THE CONFIDENCE WE HAVE IN GOD
14 NOW THIS IS THE CONFIDENCE THAT WE HAVE IN HIM, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
15 AND IF WE KNOW THAT HE HEARS US, WHATEVER WE ASK, WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE PETITIONS THAT WE HAVE ASKED OF HIM.”
1 John 5:14,15 (NKJV)
In getting results to prayer, you need to have confidence in God that if you ask anything in line with His will, He will hear you.
It should be noted that whatever you ask should be in line with God’s will. In other words, the request should be consistent with His plan and purpose for your life.
The word ‘confidence’ in the text denotes assurance. It means, you have the assurance in God, that if you ask anything that is in line with His Word; He will hear you and you will have the petitions that you have requested.
Before you approach God in prayer, to ask for anything, the assurance or confidence should be in you that He will hear you (Hebrews 11:6).
If the confidence or assurance is not there, you will be vacillating or wavering, thinking whether God will hear you or not—you would not be sure (James 1:6-8).
You have to be convinced in your heart that God will hear you. The conviction will come through the knowledge of the Word of God.
The conviction is otherwise known as faith and it comes through the Word of God, the Bible (Romans 10:17). What does the Bible say about the thing you are asking for? (Hebrews 11:1)
The woman who had a flow of blood, constant bleeding, believes in her heart that if she touches Jesus’ garment, she would be made whole:
27 SHE HAD HEARD [reports] ABOUT JESUS, AND SHE CAME UP BEHIND HIM IN THE CROWD AND TOUCHED HIS OUTER ROBE. 28 FOR SHE THOUGHT, “IF I JUST TOUCH HIS CLOTHING, I WILL GET WELL.” 29 IMMEDIATELY HER FLOW OF BLOOD WAS DRIED UP; AND SHE FELT IN HER BODY [and knew without any doubt] THAT SHE WAS HEALED OF HER SUFFERING" (Mark 5:27-29 (Amp.)
What gave the woman confidence or assurance or belief in her heart was the words she had heard—the reports about Jesus Christ (Mark 5:27).
Faith comes through what you hear, and doubt or unbelief also comes through what you hear. It all depends on what you hear, either word of faith or that of unbelief.
The men that Moses sent to spy the land of Canaan, the Promised land, came with an evil or a bad report—a report of doubt and unbelief (Numbers 13:31-33).
What you hear determines your confidence or assurance in God’s ability (Numbers 14:1-3; Mark 5:27).
If you open your mind to hear things that relegate God and His Word, your confidence in Him would be weakened and eroded.
As a believer, you should open your heart to things that affirm the integrity of God and His Word. Your confidence or faith in God can only be built through His Word (Romans 10:17).
I. One of the ways to build your confidence in God is by practicing His Word—when you are a doer of His Word (Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:1-3; James 1:22,25).
If you practice the Word of God that you heard and know; God will prove Himself to you—He will confirm His Word in your life (2 Chronicles 16:9; Isaiah 44:26).
As you started seeing God’s faithfulness, your confidence in Him will begin to grow and develop.
II. Also, you can build your confidence in God and His Word through the testimonies of other people—those who have experienced His faithfulness and goodness.
The woman with the flow of blood heard the report about Jesus, she believed and say to herself: “IF I JUST TOUCH HIS CLOTHING, I WILL GET WELL."
If I touch His clothing, I will get well. She acted on what she heard and believed, and her flow of blood dried up immediately (Mark 5:28,29).
If she did not hear anything about Jesus, she probably would not have gone to Him for healing (Romans 10:14).
What you hear about Jesus determines your confidence in Him.
You have to be watchful in what you listen to or read about God. There is a need to sieve what goes into your mind (Proverbs 4:23).
Some are out there peddling wrong teachings that are not in line with God’s Word:
1 NOW THE SPIRIT EXPRESSLY SAYS THAT IN LATTER TIMES SOME WILL DEPART FROM THE FAITH, GIVING HEED TO DECEIVING SPIRITS AND DOCTRINES OF DEMONS, 2 SPEAKING LIES IN HYPOCRISY, HAVING THEIR OWN CONSCIENCE SEARED WITH A HOT IRON (1 Timothy 4:12 NKJV).
If your confidence is built in God, you will have assurance that whatever you ask according to His will, He hears you.
What is God’s will?
• God’s will is found in His Word, the Bible.
• If you read and study the Bible, you will know God’s will—what He wants, how He wants you to live your life, and the plans He has for you. When these are known, your confidence in Him would be strong (Ephesians 1:3).
• Epistles are the letters written to the church, therein you find what Christ has done for us. You get to know the rich and the glorious inheritance He has given to His holy people, the saints (Ephesians 1:18).
• The Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—presented to us, the life and teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ.
• Jesus likens whoever hears and does His words to a wise man, who build his house on the rock (Matthew 7:24-27)
If it is established in your heart that God hears you, you will have assurance that you have what you have requested from Him—assurance that your petition is granted (1 John 5:15).
If the confidence is not there, but you are wavering and doubting; you surely cannot receive anything from God as said by the Scripture (James 1:6-8).
Endeavour to build your confidence in God’s Word, through it your faith in God is built and it gives speed to receive answers to your prayers from God: “THEREFORE DO NOT CAST AWAY YOUR CONFIDENCE, WHICH HAS GREAT REWARD" (Hebrews 10:35 NKJV).
You will not fail in Jesus’ name. Peace.