Death Defeated

Death was not in God's original plan when He made Adam and Eve; He wanted them to walk and talk and live with Him forever. But because of their disobedience/sin, death became certain for everyone. "The Lord God commanded the man, 'You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.'" (Genesis 2:16-17) We cannot avoid physical death but we can avoid spiritual death (being separate from God for eternity in Hell). God offers the gift of eternal life in Heaven to all who trust in Jesus and His finished work of redemption at the cross.
"Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 15:54b-57)

Jesus has defeated death by dying for our sins in our place. He paid the debt we could never pay. He died the death we deserve. 

"When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; He has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross." Colossians 2:13-15

No powers or authorities can come against Jesus. He conquered death and Satan. Ironically, Satan thought he defeated Jesus by crucifying Him but in reality, it was God's plan for redemption and triumphant Christ defeated His enemies through His death and resurrection. The powers holding mankind captive were defeated; therefore, in Christ, we have victory over sin and death. "By His death He might break the power of him who holds the power of death--that is, the devil--and free those who all their lives were held  in slavery by their fear of death." (Hebrews 2:14b-15) The redeemed need not dread death. Death has no power over us who are alive in Christ. Because we are one with Christ, we have risen above its misery and finality. "I am the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?" ~Jesus (John 11:25-26) 
Christ's resurrection changes everything! It proves that Jesus is truly Who He said He is, that His words are always true, that we have been completely forgiven and justified (His death for the payment of our sins was accepted), that our God is not dead (He is indeed omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient), and that there is certainly life after death. What you believe about Jesus matters! In fact, it's a matter of life and death!

"Very truly I tell you, whoever hears My Word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life." ~Jesus (John 5:24)

For Christians:
"Life is your business--not death! 
Your only concerns are . . .
  living on Christ; 
  living for Christ; 
  living like Christ; and then, 
  living forever with Christ!" (James Smith)
 
"And so we will be with the Lord forever!" (1 Thessalonians 4:17)

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain!" (Philippians 1:21) 

"For the Christian, death is but the messenger of Christ to fetch us home to Himself!" (William Nicholson)
"My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better!" (Philippians 1:23) 

"Death for the Christian is the doorway to Heaven's glory." (Billy Graham)

"To me, as a believer in Jesus . . .

  death has no sting,
  the grave has no terrors,
  eternity awakens no alarms!

My sins are pardoned, for His name's sake,
my soul is justified, by His blood, and
my person is in eternal union with His.

To die is gain!

To die is to be perfectly holy and happy!

To die, is simply to go home to my Father's house--to inherit and inhabit the place that Jesus has prepared for me!

"I am dying." Shall I regret it? Shall I dread it? Oh, no! May the Lord give me grace, to hail my dying day with pleasure, and to rejoice in the thought of being absent from the body, and present with the Lord!" (James Smith)