My vicar was preaching a few months ago and made this statement that I have now turned into my blog title. ‘There can be no resurrection Sunday, without a crucified Friday.’ I heard it and it just blew my mind because I found it so deep.

What then is a crucified Friday experience? A crucified Friday experience is not necessarily just a day, it could be a year, a season, a time or a period.

This crucified Friday experience was what our Lord Jesus went through and at the end He had a resurrection Sunday. He was accused for something that He did not do, persecuted for telling the truth, people talk about the crucifixion as if Jesus was not spat at, beaten black and blue; having to carry a cross that weighed heavily on his battered body, before Jesus was finally crucified. Jesus loved his people knowing fully well what they would do. Jesus knew that his own would betray him. He saw every sin that they would commit through his foresight from his omniscience eyes, he saw every intent. And yet, he loved his own despite their shortcomings. Luke 23:34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.“

Joseph went through a crucified Friday experience and his lasted about 13 years. His brothers sold him off, his boss’s wife wanted to sleep with him, his saying no made him to end up in prison where he spent about 12 years. The faithfulness of Joseph is a wonderful illustration of the mighty work of God in a man willing to put God first in his life. Joseph lived a life of tragedy and of triumph and throughout the really bad times, as well as the good times, he was faithful to God. Genesis 45:5  But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. At the end of the suffering and pain, Joseph became the Prime Minister of Egypt.

How about David’s experience of a crucified Friday? He was anointed king in front of his older brothers. Fought and killed Goliath, king Saul liked him initially and took him in. Later, he became jealous of David. Saul then looked for ways to kill David and David had to run away and become a fugitive who slept in caves and pretended to be a mad man in order to eat. The anointed king in exile. David spent somewhere between thirteen and fifteen years (the exact time period is hard to ascertain) watching the promise for God over his life, seemingly get farther from fulfilment as people in Saul’s court and the king himself conspired against him. Psalm 6:6 I am weary with groaning; all night I make my bed swim; I drench my couch with my tears. Eventually Saul committed suicide by falling on his own sword in order that the Philistines army would not capture him and David was made king.

Apostle Paul’s crucified Friday experience was equally a tough one. After conversion and being on fire for God, training and mentoring other Apostles and disciples, writing many of the books of the New Testament, Apostle Paul, was imprisoned a few times in different cities as well as being under house arrest in various cities. Apostle Paul during these tough times was chained down or chained to a guard. 2 Tim 4:¹⁶ At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. ¹⁷ But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth. ¹⁸ The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Apostle resurrected Sunday experience is that out of the 27 books in the New Testament, he wrote about 13 or 14 out of them. Books that centuries later, we are still reading.

Each one of these men fulfilled the call of God upon their lives, they fulfilled their destinies, despite the painful road of a crucified Friday that they walked through in order to reach their resurrected Sunday. It was as if for each one of them, the world was against them or God had deserted them but that was not the case. One characteristic all these men had in common was staying true to God and not giving up on God. Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

What then is your personal crucified Friday experience? The Bible tells us in 1 Peter 2:²¹ To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. ²² “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” ²³ When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 

What can you do when the promises of God seem impossible or unlikely to come to pass from your perspective? The only thing you can do is to hold on. From the examples above, Jesus, Joseph, David or Apostle Paul, none of them wavered or denounced God. We know that if God is working things out, a disaster can turn out to be a blessing in disguise. Romans 8:²⁸ And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.  These men made sure that their integrity was not tainted during their crucified Friday experiences. They trusted God to the very end. Will you do so? No matter what you are going through, hold on to God and not compromise. Compromise is easy but it could rub you of your destiny. Trust in God’s sovereignty.

Point prayers:

Father God, help me to not give up on you during the off peak times in the name of Jesus.

During this tough time, that I am going through, let me feel your presence Lord, in the name of Jesus.

May I continually keep the faith no matter what the devil throws at me in Jesus name.

The paperback version of my books, PRAYER PERSONIFIED & GODLY DECLARATIONS are available for purchase from Amazon and the e-books are available on www.toladehinde.com