Even though “we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5.7), God has provided clear assurances of our life with him.
The presence of the Holy Spirit, personal experience, and our testimony are three ways we can be assured of the reality of our life with God.
The Presence of the Holy Spirit
How do we know that we genuinely abide in a relationship with the Lord? The presence of the Holy Spirit is a good gauge of our life together with him.
By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit (1 John 4.13).
The Holy Spirit confirms to us that we are loved by God, forgiven of our sins, and accepted into his family.
Often, we experience a sense of peace, joy, or assurance that comes from the Holy Spirit’s presence and work.
Personal Experience
John had a personal experience with Jesus. Through the work of the Spirit, we are granted a personal experience, too.
We can’t write as John did, “We have seen and do testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world” (1 John 4.14).
We haven’t seen Jesus, but we have experienced the transforming presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Each of us can testify to the relationship God has given us.
It was 56 years ago, but I still remember praying a very simple prayer on a Friday night at a small Baptist Church. God answered that prayer and became my best friend for life and eternity.
I can testify to that reality and it assures me of the reality of the relationship we have.
Take a few minutes and think of your story. What did you experience? How does your experience give you confidence in God?
Your Testimony
Paul wrote that “no one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12.3). That is the crucial statement of faith for believers.
John spoke of the value of the believer’s testimony.
God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide in God (1 John 4.15).
Our testimony and that of other people assure us that our relationship with God is the real thing.
Some conversions are more dramatic than others, but they all point to the reality of God’s love and his willingness to have a relationship with people.
People who have been transformed by the power of an encounter with Jesus provide a compelling witness to the reality of God’s love and grace.
What do we have when we combine the work of the Holy Spirit, personal experience, and our testimony?
John concludes with these words. “So we have known and believe the love that God has for us” (1 John 4.16).
YouTube Video
Rudy Ross and I continue our study of 1 John today. Our video can be found on the Bob Spradling YouTube channel.
Real Voices 