Blessed Assurance - Evidence #9 Series

BLESSED ASSURANCE - Evidence #9 – “Our Prayer Life” – 1 John 3:19-24

INTRODUCTION: We continue in our SERIES on EVIDENCE that gives us the ASSURANCE of our salvation.

So far, we have seen:

EVIDENCE #1 – A TRUE Christian will desire a relationship with Jesus.

EVIDENCE #2 – A TRUE Christian will confess the sin in their life.

EVIDENCE #3 – A TRUE Christian will be committed to God’s Word.

EVIDENCE #4 – A TRUE Christian will love other Christians.

EVIDENCE #5 – A TRUE Christian will forsake the world.

EVIDENCE #6 – A TRUE Christian will seek to understand the truth.

EVIDENCE #7 – A TRUE Christian will seek to practice righteousness.

EVIDENCE #8 – A TRUE Christian will experience opposition from the world.

NOW – EVIDENCE #9 – A TRUE Christian will EXPERIENCE A GENUINE PRAYER LIFE.

Many blessings became ours the moment we were saved. Our sins were forgiven. The Holy Spirit came to indwell us. We became a child of God. Eternity in Heaven was secured.

Another privilege extended to us was the ability to approach the Throne Room of God at any time … day or night … 24/7/365. Sometimes I have a hard time getting through when I call a company on the phone. I usually get a recording telling me to press a certain number if I know the extension of the person I want to speak to (I usually don’t) … another number if I want to talk to a service representative … another number if I want to order something … etc.

Aren’t you glad God doesn’t have a recording to screen His calls? Jeremiah 33:3 – “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”

You & I have access to the very Throne Room of GOD! It’s an INSTANT access. The line is never busy. You will never be put on hold. You don’t have to leave a message on an answering machine. You will never dial a wrong number. The number will never be out of service … no static … no long distance charges.

1 John 3:19 – “before Him” – We receive the “assurance” of our salvation (“we know”) when we can come to God in prayer.

Not everyone can approach the Throne Room of God. The LOST don’t have this privilege. They can SAY prayers … they can READ prayers from a prayer book … they can REPEAT prayers. BUT … they can’t enter into the Throne Room of God. This is a privilege extended ONLY to the child of God.

In this sense, God has an UNLISTED, PRIVATE number. His number is available ONLY to those to whom He gives it. AND … God has only given it to His children. If you have a habit of entering the Throne Room of God, it will give you the ASSURANCE of salvation. If your prayer life is dead and empty, it will cause you to doubt your salvation.

WHAT IS ONE REASON WHY WE GO TO GOD IN PRAYER?

1 John 3:20 – Sometimes our heart “condemns” us … AMEN? God will use our conscience to show us that we aren’t right with Him. He will convict us of sin … to draw us to come to His Throne Room for a talk … to get things right with Him.

God “knoweth all things” … He knows your heart. If God has burdened your heart over a sin in your life, it’s because God knows your heart. Here is an amazing truth: God knows all about you … and loves you anyhow!

Sometimes we don’t realize our own spiritual condition. Sometimes we don’t see the sin, or weakness, or failure in our Christian life. Sometimes we don’t see how we have grieved the Holy Spirit. THEN … God will burden our conscience and our “heart will condemn us”.

WHAT ARE YOU TO DO? When your heart aches because it isn’t right with God, you are to go to Him for the peace that only He can give. HOW? In prayer. WHY? Because “God is greater than our heart”. Only He can make it right, and bring us peace.

You KNOW if your heart isn’t right with God. You know it RIGHT NOW. No one has to CONVINCE you. I don’t have to CONVICT you. The Holy Spirit does that. That’s His job … and He’s very good at it … ISN’T HE?

When we go to God and He gives us a clear conscience before Him, WHAT HAPPENS?

1 John 3:21 – God will give us the ASSURANCE of our salvation. When you have a guilty conscience, it might cause you to DOUBT your salvation. BUT … when you have a clear and clean conscience before God, you’ll live with His peace, love and joy in your heart. This will give you the ASSURANCE of salvation.