True Love 9

True Love Gives Us Confidence In Our Father’s Heart

1 John 5:13–21 NASB95

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. 16 If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this. 17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death. 18 We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. 19 We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. 20 And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. 21 Little children, guard yourselves from idols.

1. We can be confident that our Father is attentive to our prayers. (13-15)

1 John 5:13–15 NASB95

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.

Main Point: We can be sure that God hears our prayers that are centered around His will.

These 3 verses give the believer confidence that God hears our prayers. However, our prayers have to be centered around His will. Biblical prayer is simply asking God to do what He has already promised to do. Many people wonder: “What is God’s Will?”...It is simple: GOD’S WILL IS GOD’S WORD. Therefore, if our prayers do not ALIGN with His Word, we must ALTER our prayers! If we understand this concept, that His Will is His Word, then our prayer life will have clarity and conviction. Practically, there are six prayers that ALWAYS line up with God’s Word and God’s Will:

1. Glorify Yourself through me as I obey Your Word

2. I confess my sin, please forgive me according to Your Word

3. Reveal more of Yourself to me through Your Word

4. Give me wisdom through Your Word

5. Strengthen me to obey Your Word

6. Spread Your Gospel to the lost by Your Word

When God’s Word doesn’t address specific parts…look for the Biblical Principle

Is it ok to smoke weed - 1 Cor. 6:19-20 - Glorify God in your body

Should I date this guy/girl - 2 Cor. 6:14 - Don’t be unequally yoked

Should I buy this new car - James:1:5 - Ask for wisdom

Should I change careers - Ecc. 2:24-26 - 1 Thess. 5:10-12 -

How should I discipline my children - Proverbs - Train a child/Spanking is allowed

Matthew 6:9–13 (NASB95)

9 “Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 ‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. 11 ‘Give us this day our daily bread. 12 ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’

Psalm 119:133 (NASB95)

133 Establish my footsteps in Your word, And do not let any iniquity have dominion over me.

Psalm 119:105 (NASB95)

105 Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.

2. We can be confident that our Father is PATIENT with our FAILURES. (16-17)

1 John 5:16–17 NASB95

16 If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this. 17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death.

Main Point: John assures believers that God is patient with us. When a believer sins we can be confident that it will not separate us from Him.

Matthew 12:31 NASB95

31 “Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven.

These 2 verses give an example that supports the first 3 verses.

John first, lays the foundation that God hears our prayers centered around His will.

John secondly, gives an example of the kind of prayer God responds to. Two sins

Leading to death - rejection of the gospel and refusal to repent Not leading to death - all sins committed in a believer’s life We aren’t instructed to forget the person that “sins leading to death” but John does however specifically state that he isn’t encouraging it. If you find yourself being IRRITATED with others more and more, it usually means you are spending less and less time INTERCEDING for them in prayer. John calls a Believer to pray for their Brothers and Sisters who are in sin…Why? To remind each other of God’s patience and to prevent hardened hearts.

Hebrews 3:13 NASB95

13 But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

Illustration: All of us have seen the dreaded Check Engine Light come on in our cars. When this happens we take it to the shop and talk with a mechanic. Even though we may see or hear little issues…Most of us wouldn’t actually take our car into the shop until things BREAKDOWN and the Check Engine Light comes on.

We treat prayer for others the same way. Even though we see little issues in the lives of others, we refuse to take them to the throne of grace in prayer. Instead we ignore it, until they have a full out BREAKDOWN…only then do we turn to God in prayer.

Illustration: Krispy Kreme, diabetes, drive around the building 1# pray for a parking space

Pray about moving in with your boyfriend

Pray about should you tithe

Pray about should you serve

Like praying for Satan to be saved.

Praying if you should buy these shoes! NO!

3. We can be confident that our Father is PROTECTIVE over our SOULS. (18-21)

1 John 5:18–21 (NASB95)

18 We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him.

19 We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

20 And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.

21 Little children, guard yourselves from idols.

Main Point: Satan has influence over those that belong to him, but not for those in Christ. We are protected from the evil one through Jesus.

1 Peter 1:3–5 NASB95

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

“No one who is born of God sins” that is, lives in a continued state of sin. God alone is the one who keeps us from sin. We don’t have the power within us. The believer is not controlled by Satan or his minions. We are SECURE in our eternal salvation and we are PROTECTED in our earthly sanctification.

“Some Christians live in such fear, they act like they believe in the sovereignty of Satan and not the sovereignty of God.” -Steve Lawson

Illustration: In our hearts, we desire protection. That is exactly why so many people continued to wear COVID masks even after they were proven to be ineffective.

If we are not looking to God for protection, we will allow anything to give us a false sense of protection and security.

When something is protecting you, it won’t be long, you will find yourself trusting it. That is exactly why John says to keep yourself from IDOLS…they only offer false protection.

Illustration: There is a terrifying water slide in the Bahamas that goes straight down at lightning speed. As you go down you slide through an aquarium that holds some of the most dangerous sharks in the world. The aquarium is contained by thick PROTECTIVE glass that serves as a barrier between the hotel guests and the sharks which would eat them alive. Sometimes life is a scary slide. Sometimes there seems to be trouble all around.

But God protects those who fear Him and ultimately delivers them out of their trouble. God’s Word is like a PROTECTIVE barrier that keeps us from all kinds of danger.

Sometimes God will protect us from the trouble altogether; sometimes He lets us slide right on through. Either way, we will come out on the other side…we will be sanctified.

Here is a picture of the slide: