There are many people today preaching that you can have it all—money, influence, success—right now. But Jesus never promised His followers a life of ease. Though God does sometimes bless people financially, there are no guarantees of worldly riches attached to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Rather, the Bible teaches that Christians have a much greater blessing in store.

Read Psalm 16. God’s Word says that we will receive an inheritance, but this inheritance is nothing like the money, fancy cars, and luxury homes the prosperity preachers advertise. They talk about earthly things, but our true inheritance is spiritual and supernatural. What they promise will be lost at death; what God promises will last for all of eternity.

Many people assume that when David wrote Psalm 16, he was already king of Israel. But most theologians agree that David probably wrote this psalm while he was a fugitive from King Saul. As a hunted man, he had no comfort to speak of. He was deprived even of enjoying his land in Bethlehem—the portion of the promised land he had inherited through his ancestors.

And yet, David rejoiced in his inheritance: “The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance” (Psalm 16:6). Through eyes of faith, David was enjoying not his earthly, temporal inheritance, but an inheritance that can never fade kept in heaven for him (see 1 Peter 1:4).

Of course, David was delighting in the promise of a glorious, eternal inheritance to come—riches, land, and other material delights—but he recognized that this would be no inheritance at all if it did not include the very presence of God. That’s why he sang, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing,” and, “Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup” (Psalm 16:2, 5). Here, David echoes the conviction of Moses, who pleaded with God on behalf of Israel, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here” (Exodus 33:15). What was God’s response? I will go with you.

The greatest gift we will ever receive is God Himself. Just listen to how David finishes his psalm: “[Y]ou will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand” (v. 11). We really will get it all. 

Prayer: Father, Your extravagant love is astounding. I delight in Your mercy and goodness—You are my greatest treasure. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“But, as it is written, ‘What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him’” (1 Corinthians 2:9, ESV).

Learn more in Dr. Michael Youssef’s sermon God Has the Answer to Every Problem You Face, Part 4: LISTEN NOW | WATCH NOW

Check out more from Dr. Michael Youssef, here!