Eternal Life Assured

ByJim Stephens

Scripture: 1 John 5 TPT

13 I’ve written this letter to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you will be assured and know without a doubt that you have eternal life. 14 Since we have this confidence, we can also have great boldness before him, for if we present any request agreeable to his will, he will hear us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we also know that we have obtained the requests we ask of him. (1 John 5:13-15 TPT)

John has written this letter to you and me so we will be assured that we have eternal life. Look at the words he uses: Assured; Without a doubt; Confidence;  Boldness.

The assurance John wants for us will give us confidence in our relationship with God as his Delightfully Loved Children, and remove the nagging doubts that sometimes peek over the edge of our consciousness and question our worthiness or our “approval rating” in God’s imaginary approval/disapproval book. So now we come freely and boldly to where love is enthroned, to receive mercy’s kiss and discover the grace we urgently need to strengthen us in our time of weakness. (Hebrews 4:16 TPT)

With that confidence we can approach God boldly in prayer and intercession. We’ll have a “beloved child” kind of boldness instead of an “Excuse me, I hate to bother you” approach to coming into God’s presence and asking him to act on our behalf or for others’ needs.

We also become more sensitive and attentive to his will, because his Spirit in us prompts us, stirs us, and even leads us to share in our Father’s priorities and purposes. There’s nothing like the confidence that comes from knowing we’re concerned about the things our Father is concerned about and that he cares about what we care about! Prayer isn’t demanding our way, but asking God to do his will, his way, in his time.

And if we know he hears us because we’re asking in harmony with his will and concerns, the faith level rises and the answers come as we need them.

Prayer:

Father, May we approach you boldly and intercede for others with confidence in your mercy and grace. Please teach us how to be a full expression of your love in how we pray for our own needs and intercede for the needs of others. Amen.