(John 11:25-26)
The moment you received Jesus as your Lord and Savior, your old life passed away and a new life came into existence. In essence, you had a “death” experience. “For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Col. 3:3).
Ephesians 2:5-6 says that when you became alive in Christ (when you became born again), you were raised up to sit with Christ in heavenly places.
One aspect of your born-again experience is to be delivered from the fear of death because Jesus destroyed “…him who had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Heb. 2:14). As a result, you have absolute assurance that when you leave your physical body, you will be with Jesus in heaven.
The Apostle Paul summed up the way Christians should feel about death: “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21). Think about it. Born-again Christians no longer have to fear death. We can live fearlessly. We can live in peace because we know that we are divinely protected from evil; and at the same time, there is no underlying torment about eternal death.
Christians really never die. They simply change clothes. They take off their earth suits and put on their heavenly attire. There doesn’t have to be any sorrow, fear, or depression about death, for it is simply crossing over into the glory of heaven.
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
Billy Joe Daugherty was founder and pastor of Victory Christian Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was also the founder of Victory Christian School, Victory Bible Institute and Victory World Missions Training Center. Five hundred twenty-three Victory Bible Institutes have been started in eighty-five countries around the world. He inspired individuals and ministries with his life, love and influence for more than 30 years.