Acts 1:1-8. In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
The covenant of God given to us is complete and lacks nothing. God’s plan is absolute, and no one can change it. Why is that so?
From the beginning of history, mankind has lived under fundamental problems that no human being can solve: Satan (John 8:44), sin (Romans 3:23), and the background of hell, separated from God (Genesis 3:1–20). No philosophy, effort, religion, morality, or human achievement has ever been able to resolve these problems completely.
And yet, even after believing in God, we often ask:
“What should I do?”
“Should I pray harder?”
“Should I read the Bible more?”
“Should I repent more?”
“Should I give more?”
“Should I worship more faithfully?”
“How should I live?”
But the more important questions are:
“Where am I?”
“Am I inside God’s covenant?”
“Where should I stand spiritually?”
What you do will not matter much if you are in the wrong place spiritually. But if you are within the complete covenant of God, you will eventually discover that your present circumstances are not the most important thing. What matters is whether God is with you and whether you are holding onto His covenant.
When you discover the rightful reasons for everything through the Word of God and see what is truly needed, you will see and hold onto what is absolute: Christ (Acts 1:1), the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3), and the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8).
This is why knowing God must become the utmost priority in our lives. The greatest blessing is not success, comfort, money, or recognition, but the Triune God being with us.
God the Father still speaks through His Word and fulfills it without fail.
God the Son, Jesus Christ, still breaks the power of sin, Satan, and hell.
God the Holy Spirit dwells within us, guides us, strengthens us, and works through us even now.
This is the spiritual reality we must first see.
Joseph experienced this complete covenant of God. Therefore, he remained at peace wherever he was. Whether in his father’s house in Canaan, as a slave in Potiphar’s house, as a prisoner in jail, or as a governor in Egypt’s palace, his circumstances never defined him. God’s presence did. Everywhere Joseph went, he experienced Immanuel and testified to the living God.
Likewise, your present circumstances are not the decisive issue as long as you remain in the complete covenant of God. When you enjoy the blessing of God being with you, you will begin to discover God’s absolute plan in every place, every event, every meeting, and every crisis.
Does doing well outwardly guarantee true success? Not necessarily.
Does struggling outwardly mean failure? Not necessarily.
If a person does not experience the spiritual blessings God has given in Christ, that person will eventually fail spiritually, no matter how successful life may appear outwardly. But if, like Joseph, a person enjoys the blessings within God’s complete covenant, that person will ultimately succeed in God’s eyes regardless of circumstances.
Throughout history, God continually gave, reminded, and restored His covenant through Christ because only Christ could solve mankind’s fundamental problems completely.
Only the True King could destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8).
Only the True Priest could remove the curse and penalty of sin through His sacrifice (Mark 10:45).
Only the True Prophet could open the way to meet God once again (John 14:6).
Jesus Christ finished that work completely on the cross (John 19:30). Through His death and resurrection, He solved the problems of our past, present, and future once and for all (Ephesians 2:1–3). He completely set us free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2). Now He lives within us through the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16), continually working to reveal “the incomparable riches of His grace” for all eternity (Ephesians 2:7).
When you hold onto only Christ, you will begin to experience the kingdom of God in your daily life. Then you will realize that problems are not merely problems. They become opportunities to experience God’s power and the realities of heaven. Even what once seemed like a curse can become a blessing within God’s plan.
Like Joseph, you will one day confess: “God sent me ahead of you” (Genesis 45:5). You will realize that God allowed certain problems, conflicts, delays, and hardships while never once leaving your side.
God’s intention toward His children is never destruction, but hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). He desires to fellowship with us daily and let us enjoy spiritual feasts with Him (Revelation 3:20).
Remember this carefully: nothing happens by accident in the lives of God’s people. God knows every circumstance you face. He understands your pain, your future, your weaknesses, and your limitations better than anyone else. And He loves you more deeply than you can imagine.
Therefore, trust in the God whose thoughts and ways are higher than yours. Live by faith in Jesus Christ, who loved you and gave Himself for you. This is life in the kingdom of God.
Then what remains for us?
The only thing left is to receive and enjoy the power of the Holy Spirit that Jesus promised and go as Christ’s witnesses to the ends of the earth. Open your eyes to see the world covered in darkness, suffering, confusion, anxiety, and spiritual emptiness.
As children of God, we have received the anointing of Christ: With the anointing of the King, break the strongholds of Satan in the name of Jesus. With the anointing of the Priest, heal those suffering under sin, curses, and spiritual wounds. With the anointing of the Prophet, proclaim the way to meet God to those wandering without hope.
Let us restore the gospel of Christ everywhere we go (Acts 1:1). Let us continually enjoy the reality and blessings of God’s kingdom in our daily lives (Acts 1:3). And let us never stop proclaiming that Jesus is the Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8).
Discover the “ends of the earth” within your present field. Wherever God places you today—that is your mission field. We only have one life to live, and life is too short to spend on things that do not matter eternally. God’s greatest desire is to save this age through the gospel and pass the covenant to the next generation.
Thus, remain firmly inside the complete covenant of God. Enter deeply into prayer that enjoys Christ until no person, circumstance, conflict, or condition can shake you or become your problem anymore.
Prayer. Father, help me hold firmly to what is absolute: Christ, the kingdom of God, and the filling of the Holy Spirit. Open my eyes to enjoy Your covenant in every circumstance and to discover Your absolute plan wherever I am. May I become a witness of Christ who saves others by the power of the gospel and fulfills Your mission to the ends of the earth. In Jesus’ name, Amen.