I am so thankful that I can have complete confidence in Jesus. If I ask anything according to His will not only will He hear me, but also He will provide. Do you have the kind of confidence in your God? Do you have the kind of confidence that says if I ask according to God’s desire then I already have what I’m asking for, that it is as good as done? You can! These things are written so you can know for sure.1 John 5:13-1513. 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.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.

The strength of a Christian lies in the full assurance of eternal life by salvation through Jesus Christ. This is the hope of our salvation, something that is not just a wish or desire but a full assurance in the finished work of Jesus Christ, and something eternally held in the strong hand of our Heavenly Father. Not everyone has this confidence and assurance, but whosoever will call upon the name of the Lord can. These things have been written for believers to know that we have eternal life. With this knowledge, we have nothing to fear because we know that God is with us.1 John 5:7-137. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.8. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.9. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.10. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.11. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.12. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.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.

Faith is the victory that overcomes the world. We need some victory in our lives and in our churches, and we have that in Jesus Christ. Sometimes, we Christians get to looking a bit defeated, but we aren’t. We have the Holy Spirit within us bearing witness to the fact that by faith in Christ Jesus we are on the winning side. We can get down at times, especially when our focus gets on the wrong things, but we don’t need to stay down. We can be strong in the grace of Christ Jesus, knowing by the surety of faith that we have wonderful victory. We are not defeated. God is already victorious.1 John 5:4-64. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.5. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?6. This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.

God’s commandments are not grievous when you understand how much He loves you and you learn to love Him more. People are willing to put up with many rules if they enjoy something. Professional sports are riddled with rules that fans love when applied to the opposing teams, yet they say Christianity is too rigid, though we basically have only two rules to worry about: Love God and Love your neighbor. The truth is that God’s commandments are not grievous. Those who are born of God and who desire to draw closer to Him can easily understand this.1 John 5:1-31. Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.2. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.3. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear. Fear pervades our society. Some people use fear to try to bring you into their way of thinking. We have seen people make some terrible decisions and do some crazy things in the name of fear. Manmade religions historically have used fear to force people into their system of belief. The world over the ages have tried to bully the Christian into submission by fear. But God’s way for us is a love that casts out fear.1 John 4:16-1916. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.17. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.18. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.19. We love him, because he first loved us.

Though no one has physically seen God with the eyes, we see the effects of God all around us. We, as Christians, see His hand at work, and we see His heart loving us. But the world does not see this as clearly as we do. It is upon us who are born-again Christians to testify of the Father by showing His love to others. They may not see God directly with their own eyes, but they sure better see God when they look at our lives.1 John 4:12-1612. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.13. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.14. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.15. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.16. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

Do you know God? If you did, then you would love others in the way that He loves you. Love is of God: therefore, if you don’t know how to love as God loves then you don’t know Him. You really can’t define love without first knowing God, and you certainly can’t show true love without a personal relationship with Him. It’s like a person who thinks that a fast-food burger is the greatest food out there, but only because they have never been introduced to good, quality food. You might exercise something that you call love, but until you know the love of God, you haven’t even tasted of what love truly is. 1 John 4:7-117. Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.8. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.9. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.10. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.11. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

God is greater! There is nothing in this world or universe greater than God in any sense of thought. God is more powerful, more righteous, wiser, stronger—He is preeminent to all. There is nothing that surpasses God in greatness and goodness. Satan is strong, and the influence of the world is powerful, but we can overcome these “because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” 1 John 4:4-64. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.5. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.6. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

We have all been warned, don’t believe everything you read on the internet. Truly, the warning should go beyond this as 1 John 4 does when it reads, “believe not every spirit.” There is a belief system out there for anything that your heart desires to believe. There is a wide road that contains many lanes of various types of deception that are all leading to destruction. But there is only one way of truth, Jesus. He is the way, the truth, and the life, and He is the only way to the Father. We must put to the test those things we hear, even if your instinct is to believe it, to be sure that we only follow the spirit of truth as we learn from God’s Word. 1 John 4:1-31. Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.2. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:3. And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

Have you ever found yourself under the weight of doubt, even as a born-again Christian? Have you ever found yourself in the gloom that comes from a lack of assurance? Sometimes, a person who is a child of God goes through a season when they don’t feel saved. But I’m thankful to read in the Bible that God is greater than our heart. If we would just give God our whole heart, He can turn it toward Him so that we can have the confidence that we need to follow Him closely.1 John 3:20-2220. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.21. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.22. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.