The King Who Conquered Death and the Grave

Pastor Dell continued our series, I Believe, spending time looking at the phrase "He descended to hell." Most Christians know the story of the cross and the resurrection, but what happened in between? The Apostles' Creed includes the phrase 'He descended to hell,' and understanding it reveals the full scope of Christ's victory. After His death, Jesus proclaimed total defeat to the fallen angels held in spiritual prison, not as a suffering prisoner, but as a conquering champion. He also gathered the Old Testament believers who had been waiting in paradise, because the price for their redemption had finally been paid. The resurrection that followed was not an isolated miracle but the firstfruits of a coming harvest, the guarantee that all who belong to Him will one day rise as well. Because Jesus ascended, the Holy Spirit now lives inside every believer, and that same power that raised Christ from the dead is available to us today. The church, filled with the Holy Spirit, is actively holding back darkness in the world. The victory has already been won, and we are simply walking it out.