Are you familiar with the concept of predestination? It is the idea that there is an ultimate and decided outcome. This concept is mentioned in the Bible in Romans 8:30 - And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified (NIV). In the Good News Translation, this same verse states, And so those whom God set apart, he called; and those he called, he put right with himself, and he shared his glory with them. As such, certain people have been selected to be saved and experience the glory of the Lord in their lives. These are the individuals whom the Lord knows will choose Him.
This issue of predestination also arises in 1 Peter 2:8, which speaks about how some react to Christ. It says, [a]nd, “He is the stone that makes people stumble, the rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they do not obey God’s word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them." Written when Christianity was in its infancy, this message taught believers not to be like those who refused to obey God's word. These types would meet an unfortunate end that every believer - including you and me - must avoid.
The scripture continues in 1 Peter 2:9-10 -But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Just as these words were given to believers then, these verses speak to those who have submitted their lives to Christ and His Father in this dispensation. We, believers who obey God's word, have become the people of God who are to praise Him and enjoy His grace and mercy.
So many of us Christians struggle to understand the privilege of being set apart for the Lord. We don't always appreciate what this means. To be set apart means that we are carriers of God's glory and His power. This is why we are told we are His royal priesthood called to serve Him. We are the ones He wants to use to put His will into effect. This means that when we embrace how precious we are to the Lord and how crucial we are for His purposes, many of the mental, spiritual, and physical obstacles we face will melt away. Recognizing God’s boundless might and His ability to exceed our expectations will transform us and the very atmosphere around us.
Thus, it should be no surprise to us that satan works tirelessly to keep God's children caged in darkness so they never lift their eyes to see the light of God's grace upon them or the crown of glory that He already placed on their heads. If they were to see themselves the way God sees them, then nothing could stop them from destroying every single one of the devil's plans.
Praise God the scriptures teach that we are not unaware of the devil's schemes (2 Corinthians 2:11). Therefore, believers in Christ can declare that they have overcome the evil one (1 John 2:13-14). We were predestined to have victory over the enemy. God knew that we would be the ones He could use to terrify hell and send satan running. We have won. We are winning. We will win. It was predestined so don't give up on God. Don't let life's difficulties compel you to turn from the Lord. Don't let satan's lies convince you into thinking you are less than a conqueror. Romans 8:37 - No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
