On one such attempt, Houdini found that his allotted time was almost up. With sweat streaming down his face he tried unsuccessfully to unlock the cell door. Finally, in exhaustion, he fell against the cell door and it swung open. The sheriff had neglected to lock the door. All of his efforts were useless for the cell door was unlocked all the time.

Houdini was very successful in debunking self-proclaimed psychics and mediums. This raised the ire of many false occult practitioners who threatened to kill him. When Houdini died on Halloween October 31st, 1926, some believed that he was poisoned by his enemies. Recently a relative received permission to have his body exhumed to verify the cause of his death. As great as Houdini was, he could not escape death. His body still rests in a dark grave.

There is one who escaped the clutches of death. Jesus Christ willingly laid down his life on the cross as the spotless atonement for our sins. On the third day Jesus Christ arose victorious over death, hell, and the grave. Jesus is the key to everything. His body cannot be exhumed like the great Houdini’s can. Jesus is alive! How do we know? The apostles of Christ all saw the empty tomb and the resurrected Christ. The women who saw him die and laid in the tomb saw him alive. 500 people at one time saw the living Christ. Jesus foretold his death and resurrection in numerous scriptures. (Mark 14:27-28) Either Jesus was deluded, a deceiver, or he was and is who he claimed to be – the Messiah – the Son of the living God. (Mark 14:61-62)

The Apostle John was exiled to the rocky Isle of Patmos for his testimony of Jesus. John saw the Lord, “And I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me . . . And in the middle of the lamp stands one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet and girded across His breast with a golden girdle. And His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire . . . And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as a dead man. And He laid His right hand upon me saying, ‘Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last and the living one; and I was dead and behold I am alive forevermore and I have the keys of death and of Hades’” (Revelation 1:9-18 NASB).

Friend, Jesus’ death and resurrection is the key to everything. (Galatians 2:20) Jesus stripped the keys out of Satan’s hands when he arose victorious. You do not need to live in fear or bondage. Jesus is alive and wants to live in you. He gives this promise to those who will believe and receive him as Lord and Savior. “I am the resurrection and the life: he who believes in me shall live even if he dies and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26 NASB).

Whatever you are facing, Jesus has the keys. He is the key to everything.