By QuaWanna Bannarbie

It was a beautiful Easter day for me and my family. I pray the same was the case for you. If you know only the joy of chocolate bunnies and egg-shaped candy, the celebration is over. For the redeemed of the Lord, the celebration continues. We know that Jesus is risen!

After Mary Magdalene left the open tomb proclaiming the resurrection of Jesus Christ and Peter confirmed that it was true, the disciples greeted each other with the statement “He is risen!” The proper response was “He is risen, indeed!” I have heard this shared in numerous Easter sermons since I was a young girl. When I heard these words again on Resurrection Sunday, I thought much about the meaning of “indeed.” By definition, it means to emphasize or to strongly confirm something that has been spoken or suggested. It has been nearly 2,000 years since Jesus died and rose again. Yet, “He is risen, indeed” is a confirmation that carries weight today.

When I think back on the days after Jesus rose, I am reminded of the promise that the resurrected king made in Luke 24:49. He said, “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.” And they waited as Jesus instructed. The opening of the book of Acts reveals to us the fulfillment of the promise Jesus made to them. Those in the upper room were filled with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. In those 50 days between Resurrection Day and the day they were filled, the disciples were confirming the truth, “He is risen, indeed.” As a result, they received the power that Jesus promised them. They recognized that they needed that power to do the work God would have them to do. So, they waited but they waited with an “indeed.” Their confirmation supported the acceleration of the forthcoming promise.

About two weeks ago, a dear friend forwarded me a YouTube message by Pastor Sarah Jakes Roberts titled “Allow God to do things His Way.” She encourages the listeners to wait for confirmation. As I was writing this article, I recalled that she shared something powerful about what to do when you have a confirmation. Sarah Jakes Roberts talks about how the waiting comes with moments of loneliness and questioning and instability. She instructs the listener to fight those moments by going back and reviewing what God has already spoken to you. She says, “tell yourself, I have confirmation” repeatedly. Notice how her instruction is demonstrated in the scripture story I am sharing. The disciples were not just reviewing a note in their journals or a prophecy someone spoke years before. Their “indeed” was a confirmation of what Jesus did and how He overcame the grave. Their repeated responses to one another strengthened them and prophesied over them that God’s promises will be fulfilled because they had a confirmation from Jesus Himself.

Sarah Jakes Roberts said, “When you have confirmation, you know that God has equipped you with the knowledge that God has called you to do something.” May I encourage you today, as we are now in that time between Day 1 and Day 50, that you need to start speaking an “indeed” to the things that God has confirmed for you. His confirmation carries weight. For something to carry weight, it means it is effectively influential. There is a promise making its way to you, and your confirmation will effectively influence its manifestation. Indeed.

 

QuaWanna Bannarbie is an adjunct professor of nonprofit leadership and management with Indiana Wesleyan University, National and Global. Her children attend Suffolk Public Schools. Connect with her via Twitter @QNikki_Notes.