John 5:24. 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.
By the grace of God, the mystery of the gospel that had been hidden for long ages past has now been revealed to us (Romans 16:25-27). The power of this gospel is absolute, its worth is infinite, and its capacity to restore the human soul is truly unfathomable.
Tragically, many believers have never truly tasted how good this gospel really is. Because their thoughts are dominated by physical needs and worldly anxieties, they miss the spiritual blessings in the heavenly realms that God has already granted them in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). As a result, people often choose their own ways that eventually lead to despair and destruction (Proverbs 14:12), making life decisions based on the standards of the world rather than the eternal covenant.
All the Israelites at the Passover received the gospel—salvation through the blood of the Lamb. However, the way each person held onto that covenant and the degree to which they experienced its blessings were vastly different among the crowd in the wilderness. While most of the Israelites took God’s covenant lightly and were consumed by their present circumstances, individuals like Moses, Joshua, and Caleb approached challenges in entirely different ways. Moses, for instance, authored the first five books of the Old Testament and uncovered the mystery of the Ark of the Covenant, the Tabernacle, and the three Festivals. Each of these sacred elements was a shadow pointing directly toward the coming Christ.
Tragically, those who could not stop complaining, grumbling, and blaming were all buried in the wilderness. Because they lost sight of the covenant, they were unable to enter the Promised Land, with the sole exceptions being Joshua and Caleb.
As you experience the gospel more deeply each day, your knowledge of God will move from the head to the heart. There is no greater blessing in this life than truly knowing God. Even when you are alone, you can be still and enjoy rest in Him. You do not have to use many words when approaching Him, for His presence alone will change everything about your life. In all circumstances, you will find true spiritual satisfaction and contentment as you rely on the one who has already won the battle.
Life’s issues and long-standing spiritual problems cannot be overcome. This is the evidence given to those who know God intimately, not just those who know about Him.
We see this reality clearly in the lives of the remnants. Slavery could not destroy Joseph because the Lord was with him, allowing him to prosper even in the house of an Egyptian master (Genesis 39:1-4). Similarly, prison could not keep the Apostle Paul from always rejoicing and giving thanks to God. He learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether he faced hunger or plenty, because of the strength Christ provided (Philippians 4:10-13). Nothing was an insurmountable problem for these individuals because they had discovered something absolute and eternal. They possessed a faith and a focus that the world could neither understand nor withstand (Hebrews 11:38).
These were ordinary human beings, just as we are, but they knew and experienced the only path to the throne of God. The only way for us to meet God and enjoy every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms is through Lord Jesus (John 14:6).
Meeting God has changed our destiny forever. Peter was once destined for a life of despair, but his encounter with Jesus changed his entire future. Paul was once destined for a life of religious bondage, but his encounter on the road to Damascus rewrote his soul. None of our human efforts—religion, philosophy, or upright living—can change a destiny that is bound to the background of hell. Only God could bring this change by sending His Son to destroy the power of the one who held our destiny in his grip. When we realize the permanent change God has brought to our destiny, we understand what Peter declared in the face of his accusers: Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12).
Once this truth takes root, we stop seeing our problems as problems. This change is permanent because it was made by law. Through Christ, the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:1-2). This legal reversal has nothing to do with what we have done or how we feel about ourselves. God’s law brought a fundamental change to those of us who used to follow the ways of this world and the ruler of the kingdom of the air (Ephesians 2:2). To seal this change, God sent His Spirit in the name of Jesus to be with us forever (John 14:26). The Spirit of God now lives within us and will never leave us. We have a divine anointing from the Holy One, and we know the truth (1 John 2:20).
Therefore, do not let anything or anybody deceive you regarding your status. As for you, the anointing you received from Him remains in you. As His anointing teaches you about all things and is real and not counterfeit, you must remain in Him (1 John 2:27).
Just attending church will not change a person’s fundamental destiny. Without the gospel, generational curses in a family line will persist, and long-standing spiritual problems will continue to plague the mind and the heart regardless of religious activity. Only when one trusts and believes in the Son of God, who appeared specifically to destroy the devil’s work, will their destiny change forever (1 John 3:8).
This permanent change of destiny comes with the gift of a brand-new identity. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known (1 John 3:2). You are not a nobody; you are precious and honored in the sight of God, and He has given nations in exchange for your life (Isaiah 43:4).
This permanent change of destiny brings joy that cannot be suppressed. When Philip proclaimed the Christ in Samaria, spirits were cast out, and many were healed (Acts 8:5-8). There was great joy in that city as their destiny was rewritten. This was more than just physical healing; it was the joy of meeting God through Christ. A city that was once destined for destruction saw a new destiny that God had prepared. For us, meeting God truly means the end of all fundamental problems. Let us not be fooled by the temporary things happening in our lives, but remember that we have crossed from death to life.
We belong to heaven and live in the kingdom of God here on earth with the task of saving lives. Until our Father calls us home, let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on the one who finished the work (Hebrews 12:1). We are no longer victims of fate, but witnesses of the King.
Prayer. Father, You changed my destiny when Jesus died on the cross and rose again from the dead. I thank You that I am no longer under the law of sin. Use my life to change the destiny of others who are still living under the power of the devil. In Jesus’ name, Amen.