For many of us, the weeks leading up to Easter provided opportunities to experience several different emotions: Grief over personal sin as well as Jesus’ death on the cross. Perhaps you sensed a renewed awareness of the necessity of the shed blood of Jesus as a perfect and permanent sacrifice for sin. We look at those who shouted “Hosanna” and those who cried out “Crucify Him” and wonder what words we might have said.

Then, Easter morning arrives. It arrives with an overwhelming sense of victory over death and the grave! We recount the story from Scripture, the disciples’ responses, and then perhaps a pastor asks us to consider our own response. Then what? Now that Easter has passed, what will you celebrate today?

As believers in Jesus, how do we experience the victory we celebrate at Easter throughout each day of the year?

1 Corinthians 15:56 tells us: 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 Jesus Christ.

Jesus didn’t rise triumphant over sin and death so we would merely celebrate His victory each Easter Sunday. He wants us to daily celebrate the personal victory His life provides! The secret to being able to celebrate continual victory is found in verse 56: it is through our abiding relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus is the only way to experience victory!

As we rely on Him, rather than our circumstances or self, we can have victory over temptation and sin because Jesus achieved victory over temptation and sin. We can love others regardless of how they treat us because Jesus’ love is at work within us. We can forgive completely because Jesus held nothing back when He forgave us.

Parents, rather than pack away all the plastic eggs, you might leave a few out to remind you and your children to celebrate Easter all year long. When your children question you about these eggs, explain the great purpose in reminding one another to daily celebrate the victory we have in Jesus!