"What Lies Ahead?"

Victory Can Be Yours!

Article #70 – “What Lies Ahead?”

               What a great feeling it is to have assurance of being destined for heaven.  We know from the gospel of John that Jesus has gone to prepare a place for those who believe.  “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am there you may be also.” (John 14:2, 3)  How great it is to be able to know this lies ahead for me.

               When we, through faith, believe in Jesus Christ we are changed and have entered into the kingdom of God.  We are no longer under Satan’s rule, but under God’s authority.  We are in this world, but no longer of this world.  We were once controlled and under the dominion of Satan, because he is the ruler of this world.  However, when we believed, we became children of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ.  “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.” (Phil 3:20, 21)  Therefore we can now have peace and joy knowing that we are in Christ and will be with Him eternal. We have already entered into His kingdom.  Eagerly we wait for the time Christ, our Savior, comes to collect the church and take us to the place He has prepared for us.  The apostle Paul explains how this will take place so that we may know. (1 Thes. 4:13-18)  Knowing this prepares us to face physical death, because life will go on for us, we will be with Him away from the torment of this world.  We can approach death with a victorious attitude.  The apostle Paul said of himself, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Phil. 1:21)  Paul helps us to understand that there should be no fear in approaching death.  In his letter to the Romans, Paul states there is no comparison between what we experience now and the life to come.  “For I consider the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” (Rom. 8:18)  We can have peace and joy looking forward to eternity in the glorious presence of our Lord and Savior.

               In this present time, we face all kinds of trials and hardships.  We can be pressured with our job, with finances, family problems, terrorism, and many other concerns of the day.  However, no matter what the circumstances, we can always have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Keep your eyes on the prize.

               You, too, can have victory in Jesus!  More to follow.

Lowell Parrish