5 Truths That Will Change Your Life
Today I want to share 5 truths I’ve learned that have completely changed my life for the better. I believe they will do the same for you as well.
1. The Gospel isn’t about our future in Heaven
One of the greatest truths I’ve ever learned is the reality that the gospel isn’t focused on our future in Heaven.
Perhaps the most famous verse in the Bible is John 3:16,
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
The gospel is centered around the gift of eternal life through Christ.
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
What is Eternal Life?
Jesus gave the definition in John 17:3 when He said,
Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
The original Greek word know in this verse means “to come to know, especially through personal experience, first-hand acquaintance.”
Jesus isn’t just speaking of knowing God intellectually but knowing Him in a very personal way through interaction. The Father sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to reconcile us back to Him through Christ’s sacrifice for us on the cross.
Jesus states this exact point in John 14:6,
I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
The gospel is primarily focused on our personal relationship with God, not our future in Heaven. We have the opportunity to experientially know God here on earth because of what Christ has done for us.
Every time we read the words “eternal life” in the Bible; we need to remember Jesus’ own definition of it.
Christ gave us access to a restored relationship with the Father. We see how involved God was with His people in the Old Testament, so how much more is He available to us now given Christ’s sacrifice for us?
The Christian life is not about only focusing on our future in Heaven, or just waiting for the rapture. It’s developing our relationship with God here on earth. We have a right now salvation, not just a one day, someday salvation.
2. The Holy Spirit is a Person
The Holy Spirit isn’t a force, a power, a manifestation or an “It.”
He is the third Person of the Trinity. He is a Person, just like the Father and Jesus.
A quick reading of Acts shows us just how often the Early Church interacted with the Holy Spirit. The apostles let the Holy Spirit lead them in their ministries, and He often spoke to them personally.
For example, in Acts 13:2 the Holy Spirit said,
Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.
The Holy Spirit has a mind, will and emotions.
1 Corinthians 2:11 (His mind)
For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
1 Corinthians 12:11 (His will)
All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
Ephesians 4:30 (His emotions)
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit was sent by the Father and Jesus told us the Holy Spirit would help us, comfort us, glorify Jesus and lead us into all truth.
John 14:15-17
If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
John 16:12-14
I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you.
Our responsibility is simply to respond to His call for intimacy—to make time and space for Him to speak and lead us. When we seek Him wholeheartedly, we will find Him.
Although the Holy Spirit certainly gives us gifts, He desires relationship with us.
Personal Dialogue with the Holy Spirit
My life changed when I learned that the Holy Spirit is a Person, and I began talking with Him all the time throughout my day. I started to involve Him in everything and bring Him into all my thoughts. I learned through intentional discipline to realize He is in me, and therefore I have a responsibility to build a relationship with Him.
I learned to talk to Him like a friend. Shortly after I began to involve Him more in my life, I began to hear Him speak to me personally.
Here are two examples:
One night, I was jamming out to music when right in the middle of a song I heard Holy Spirit’s still, small voice. He said, “Turn the music off. Spend time with Me please.”
Another time, I was walking the hallways of school talking with Him about a friendship and my plans to hang out with a classmate on the weekend when I heard the Holy Spirit say, “Don’t force it.” He helped bring me peace in my relationship with this person in the midst of the busyness of having so many scheduled activities.
It’s vital to build a life centered on communion with the Holy Spirit. He desires to be our eternal companion. He is quite literally our closest friend because He lives in us.
I encourage you to make it a habit to spend time with Him as well as develop a conscious awareness of His presence. He is with you wherever you are because He lives in you if you are a believer in Christ.
3. You are Royalty
In Christ, we have all been given a new identity. We are not a victim, but a victor.
Revelation 1:6
…and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Jesus has made us firstly kings and secondly priests through His sacrifice on the cross.
Unveiling Your Royal Identity
Our first spiritual identity is that of being royalty, a king in God’s Kingdom. We are each a king in Christ under the King of kings, the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the King over His people, who are the kings under Him.
Kings have authority to rule and reign, represented by their crown. They know who they are and they enforce their authority. We need to see ourselves as a king, a royal heir with Christ, a ruler wearing a crown, for that is what we are in Him.
We have to take up our royal responsibility to partner with the Lord to see His rule come to our life and the lives of those around us.
He has given us the authority to bring His Kingdom on earth, but it is up to us to believe and partner with Him to see God’s will take place. One of the ways we do this is through using the name of Jesus in spiritual warfare. His name is above all names, and it makes the enemy and his demon’s tremble.
Remember, He has given you a new identity, which comes with both authority and responsibility.
4. God Wrote a Book about You
Did you know that God wrote a book about your life before you were born?
Psalm 139:16 says,
Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
You are here on purpose and for a purpose. God has amazing plans for your life, just waiting to be discover through seeking Him.
He has specific things for each one of us to accomplish, but it’s up to us to go on a journey of finding out what they are.
I hope this revelation from Psalm 139 brings you motivation and assurance that you have purpose and God has a pre-planned destiny on your life!
5. God Wants You to Spend Time with Him
Matthew 6:6
But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
My life changed during my teenage years as I began waking up 10 minutes early to have quiet time with the Lord before school. I would talk with Him, just like a friend, bringing Him my honest thoughts and feelings.
Sometimes, I would just sit in silence and focus on being with Him. Other times, I would spend those few minutes singing songs of worship to Him.
As I learned to discipline myself to make it a habit to give Him the first part of my day, I began notice my attitude about school and about life was changing for the better. I had more enthusiasm and more of a sense of purpose in my daily activities. I wanted to spend my life being a light for Christ and live for what pleases God and builds His Kingdom.
What started with only 10 minutes with God a day every morning gradually increased to fifteen and so on. It’s okay to start small, because He will honor the time you give Him. Your hunger for Him will grow as you practice seeking Him in worship, prayer, studying His Word and even silence.
I can testify that setting aside alone time with God consistently (short or long) will change everything and help make your faith your own.
I pray these 5 biblical and practical truths will change your life just as they did mine. Which one of these resonated with you the most?