Don’t Go Back to the Grave

I’ve been there. You know that moment where you're crying out, “Okay Lord, I want to go so deep with You”—and then suddenly you're like, “Oh no Lord… what did I just ask for?”

Let me tell you, when you really want to go deep, you might just find yourself face-to-face with an angel. You might encounter something that completely shifts your reality. Better take an extra pair of clothes—because it could shake you to your core.

The presence of God is phenomenal. It brings a holy fear, a reverence so thick it almost makes you tremble. People get what I call “good anxiety” when He shows up—“Ahh! What’s going on? Praise God!” It’s like a rollercoaster. You know that feeling right before the drop? It’s terrifying—but thrilling. That’s what stepping into the presence of God can be like.

In Scripture, when people encountered the supernatural, they were often terrified. And let’s be real—if you walked into church and actually saw angels in the room, some of you would be out the door, thinking, “This can’t be God!” And not because you’re bad—just because we don’t always understand. And when we don’t understand, we complain. We resist.

But it’s time to rise above that.

When the women came to the tomb, they saw the stone rolled away—and this is what the angel said in Mark 16:6:

“Don’t be afraid. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.”

That’s celebration-worthy! He is risen. He is not there. The grave is empty.

Then the angel says something so specific:

“Go tell His disciples—and Peter…”

Why Peter? Because Peter was the one who denied Him. Three times. In the middle of the chaos, when Jesus needed him most, Peter said, “I don’t know the man.”

And yet… Jesus still includes Peter in the resurrection message. That’s powerful.

He's saying, “Go tell all the deniers. Go tell the ones who had faith but lost hope in hard times. Go tell the ones who messed up. "That's me. Maybe that’s you, too.

This resurrection power isn’t just about victory over death—it’s about redeeming the deniers. The ones who ran away. The ones who thought it was too late.

Now, let me ask you—what does it really mean to believe?

It’s not just saying “Yes, I believe,” to get someone off your back. Believing is not passive. It’s not a checkbox. Belief is an action word. It’s trust. Confidence. Commitment. It’s giving credit where credit is due. It’s a lifestyle.

When you truly believe—your life shows it.

“These signs will follow those who believe…” (Mark 16:17). Not might follow. Will.

If you believe, you’ll walk in His power. You'll cast out demons. You'll speak in new tongues. You'll live boldly in the Spirit.

But sometimes—even in belief—we get rebuked. God will send someone to say, “Why aren’t you grabbing hold of this? Why are you still stuck in the past? Why are you still focused on the tomb?”

The tomb is empty, friend. Stop going back to it.

We go back to the grave sometimes because it’s easier to blame than to own. It’s easier to say, “Well, it was that situation… that person… that pain…” But the more we go back, the more we distort the story. You can’t be fully free and still live in your past.

Every time you revisit the grave, your thoughts get tangled. You begin to miscommunicate what really happened. Why? Because you’re looking at your past through the lens of your current struggle.

But hear me today: Don’t go back to the grave. The resurrection has already happened. You are already free.

So stay risen. Stay alive in Christ. Stop rehearsing the old pain, the old story. The stone is rolled away. Jesus is not there. And neither are you.

Amen.