From Fear of Death to Assurance of Heaven

Assurance of Heaven, Confidence and Security

Before knowing Christ, my life was filled with fear of death and emptiness. I grew up in a Christian family and became aware of my faith through attending church. At the age of five, I developed a strong fear of death. I remember asking our nanny, Ate Ditdit, after watching a movie about someone who died, to open the coffin for me and remove me from the cemetery. I have a vivid imagination of this, even until now. When I was twelve, I finally understood the gospel. Around May 1990, I raised my hand in response to Pastor James Echon's pulpit message, then attended several weeks of baptismal classes, and was eventually baptized on a beach. From that point on, I became involved in ministry. However, when I went to college and had to leave my home church to study in Baguio, the Lord exposed the condition of my heart. I felt relieved from the burden of attending church weekly and serving in the ministry every Sunday. In Baguio, I began skipping Sundays and enjoyed this newfound freedom for months. During that time, my religion lecturer challenged my faith, they questioned events in the Bible like the crossing of the Red Sea and how Jesus could say, "It is finished," loudly enough for historians to record while He was crucified and dying. These lecturers seemed so intelligent, and they aligned other religions with Christianity, leaving me confused. I found myself asking, "How can I know which one is the truth?" During this period, my heart felt empty. I searched for different churches, trying Hyperfaith, Catholic services, and more, until I found Guiding Light Christian Church in June 1997. That Sunday, the message was the gospel. Praise GOD! I walked home sobbing, as the Lord finally filled my heart with what I had been searching for. It was Pastor Robbie Casas who shared the gospel from the pulpit, no one approached me, but the message pointed me to the cross.

After knowing Jesus, I found assurance in my eternity and a sense of complete fulfillment. Hearing the gospel at twelve was not a waste; the seed was planted then. I’m not sure whether I backslid or if I wasn't truly saved yet at that time, but as John 3:8 says, "The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So, it is with everyone born of the Spirit." I am so amazed until now how the Lord transformed my heart, I thank Him for the assurance of salvation and fulfillment in my life.