a question of confidence

1 John 3:18-21

18 Dear children, let us stop just saying we love each other; let us really show it by our actions. 19 It is by our actions that we know we are living in the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before the Lord, 20 even if our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.

21 Dear friends, if our conscience is clear, we can come to God with bold confidence. NLT

I. two reasons for answered prayers

1 John 3:22 And we will receive whatever we request because we obey him and do the things that please him.

And obviously the opposite is true as well…two reasons for unanswered prayers—we don’t obey and we don’t do the things that please God.

22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

In form no limitations are placed here except that of complete fellowship with God, which means complete surrender of our will to that of God our Father.

We obey His explicit instructions AND we do the things that please Him. (Implied that we already know what God likes and what He’s told us in the past and we make it our habit or pattern of life.)

See the clear teaching of Jesus on this subject!

Mk 11:24-25 Listen to me! You can pray for anything, and if you believe, you will have it. 25 But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too."

Implication here of having the same mindset and attitude toward people that God has…not justice but mercy.

Justice is under the law and under the law the wages of sin is death which condemns each of us for all have sinned and come short of the law, there is none righteous, no, not one. Under grace through faith, none are guilty, all are pardoned, there is none condemned, all are forgiven. Happy are the merciful, for they shall be given mercy.

Lk 11:9 "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. (NKJ)

One of the missing aspects of answered prayer is the active involvement of those who ask. Prayer is not always a passive time of waiting. Most of the time it involves action on our part to see the fulfillment of our prayers. Faith makes prayers work and without faith our prayers are just empty petitions to a God we don’t believe or trust. If you pray for a job, then you must go out and find the job God gave you. If there appears to be opposition then you must endure and stand till He works all the issues out, including a work in your character and attitude.

Jn 14:12 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. (NKJ)

The only limits on this verse is our willingness to believe. We are often mocked and intimidated by the devil in our mind about actually believing this verse.

Jn 16:23 "And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. (NKJ)

Jesus’ example:

Mk 14:36 And He said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will." (NKJ)

Mt 26:39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will." (NKJ)

Lk 22:42 saying, "Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done." (NKJ)

John 3:33-36 Those who believe Jesus discover that God is true. 34 For He is sent by God. He speaks God's words, for God's Spirit is upon Him without measure or limit. 35 The Father loves his Son, and he has given him authority over everything. 36 And all who believe in God's Son have eternal life. Those who don't obey the Son will never experience eternal life, but the wrath of God remains upon them."

The answer may not always be in the form that we expect, but it will be better.

We often fail to see the answer to our prayers as we have forgotten what we prayed for and/or don’t recognize His response to them.

One country singer writes a line in one of his songs that says, “Sometimes God’s greatest gifts are unanswered prayers.”

I understand what he’s saying but, in reality, God did answer the prayer. He said, “NO”. This is a valid answer to any request but one we don’t receive well.

God’s goodness is not measured by how many of our requests He answers. I must learn to trust Him above my desires and leave my life in His hands.

Living in the Spirit – just thoughts

Gal 5:16-25 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. 19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. (NAU)

To be a Christian one must first be born again. This is to be born from above…God’s Spirit living in you and making you alive to the reality of God’s kingdom. Our life is no longer based on the biomechanics of flesh and blood, but that of the spirit.

Gal 5:25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. (NAU)

Since our life is hid in Him to life we now live has to be lived by faith in Him and not in the principles and dictates of this world.

Gal 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the {life} which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. (NAU)

Col 3:1-2 Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. (NAU)

2Cor 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, {he is} a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. (NAU)

2Cor 5:7 for we walk by faith, not by sight-- (NAU)

While the pseudo-spiritual gurus of this world speak words that have a resemblance to the truths of the Bible they lack the power of real change—God Himself—behind them. They offer nothing which delivers or controls the lusts and dictates of the carnal man.

Gal 5:19-21 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (NAU)

Even if the outward motions are not actively engaged in these things, the inward heart is consumed with thoughts, ideas, and schemes along these lines. The “imagination” of man is evil continually. Even “good” men battle with these things and realize with despair the helplessness of their condition to improve the nature of men.

Rom 7:24 Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?

I believe this is the natural condition of every unregenerated man because he lives under the law of God. Even if he is unaware of God’s law, that law is the standard of the universe. It is the measure by which every man will be judged fit or not before the bar of His universal court. By that standard none are righteous, not even one.

To argue for fairness and justice is to argue in the face of divine judgment and retribution, because since all have sinned, and the wages of sin is death, all have earned the judgment of God. All are living under the law of sin and death. Although the law is righteous and holy, its power is in revealing not in delivering. Thus we are made aware of our sin but not delivered from it. Enlightenment by the truth exposes our inability or perhaps unwillingness to keep the truth consistently. (There is a debate raging about the nature of man with regard to the term depravity which I may touch on but will not resolve to the satisfaction of anyone.)

Rom 7:25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin. (NAU)

Rom 8:1-2 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. (NAU)

By sincerity, humility, and a love for the truth man becomes accepted by God through faith in Jesus Christ. I say this because the modern idea of “accepting Jesus as personal Lord and Savior” generally lacks conviction and repentance as component parts of the process. Thus Christianity becomes cultural or psychological or philosophical rather than spiritual (reality is lost in the mazes of human understanding).