THE RESURRECTION: WHY THOSE WHO DIE IN CHRIST CAN RISE AGAIN

 

THE RESURRECTION: WHY THOSE WHO DIE IN CHRIST CAN RISE AGAIN

Understanding the Eternal Guarantee of the Believer's Resurrection

There are realities in the Christian faith that are too profound to be reduced to religious expressions. One of such realities is the resurrection of the dead.

The resurrection is not merely a doctrine that Christians confess, a theological position we defend, or a future event we anticipate. It is a revelation of the person, power, and eternal authority of Jesus Christ.

One remarkable thing about Jesus is that He is never a past-tense reality. His existence is not confined to a particular generation, and His power does not diminish with the passage of time. He is not a historical figure whose influence is preserved merely through the teachings He left behind. He is the living Christ, eternally existent and eternally powerful.

Hebrews 13:8 declares:

"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever."

The implication is profound: the Christ who demonstrated His power over death in the past has not lost that power in the present, and He will not lack that power in the future.

Jesus was not merely a philosopher who discussed life, death, and eternity. He was the practical expression of the realities He proclaimed. His words were not empty philosophical propositions. They carried the authority of His divine identity.

Consider His declaration in John 11:25:

"I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live."

Notice that Jesus did not merely say that He could produce resurrection. He declared that He IS the resurrection.

Resurrection, therefore, is not simply something Jesus does. It is inseparable from who He is.

In Revelation 1:17–18, He declares that He is the First and the Last, the One who lives, was dead, and is alive forevermore, and who holds the keys of death and Hades.

This means that death does not possess the ultimate authority over the believer. The final authority belongs to Jesus Christ.

LAZARUS: A DEMONSTRATION THAT DEATH AND DECAY ARE NOT BEYOND THE AUTHORITY OF CHRIST

One of the most remarkable demonstrations of Christ's authority over death is recorded in John 11.

Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha, had died. His body had been placed in a tomb, and by the time Jesus arrived, he had been dead for four days.

Martha, understanding the physical implications of the situation, said:

"Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days." (John 11:39).

In other words, the situation had progressed beyond what human reasoning could accommodate. The body was already undergoing decomposition. The natural processes associated with death had begun their work.

But something extraordinary was about to happen.

Jesus stood before the tomb and commanded:

"Lazarus, come forth." (John 11:43).

And the man who had been dead came out.

There is a profound revelation here: the authority of Jesus is not limited by the degree of physical corruption that has taken place.

Time could not diminish His authority. Decay could not frustrate His command. The grave could not retain someone whom He summoned out of it.

The raising of Lazarus was a demonstration that death does not possess an authority greater than Christ.

However, we must understand that Lazarus was restored to mortal life and would eventually die again. His restoration was a sign pointing beyond itself to the greater reality of the final resurrection, when believers will receive glorified, incorruptible bodies.

The miracle was therefore more than an expression of compassion toward a grieving family. It was a revelation of the identity of Jesus and a demonstration of His authority over death.

If Christ could summon a decomposing body out of the grave, then the corruption of the body cannot constitute an obstacle to His power to raise the dead.

The condition of the grave is not the limitation of the resurrection.

WHY THOSE WHO DIE IN CHRIST ARE RESURRECTABLE INTO GLORY

There are profound reasons the believer's death is not the end of his story. The Christian's confidence in resurrection is not founded on wishful thinking but on the accomplished work of Christ, the indwelling Spirit, and the promises of Scripture.

I. BECAUSE THE GLORIOUS LIFE OF JESUS IS ALREADY AT WORK WITHIN THE BELIEVER

Romans 8:10–11 presents one of the strongest foundations for the resurrection of the believer.

Paul teaches that if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in us, He will also give life to our mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in us.

Consider the implications of this revelation.

The same Spirit responsible for the resurrection of Jesus Christ takes up residence within the believer.

This means that Christianity is not merely an external religious affiliation. It is an introduction into the very life of God through the indwelling Holy Spirit.

The believer carries the presence of the Spirit of resurrection.

This does not mean that the physical body cannot experience death. Scripture never promises that believers will escape physical death before the return of Christ. Rather, it establishes that physical death cannot permanently terminate God's redemptive purpose for them.

The body may return to dust, but the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead has not lost His power.

Our confidence is therefore not in the ability of the body to preserve itself. Our confidence is in the ability of God to raise it again.

The resurrection is guaranteed by the power of the indwelling Spirit.

II. BECAUSE THE HUMAN BODY REMAINS PART OF GOD'S REDEMPTIVE PURPOSE

One of the greatest misunderstandings about salvation is the assumption that God's ultimate intention is to rescue the human spirit from the body.

But biblical Christianity presents a much greater picture.

God created humanity as embodied beings. In Genesis 2:7, He formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.

The human body was not an accident of creation. It was part of God's intentional design.

However, through the fall in Eden, humanity became subject to corruption, suffering, decay, and death.

But redemption does not abandon God's original creative purpose.

Romans 8:23 speaks about believers awaiting the redemption of their bodies.

Philippians 3:20–21 declares that Jesus Christ will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body.

And 1 Corinthians 15:42–44 explains that the body sown in corruption will be raised in incorruption.

Notice that Scripture does not describe the final hope of believers as an eternal existence without bodies. It describes a resurrection in which the body itself is transformed.

This is important because the resurrection is not simply the continuation of human existence. It is the restoration and glorification of human existence according to God's redemptive purpose.

The body that experienced weakness will be raised in power. The body that experienced corruption will be raised in incorruption. The body that experienced mortality will be clothed with immortality.

God is not abandoning His creation. He is bringing His redemptive work to its appointed consummation.

III. BECAUSE THE SPIRIT OF GOD IS THE LIFE-GIVING SPIRIT

The story of creation begins with a profound demonstration of God's ability to bring life.

Genesis 2:7 tells us that God formed man from the dust and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.

The dust had a form, but it did not yet possess life. It was the divine impartation of life that transformed the formed substance into a living being.

We encounter another remarkable picture in Ezekiel 37.

The prophet is taken into a valley filled with dry bones. The bones were not merely lifeless; they represented a condition of extreme hopelessness.

God instructed Ezekiel to prophesy to the bones.

As he prophesied, there was a movement. Bones came together, sinews and flesh appeared, and skin covered them. Yet there was still no breath in them.

Then God commanded him to prophesy to the breath.

The breath entered them, and they lived.

What a remarkable picture of the life-giving power of God!

The God who formed Adam from the dust is not intimidated by a valley of dry bones.

The God who gave life at creation remains the sovereign Lord over life and death.

Ezekiel's vision specifically concerns the restoration of Israel, but it reveals a powerful biblical truth: the apparent finality of death does not place anything beyond God's sovereign ability to restore.

The New Testament brings this resurrection hope into even sharper focus.

First Corinthians 15:45 identifies Christ as the last Adam, a life-giving Spirit.

And Romans 8:11 declares that the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead will give life to our mortal bodies.

The resurrection is therefore not dependent on the natural capacity of the human body. It is dependent on the supernatural life-giving power of God.

IV. BECAUSE JESUS CHRIST HAS ALREADY CONQUERED DEATH AND SECURED OUR RESURRECTION

This is perhaps the greatest foundation of the believer's confidence.

First Corinthians 15:20 declares:

"But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept."

The word firstfruits is deeply significant.

In the biblical agricultural setting, firstfruits represented the beginning of a harvest and anticipated the harvest that would follow.

Christ's resurrection was not an isolated event without implications for the people who belong to Him. It was the beginning and guarantee of the resurrection harvest.

Paul develops this argument in 1 Corinthians 15:21–23.

Through Adam came death. Through Christ comes the resurrection of the dead. And those who belong to Christ will be made alive at His coming.

This means that the resurrection of Jesus is not merely an event we celebrate during Easter. It is the foundation upon which our future resurrection rests.

If Christ had not risen, our faith would be futile, and our hope would be empty.

But He has risen!

The grave could not hold Him. Death could not retain Him. The powers of darkness could not overturn the eternal purpose of God.

And because He lives, those who belong to Him have the assurance of resurrection.

Our resurrection is not an independent miracle detached from the resurrection of Christ. It is the consequence of our union with the risen Lord.

The resurrection of Christ guarantees the resurrection of those who are His.

THE RESURRECTION IS THE FINAL DEFEAT OF DEATH

First Corinthians 15:26 makes a remarkable declaration:

"The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death."

Notice that Scripture calls death an enemy.

Death was never presented as the ultimate destination of God's redeemed creation. It entered human experience through sin and became an expression of the corruption introduced by the fall.

But through Jesus Christ, death has received its decisive defeat.

Hebrews 2:14–15 explains that through His death, Christ destroyed the one who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and delivered those who were held in bondage through the fear of death.

The believer therefore approaches physical death with a fundamentally different understanding.

We do not celebrate death as though it were good. We grieve when loved ones die. Jesus Himself wept at the tomb of Lazarus.

Christian hope does not deny the pain of bereavement. It gives us a foundation stronger than the pain.

For the believer, death is not the final chapter.

There is an appointed day when the trumpet will sound, the dead in Christ will rise, and those who remain will be caught up together with them to meet the Lord.

First Thessalonians 4:16–17 gives us this glorious assurance.

The same Lord who descended into the grave and rose again will return, and those who died in Him will not be forgotten.

The grave is not the final destination of the redeemed.

THE BODY THAT IS SOWN IN WEAKNESS WILL BE RAISED IN GLORY

First Corinthians 15:42–44 provides one of the most beautiful descriptions of the resurrection.

Paul uses the language of sowing and raising.

A body is sown in corruption, but raised in incorruption.

It is sown in dishonour, but raised in glory.

It is sown in weakness, but raised in power.

It is sown a natural body, but raised a spiritual body.

This is not a description of the abandonment of the body. It is a description of its transformation.

The resurrection body will no longer be subject to the limitations, decay, and mortality that characterize our present existence.

Philippians 3:21 tells us that Christ will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body.

Imagine the implication of this promise.

Everything associated with the corruption of the present fallen condition will give way to the glory of God's completed redemptive work.

The believer's future is not an eternity of deterioration, but an eternity of glorification in the presence of God.

IN CONCLUSION: THE GRAVE DOES NOT HAVE THE FINAL WORD

The resurrection is one of the greatest declarations of the Christian faith.

It tells us that the story of the believer does not terminate at physical death.

It tells us that the body is not forgotten, that God's redemptive purpose is not interrupted, and that the power of Christ is not diminished by the passage of time.

Jesus is still the resurrection and the life.

The same Christ who called Lazarus out of the tomb will return for His people. The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead will give life to our mortal bodies. The same God who formed humanity from the dust will bring His redemptive work to completion.

Our hope is not in the preservation of the grave. Our hope is in the power of the risen Christ.

The Christian does not merely believe in life after death. The Christian believes in the resurrection of the dead.

And that is why Paul could declare:

"O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" (1 Corinthians 15:55).

The grave may receive the body, but it cannot cancel the promise of God.

Death may interrupt our earthly existence, but it cannot overturn the redemptive purpose of Christ.

For those who die in Christ, the resurrection is not a possibility built on human optimism. It is a certainty established by the risen Lord.

Because He lives, we shall live also.

And when the trumpet sounds, the dead in Christ shall rise.

The final word does not belong to death.

THE FINAL WORD BELONGS TO JESUS CHRIST.

LORD, QUICKEN ME!

 

TREASURE OF GRACE DEVOTIONAL

Written by Dr. Joel Dabbas

Date: 3/11/2026

LORD, QUICKEN ME!

Anchor Scripture: Psalm 80:18 (KJV)

"So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call upon thy name."

Have you been struggling with your prayer life? Has your prayer altar become dry and inactive? Or perhaps you do not even know how to pray effectively anymore?

There is a key in our anchor scripture that will not only activate and revive your prayer life but also make it fruitful. David declared, "Quicken us, and we will call upon thy name."

To call upon God effectively, we need to be quickened. That lackadaisical attitude and weakness you experience whenever you begin to pray may be a sign that you need divine quickening. That sudden tiredness, weariness, and lack of enthusiasm that set in when you attempt to pray can be overcome through the quickening power of the Spirit.

To be quickened does not merely mean to be activated; it means to be given life, infused with divine strength, and supplied with spiritual power and energy.

Quickening takes away spiritual weariness and reverses spiritual decline. It births steadfastness and destroys those tendencies that make you wander away or turn back from God.

Furthermore, it empowers you with a commitment to remain steadfast in prayer, worship, and absolute reliance on God.

Quickening creates a spiritual appetite for prayer that the flesh cannot easily conquer. It is God stirring your soul and saturating your inner being with His power.

Prayer that was once a burden becomes a pleasure. You no longer need to wait until you feel in the mood to pray because God's quickening power has revitalised you from within. Your spirit becomes alive, responsive, and strengthened in the place of communion with Him.

Romans 7:11 also reveals that this quickening power is capable of bringing life to what is dead. The spiritual lifelessness and inactivity that once characterised your prayer life can give way to renewed vitality.

The same quickening Spirit is a revitalising Spirit. He furnishes your inner man with divine strength, vitality, and spiritual energy.

So, take this to heart: whenever you feel weary, weak, or spiritually declining in the place of prayer, simply open your heart to God and cry out, "LORD, QUICKEN ME!"

Then, do not wait passively for a feeling before you begin to pray. Start calling upon His name. As you continue to press in, trust Him to supply strength, release His life, and revive your spirit.

You do not have to remain spiritually dry. The God who quickens is able to breathe fresh life into your prayer altar!

PRAYER

Father, in the name of Jesus, quicken me by Your Spirit. Revive my prayer life and restore my spiritual appetite. Let every form of spiritual weakness, weariness, and inactivity give way to divine strength and vitality. Set my heart on fire again, and empower me to remain steadfast in prayer, worship, and fellowship with You. Let my prayer altar never grow cold again. In Jesus' mighty name. Amen.

Take a Step: A Powerful Story About Faith, Love, and Never Giving Up

Take a Step: A Powerful Story About Faith, Love, and Never Giving Up

Have You Ever Heard a Story That Changed the Way You Think About Faith?

What if one simple sentence had the power to change someone's life?

Three words.

"Take a step."

They seem ordinary—until you hear the story behind them.

I recently watched a testimony that reminded me that faith isn't always about giant leaps. Sometimes, it's about taking one small step when that's all you can manage.

Some stories stay with you long after you've heard them. They challenge your assumptions, deepen your faith, and change the way you see life. This was one of those stories.

The testimony was shared during a church service before Bishop T.D. Jakes was invited to preach.

Before he came to the pulpit, his wife, Serita Jakes, was invited to introduce him.

What she shared wasn't a typical introduction. It was a deeply personal testimony about faith, commitment, and the power of refusing to give up.

According to her testimony, only a few weeks after they got married, they were involved in a devastating accident that left her paralyzed.

Imagine that.

A young couple, just beginning their life together, suddenly facing a future filled with uncertainty.

She admitted that she expected her husband to leave.

After all, who could blame a young man for walking away from a marriage that had barely begun under such heartbreaking circumstances?

But he didn't.

Instead, every single day, he walked into her room, lifted her from the bed with his own hands, placed her gently into a wheelchair, held her hand, helped her stand, and softly said,

"Honey... take a step."

She tried.

Nothing happened.

She struggled.

Still nothing.

He would gently help her sit back down and simply say,

"We'll try again tomorrow."

What she didn't know was what happened after he left her room.

He would spend time alone in prayer, pouring out his heart before God.

He held firmly to what he believed God had spoken over their lives. He refused to believe that paralysis would have the final word over the woman he believed God had called him to marry.

The next day, he returned with the very same words.

"Honey... take a step."

Day after day.

Week after week.

She later shared that after he left each day, she would lie on her bed and cry, asking God to take her life. Watching the man she loved believe so strongly for her healing while she remained unable to move was almost more than she could bear.

Yet he never stopped believing.

Then one day, everything changed.

When he once again said,

"Honey... take a step,"

strength returned to her legs.

She took one step.

He didn't ask for another.

Instead, he smiled and said,

"That's enough for today."

The next day she took another step.

Then another.

Little by little, what once seemed impossible became reality.

According to her testimony, there came a day when the man who had faithfully whispered, "Take a step," looked at her and said,

"Now... run."

Standing before the congregation years later, she concluded her introduction by saying that the man they were about to hear preach was the same man who had believed for her when she couldn't believe for herself.

As Bishop T.D. Jakes walked to the platform, he was visibly overcome with emotion. For a moment, he couldn't even begin his message.

Editor's Note: This article reflects a testimony publicly shared by Serita Jakes during a church service and is presented for its inspiring message about faith, perseverance, and commitment.

The Lesson Beyond the Story

Whether you've heard this testimony before or not, its message reaches far beyond one couple's experience.

We often make life-changing decisions based on what is immediately visible—appearance, comfort, success, or convenience.

But the strongest relationships are built on something much deeper than attraction.

They are built on commitment.

On conviction.

On shared purpose.

There will always be seasons when emotions fade, circumstances become difficult, and the future seems uncertain.

In those moments, character matters more than chemistry, and faith matters more than fear.

The simple instruction,

"Take a step,"

isn't just about learning to walk.

It's about learning to trust.

Sometimes we're waiting for God to perform a miracle, while He's asking us to take one faithful step.

One step toward healing.

One step toward forgiveness.

One step toward obedience.

One step toward purpose.

We don't always need to see the entire journey.

Sometimes all God asks of us is the courage to take the next step.

Final Thoughts

Life has a remarkable way of revealing what truly matters.

Beauty fades.

Circumstances change.

Challenges come without warning.

But love anchored in commitment, faith rooted in God, and a life lived with purpose have the power to endure every storm.

Maybe that's the reminder someone reading this needs today.

No matter where you are.

No matter what you're facing.

No matter how impossible the situation seems.

Take a step.

What About You?

Has there ever been a season in your life when God asked you to take a step before you could see the outcome?

I'd love to hear your story.

Share your thoughts in the comments below, and if this article encouraged you, consider sharing it with someone who may need this reminder today.

Sometimes, one step of faith is all it takes for God to begin writing a new chapter.

 

What Comes Before You Reveals What Is Within You

The Hidden Revelation Behind Why God Brought the Animals to Adam

By Dr Joel Dabbas 

When God created man, He did not merely create a living being; He created a carrier of His nature, a custodian of His wisdom, and an extension of His government upon the earth. The mind of man was designed to be the interface through which the invisible realities of God find visible expression in the earth realm.

The mind is far more than a thinking faculty. It is the executive center of destiny. It is the platform upon which the potentials deposited by God are interpreted, developed, and manifested. Every possibility in God that seeks expression through a man must first find alignment within his mind.

It is no wonder Scripture admonishes us, "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2). The transformation of a man's life is impossible without the transformation of his mind.

Scripture tells us:

"And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof" (Genesis 2:19).

This was not a casual exercise in vocabulary. It was a profound revelation of the dignity, authority, and capacity that God had entrusted to man. God did not bring the animals to Adam because He lacked names for them. He brought them before Adam as a platform for the expression of what He had already deposited within him.

This reveals a powerful Kingdom principle: God often brings things before a man in order to unveil what He has placed within that man.

Every day, situations, opportunities, responsibilities, challenges, and decisions are brought to our table. Many times, they do not come merely to test us; they come to reveal us. They become platforms through which the wisdom, intelligence, creativity, faith, discernment, leadership, and dominion that God has invested within us can find expression.

The challenge before you may be an invitation for wisdom to speak. The responsibility before you may be an opportunity for leadership to emerge. The problem before you may be demanding the manifestation of a solution that God has already hidden within you.

The Bible says:

"For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13).

And again:

"According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness" (2 Peter 1:3).

What comes before a man is often God's opportunity to reveal what He has already placed within that man.

When the animals came before Adam, the possibilities hidden within him found expression. In that singular act, Adam demonstrated dimensions of the divine nature that had been invested in him.

Creativity

Adam was not given a manual containing names. He drew from the creative possibilities resident within him. Creativity is a reflection of the God who creates and calls things into being.

"And God said, Let there be light: and there was light" (Genesis 1:3).

Man was created in the image and likeness of this Creator God (Genesis 1:26-27).

Innovation

Adam encountered realities that required original responses. Innovation is the capacity to engage existing realities and produce new expressions and solutions. God designed man to be fruitful, productive, and resourceful.

Sagacity and Discernment

The naming of the animals required depth of perception. Adam did not merely observe appearances; he perceived distinctions and essence.

"The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly" (Proverbs 20:27).

Wisdom

Adam's ability to appropriately name each creature revealed intelligence guided by divine understanding.

"The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens" (Proverbs 3:19).

Wisdom is the bridge between revelation and manifestation.

Intelligence and Understanding

Before the fall, man's intelligence operated without corruption. Adam possessed the ability to comprehend, process, and articulate reality according to divine design.

"And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much" (1 Kings 4:29).

Stewardship

God entrusted creation to Adam's care.

"And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion..." (Genesis 1:28).

Dominion was never intended to be exploitation; it was responsible stewardship under God's authority.

Order and Administration

The naming of creation introduced structure and order. God is a God of order.

"For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace" (1 Corinthians 14:33).

One of the highest expressions of intelligence is the ability to bring order where there is chaos.

Identity Recognition

Adam possessed the ability to discern the uniqueness of every creature. He recognized distinctions and assigned identity accordingly.

This reflects heaven's pattern, for God Himself calls things by name.

"He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names" (Psalm 147:4).

Responsibility

Authority without responsibility produces abuse. By allowing Adam to name the animals, God was revealing that true dominion is inseparable from accountability.

"Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful" (1 Corinthians 4:2).

Dominion

The act of naming was an act of government. Throughout Scripture, naming is connected to authority, jurisdiction, and responsibility.

Adam was functioning in the reality of Genesis 1:28, exercising delegated authority as God's representative upon the earth.

Partnership with God

Perhaps the greatest revelation of all is that God invited Adam into a process He could have completed Himself. This demonstrates God's desire for partnership.

"For we are labourers together with God" (1 Corinthians 3:9).

God's method has always been to work in partnership with yielded vessels.

This is why the condition of the mind is so important. The mind is the canvas upon which destiny is painted. It is the gateway through which revelation becomes manifestation. It is the mirror that reflects the true state of a man.

Scripture says:

"For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he" (Proverbs 23:7).

A man's life will eventually become the visible expression of his dominant thoughts.

When Adam named the animals, he was not merely demonstrating intelligence. He was unveiling the possibilities of a man whose mind was fully aligned with God. He showed us what becomes possible when the wisdom, creativity, authority, discernment, and government of Heaven find expression through a yielded human vessel.

The tragedy of the fall was not merely the loss of a garden; it was the corruption of the mind. The victory of redemption is not merely the promise of Heaven; it is the restoration of man's capacity to think, perceive, and function according to the mind of God.

"And be renewed in the spirit of your mind" (Ephesians 4:23).

For as the mind is renewed, the image of God is restored, and the potentials hidden within the spirit find expression in the earth.

"What comes before a man is often God's opportunity to reveal what He has already placed within that man." - Dr Joel Dabbas 

 

Knowing God Is Not Preparation for the Assignment—It Is the Assignment

Written by Dr Joel Dabbas 

Introduction

In a culture that often celebrates impact, productivity, influence, and visible success, many believers unconsciously begin to view intimacy with God as a means to a greater end. We pray for effectiveness. We study for revelation. We seek God for purpose. But what if communion with Christ is not preparation for the assignment? What if it is the assignment itself?

This realization has the power to reshape the entire Christian life.

Knowing Him Was the Assignment

There was a season in my life when I sincerely believed that my walk with God was preparation.

The prayers.

The vigils.

The fasting.

The study of Scripture.

The hidden seasons where God seemed silent.

The tears offered upon unseen altars.

I thought all of it was God's training ground—His way of preparing me for impact, influence, ministry, relevance, and kingdom assignment.

I believed intimacy was the process.

I believed usefulness was the goal.

But as I journeyed with God, the Holy Spirit began to correct my understanding.

He showed me a mystery that many believers spend years overlooking:

Knowing Him is not preparation for the assignment.

Knowing Him is the assignment.

The greatest tragedy in the Kingdom is not merely sin; it is reducing God to a means.

Many seek His hand while claiming to seek His face.

Many pursue an encounter because of what it can produce.

Many desire an anointing because of where it can take them.

Many want power because of what it can build.

Yet Heaven's highest reward has never been power.

It has always been Christ Himself.

The believer must eventually arrive at a place where God is no longer valuable because of what He gives, but because of who He is.

A place where prayer is no longer a strategy for obtaining results, but a response to love.

A place where worship is no longer a spiritual technology, but an expression of affection.

A place where Scripture is no longer merely a tool for revelation, but a doorway into the heart of a Person.

As Jesus declared:

"And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." — John 17:3

When We Turn God Into a Ladder

Many of us unknowingly turn God into a ladder.

We pray so doors will open.

We fast so power will increase.

We study so ministry will expand.

We obey so destiny can be fulfilled.

We seek impartation so influence can grow.

None of these desires are inherently wrong.

The Kingdom advances through obedience.

God delights in fruitfulness.

Faithfulness matters.

Stewardship matters.

Impact matters.

But the moment Christ becomes the road to something greater than Himself, we have lost the centrality of the Gospel.

For what reward can be greater than the One who sits upon the throne?

What inheritance can surpass the Giver Himself?

What promotion can compare with fellowship?

What achievement can rival union with Christ?

David understood this when he prayed:

"One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after..." — Psalm 27:4

Even among all the blessings available to him, David's greatest desire remained the presence of God.

The Rewards We Often Misunderstand

The reward of prayer is not first power.

It is proximity.

The reward of worship is not first impartation.

It is communion.

The reward of Scripture is not first revelation.

It is encounter.

The reward of consecration is not first usefulness.

It is possession by God.

This is the mystery the Apostle Paul discovered.

Not merely to work for Christ.

Not merely to speak about Christ.

Not merely to represent Christ.

But to know Him.

To know Him in life.

To know Him in suffering.

To know Him in victory.

To know Him in hiddenness.

To know Him in the secret place where no audience exists and no applause is heard.

Paul wrote:

"That I may know Him..." — Philippians 3:10

Notice that after all his revelations, achievements, and sacrifices, Paul's highest ambition was still the knowledge of Christ.

Healing for the Tired Believer

Many believers are exhausted because they have unconsciously built their identity around their assignment.

They feel valuable only when producing.

They feel spiritual only when performing.

They feel close to God only when succeeding.

But hear this:

Your value did not begin with your usefulness.

Before you preached, He desired you.

Before you sang, He desired you.

Before you led, He desired you.

Before you built anything for Him, He wanted fellowship with you.

Before the assignment, there was relationship.

Before the ministry, there was sonship.

Before the calling, there was communion.

Jesus reminds us of this reality:

"Without Me you can do nothing." — John 15:5

The Christian life was never meant to be sustained by human effort. Every genuine work of God flows from abiding in Him.

What Will Remain When Everything Else Fades

And when history reaches its consummation—

When every sermon has been preached,

When every church assignment has ended,

When every title has disappeared,

When every earthly responsibility has fulfilled its purpose,

When crowns are laid at His feet,

The only thing that will remain as the eternal occupation of the redeemed is the very thing many believers treat as secondary today:

Him.

Not His gifts.

Not His power.

Not His blessings.

Not His opportunities.

Him.

The book of Revelation paints a picture of worshippers laying their crowns before the throne, acknowledging that all glory belongs to Him alone (Revelation 4:10–11).

For eternity itself is the progressive revelation of the infinite Christ.

The Kingdom is ultimately about a Person.

The Gospel is ultimately about a Person.

Salvation is ultimately about a Person.

Everything begins with Him.

Everything is sustained by Him.

Everything returns to Him.

Christ Is the Prize

He is not merely the source of our strength.

He is the object of our affection.

He is not merely the giver of purpose.

He is the purpose.

He is not merely the means.

He is the end.

He is not merely the prize at the end of the race.

He is the race, the strength to run, and the reward awaiting the runner.

May we never become so occupied with serving Him that we forget to behold Him.

May we never become so committed to His work that we neglect His presence.

May we never become experts in ministry while remaining strangers to His heart.

For the highest attainment in the Kingdom is not influence.

It is intimacy.

Not prominence.

But presence.

Not recognition.

But union.

To know Him.

To love Him.

To behold Him.

To be conformed to Him.

To be found in Him.

This is not a lesser pursuit.

This is the summation of all pursuits.

Christ is the destination.

Christ is the inheritance.

Christ is the reward.

Christ is enough.

Reflection

Take a moment to honestly ask yourself:

Am I pursuing God primarily for what He can do through me, or because I desire Him?

If every platform disappeared, every title faded, every opportunity ended, and every assignment was taken away—would Christ still be enough?

The answer to that question may reveal what truly sits at the center of your heart.