The Keys I Didn’t Take

Some choices seem small in the moment—but turn out to shape the rest of your life.

When I read Luke 4:5–8 in the Passion Translation, it brought me back to one such moment. A turning point I didn’t fully understand at the time. A time when I was just beginning my journey with the Lord… and faced a crossroads that echoed Jesus’ own wilderness temptations.

After a long season of searching, I had a life-changing encounter with Jesus that shattered everything I thought I knew. I was under the influence of drugs at the time, but what happened was undeniably real. In a moment of sincere desperation, I called on His name—not in arrogance, but in humility, honestly seeking truth. And in that instant, I realized two things: Jesus is just as real today as He was when He walked the earth… and His name holds unmatched power. I watched as darkness fled at the mere sound of His name. I knew, deep in my spirit, that He wasn’t just a historical figure—He was the most powerful force in the universe. (You can read my full testimony here.)

Not long after, I had a second spiritual encounter—again while under the influence of drugs. This time, I saw a being—perhaps an angel—who showed me mountains, cities, and lands. In his hands were keys. He said, “I will give you the keys to all of this.”

And yet… I didn’t take them.

To this day, I don’t remember how or why I turned them down. I just know that I did. And when I refused, the vision ended. Only years later did I come to understand that moment for what it truly was: a temptation. An offer of dominion that wasn’t mine to take. A spiritual counterfeit to the kingdom Jesus invites us into through surrender, not ambition.

At the time, I thought drugs were my doorway to revelation. That acid and LSD had opened my mind to spiritual realms. But the true understanding didn’t come from any drug—it came from Scripture. It came from the Gospel of Luke. And from Jesus Himself.

I began to see that both of these encounters mirrored what Jesus experienced in the wilderness. The enemy tempting Him to prove Himself… to grasp at power… to bow in exchange for dominion. I had unknowingly faced similar choices.

In Luke 4:9, the enemy says, “Prove it. Throw yourself down.”

And I had said something similar in my arrogance: “If you’re real, walk into this room right now.”

But He didn’t answer my demand. He responded to my humility.

When I surrendered and spoke His name—not in challenge, but in trust—everything changed.

Back then, I believed the drugs were the secret. But now I know they were only a counterfeit key. A false door. One that opened to darkness disguised as light. What I thought was divine insight was really a seduction into spiritual confusion. And when I returned for more, it didn’t lead me closer to God—it began to pull me downward into a deeper darkness.

There are many doors into darkness. But there is only one road into the true light: Jesus.

In my youth, the doors I walked through most often were drugs and music. The music itself was soaked in the influence of LSD, mushrooms, marijuana, opium—all popular in my generation. Today, the names have changed, but the doors remain: chat rooms, fantasy games, occult books, false spiritualities, AI-generated voices of “wisdom,” and a flood of seductive media aimed at the youngest among us.

They all offer something: insight, power, identity, escape.

But they’re not all good. And not all doors lead where they promise.

God rescued me. Jesus saved me. I didn’t know what I was doing at the time, but His mercy covered me. And now I know what I couldn’t understand back then:

Not all roads lead to God.

If you’re a parent—guard the hearts of your children. Train them in love.

If you’re a youth—be careful what you open yourself up to. What looks good, feels good, or sounds good may not be good at all.

The belonging you crave, the confidence, the power—it’s only found in one place:

A relationship with your Father in heaven, through His Son, Jesus Christ.

When you embrace Jesus, He doesn’t just hold you. He adopts you.

He gives you confidence. He shows you how deeply you belong.

His love isn’t just an emotional high. It’s a lasting foundation.

He teaches you how to love yourself rightly—and to love others well.

So if you’re standing in front of a door today, unsure where it leads, ask the One who gave everything for you. His door leads to life, love, victory, and a sound mind. All the others… may not look dangerous at first. But some doors lead to death.

Jesus is the only door that leads to true, abundant life.

I know this, because He found me in the darkness… and called me by name.

And what He did for me, He will do for you.

Because He loves you. Deeply. Eternally.