Reassurance

By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. 24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us. (1 John 3:19-24)

Condemnation robs us from confidence, boldness, faith and joy. However, God is greater than our heart, plainly because He has given us a new one (Ez 36:26). In His magnificent generosity He calls the new heart ours and it is. Every one of us knows deep down within that we are a unique person. Every time our Father beholds our heart He sees a reflection of Himself. John further on says He knows everything, so there are obviously things that we do not yet see or understand, but those things are clearly so very much to our advantage that there is no need to experience any condemnation, which by the way is a residue from having eaten too much fruit from the three of good and evil.

God's objective is to have us standing in His glorious presence with confidence, which synonyms are self-assurance, poise, coolness and buoyancy. Now a wonderful promise follows: “Whatever we ask we receive from Him”. It should be clear that there are a lot of things we do not have to ask for, things He has already freely given us and which He wants us to understand He has given us (1 Cor 2:12):

•And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness. (Rom 4:5)

•Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. (Rom 5:18)

•He has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him (Col 1:22)

•Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Rom 5:1)

•And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. (2 Cor 3:18)

•Blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin. (Rom 4:8)

•But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. (1 Cor 6:17)

•To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. (Col 1:27)

•For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. (Gal 3:26)

Our Father is immensely preoccupied with our daily living, what we call the small things in life. He loves to show us His ability to make Himself manifest in every detail of our lives. One of my favorites is to ask Him find a parking place, and He always find one not too far from the elevator. Ask God about those things that concern your daily life, because it is here that He also lives and exists in us. He has found a dwelling place within us, manifesting Himself in human flesh in regular daily human routines. This is indeed a great mystery.

We receive because we keep His commandments, and they are very simple: Believe in His son and love one another. Our work is to believe in Him who He has sent (John 6: 28-29). Furthermore, He has done for us all of our works (Isa 26:12). When we rest from all our works we find that the Spirit within neither slumbers nor sleeps (Psalm 121:4). His activity within is a well of joy and life. Love is just as easy; we love because He loved us first. It is a perpetual out flowing of His love.

John’s aim with these verses is to assure us that we are of the truth and reassure our hearts before our Father. It is as God says through him: “Be still and know I am God.”