How to Have Courage When Staring Death in the Face

A British statesman once asked his young nephew this question, “Son, what do you want to be when you grow up?”

His nephew replied, “First I want to go to college.”

“Then what?” asked the uncle.

“Then, I want to be a lawyer.”

“Then what?”

“Then I want to get married,” said the nephew.

“Then what?”

“Then, I want to have children and raise a family.”

“Then what?”

“Then, I want to retire.”

“Then what?”

“Then I want to travel the world,” replied the nephew.

“Then what?” “Then, I guess I’ll die,” said the nephew.

“Then what?”

Have you thought about your “after life”? After you die, then what? It’s a big question we need to consider. When our bodies are six feet under, where will the “real us” be?

Are you afraid to die? Some people freely admit they fear life after death. They don’t know where they are going and they are afraid to die. Other people shrug their shoulders and say they are not the least bit afraid of death. Still others are quick to confirm that they are not afraid to die because Jesus Christ is their Lord and Savior, and they have complete confidence they will spend their eternal life with Him.

Do You Know Where You’re Going When You Die?

So, what about it? Can you know for sure where you will go after you die or is life after death just one of life’s great uncertainties?

People have come up with all kinds of ideas about life after death. Some people teach that once we die, we cease to exist. They say that once we are gone, that’s it, there’s no life after this one. Others believe in reincarnation; that there are several lives after this life. That is, once we die, we may come back to earth as another human being or perhaps an animal. Still, others teach that we move on to different levels of spirituality in life after death. There are those who don’t believe in a place called hell, but rather they are convinced that a “loving God” will send everyone to heaven after death. Others do believe in hell, and they plan to go there and party with all their friends. There are entire radical groups that base the motivation for their cause on their hope of afterlife pleasures. They believe that those who commit homicide/suicide missions in the name of the cause will be rewarded in heaven with an eternity of virgins when they die.

People have all sorts of fears, ideas and hopes for life after death.

Men and women have lots of theories about life after death, but has God told us anything definitive in His Word? Yes, He has! The Bible says, “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27, KJV). In other words, the Bible tells us that we die once (not two or three times) and when we die, we have to face a judgment.

If death were the end of existence, why would we face judgment? Apparently, after we die physically, we are still alive! The “real us” is still alive once our bodies die. If that is true, are you ready to stand before God Almighty?

The thing we know for sure is this: 100% of us will die. In his book Beyond Death’s Door, cardiologist Dr. Maurice Rawlings shares stories from his own personal experience in resuscitating patients from clinical death. There are chilling stories of these after-life encounters that include people descending into a place they called hell. Here’s what Dr. Rawlings said:

“More and more of my patients who are recovering from serious illnesses tell me there is life after death. There is a heaven and a hell. I had always thought death as painless extinction. I had bet my life on it. Now I have had to reconsider my own destiny, and what I have found isn’t good. I have found it really may not be safe to die! The turning point in my own thinking occurred because . . . I requested that a patient perform what we call a “stress test” to evaluate complaints of chest pains . . . This patient was a forty-eight-year-old white male who was a rural carrier . . . Unfortunately, he represented one of those rare instances where the EKG not only went “haywire,” but the heart stopped altogether, He had a cardiac arrest and dropped dead right in my office . . .

While I started external heart massage by pushing on his chest, one nurse initiated mouth-to-mouth breathing. Another nurse found a breathing mask, another nurse brought the emergency cart containing pacemaker equipment. Unfortunately, the heart would not maintain its own beat. A complete heart block had occurred . . . I had to insert a pacemaker . . . the patient began “coming to”. . . Each time he regained heartbeat and respiration, the patient screamed, “I am in hell!” He was terrified and pleaded with me to help him. I was scared to death. In fact, this episode literally scared the hell out of me! He then issued a very strange plea: “Don’t stop!” . . . Then I noticed a genuinely alarmed look on his face. He had a terrified look worse than the expression seen in death. This patient had a grotesque grimace expressing sheer horror! His pupils were dilated, and he was perspiring and trembling . . . He said, “Don’t you understand? I am in hell. Each time you quit I go back to hell! Don’t let me go back to hell!” . . . By this time the patient had experienced three or four episodes of complete unconsciousness and clinical death from cessation of both heartbeat and breathing . . . He finally asked me, “How do I stay out of hell?” I told him I guessed it was the same principle learned in Sunday school—that I guessed Jesus Christ would be the one whom you would ask to save you. Then he said, “I don’t know how. Pray for me.”

Pray for him? What nerve! I told him I was a doctor, not a preacher. “Pray for me!” he repeated. I knew I had no choice . . . So I had him repeat the words after me as we worked—right there on the floor. It was a very simple prayer because I did not know much about praying. It went something like this: Lord Jesus, I ask you to keep me out of hell. Forgive my sins. I turn my life over to you. If I die, I want to go to heaven. If I live, I’ll be “on the hook” forever. The patient’s condition finally stabilized, and he was transported to a hospital. I went home, dusted off the Bible and started reading it.

Interesting, isn’t it? Sobering, too. What does the Bible tell us about eternity, beyond death’s door? Can we be free from the fear of death? On what do we base our belief concerning the afterlife? There is only one source of truth— God’s Word.

Are You Ready to Make Your Reservation?

What about you? Are you able to face your own mortality with peace and joy or fear and uncertainty? If you were to die today and stand before God and He were to ask you, “Why should I let you into heaven” what would you say? The Bible tells us about the final judgment, “And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books . . . and anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:12, 15, NKJV).

Would you like to be certain your name is written in God’s Book of Life? Jesus told us how when He said, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16, KJV). He went on to say, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24, KJV).

The key to getting on God’s guest list is by believing in Jesus Christ whom He sent. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me” (John 14:6, KJV).

Are you ready to surrender to God, ask Him to forgive your sins, and invite Jesus Christ to be the Lord of your life?

Why not take a moment to pray...

Dear God, I want to be sure that my name is written down in Your Book of Life. Today, I choose to surrender my life to You. I know that I have made mistakes and I need Your forgiveness and mercy. I make a decision to humble myself and I submit my life to You. I do believe that Jesus Christ is Lord and that You raised Him from the dead. Jesus, I invite You into my heart to be the Lord of my life. From this day forward, I declare that Jesus Christ is the Lord of my life. Help me to know You better and to walk with You daily. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.