No Power
Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. (Revelation 20:6 KJV)

In their panic, people who are drowning often cling to their would-be rescuer in what has been called a “death grip.” Such a violent, involuntary reaction can actually cause both to drown. Rescuers are encouraged to wait until it is safe to attempt such a rescue.

For the Christian, the grip of the “second death has no power,” for they do not cling to Satan or themselves as their rescuer but to Christ, who has power over the grave. “But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave” (Psalm 49:15). Jesus told John, “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death” (Revelation 1:18).

Unless Jesus comes, everyone is destined to die once. “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22). “It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). It is also true that all who die will be resurrected, but not all to the resurrection of life. Many will be raised to the resurrection of condemnation (John 5:28, 29) and will then suffer the “second death”—that is, a death grip from which there is no escape.

But the righteous “shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years” (Revelation 20:6). For God’s people to be thought of as “priests” is nothing new. The Lord told the Israelites, “You shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:6). Jesus repeatedly spoke of His church as a kingdom, and to be part of God’s kingdom means to be a priest. When a person accepts Christ as their king, they become servants in the government of heaven.

A priest offers up sacrifices to the Lord; as followers of Jesus, we offer spiritual sacrifices. “You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5).

Pray Thank You, dear Jesus, for holding me tight and keeping me safe from the ?second death.

For Further Study:

Matthew 10:28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

1 Corinthians 15:52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”

1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.