I have been a Christian for 30 years. During that time, I sought God and He sought me. Through deep revelations He has taken away many wrong things from my life.

This lyric (Pursuit, Jesus Culture) describes my life best as a Christian.

Strip everything away

Till all I have is You

Undo the veils

Till all I see is You

I will pursue You,

I will pursue Your presence

I’m pressing in to You

So do not pass me by

I’m breaking through the boundaries

I will not be denied

Open my eyes,

Search me inside,

I can’t live without Your presence.

Before my conversion, my life was full of booze, drugs, parties, going out, hard rock concerts and occultism. But God has set me free!

How much of your old man did you turn in? Our soul is good, but it is so attached to old life that we often don’t realize how far away we are from God.

In a vision I saw a coffin with three candles in it and behind it a huge treasure of gems and gold, crowns, swords, bracelets and jewellery. Everything shone, it was the glory of God (our identity in Christ). I saw the lid of the coffin close, but open again when the three candles burned brighter. God said: “François, everyone wants My glory, but no one wants to die from the old”.

We have been saved and have received spiritual perfection. But the cross is more than salvation. It gives us power to become God’s children, to discover who we are in Christ. We are more than conquerors, clothed with dignity. The cross exposes all the treasures of heaven.

We ourselves are the land we must take back. There are keys and spiritual laws to bring down riches. The battle is for whom we become on earth!

We have two trees inside (old and new nature), but we have to feed the right ones. This life-long process is worthwhile. The more I died from the old man (nature, Satan’s inheritance), the more I find my identity back in Christ.

In the world, if you deviate, you are out of it quickly. But also in the church there are boxes and compartments on which people base their faith. This religion excludes God and people, but God does not exclude anyone.

You change when you find God. But if He finds you…Wow! …Then you’ll change a lot more. Then there will be fountains of eternal life. And the backpacks fall off!

But people take offence at you too, because you don’t go the same way anymore. Anyone who wants to live righteously will be persecuted.

Never think: “I’m here”.  God doesn’t change you all of a sudden, but through love and through time. I chase God and I love His presence. He looks over the earth to see if He can help someone.

Satan wanted a throne above the stars, but Jesus’ throne is there. Then, now and always. He traded his throne for the stable and the cross. The ultimate proof of God’s great love for all people.

Because life is short, I fill myself daily with God’s life-changing Word. In the true knowing of Him is life and light, and the key that leads to life. That my life has gotten on track is great. But even more beautiful is that wrong patterns and motives disappear. I am no longer people’s plaything, but have my own opinion and healthy boundaries.

My life wasn’t easy. There were desert moments with a lot of resistance. I could only lean on Jesus. But God always spoke full of love and compassion. Fortunately, there are oases in the desert, but you have to seek them together with God.

The battle was once so fierce, I didn’t want to go any further. God showed me a trumpet and said: “If you give up now, you will not trumpet”. What a grace that God is with me and that I have continued. If you have a hard time, go on with God! Do not give up, but eat the Word and drink the Spirit. One cannot do without the other. Only when you eat and drink you will grow up.

We need to focus more on the cross and on Jesus than on ourselves. His righteousness is in our place before the throne. But don’t live in sin either. Jesus is humble at heart and we may be like Him. Humility is the foundation of life.

Guilt is upon ourselves, but God’s repentance is upon God. Then He absolves our souls. Spiritually, we are already free. Relationship is a two-way and makes free. Sometimes I wonder, “Do we realize what we have done to God?”. He has feelings and emotion, He wants a relationship with us. Religion is the spirit of smallness. Relationship with God is the Spirit of greatness and freedom.

We may come to repentance as Paul says, through His goodness and His love. God is not a slave-driver but a Father who loves His children! He is happy with us and He wants to bare our hearts so that we can be useful to others and to Him.

The greatest battle and victory is in and on ourselves. And the greatest treasure is in ourselves. If we bear many fruits, we glorify the Father. The secret of life lies in the death of the old man. As Jesus says: “He who loses his life shall save it and find life”. Dying to ourselves, the life of Christ grows in us and He rises in us, and we rise up with Him. Thus through Him we truly become as we are meant to be!