Pastor Marc Likins
There are certainties that every believer should possess, that God wants His children to be confident in.
Certainty #1: I am saved.
1 John 5:13: These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
God wants us to be sure of our eternal life in Him. He does not withhold this knowledge to dangle it over our heads and coerce obedience. Even though this certainty has the ability to make us relax morally, God’s intention is not to threaten us into submission.
This is not the heart of God. He loves us, and because of this, He wants us to feel secure. A good father does not want his children to be uncertain about his love and commitment, to constantly be wondering if they earned his approval. A good husband wants his wife to feel secure in his commitment, love, and provision.
True love is evidenced in security and commitment. When you make someone behave by threatening them, you might coerce their behavior, but you will never captivate their heart. Love for God in you grows from the love of God for you.
Certainty #2: God hears me when I pray.
1 John 5:14: And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15. And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
God says we should have this confidence and tells us to ask anything according to His will, which seems very inclusive. How do we know if we are praying according to His will?
Pray Bible prayers. There are many prayers that came from the lips of the apostles or from Jesus Himself recorded in scripture. Take those and pray them.
Pray in Jesus’ name. A lawyer who represents your name in court has your best interests at heart. Similarly, you come to present Jesus’ best interests when you pray in His name. There should always be a “Not my will, but thine” attitude when we pray.
Certainty #3: Jesus has made me alive.
1 John 5:20: And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
This certainty is about knowing, loving, and living in intimate fellowship with Jesus. This is the real God, and this is eternal life. Satan’s only goal is to deceive, to subvert the truth. He offers idols as a substitute for reality and God, a way to manipulate us. Don’t abandon reality to embrace an illusion. Reject the falseness of Satan and embrace the truth of God’s promises.
You can be confident in these certainties. God wants you to know that you are saved, He hears your prayer, you are His, and completely alive in Him!