"These Things I Have Written..." 1 John 5:13-15

13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.

In life, assurance is key.

True assurance is a person’s security in their relationship with God.

It’s the hallmark of the authentic Christian life.

While reliance on God is accompanied by the confidence that God is intimately involved in the life of the believer, faith in God does not “earn” a sense of security or assurance.

Proposing to Tricia.

It wasn’t just my feelings that brought me down to one knee that day. It was the fact of our love for one another. God made us for each other.

That is what gives me assurance in my marriage.

What about your marriage to Jesus Christ?

Many of us are married to Him this morning, but why should you be sure about your relationship to Him at this moment?

1. Believers are called to know that they are saved. (v. 13)

Too many people answer the question of if they are saved or not by saying, “I hope so.”

John reveals the whole point of this letter.

The gospel is for unbelievers. John’s letter was written for believers.

Church people

That they might know they recieved, and therefore continue to have eternal life.

False teachers had left the church in an unsettled state and many more of the Christians had become unsure of the validity of their faith.

John wrote to give the believers a criteria to test their own salvation.

Doctrinal

Moral

Social

His purpose is to establish their assurance.

They had already believed, John wanted them to “continue to believe”.

God’s purpose with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

We should hear it.

We should believe it.

We should live in our belief of it.

We should live in it to know.

Why should we say “I love you” every day to the people in our life?

God did not send His son to die for you so that you would live in wonder about your salvation.

Too many people carry a burden that God never intended for them.

Believe in your salvation based on God’s truth and not on how you feel about it.

Your emotions didn’t bring your salvation. Salvation brought in your emotions.

There can be too much confusion when we mix this up.

2. Believers enjoy prayers that heard by God (v. 14-15)

John is assuring all believers that God hears all prayer; however God answers prayers according to His will.

“El Shama” - The God who hears us.

John 16:23–24 NASB95

23 “In that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you. 24 “Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full.

Confidence - boldness Parresia lit. means “boldness in approaching”.

There should be no restraint in prayer.

Free and bold with expectation to be heard.

Will of God.

The aim is to live according to God’s will and pray according to it.

Prayer is not a convenient device for imposing our will upon God, or bending His will to ours, a way to turn our desires to His.

We seek God’s will, embrace it and align ourselves with it.

Every true prayer is a variation on the theme of ‘your will be done’.

How often do our prayers lean towards, “God, make sure this works out perfectly.... for me.”

As much as possible, we want God to set our agenda whenever we pray.

We want to make our requests in the Spirit.

You aren’t just a person. You’re a child of God. He wants You to talk with Him, known Him, and make requests.

There is something powerful in praying for God’s Will.

How do you know that you’re praying in God’s will?

It can be backed up by God’s word.

It seeks to honor God.

It doesn’t hurt other people.

Its outcome is not in your hands but Gods.

Until God says no, don’t stop praying for it.

We can know we are saved and know that we are being heard.

There is not a tear you cry that God doesn’t notice.

God’s will can be hard to accept when we think our best interest isn’t at heart.

Romans 8:18–25 NASB95

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. 23 And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. 24 For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.

There is a purpose to everything that is happening.

Do you know why we say “amen” at the end of a prayer?

In answer to our prayer God indeed often gives us the assurance through the testimony of the Holy Spirit that He will immediately hear us. We are not, however, to base our prayer upon our feelings and emotions, but it must always be and remain a matter of faith, which rests upon God’s promise. And, therefore, “Amen” at the close of the prayer signifies that I rest my assurance of being heard upon God, rather than upon the feelings of my heart. , , , .

Isaiah 65:24 NASB95

24 “It will also come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear.

2 Corinthians 1:20 NASB95

20 For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us.