1 John 5.14-21 Know! (part 1: prayer)

Sing about prayer

How sure can you be of anything. I mean really? As a matter of fact their are so many things that the world wants you doubt, do you really know?

I would like to talk to you about some of those things. I am really sort of a person that thinks that we need to be cognizant of the past. This year is the 250th year of our country being born and I look forward to all the tidbits of information we will here about the reformation, I hope many of them from this pulpit as we near this historic day, it is also the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks. WOW!!!! Think about that for just a second 25 years it seemed like yesterday and it is a tenth as long as this country has been a nation, anyway… back to 9/11. Every year or so on 9/11 I watch an as it happened during the morning of 9-11 sometimes I have it in the background. It is my way of remembering and honoring those who lost their lives and praying for their family, but what really happened that day. I will tell you this before we get started I believe the common narrative that hyjackers mostly from Saudia Arabia who were radicalized in the Al Qaeda cells of Osama Bin Ladin in Afghanistan flew planes into the world trade center. But is all that really happened? I can’t be 100% sure because media has painted a different picture to try and cast doubt on the official story.

Why did building 7 collapse? There is evidence of controlled demolition. Why didn’t fighter jets shoot down the hyjacked planes especially after the first one hit the first tower. Was there a real plane in Washington. The list goes on and on. I believe that people we see what they want to see. If you going looking for a rat you can often find evidence of a rat even where none exist if you look hard enough. But from JFK to the pyramids, to COVID, there are all sorts of things that we can not be certain about. Every day I meet someone who is an expert on some topic and they all differ from one another, especially things that they see on TV. I tend to be more certain of things I experience for myself. And today we are going to talk about the word KNOW and CONFIDENCE a word that appears quite frequently in the end of the gospel of the 1 John and it has been John’s theme throughout the book. Do you know Jesus? The narrative of Jesus is wilder than any of the topics I have talked to you about today. From JFK to the Pyramids to COVID being built by Chinese scientists using bats to 9/11 was an inside job. I don’t “know” the entire story of any of those things and I really don’t care but think of Jesus Story.

God created the Heavean’s and the earth and did it instantly by speaking and formed everything around us in 7 literal days. That is a big ask.

After this life there is an eternal heaven and hell. Big Ask

Jesus is the one and only Son of God born of a virgin concieved by the Holy Spirit. AGAIN BIG ASK

Jesus lived a perfect sinless life. Huge ask

Jesus died on the cross carrying the penalty of the sins for all man kind ever past present and future. BIG ASK

JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD conquering death forever. HUGE ASK

Jesus is coming back riding on the clouds to set up His kingdom. I have asked you to believe the impossible. But it’s true and many of you KNOW it’s true. Not because I convinced you but because the Holy Spirit living inside of you convincinced you. That is REAL FAITH, it will change your life. If there is only one thing I know in this life, it is that this message is TRUE!

You can be confident in your prayer.

1 John 5:14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

I don’t think that some of you in this church believe this. I have been here in this church for 40 years. I am only 46 years old and some of you have never been to a prayer meeting. That alone doesn’t tell me that you don’t believe in prayer. But then if I speak to you about prayer the conversation goes silent. There have been times when the church has a serious matter and we say would anyone like to pray about it and all of the sudden zip. I have seen and been told that groups Sunday School Seasoned Saints Bible studies, it comes time to pray and it lasts like 30 seconds. That tells me you don’t believe in prayer. You say this old country I’m worried about it, but you don’t get a prayer meeting for it, you don’t believe in prayer. Our founding fathers did there prayer meetings lasted hours. Don’t complain about it, pray about it.

I know that I feel like I am hitting you over the head, but I need to be more confident in prayer. I love to pray, but I always think that song sweet hour of prayer is a little much. Talk to God while your working I think. I don’t just need to sit in a closet and spend all day praying. I’ve never said those words but those are what my actions say. I had a lady call the church and leave a message on the phone that we needed to help so and so. GRANTED this lady didn’t even know the name of the person we as a church should be helping, but she said prayer is all fine if thats what you want to do, but you have to do something that will actually help. You know Pastors work hard. Just ask my wife. But we become targets for people who are insecure and rather than doing things for themselves they think that they should tell us how we should be doing things. My mother said it best you have to have alligator skin.

God who made the heavens hears your prayer.

Jeremiah 33:2–3 Thus says the Lord who made it, the Lord who formed it to establish it (the Lord is His name): ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’

I have confidence that God created the universe and the world. If he can do that, He can answer my prayers. Don’t complain about it pray about it

Jesus gave us confidence in prayer.

John 16:23–24 And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

I wish I could take this back to 2025 This is my experience, if you are miserable pray. I am not saying if you are miserable call the pastor and have him pray for you. You can do that, it will help but I am saying you PRAY. PRAYER changes things. God answers prayers. You have no idea what God will do when you pray. Jesus gave you the ability the power to pray at any time and any where.

You can have confidence as you approach the throne of God.

Hebrews 4:14–16 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

This is how I often think about prayer. If I told you, I have access to the President of the United States. We are going down to the oval office and President Trump is going to listen to us. Here is a sign up sheet who is getting on that bus. Bus is free! I am probably going to have a lot of people. Some of you are going to tell your friends and they are going to want on that bus trip. Never been to church but all of the sudden this is their church and they want to join. But we have something greater. Every prayer meeting we go to the throne of Grace. Jesus gave us the ability to come before God’s throne and PRAY! And if I were to say to this congregation right now. Let’s get into groups and pray. Some of you would be like this is silly and walk out the door. Do you have confidence in prayer. That is the mark birthmark of child of God.

God listens when you bring him your problems.

Psalm 34:17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles. ‘

I have a problem. I care, but I am not perfect. Someone will bring me a prayer request back there, I have no idea how many times this has happened. I will walk down the aisle get up here and forget what that person said. I have to right it down. Some one will say to me after church just wait until you get my age. But I have to right it down. I will forget. I always forget Monday morning surgeries. Even though I have been praying about them all week. But God really hears and doesn’t need to write things down he can keep everything straight, God delivers you from your problems. There is a difference between Deliver and save. God does both.

You can have confidence that God answers prayer.

1 John 5:15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

There is that word… KNOW! it appears twice hear. Do you know that if you pray, God is listening and if you are asking according to His will, He will answer. I understand what you will say. How can I know the will of God. Talk to Him about it. I will tell you this story. I have to adjust my teaching from time to time. I would talk about this with a Bible class I would tell them don’t go home and ask for a new car like a genie in a bottle that isn’t God’s will. A MOM WROTE TO ME! Mr Willson, I have to abject to your teaching God gave me a brand new car. She was correct God can give you a brand new car and I know and believe that. SO THIS is how I now teach this. God is not a genie in a bottle I will grant you three wishes and give you whatever your little prideful heart desires but He answers in His will from your best interest. So I now say this. You a fourteen you old boy GOES home and earnestly prays for a Brand new Corvette. Well God in heaven can think about 12 reasons why that Corvette is not the best of His will for your life. You aren’t old enough to drive. You will drive that Corvette away from church and not towards it, you will sin with that corvette, drive 150 MPH you don’t have a license and that that Corvette is all about you and your wants not your needs. Now God often gives us more than we want but I believe He often says no because He has something better or He knows that what you are asking is not what is best for you. Don’t worry God answers prayers.

If God answers your prayers, give Him credit.

Psalm 50:15 Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.

When He delivers you, make sure that you give him all the glory. Praise His name, it’s about you not him.

Let your prayers be backed with faith.

Mark 11:24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

Whatever you ask! Believe and you will receive. I talk a lot about prayer with people. I have talked to prayer with a lot of people. God answers prayer. One person in our church told me pastor I pray for a financial need and boom God provides the exact right amount. The other day I prayed for someone to fix a furnace for a lady in our church. I didn’t know who to call, one name came to mind. I called it and boom 10 minutes later my prayers were answered in a way I never thought possible. Coincidence I don’t think so. I have watched people in this church pray for cars, pray for rent money and boom God provides the need. I have also had people say I don’t know about prayer, does it really work. God isn’t answering their prayers probably because they aren’t praying and if they are they are doing it without faith.

Jesus said “Whatever you ask.”

Mark 11:24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

Whatever means whatever, “whatever, man” like the apathetic stereotypical teenager. We are talking about you can pray about whatever. The other day, I kid you not. I was talking with Jerry Ingraham. he was talking about the Chicago Bears. I prayed with him and prayed that his bears would have a good game. The bears were losing pretty good to the Packers at that point. Well they came from behind dramatically to beat the Packers. Some sports guys blaimed the pope being form Chicago, I think it had a little something to do with my prayer for Jerry, But I remember someone was probably praying for the Packers in a similar situation. My point isn’t that if you pray your team had better win the super bowl but you can pray about anything and everything. Your toilet breaks pray about it. Your kid is in trouble pray about it. You need new socks, pray about it. You need help pray about it.

Your prayers do a lot.

James 5:16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

Does prayer accomplish anything? I have been asked. Of Course it does, how could it not. You are talking to God. People have said to me why do we pray if God knows everything. Well why do I go to the doctor, if doctor google already told my wife everything that is wrong with me. No that’s a joke. But seriously. Why did God create us? FOR FELLOWSHIP! To abide with Him! He walked with Adam and Eve in the cool of the day. He wants to talk to you and when you talk to Him heaven’s ears listen to you.

Prayer helps you abide in Christ.

Psalm 145:18–19 The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them.

There are three words that I want you to remember concerning 1 John Believe Love and Abide. You can have confidence in prayer and the question I have been asked is does prayer do anything. The first question that I have is are you praying. The next is, are you abiding in Christ. Prayer is about a relationship with Christ. Prayer develops that deep personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Prayer works, try it!

Psalm 34:8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!

If you pray, you won’t be disappointed.

Jeremiah 29:12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.

When you pray God will listen. I think sometimes that this is people prayers life. Jesus please bless the cheese. Come on that’s not prayer. Try it and find him faithful.

Keep on praying!

Colossians 4:2 Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving;

If prayer works our responsibility is to keep on praying. You have been asked to pray. God promises that prayer works. So our you praying. God wants you just to keep on praying.

A call to pray.

Isaiah 55:6 Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.

The theme today and next week is KNOW! You can know that prayer works. You Know that you have access to the throne of God. You know that God created the earth He can hear you. You know that God wants to have fellowship with you. You can abide in Him you do that best through prayer. PRAYER CHANGES THINGS SO PRAY!