Fear. For some it triggers a reactionary effect that motivates them. For others, it paralyzes them, fills them with anxiety, it’s fight or flight. The first time I prayed “the prayer of salvation”, I was six. I was at a Christian Tent Revival, if you have ever been to one, then you may be familiar with my experience. The last night of the Revival they performed a skit set to a song from Carmen, during the song, there were demons who were talking to Satan, and Satan started running around the church as people were getting saved. As a six year old, this was absolutely TERRIFYING. So naturally I wanted to go up to the alter and pray that God would save me from the Satan running around the church. Add to that, I was told that I could lose my salvation if I had any unconfessed sin, even if I asked Jesus “into my heart”. So needless to say, I lived in fear of going to hell, and feared being chased by Satan. It created an unhealthy prayer life of repeatedly asking God to save me from my sins, on the chance that I died without forgiveness of any unconfessed sin. I can look back at some of this stuff now and laugh at it, but yet it took me YEARS to unlearn some of these things. I was 18 when I learned that there was even a concept of eternal security. When I was showed the truth of God’s word, it was today’s passage of scripture that led me to a rededication of my life to the Lord, and I have never looked back.
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.” John 10:27-29
When I heard this from my friend’s dad, it changed my life. To understand that God is for me, and not against me. That God is gracious and merciful. That God loves me so much that he won’t ever let me go and give up on me. I am not sure about you, but it fills my heart with such peace and comfort. That I am loved so completely by a Savior who laid down his life to completely seal me forever, to have a place set for me in eternity—it’s too magnificent to even comprehend.
I may be sealed with the forever promise for eternity in heaven, but that doesn’t make me perfect. I still sin, I still suffer, I still have many shortcomings. We live in a fallen world that wages war against us. BUT GOD….he won’t leave me or forsake me. I am his child, fully, completely, forever. Today, if you are in this struggle of feeling like you are too far gone, that God won’t or can’t forgive you—DON’T BELIEVE THAT LIE!!! Rest in the gracious, merciful arms, of the Almighty God who cares for you and will never let you go!
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.” John 10:27-29
When I heard this from my friend’s dad, it changed my life. To understand that God is for me, and not against me. That God is gracious and merciful. That God loves me so much that he won’t ever let me go and give up on me. I am not sure about you, but it fills my heart with such peace and comfort. That I am loved so completely by a Savior who laid down his life to completely seal me forever, to have a place set for me in eternity—it’s too magnificent to even comprehend.
I may be sealed with the forever promise for eternity in heaven, but that doesn’t make me perfect. I still sin, I still suffer, I still have many shortcomings. We live in a fallen world that wages war against us. BUT GOD….he won’t leave me or forsake me. I am his child, fully, completely, forever. Today, if you are in this struggle of feeling like you are too far gone, that God won’t or can’t forgive you—DON’T BELIEVE THAT LIE!!! Rest in the gracious, merciful arms, of the Almighty God who cares for you and will never let you go!