Die until you Laugh

Die until you laugh!

Our little man, Asher loves Africa life, he especially loves African lizards (notice his hand in the picture). He is constantly asking to hold one. He wants me to roam our “vast” yard and find a helpless little lizard and catch him. So over the past days we have done just that.
Today he asked again, so we went hunting. After a few short minutes we caught one. I always have to tell him to be gentle with the little guy, who measures smaller than his little pinky finger.
Well about an hour later the lizard had met his maker, Asher had accidentally squeezed him to death. I told him “the lizard is dead, you killed him, Asher” Then it dawned on me; he has no concept of death. He has never had to deal with it. His innocence and his world have never been introduced to death. So he kept playing with it believing it was only asleep. It was hard not to laugh!

Then the Holy Spirit fell on me with the revelation that Adam and Eve had no concept of what death was either. To them it was all just words. What is death? Why wouldn’t Adam and Eve sin when death had no context? Maybe they didn’t fear death because life was all they knew. Many believe they are alive when they actually live from a place of death. The Israelites thought they were alive when the whole nation was a valley of dry bones.

In the beginning the enemy told us we wouldn’t die. It was a lie that contrasted life we were experiencing. He has come only to steal, kill and destroy. Jesus brought life back to us and the enemy changed his tactic, “You’re not really alive!” All he wants is for us to either remain dead or to believe we are not really alive. For those who are alive in Christ, the first doesn’t apply and the latter is a joke.

I wonder if Cain and Abel could grasp what Life was. Did they understand that behind the Angel with the flaming sword, Life once inhabited The Garden?

In Matthew 10 Jesus gives us one of the most amazing insights for those who are alive. We don’t have to worry about money, clothes, shoes, sticks (for walking), luggage, speaking in front of governors and Kings or that our family may hate us. These things dwell in a world of death; so, it is a good thing we are seated in the Heavenly realms. We also “don’t worry about those who want to kill us. They can only kill our body; they cannot touch our soul.” Jesus never worried about death, he had come to do away with it.

If we have nothing to worry about, then we can spend our time, “healing the sick, raising the dead, curing those with leprosy and casting out demons. We can focus on being a Bride that has a context of being raised with Christ and no longer one of death. We are more alive than the enemy wants us to believe. Adam and Eve were alive in their nakedness and they felt no shame. We being “clothed in Christ” should LIVE and not feel shame for doing so.

I feel sad that I will one day have to explain to Asher what death really means. My only prayer is that it moves him to realize what LIFE Jesus has offered.

Jesus knows that death has been conquered. This is why everyone he raised from the dead, he spoke of as actually only sleeping and everyone laughed. Jesus lived from a place of Life and they from one of death. Hebrews 2:14-15 “Because God’s children are human beings – made of flesh and blood – Jesus also became flesh and blood by being born in human form. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the Devil, who HAD the power of death. Only in this way could he deliver those who have lived all their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.” Hallelujah!

The enemy preys upon our confidence and when he breaks us we become another crown for him (Lifehouse).

So I tell you Bride of Christ, arise and be ALIVE. Be free as Son and Daughters are called to be. Live out the passion Holy Spirit is burning in you, live in abundance, live in faith, live in hope and expectation. You will NEVER die again! You will NEVER die again! YOU WILL NEVER DIE AGAIN! YOU WILL NEVER DIE AGAIN! Never go back, it’s a BIG FAT JOKE!
So, LAUGH, LAUGH until it hurts, LAUGH until you cry, LAUGH until you see Jesus laughing on the floor with you! Laugh!

O’ death where is your victory?
O’ grave where is your sting?

Heath