10 ASSURANANCES EVERYBODY WANTS

Ten Assurances Everybody Wants

Illustration: 30 years ago two shoe salesmen were sent to Nigeria to survey the country for the possibility of building a shoe factory. The first man came back and said, "Few people here wear shoes so there is little need to build a new shoe factory in Nigeria. The second came back to London and said, "This is the greatest opportunity we have ever had. Everybody I saw needs a good pair of shoes." That is how we need to look at every community when it comes to their need for Jesus Christ and His love and forgiveness. Let us learn to view everyone, everything and every relationship from the mind of Jesus Christ.
There is nothing we can’t do with Christ on our side. We tend to look at the negative side of life instead of focusing on the opportunities that God gives us.
Sometimes we through perfect opportunities out the window.
Tell story of littering.
The bible commands us to go out and be a great witness to this world but sometimes we don’t do that because we are so unsure of whom we are in Christ.
This morning I want to focus on ten assurances that we have.
1. Assurance of Salvation: I John 5:11,12,13 - And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.
Illustration: There are four basic categories:
1) Those who think they are saved, but aren’t. Matthew 7:21-3
2) Those we think are saved, but aren’t. 1 John 2:18-19
3) Those who are saved, but don’t act like it: Corinthians.
4) Those who are saved, and they act like it.
Whoever believes in God’s Son has eternal life. He is all you need. You don’t have to wait for eternal life because it begins the moment you believe.
You don’t need to work for it because it is already yours. You don’t need to worry about it because you have been given eternal life by God himself- and its guaranteed.
Some people hope that they will receive eternal life. John says we can know we have it.
Our certainty is based on God’s promise that he has given us eternal life through his Son.
This is true whether you feel close to God or far away from him. Eternal life is not based on feelings but on facts. You can know that you have eternal life if you believe God’s truth.
If you aren’t sure that you are a Christian, ask yourself: Have I honestly committed my life to him as my Savior and Lord? If so, you know by faith that you are indeed a child of God.
2. Assurance of Forgiveness: I John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Confession is supposed to free us to enjoy fellowship with Christ. It should ease our conscience and lighten our cares. But some Christians do not understand how it works. They feel so guilty that they confess the same sins over and over: then we wonder if we may have forgotten something.
Our relationship with Christ is secure. He forgives and forgets. But true confession involves a commitment not to continue in sin. We wouldn’t be genuinely confessing our sins to God if we planned to commit them again and just wanted temporary forgiveness. We should pray for strength to defeat temptation the next time we face it.

3. Assurance of Guidance: Prov. 3:5,6 - Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
When we have an important decision to make, we sometimes feel that we can’t trust anyone- not even God. But God knows what is best for us. He is a better judge of what we want than we are! We must trust him completely in every choice we make. Bring your decisions to God in prayer: use the Bible as your guide: and then follow God’s leading. He will direct your paths by both guiding and protecting you.
Make him a vital part of everything you do: then he will guide you because you will be working to accomplish his purposes.

4. Assurance of Victory Over Temptation: I Cor. 10:13; John 16:33 – No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
We live in a world filled with moral depravity and sin- inducing pressures but in scripture we find out a few things (1) temptations happen to everyone, so don’t feel you’ve been singled out. (2) Others have resisted temptation and so can you. (3) Any temptation can be resisted because God will show you a way out. Running from tempting situations is your first step on the way to victory.
Quote from Jesus: In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
5. Assurance of Peace: John 14:27 - Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
The end result of the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives is deep and lasting peace. Unlike worldly peace, which is usually defined as the absence of conflict, this peace is confident assurance in any circumstance: with Christ peace, we have no need to fear the present or the future.
If your life is full of stress, allow the Holy Spirit to fill you with Christ’s peace.
6. Assurance of Answers to Prayer: John 14:12-14 - I tell them the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name and I will do it.
When Jesus says we can ask for anything, we must remember that our asking must be in his name- that is, according to God’s character and will. God will not grant requests contrary to his nature or his will, and we cannot use his name as a magic formula to fulfill our selfish desires.
If we are sincerely following God and seeking to do his will, then our request will be in line with what he wants, and he will grant them.
7. Assurance of Provision for Needs: Phil. 4:19 - And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
We can trust that God will always meet our needs. What-ever we need on earth he will always supply, even if it is the courage to face death.
Whatever we need in heaven he will supply. We must remember, however, the difference between our wants and our needs. Most people want to feel good and avoid discomfort or pain. We may not get all that we want. By trusting in Christ, our attitudes and appetites can change from wanting everything to accepting his provision and power to live for him.
8. Assurance of Sufficient Grace: 2 Cor. 12:9,10 - My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
The fact that God’s power is displayed in our weaknesses should give us courage and hope. As we recognized our limitations, we will depend more on God for our effectiveness rather than on our own energy, effort, or talent.
When we are strong in abilities or resources, we are tempted to do God’s work on our own. Only his power will make us effective for him and will help us do work that has lasting value.
9. Assurance of Enablement: 2 Tim. 1:7 - For God did not give us a spirit of fear and timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
We need to be bold when working for God. When we allow people to intimidate us, we neutralize our effectiveness for God. The power of the Holy Spirit can help us overcome our fear of what some might say or do to us that we can continue to do God’s work.
There is mentioned here in scripture three characteristic of an effective Christian leader: power, love, and self-discipline. These are available to us because the Holy Spirit lives in us. We need to follow his leading each day so that our lives fully exhibit these characteristics.
10. Assurance of Empowerment for Accomplishments: Phil. 4:12,13 – I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
Often the desire for more or better is really a longing to fill an empty place in a person’s life. To what are you drawn when you feel empty inside? How can you find true contentment? The answer lies in your perspective, your priorities, and your source of power.
Can we really do everything? The power we receive in union with Christ is sufficient to do his will and to face the challenges that arise from our commitment to doing it.
As we contend for the faith, we will face troubles, pressures, and trials. As they come, ask Christ to strengthen you.
When we have the assurance of these ten things we tend to act differently when caring out his will for our lives, it brings about some confidence to our walk with him.
Illustration: Sometime when you’re in an airport, observe the difference between passengers who hold confirmed tickets and those who are on standby. The ones with confirmed tickets read newspapers, chat with their friends or sleep. The ones on standby hang around the ticket counter, pacing and pacing. The difference is caused by the confidence factor. If you knew that in fifteen minutes you would have to stand in judgment before the Holy God and learn your eternal destiny, what would your reaction be? Would you pacing all around? Would you say to yourself, "I don’t know what God’s going to say--will it be ’Welcome home, child,’ or will it be ’Depart from me; I never knew you’?
Concluding Application:
Ask the Lord to help you to live in confident assurance of the above ten promises from God. Trust the Lord to help you utilize all of these assurances in all our personal affairs, relationships and ministries. Share each of these ten assurances with others who need the loving assurance from God for all of their hurts, fears, feelings of anger, unrealized expectations, disappointments, and unmet needs.