1. One of the most common questions I hear from Christians is "Does God really hearme when I pray?"

2. Other ways this question is stated are "Do I receive from God?" or "Does God answer my prayers?"
3. No matter how it is stated, it goes back to an underlying principle, and that is the lack of assurance.
4. All of us at times need to be reassured.
5. We appreciate the boss saying, "You are doing a fine job, keep up the good work."
6. Our childrens teachers appreciate it when we gratefully acknowledge that we appreciate what they are doing.
7. We need reassurance from our families as well.

1. DID JOHN THE BAPTIZER NEED REASSURING?

1. John:

1. He baptized Jesus in Jordan.
2. He saw the Holy Spirit descend upon Jesus in the form of a dove.
3. He proclaimed, "Behold the Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world" (John 1:29).
4. Nonetheless, Herod put him in prison and while there he became discouraged and was in need of reassurance.
5. After hearing of the mighty works that Jesus was doing, John sent two of his disciples to ask, "Are you the one or should we look for another?" (Luke 7:20)
6. Jesus answered, "Go your way and tell John what things you have seen and heard; how the blind see and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor the gospel is preached" (Luke 7:22).
7. Jesus answer was "Look at the evidence!" The evidence speaks for itself!

B.      In our lives, we need God to reassure and confirm our hearts, souls and minds that we are His people and that He cares for us.

1. This is one reason that the Bible is so important!
2. There are a multitude of passages in the Bible that offer assurance and confidence for the faithful Christian.
3. Many lack assurance because they have built their lives on the wrong foundation.

C. Emotions Are a Shaky Foundation:

1. When the good feelings are gone, so is the assurance!
2. Assurance is more than an emotional high.
3. Just because a person is having a bad day does not mean that God doesnt care for him or that he cannot know that he is saved.
4. Assurance is not worth much if we cannot be assured in bad times as well as good.

D. God Wants His Children to be Assured:

1. He inspired Bible writers to write on this topic.
2. 1 John 3:22-24
3. Notice how assurance and the word of God go together?
4. True assurance has its foundation in the commandments of God and in our obedience to them.
5. The word gives evidence to the fact that God is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).

1. "Whatever we ask we receive of Him"

1. Similar to Luke 11:9
2. Matthew 7:7-8.

B.  What is that we receive?

1. An answer to our requests "If you abide in Me and My words abide in you you shall ask what you will and it shall be done unto you" (John 15:7).
2. YES! God does answer our prayers!
3. Remember 1 Peter 3:12 "The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous"

C.  The answers to our prayers are always what we wanted or expected:

1. Sometimes the answer is NO.
2. But we can be assured that whatever the answer is, it is the best for us at the time.
3. God gives good gifts to us (James 1:17).
4. Matthew 7:11 "If you being evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father which is in Heaven give good things to those who ask of Him?"
5. God knows what is best for us so He surely knows when to say NO.
6. Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:7-9.

D.  When we pray it should be "Thy will be done not mine" (Luke 22:42).

1. God knows all and by knowing all He also knows what is best.
2. Why should this surprise us?!

E.  Our Confidence or Assurance comes from the fact that God answers our prayers:

1. This is not a way to determine faithfulness but a way to be assured that God will do what He said He would do!
2. Consider His history:

1. Genesis 2:17 You will surely die!
2. Joshua 23: 14-15 God kept His promises to Israel.

1. We can have assurance and confidence that God will answer every prayers and keep every promise He makes.

F.  Gods Answer to Prayer is Conditional:

1. 1 Peter 3:12 One cannot persist in sin and expect to receive answers to his prayers.
2. James 4:3 "You ask and receive not because you ask amiss that you may spend it on your own desires. "
3. Impure motive, evil minded.
4. Acceptable prayer is a prayer that is prayed by the righteous fervently and by faith.
5. Two conditions are mentioned in the text:

1. Keep His commandments
2. Do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

1. Obedience is a demonstration of our love for God and of our faith toward God:

1. John 14:15 "If you love Me you will keep My commandments."
2. James 2:18 "I will show you my faith by my works."
3. 1 John 3:23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment."
4. John calls for two things, faith (belief) and love.
5. Proper relationship with the Father requires us to have a proper faith and a proper love.

B.  To believe on His is to accept Him for all that He is and all that He does.

1. Believe that He is the Son of God
2. Believe that He is the Son of Man
3. Because He is deity, He can approach the throne of God on our behalf (1 Jn 2:1)
4. Because He is human, He can empathize with us (Hebrews 2:17)
5. Hebrews 4:15 He is touched by the feeling of our infirmities.

C.  A proper faith includes a belief in the authority of Christ.

1. He is the ultimate and final authority Matthew 28:18.
2. John 12:48

D.  A proper faith includes the belief that He can bestow eternal life.

1. John 10:28 "I give them eternal life."
2. John 17:2 "He prayed that God had given Him power to give eternal life."
3. Romans 6:23 "The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ the Lord."

E.  To love one another is a popular theme throughout Johns first epistle.

1. It was used often by John
2. It was used often by our Lord (John 13:34-35; 15:12-17).
3. It should be used often among Gods children.

F.  Returning to the thoughts of verse 22 in verse 24 :

1. He that keeps His commandments dwells in Him and he in Him (1 John 3:24a).
2. "If a man loves Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him and We will come unto him and make Our abode with him" (John 14:23).

G.  We know by the Spirit He has given us (1 John 3:24b)

1. The Spirit dwells within the Christian.
2. Does not teach that the Holy Spirit speaks directly to the heart of the Christian.
3. Nor does it teach that He reveals anything apart from the word.
4. It makes no mention of direct communication between the Christian and the indwelling Holy Spirit.
5. The way the Holy Spirit tells us that we are in fellowship with God is through the word!

H.  It is by this means that we:

1. Come to know the love of God.
2. Learn the will of God.
3. Are motivated to obey the commandments of God.
4. And evaluate our fellowship with God.

1. Because we do those things which are pleasing in His sight.

1. What are those things that are pleasing in His sight?
2. Sacrifice and praise Hebrews 13:15-16.
3. By coming to Him in faith Hebrews 11:6.
4. By being fruitful in good works Colossians 1:10.

B.   When such service is offered it is like a sacrifice pleasing to God.

1. Philippians 4:18 Paul wrote to the church at Philippi of their service in the matter of giving and receiving.
2. Our service is a sacrifice well-pleasing to God.

C.  We must search for opportunities to serve:

1. Our fellow man.
2. One another
3. The Lord.
4. Galatians 6:10.
5. James 4:17
6. We must use our time wisely.
7. Search for opportunities of service.
8. Fulfill those opportunities.
9. Ephesians 5:15-16

1. The promise is true.
2. God does answer our prayers.
3. This promise is conditional.
4. We must keep His commandments.
5. And do that which is pleasing in His sight.
6. If we meet those conditions we can be confident and assured that Gods ears are open to our cries!