This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.

1 John 3:19-24

Chapter 3 of John’s first letter ends with the assurance that we can know for sure where we stand with God, but it isn’t the answer that most of us give if we are asked “how we know”…

John’s answer is that we know by the Spirit within us.

Well steady on there, isn’t that the Spirit that so many are waiting for…until “it” decides to move…? Yes, that one, the one that we say we can’t hear.

Yes, that’s the one John is referring to!

John takes a little different tack that we often do. He says that we will notice whether or not the Spirit within us condemns us, we know that God is greater than our hearts and knows all.  I think that many of us today use slightly different terminology for this by saying that we “feel convicted” about something.  When this happens, we have something to seek forgiveness for and have the need to alter our behavior or attitudes in some way.  When we are not condemned by our hearts, we are confident in His presence. We know that in saying these things, John is making reference to the work of the Spirit in our lives because he says so in the last part of the passage. Now, the remaining question is whether or not this is really true in our lives.

Over the years I’ve noticed that many people will tell me about their active prayer lives.  They will tell me all about the countless hours they spend with God and all the rest.  On other occasions, they will tell me that they never notice the Spirit working within them, and that’s how I know for sure that they don’t have any of this great prayer life they like to go on about.  The reason is that seeking His presence is how we are able to discern the Spirit that is within us.  Notice that John linked the two in verses 21 and 22:

Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask,

You should notice something else here. Here’s verse 22 in full:

and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him.

Yes, we will receive anything we ask in prayer, if we “keep his commands and do what pleases him.” As always in John’s writings, asking and receiving are mentioned firmly within the context of doing His will, and not in doing our will.

So, can you really know for sure where you stand with God?

YES!

Seek His presence and you’ll find out.

Our life in Christ is a life of responsiveness. As Paul had to tell the religious and spiritually immature Corinthians, “What do you have that you did not receive?” (1 Cor.4:7). As I’ve said before (quoting C. Baxter Kruger), “Religion is about us inviting God into our lives; following Christ is about God inviting us into His life.” 

Religion wears us out and wearies our soul. Accepting Christ’s invitation into His life recovers our life and restores our soul.

^28-30 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it.Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (Matt.11:28-30 MSG *)

Responsiveness is an action, or should I say, a re-action. This is the part we do in the relationship; open up our hearts and respond to Him. Our life with Christ begins with God’s Répondez S’il Vous Plaît , which simply means “please reply.” It’s included in invitations when the host of a party wants you to tell him or her whether you are going to the party. Over and over, Jesus told parables about this invitation. God has sent out His invitation out to all humankind. In fact, the last words of the Bible repeat this invitation:

¹⁷ The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.” (Rev.22:17 NIV)

The “water of life” is a metaphor for the life of God through communion with His Spirit (John 4:10-14, 23-24; 7:37-39). This is the source of “eternal life” that overflows from God’s heart to ours, and out from us to those around us. I wrote more about this here.

“Whoever is thirsty may come to me and drink. If anyone believes in me, rivers of living water will flow out from their heart.” (John 7:37b-38 ERV *)

Nothing in our life in Christ begins with us. We didn’t choose God, He chose us to be his sons and daughters before time began (John 15:16; Eph.1:4-7). We didn’t even know love without Him loving us first (1 John 4:19). Indeed, the only way we can truly live out the Greatest Commandment (Matt.22:37-40) is if we abide, or sojourn, in the same love that the Father has for Jesus (John 15:9). We didn’t earn this invitation, it was a gift of grace freely given to us by God (Eph.2:8).

Yet, responsiveness means that we can and should respond. We cannot benefit from any relationship, no matter how much it promises, without actually being in the relationship. And relationships that are meaningful are intentional and self-giving.

¹⁴ My brothers and sisters, if a person claims to have faith but does nothing, that faith is worth nothing. Faith like that cannot save anyone. (James 2:14 ERV)

We aren’t saved by grace, we’re saved by grace through faith. For God says to us, “Today, if you hear my voice, do not harden your heart…” (Heb. 4:6-8), which means we canharden our heart and remain unaffected. We exercise faith by accepting the invitation.

Finally, it’s His overflowing love, not fear of punishment, that compels us to enter into this other-centered life of Christ (2 Cor.5:14-15; 1 John 4:17). All we have to do is leave our orphan-hearted fear behind and follow Him.

I’ll let you think about that while you’re listening to Tasha Cobb sing, “Fill Me Up.”

You provide the fire
I’ll provide the sacrifice
You provide the Spirit
I will open up inside

“They said to the woman, ‘We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world’”(John 4:42).

Like most couples, my husband and I have some significant differences – like the way we drive.  I am a “straight-shot” driver – give me the most direct route with the fewest turns possible.  He likes to take -shall we say – alternate routes as he drives.  He is constantly trying to tell me his “better ways” to get from point A to point B, and I usually smile and go my own way. One of his shortcuts is a wide swing on a country road to avoid a city with heavy traffic.  I usually fought through the traffic because I wasn’t sure I could navigate his preferred route.  Until we moved a few months ago and we actually live right on this very road.  Now, because I travel this road all the time, I am confident I can navigate it successfully and I’ve found it really is a better way.

When Jesus met the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4, He changed her life and she ran to tell her neighbors that she had found the Christ.  They came to meet this man and heard His message in the two days He stayed in their town.  John says, “Because of His words many more became believers.” (v. 41).  They didn’t believe the woman’s claims about who Jesus was until they saw Him with their own eyes and heard Him with their own ears.  Then they understood that Jesus was indeed God’s Anointed One – He was the better way.

In every life challenges and difficulties come and situations take us by surprise.  Health struggles, joblessness, relationship battles, loss and heartache happen and we’re left wondering where to turn.  My family is experiencing some of those right now and we are turning to God.  Why?  Because over the years, we have come to know Him through experience.  We’ve found Him to be able and faithful.  We’ve tried Him and are confident of His love and care.

Every challenge in life is an opportunity to discover who God is.  Sure, you read about Him in the Bible and you’ve heard other’s talk about what He’s done in their lives, but what do those stories mean for you?  Not much until you experience Him for yourself.   A recent health issue reminded me that God is my Healer.  In this present season, we are trusting in God as our Provider.  A dear friend recently experienced loss and now confidently claims God as her Comforter.  You can’t really know who God is until you have tried Him and found Him to be exactly what you need. Just as He said He would be.

Beloved, whatever your season, whatever the need – may I encourage you to try God?  I am certain you will find He is able and faithful.  Then you can say with confidence – “I believe because I have experienced Him for myself – I know He is everything He claims to be.”