ASSURANCE

                                                   ASSURANCE

FALSE ASSURANCE

HOW DO WE KNOW WHEN WE ARE BASING OUR SECURITY ON THE WRONG THINGS? (Luke 18:18-30)

 "Jesus watched him go and then said to his disciples, “How hard it is for rich people to get into the Kingdom of God!” (Luke 18:24)

FALSE ASSURANCE LEADS US AWAY FROM DEPENDENCE ON GOD.

This man’s wealth smoothed his life and gave him power and prestige. When Jesus told him to sell everything he owned, he was touching the man’s very basis for security and identity. The man did not understand that he would be even more secure if he followed Jesus than he was with all his wealth. Jesus does not ask all believers to sell everything they have, although this may be his will for some. He does ask us all, however, to get rid of anything that has become more important to us than God. If your basis for security has shifted from God to what you own, it would be better for you to get rid of those possessions.

FIRM ASSURANCE

IN WHAT WAYS DOES GOD GIVE US ASSURANCE?

(Exodus 4:1-17)

"And be sure to take your shepherd’s staff along so you can perform the miraculous signs I have shown you". (Exodus 4:17)

FIRM ASSURANCE IS DEPENDENCE ON GOD’S PROMISES 

(Exodus 13:17-22).

"The LORD guided them by a pillar of cloud during the day and a pillar of fire at night. That way they could travel whether it was day or night". (Exodus 13:21)

Moses clung tightly to the shepherd’s staff as he left for Egypt to face the greatest challenge of his life. The staff was his assurance of God’s presence and power. When feeling uncertain, some people need something to stabilize and reassure them. For assurance when facing great trials, God has given promises from his Word and examples from great heroes of faith. Any Christian may cling tightly to these.

FIRM ASSURANCE IS BASED ON GOD’S WORD (Luke 21:5-19).

 "Don’t worry about how to answer the charges against you, for I will give you the right words and such wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to reply!" (Luke 21:14-15)

God gave the Hebrews a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire so they would know day and night that God was with them on their journey to the Promised Land. What has he given us so that we can have the same assurance? The Bible-something the Israelites did not have. Look to God’s Word for reassurance of his presence. As the Hebrews looked to the pillars of cloud and fire, we can look to God’s Word day and night to know he is with us, helping us on our journey.

FIRM ASSURANCE IS BASED ON GOD’S CARE FOR US (Romans 6:1-14).

"And since we died with Christ, we know we will also share his new life. (Romans 6:8)

Jesus warned his followers of coming persecutions in which they would be betrayed by their family members and friends. Christians of every age have had to face this possibility. It is reassuring to know that even when we feel completely abandoned, the Holy Spirit stays with us. He will comfort us, protect us, and give us the words we need. This assurance can give us the courage and hope to stand firm for Christ no matter how difficult the situation.

FIRM ASSURANCE IS BASED ON CHRIST’S RESURRECTION.

Because of Christ’s death and resurrection, his followers need never fear death. This frees us to fellowship with him and do his will. This will affect all our activities-work and worship, play and Bible study, quiet times and times of caring for others. When you know you need not fear death, you will experience renewed vigor in life.

 

ASSURANCE, GOD’S WORD ON

IN WHOM SHOULD WE PLACE OUR ASSURANCE?

Psalm 118:8-9 . . . It is better to trust the Lord than to put confidence in people. It is better to trust the Lord than to put confidence in princes.

Psalm 20:7 . . . Some nations boast of their armies and weapons, but we boast in the Lord our God.

Psalm 146:3 . . . Don’t put your confidence in powerful people; there is no help for you there.

Psalm 40:4 . . .Oh, the joys of those who trust the Lord, who have no confidence in the proud, or in those who worship idols.

Proverbs 25:19 . . . Putting confidence in an unreliable person is like chewing with a toothache or walking on a broken foot.

Jeremiah 17:5-8 . . . This is what the Lord says: “Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans and turn their hearts away from the Lord. They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, on the salty flats where no one lives. But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they go right on producing delicious fruit.”

1 Peter 1:21 . . . Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And because God raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory, your faith and hope can be placed confidently in God.

While it is good and necessary to trust others, God is the only one in whom we can completely trust. We can have complete assurance that what he says is true and what he does is reliable. That’s because people, who are not perfect, will sometimes fail you, but God, who is perfect, will never fail you.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF PLACING OUR ASSURANCE IN GOD?

Hebrews 10:22 . . . Let us go right into the presence of God, with true hearts fully trusting him. For our evil consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.

John 6:37 . . . However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them.

Ephesians 3:12 . . . Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come fearlessly into God’s presence, assured of his glad welcome.

We can approach God knowing that he gladly welcomes us and will never reject us because of Jesus Christ. God will never say, “Sorry, I don’t have time for you,” or “Sorry, don’t bother me.” He always listens, always hears, always loves, is always there.

Psalm 3:5 . . . I lay down and slept. I woke up in safety, for the Lord was watching over me.

Isaiah 43:1-2 . . . Now, O Israel, the Lord who created you says: “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.”

Romans 15:12-13 . . . The prophet Isaiah said, “The heir to David’s throne will come, and he will rule over the Gentiles. They will place their hopes on him.” So I pray that God, who gives you hope, will keep you happy and full of peace as you believe in him. May you overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Philippians 4:7 . . . If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Placing our assurance in God gives us inner peace regardless of our life circumstances. The God of peace is the only reliable source of true peace.

Psalm 27:3 . . . Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will know no fear. Even if they attack me, I remain confident.

Psalm 56:9 . . .On the very day I call to you for help, my enemies will retreat. This I know: God is on my side.

Psalm 112:7-8 . . . They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them. They are confident and fearless and can face their foes triumphantly.

Daniel 3:16-17. . . Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty.”

Colossians 2:2 . . . My goal is that they will be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have full confidence because they have complete understanding of God’s secret plan, which is Christ himself.

1 John 5:4-5 . . . Every child of God defeats this evil world by trusting Christ to give the victory. And the ones who win this battle against the world are the ones who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.

Because of our assurance in God and his promises, we have confidence to face the challenges of our lives.

Psalm 57:7 . . . My heart is confident in you, O God; no wonder I can sing your praises!

Psalm 108:1 . . . My heart is confident in you, O God; no wonder I can sing your praises! Wake up, my soul!

We can sing praises to God because we have rightly placed our confidence in him. When it finally dawns on us that God is who he says he is and will never fail us, it’s time to burst into praise and thanksgiving.

HOW CAN WE BE SURE OF GOD’S LOVE FOR US?

Lamentations 3:22-23 . . . The unfailing love of the Lord never ends! By his mercies we have been kept from complete destruction. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each day.

John 3:16 . . .For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

Romans 5:8 . . . God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

Romans 8:35, 38-39 . . . Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or are hungry or cold or in danger or threatened with death? . . . And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can’t, and life can’t. The angels can’t, and the demons can’t. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away. Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We can have full assurance in God’s love because God is love. His love is woven into his character. Love is not merely something God does, but love is who he is.

HOW CAN WE BE SURE OF GOD’S PROMISES FOR US?

Psalm 146:6 . . . He is the one who made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. He is the one who keeps every promise forever.

Hebrews 6:18 . . . God has given us both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can take new courage, for we can hold on to his promise with confidence.

We can have assurance in God’s promises because God is truth. He cannot lie and does not lie.

John 10:28-30 . . . “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. So no one can take them from me. The Father and I are one.”

God’s power gives us assurance in his ability to keep his promises. He who made the universe and founded it on truth will certainly keep his promises.

Psalm 105:42 . . . He remembered his sacred promise to Abraham his servant.

Romans 4:20-21 . . . Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was absolutely convinced that God was able to do anything he promised.

2 Chronicles 6:4 . . . “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who has kept the promise he made to my father, David.”

Acts 13:32-35 . . . Barnabas and I are here to bring you this Good News. God’s promise to our ancestors has come true in our own time, in that God raised Jesus. This is what the second psalm is talking about when it says concerning Jesus, “You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.” For God had promised to raise him from the dead, never again to die. This is stated in the Scripture that says, “I will give you the sacred blessings I promised to David.” Another psalm explains more fully, saying, “You will not allow your Holy One to rot in the grave.”

2 Corinthians 1:20 . . . All of God’s promises have been fulfilled in him. That is why we say “Amen” when we give glory to God through Christ.

We have fulfilled prophecies and historical examples as evidence of God’s ability to keep his promises. If we trust people because we have seen their “track record” over a few years, certainly we can trust God because he has a spotless track record from the beginning of time.

WHAT ARE SOME WAYS TO BE CERTAIN WE KNOW JESUS AS OUR SAVIOR AND LORD?

Romans 10:9-10 . . . If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.

Acts 2:21 . . . Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Colossians 1:23 . . . You must continue to believe this truth and stand in it firmly. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News.

Hebrews 3:14 . . . If we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ.

Hebrews 10:22 . . . Let us go right into the presence of God, with true hearts fully trusting him. For our evil consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.

If you believe that Jesus saves you from sin, confess your sins to him, and acknowledge that he is Lord of all, you have salvation. Jesus is your Savior and Lord. Although our relationship with Jesus as Savior and Lord of our lives begins at a moment in time, we should have an active, daily trust in Jesus Christ that continues throughout our lives.

1 John 3:24 . . . Those who obey God’s commandments live in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Holy Spirit lives in us.

1 John 4:13 . . . God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us.

God gives us his Spirit within us to give us assurance of our relationship with him.

Romans 8:15-16 . . . You should not be like cowering, fearful slaves. You should behave instead like God’s very own children, adopted into his family-calling him “Father, dear Father.” For his Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we are God’s children.

John 8:51 . . . “I assure you, anyone who obeys my teaching will never die!”

1 John 2:3-6 . . . How can we be sure that we belong to him? By obeying his commandments. If someone says, “I belong to God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and does not live in the truth. But those who obey God’s word really do love him. That is the way to know whether or not we live in him.

Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Christ did.

1 John 3:9-10 . . . Those who have been born into God’s family do not sin, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they have been born of God. So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the Devil. Anyone who does not obey God’s commands and does not love other Christians does not belong to God.

1 John 3:19, 24 . . . 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, . . . Those who obey God’s commandments live in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Holy Spirit lives in us.

1 John 5:18 . . . We know that those who have become part of God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, for God’s Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot get his hands on them.

If Jesus is our Savior and Lord, we will begin to have a lifestyle of obedience. When Jesus saves us, he changes all of us, not just our testimony.

Matthew 7:16-20 . . . You can detect them by the way they act, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit. You don’t pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles. A healthy tree produces good fruit, and an unhealthy tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, the way to identify a tree or a person is by the kind of fruit that is produced.

Galatians 5:22-23 . . . When the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law.

Our lives should reflect his character. Christ-likeness is bringing our character into sync with the character of Christ.

1 John 4:7 . . . Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

1 John 2:10 . . . Anyone who loves other Christians is walking in the light and does not cause anyone to stumble.

1 John 3:14, 17 . . . If we love other Christians, it proves that we have passed from death to eternal life. But a person who doesn’t love them is still dead. . . . But if one of you has enough money to live well, and sees a brother or sister in need and refuses to help-how can God’s love be in that person?

Love in action for one another is evidence of our relationship with Jesus as our Savior and Lord. We are known by our fruits, like any good tree. When the fruit of the Spirit is seen in our conduct, people recognize that the Holy Spirit controls our character-the “tree” from which that fruit of conduct grows.

PROMISES FROM GOD:

Micah 7:7 . . . As for me, I look to the Lord for his help. I wait confidently for God to save me, and my God will certainly hear me.

Jeremiah 17:7-8 . . . Blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they go right on producing delicious fruit.

2 Timothy 1:12 . . . That is why I am suffering here in prison. But I am not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted.