The Christian Response to the Coronavirus
Victory in Jesus!
Bethel Missionary Baptist Church
Friday, April 17, 2020
Now is not the time to quit or to spiritually turn back to Egypt. We can live in victory; walk in victory; and speak victoriously when we truly believe that Jesus died to give us the victory. Listen, you have the victory over death. 1 Corinthians 15:54: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” Some people are afraid to “die;” they are afraid of death. What is the greatest fear of most people, even Christians? Death! But what happens when a believer dies? You go to heaven! Many believers are afraid to die. Let’s be honest: this coronavirus has so many afraid to die. Really! This death thing that we all live in such great fear of, results in our going to heaven! Is that the worst you can do? We ought to live in victory knowing that the worst thing Satan can do to us results in our going to Heaven! Do we believe now that Heaven is a blessing?
Listen, be careful, be safe, and stay at home if you must. However, you can walk around your house wearing an astronaut suit for protection, but when God gets ready for you, no mask, no gloves, no sanitizer and no clothes can protect you from judgement day. Hebrews 9:27 tells us, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgement.” Yes, one day we are all going to die. That’s all of us: presidents, pastors, prime ministers, deacons, deaconesses, old people, young people, infants, toddlers, the rich, the poor, the in-between, the black, the white, the brown, and whatever color you want to be, we are all destined to die. We will die of something; and everybody will not die of the coronavirus. All sicknesses are not unto death. You can get a vaccine, have good health, practice social distancing, and check your blood pressure and temperature all day long. Death is imminent! Here is the good news recorded in Psalm 23:4, “Yea thou I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”
I am writing daily to you about how Christians should respond to this coronavirus crisis. God wants you to be triumphant, victorious, a conqueror, an overcomer and a witness. “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests the sweet aroma of the knowledge of him in every place.” (2 Corinthians 2:14) Go tell this: Jesus said, “The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” (1 Corinthians 15:26) What victories do believers enjoy? Victory over death!! This weekend, I will prayerfully share with you more of life’s challenges over which Jesus has given us victory. Let me encourage you to “Fear none of those things which thou shall suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days; be thou faithful unto death, and I will give you a crown of life.” (Revelation 2:10) Ask Harriet Tubman; she was not afraid to die.
Amen.
