If death cannot separate us, what about life? Life can afflict us with terrible crises that, for some, are harder to face than death. Deep grief, despair, depression, serious physical challenges, the loss of one’s child—we sometimes call blows like these “a fate worse than death.” Think of the worst calamity you can imagine. If that event occurred, could you still love God? Would you still believe that He is in control? That He loves you?

I’ve seen people overcome those worst imaginable crises too many times to count. These people proved to be overcomers—ordinary people who trusted in an extraordinary God. These modern-day heroes of faith have moved me and deepened my own faith as I have watched them walk with God through the valley of the shadow of death. The darker their days, the brighter God shone in their lives, because they came to a deeper understanding that there is no place so terrible that the love of God cannot reach into it.

A fourth-century Archbishop of Constantinople was such an eloquent preacher that, after his death, the Greek word chrysostomos (“golden mouthed”) was added to his given name, John. History has since known him as John Chrysostom. He did not hesitate to point out abuses of power wherever he found them, and his outspoken oratory got him in trouble with both the church and the Roman Empire. On one such occasion, he was brought before the Roman emperor. Tradition tells us that the emperor fixed Chrysostom with a glare and said: “I will banish you if you do not give up your faith.”

“You can’t banish me,” Chrysostom replied, “for the whole world is my Father’s house.”

“But I will put you to death.”

“No, you can’t. My life is hid with Christ in God.”

“Then I will take away all your material possessions.”

“No, you can’t. My treasure is in heaven along with my heart.”

“But I can drive you away from man. You will have no friends left.”

“No, you can’t make me friendless. I have a Friend in heaven from whom you can’t separate me. I defy all your attempts to silence me. There is nothing you can do to hurt me.”5

This brave and bold man had a firm grasp on the power behind true courage, the power behind clear resolution, the power behind unshakable faith. He believed without wavering that the love of God held him firmly and would never leave him, no matter how severe the adversity he faced.

How different would your life be if you found the same security in God’s love? How much more freedom would you feel? How bold would you be? How much more peace and contentment would you have? The same power that motivated John Chrysostom is within your grasp—the overcoming power that comes from realizing how tenaciously God loves you.

Not the Intervention of Angels or the Intrusion of Demons