BELIEVING AND KNOWING LEADS TO CONFIDENT FAITH IN JESUS
SCRIPTURE:
“I write these things 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 we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.” (1 John 5:13—15)
OBSERVATION:
John writes to believers to affirm their faith and to remind them of the importance of believing in the name of the Son of God. BELIEVE in Jesus leads to KNOWING we have eternal life and gives us the CONFIDENCE approach God in times of need. Believe first leads to knowledge, which leads to confidence in our relationship with God. I am reminded as well that at the beginning of this chapter, John wrote that “EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.
Those who are born of God and love him are also the ones who will carry out his commands to love him and love others. How do I know I love God? I know it if I am KEEPING HIS COMMANDMENTS. And His commands are NOT burdensome. John wrote that it is not burdensome to live by God’s command. We are overcomers of the world, so it is not burdensome to live by God’s command.
We can overcome anything by believing, knowing, and having the confidence that Christ lives in us. When we believe, know, and are confident in our relationship with Christ, we already have victory. The victory we have is ours because of our FAITH in Jesus. John said; Only the ones who believe that Jesus is the son of God overcomes the world.
We have confidence no matter what we face in the world. We have the confidence that he hears us if we ASK anything ACCORDING TO HIS WILL. Anything we ask ACCORDING to his will, God hears us. So, not everything that we ask God will hear. Many believers quoted this and believed this out of context.
We can ask God anything, but God will judge that according to his will. It is not a free ticket to ask God for what we want, to consume it for our own pleasure. Whatever we ask, we BELIEVE, we KNOW, and we have CONFIDENCE that God knows what TO HIS WILL is best, and ACCORDING, he will do it. We have the confidence that if we ask God for something, and it’s according to his will, he will HEAR US.
Everything we do and live for is for the will and the purpose of God. Therefore, nothing in the world will overcome God’s will and purpose in our lives. We will have the power to overcome because Jesus lives in us. This is a powerful place to be in one’s faith. John said this understanding of Christ’s love living in us and working in us is powerful. When we love God and know that he loves us and knows best, it makes life livable and enjoyable.
APPLICATION:
Sometimes, I think of God’s commands as burdensome and difficult. Today, John reminded me that God’s commands are NOT burdensome. I want to grow more and more in my faith that overcomes the world by knowing more and more of my relationship with Jesus so I may have the confidence to approach my Heavenly Father daily with confidence.
PRAYER:
Jesus I thank you for the faith that overcomes the world. Thank you that I get to believe, know and have confidence in approaching the Father because of your presence living in me. Help me never to see or think your commandments are burdensome. Teach me to love your commands and to walk with you in humility. Help me to understand you and know you more and more. Help me to be confidence in approaching the Father in times of need. Help me to want nothing more than to obey your will for my life. Amen!
