The best is yet to come

See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure. 1 John 3:1-3

The completion of God’s work in the life of believers will be revealed in His coming. The basis of belonging to the Kingdom of God is having a personal relationship with Christ. Jesus came into this world and through His sacrifice on the cross He provided a way so that man’s sin will be forgiven. Once a person established a relationship with God there is power working within to provide an overcoming victory in a regular basis. It happens through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. “But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world” (1 John 4:4). God’s objective in the life of His children is for them to be able to overcome the world. It is through their growing faith that this victory is realized. “For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith” (1 John 5:4). These truths written by John are the foundational basis that will keep your faith to God growing and strong. Your hope in Christ is also secured because the One who promised life eternal will be true to His word. Because of this, you can count on the promises that are to come:

· You will be “given fruit from the tree of life in the paradise of God” (Rev. 2:7)

· You will no longer be affected by the “second death.” (Rev. 2:11)

· You “will be given some of the manna that has been hidden away in heaven. And I will give to each one a white stone, and on the stone will be engraved a new name that no one understands except the one who receives it” (Rev. 2:17).

· You “who are victorious, who obey me to the very end, to them I will give authority over all the nations” (Rev. 2:26).

· You “who are victorious will be clothed in white. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life, but I will announce before my Father and his angels that they are mine” (Rev. 3:5).

· You “who are victorious will become pillars in the Temple of my God, and they will never have to leave it” (Rev. 3:12).

· You “who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children” (Rev. 21:7).

No wonder John spoke of the victory that Christians are guaranteed to experience because they were able to overcome through the power of God working in them. So while waiting for the culmination of God’s promises, His command is that you be occupied until He comes (Luke 19:13).