn’t even smell like fire.

Fact: Israel was being attacked and they were starving. Four lepers were not dying from the disease, they were dying of starvation. FACT: Notwithstanding, God delivered them from the enemy and there was more food than the people could eat.

Let Scripture read to you and speak to you as you read it.

Job 13:15 “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.”

Who slays me? It’s God! Trust Him and you’ll see the ‘notwithstanding.’

All they had was five loaves and two fishes, but Jesus… They had five loaves and two fish and thousands of hungry people. Introduce all the facts. You have the maker of heaven and earth at your disposal, what are you looking at?

Luke 5:5 “And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.”

‘Nevertheless’ means ‘it doesn’t matter what I see, I’m going to look at Greater Truth.’ There is still more.

‘Never-the-less,’ ‘never mind the less,’ At Jesus’ Word, the earth was created. ‘Nevertheless’ means ‘in spite of.’ Enter into the redemptive power that was released at Calvary.

Never Mind the Less!

Joel 2:25 “And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.”

These are actually four different stages of the locust. This thing that has destroyed your harvest is something God sent. God restored not the harvest, but the years that the locust has eaten. There are years that were taken. It feels like such a waste of time, loss. You can always make more money, but not time lost. God will replace even the years that were lost. ‘Years’ represent hard work and seasons—all lost.

Stand with Jesus. ‘Never-the-less!’ Don’t look at the facts, look at the Greater Truth.

David didn’t look at the facts when he saw Goliath’s defiance of the One True God. David knew that Goliath couldn’t defeat God and David stood with Him.

Release redemption. Don’t deny or ignore the facts. Instead, introduce the Greater Truth. The facts are I’m not perfect and I’ve failed and failed and failed. The world and Satan say, ‘Give up.’ These facts are true, but not the whole truth. There is always failure, but there is also something Greater.

Release the Redeeming Power of Calvary into your life. Introduce this Greater Truth.

To ‘redeem’ is to regain something lost through an exchange of something more valuable. According to the Old Testament law, a poor man can be redeemed by a kinsman-redeemer.

Acts 20:28 “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.”

Jesus is now ‘flesh and bone.’ He gave all His blood in exchange for you.

Eze 47:8-11 “Then said he unto me, These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed. 9 And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh. 10 And it shall come to pass, that the fishers shall stand upon it from Engedi even unto Eneglaim; they shall be a place to spread forth nets; their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many. 11 But the miry places thereof and the marshes thereof shall not be healed; they shall be given to salt.”

You’ve got to keep the flow going or the secret sauce stops. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so! Act redeemed. This is how to keep the flow. Something must flow out of you. You’ve got to overflow in order to keep it freshly flowing. Tap into that Power, that Greater Truth for you and for everybody else.

Gal 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

Crucifixion is ugly, but, nevertheless, I live because of Jesus Christ living in me.

This is the secret sauce: Christ has redeemed us from the curse of sin.

Rev 5:9 “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;”

We have a New Song.

Micah 7:8 “Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me.”

In order to have a 7:8 Spirit in you, you have to be willing to do the 7:7.

Micah 7:7 “Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.”

Look unto the Lord instead of my circumstance. There is your hope!

God has something for you. Let your faith rise up and see what He does. Pray, get desperate for the Lord and He will hear you.

When they said, ‘We are not able to defeat this army,’ fact, ‘but notwithstanding, our eyes are on You. You said you would help me and protect me and provide for me, so my eyes are on you.’ Sing the song of redemption. God is greater. He delivered them from the enemy. Nothing can stop the power of Calvary. Nothing is greater than God. You + Jesus is more than good enough.

More Questions for Personal or Group Study:

  1. How does the ‘ugly truth’ sometimes blind people to Greater Truth?
  2. In what kinds of situations is it easy to trust God?
  3. Read Job 19:25-27. In spite of all Job has endured, what does he choose? Where has he placed his hope?
  4. How has this sermon challenged your thinking and how can you encourage someone else?

Excerpted from a sermon preached by Pastor Anthony LoCascio.

For the full YouTube audio/video, click here.