Beyond Answered Prayers: The Spiritual Blessings We Already Have in Christ

You Are Protected

What does this mean for you?

As a Christian, you automatically have the protection of God—if you believe it.

This protection is not a promise that nothing bad will ever happen. Hardships will come, and sometimes we create our own problems and reap the consequences. Yet even then, many of us have witnessed God’s protection in situations we thought we would never survive.

In this passage, protection goes deeper than physical safety. I believe Jesus was asking for spiritual protection—protection from demonic attacks, deception, and being pulled into darkness.

Because we walk with Christ, we will be hated by the world. People may plot against you spiritually, emotionally, or mentally. Pain may tempt you to drift away. Yet when you have received the Holy Spirit, there is always a small voice guiding you away from despair. That is God’s protection.

Personally, I have experienced this spiritual protection. I was once invited to join a cultic organisation disguised as a nonprofit while living in Cameroon. I declined because I knew, spiritually, I would drown. I joined certain prayer groups that were not led by God, yet He made a way for me to leave to protect my spirit.

I have also experienced physical protection. Four years ago, a car ran over my foot. I should not be walking today—but I am, with both feet intact.

So what should you do with this truth?

• Do not believe you cannot overcome what you are facing.

• Do not fear people walking away from you because you believe in a God they mock.

• Do not trust your emotions—trust the Word of God.

You are protected, whether you feel it or not.

You Are Sanctified

Another thing Jesus asked the Father for us is sanctification.

To be sanctified means to be consecrated—set apart. This is why Jesus says we are in the world, but not of it. Our thinking, habits, lifestyle, and choices must be different.

Looking back, I see how God was sanctifying me early on. I tried cigarettes at 15, coughed, and never touched them again. Alcohol never appealed to me—my body rejected it. I didn’t understand why at the time.

My journey of celibacy began at 17, even when I had other plans. I now understand that to be a disciple of Christ, sanctification is required.

This is not about boasting or appearing “holy.” God wants you consecrated because your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. He wants to partner with you to impact your community, not for you to build wealth or status without purpose.

If the Holy Spirit is convicting you about places, relationships, sexual practices, substance use, language, or rituals that do not honour God—let them go. They are holding you back.

Becoming One With God

Jesus also prays that we would be one, just as He and the Father are one. This part of the prayer really stood out to me, because becoming one with God is not instant—it is a process.

Becoming one only happens when the Holy Spirit lives in you, and even then, it takes time. It takes time because your flesh has to decrease and God’s power has to increase. And that is not easy. It means letting go of control, letting go of habits, letting go of certain desires, and even letting go of certain versions of yourself.

I’ve learned that becoming one with God starts with intimacy. Spending time in the Word, praying, worshipping, sitting in silence, watching sermons, and actually applying what God shows you in your daily life. It’s not just about knowing Scripture; it’s about letting Scripture change you.

In the beginning of my journey, I remember having so much fire for God. I wanted to follow Him with everything in me. That deep desire to obey Him, even when I didn’t fully understand, was the Holy Spirit working in me. That’s the process of oneness starting.

But becoming one also means unlearning. God started to slowly remove habits that were not aligned with Him. Things I used to enjoy no longer gave me peace. Certain environments started to feel heavy. Certain conversations drained me. I didn’t always understand why, but I knew something in me had shifted.

There were moments where God asked me to be silent instead of defending myself. Moments where He asked me to wait instead of rushing. Moments where He asked me to serve instead of being seen. I had to learn patience. I had to learn self-control. I had to learn how to pray for people who hurt me. I had to learn how to live by faith and not by sight.

And honestly, sometimes the process felt frustrating. Sometimes it felt lonely. Sometimes it felt like God was stripping things away without replacing them immediately. But what He was doing was making me one—not dependent on people, validation, money, or outcomes, but anchored in Him.

Becoming one also means you stop idolizing people or even the gifts God gives you. You stop chasing platforms, approval, or recognition. You learn to worship the Creator, not the creation. And in that place, you receive peace and joy that nothing else can give.

The more I became one with God, the more I noticed that my reactions changed. My thought patterns changed. My priorities changed. My desires changed. I didn’t need to force holiness—obedience became natural because my spirit wanted what God wanted.

This is not a process meant to hurt you, even though it can feel uncomfortable. It is meant to align you. It is meant to prepare you. It is meant to make you whole.

Becoming one with God is the foundation of everything else—purpose, ministry, impact, peace, and joy. Without oneness, everything becomes performance. With oneness, everything flow

You Share in Christ’s Glory

Jesus also says something that really changed my understanding when I read John 17. In verse 22, He says:
“The glory that you have given me I have given to them.”

When I first read this, I was honestly confused. I always thought glory belonged to God alone. I thought glorifying God meant shrinking myself, hiding, never taking space, never standing confidently. So when the Holy Spirit would tell me, “Stand in your glory,” I didn’t understand what that meant. I almost felt uncomfortable with it.

But reading this prayer helped me understand something deeper: through Jesus Christ, we share in the glory He received from the Father.

This does not mean we replace God or exalt ourselves above Him. It means that because of what Jesus did on the cross, we are no longer living as defeated people. We are no longer living in shame, inferiority, or fear. We are lifted up in Him.

Christ was glorified after suffering. He was lifted, honored, and given authority. And through Him, we are given authority too—not to dominate others, but to walk in confidence, excellence, and purpose.

Standing in Christ’s glory means understanding that you are not small, powerless, or insignificant. It means knowing that you carry the light of Christ within you. You carry His name. You carry His Spirit. And because of that, you cannot live like someone without hope.

For a long time, I lived as if life could just crush me and I had no say. I let situations define me. I let rejection speak louder than truth. I let fear tell me to shrink. But when you understand that you share in Christ’s glory, your posture changes.

You stop allowing life to beat you down.
You stop tolerating disrespect.
You stop settling for less than what God has called you to.

Standing in your glory through Christ means you show up differently—in your work, in your studies, in your relationships, in your calling. You do things with excellence, not for pride, but because you represent Him. Everything you do becomes an act of worship.

When you accept that Christ has glorified you through Himself, you stop walking with your head down. You stop apologizing for existing. You stop believing that you are always “too much” or “not enough.”

You begin to understand that God can establish you.
He can elevate you.
He can give you influence.
He can give you impact.

Not so that the world applauds you—but so that His light is seen through you.

This glory is not about fame the way the world defines it. It is about carrying the excellence, authority, and presence of Christ wherever you go. It is about knowing that when God opens a door for you, you are allowed to walk through it without guilt.

And when you truly understand this, you no longer chase validation. You don’t need to prove yourself. You don’t need to compete. You don’t need to rush. You move with confidence because you know who you belong to.

You Are Loved With the Same Love

Lastly, Jesus prays something that still overwhelms me every time I read it. He asks the Father to love us the same way He loves Him.
That alone should stop us in our tracks.

Even in the moment when Jesus knew He was about to be betrayed, arrested, humiliated, and crucified, He was still rooted in the certainty of the Father’s love. He did not question it. He did not doubt it. And He asked that same love to rest on us.

This really convicted me.

Because if I’m honest, there have been moments in my life when things didn’t go the way I expected, and the first thing I questioned was God’s love for me. When prayers weren’t answered quickly, when doors closed, when I felt abandoned, I subconsciously thought, “If God really loved me, He wouldn’t let this happen.”

But Jesus knew something deeper.

God’s love is not proven by comfort.
God’s love is not proven by ease.
God’s love is not proven by a life without suffering.

Jesus was deeply loved by the Father—and yet He still went through the cross.

That alone shows us that love is not the absence of hardship. Love is the power that carries you through hardship without destroying you.

God’s love is not emotional the way the world defines love. The world teaches us that love is a feeling, something that comes and goes, something that disappears when things get hard. But God is love—and God is Spirit. That means His love is power.

Love is what created the world.
Love is what forgave us.
Love is what redeemed us.
Love is what lifted us when we were broken.
Love is what gave us purpose when we had none.

Jesus was able to endure the cross because He knew He was loved. That love gave Him strength, resilience, and peace—even in suffering. And that same love is available to us.

When you truly believe that God loves you the way He loves Jesus, your entire mindset changes.

You stop seeing hardship as punishment.
You stop seeing delay as rejection.
You stop seeing silence as abandonment.

Instead, you begin to trust that even when things are painful, God is still present. His grace is sufficient. His hand is still holding you. His love has not left you.

God did not remove Jesus from the cross—but He resurrected Him.

And sometimes God does the same with us. He allows us to go through things not to destroy us, but to bring us into resurrection—into a higher place, a deeper identity, a stronger faith.

This is why I believe we should stop seeking the feeling of love and start asking for the power of God’s love. Because when His love fills you, it gives you endurance. It gives you peace. It gives you confidence. It gives you identity.

You don’t crumble under pressure.
You don’t give up easily.
You don’t lose yourself in rejection.

Because you know—deep down—that you are loved.

Jesus prayed that we would know this love. That we would live from it. That we would be grounded in it.

So as believers, let us adopt the mind of Christ.

Walk in These Blessings

These blessings are already available to us—whether we recognize them or not. But when you become conscious of them, something shifts in your heart and mind.

You walk with boldness.
You walk with courage.
You no longer find it hard to be a Christian.

Because these are the rewards of our faith.