Do You Have Assurance?

DO YOU HAVE ASSURANCE?

Is 41:10 

Often times in the midst of something that was not written to you, You find something written for you. 

Context of Is 41 God is speaking to the Nation of Israel about their restoration That is the doctrinal application of this scripture 

But we also know that: 

2Ti 3:16-17 (KJV) All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. 

There is nothing wrong with taking a verse of scripture, even if it is not directed primarily to you and getting some instruction in righteousness 

This book is a living book Quick and Powerful It can minister to us Help us, Encourage 

us, in so many ways 

Assurance is a confidence that all will work out Confidence in an expected end 

Our sense of well being is set at ease when we have been reassured that all will be well 

There is a comfort, when someone you trust comes to you in a time of trouble sits with you Hugs your neck Sheds tears with you Whispers it’s alright. 

If a human being can have that kind of an affect on us; how much more can the God of the universe have. 

That all is well Knowing it is well with your soul 

Assurance is Confidence not Cockiness Some may not see the difference 

But one is bragging on self and your ability to handle any situation 

With a cockiness of me and God are tight We got our own thing going on All of witch is contrary to God’s nature and his word 

The other is a reliance upon God and his word to get you through Trust in him Which assures us that all is well Not some feeling Look at vs 10 

Isa 41:10 (KJV) Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. 

In this verse we have some assurances from God that we can cling to That we can have confidence in

1 Fear thou not
 
I’m not talking about the standard phobias All of us have fears 

Some may put on a good front, that they are not afraid. 

There is something that gets the butterflies going Sweats Nausea Panic Dry Mouth 

Fear comes from the unknown What is going to happen next? When is it going to stop? What is after death? 

Fear of being alone inadequate for the task 

Failure embarrassment Making Decisions 

Fear flees when someone stands with you Why do you think people hang around in groups 

Jesus told Disciples to go out 2 by 2
 Why did he say Fear not?
 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: That is God speaking
 Do you know that for the Child of God there are promises given to you Heb 13:5 ... for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Why is that?
Because he is in you 

Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: 

Even if you are alone, as a child of God, you are not alone Joh 14:17-18 Even the Spirit of truth; 

: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 18 I will not leave you 

comfortless: I will come to you. 

Some live in fear because they have never trusted Jesus Christ as their savior 

They know his name But they don’t know him and he is not in them Look at vs 17 

whom the world cannot receive, 

because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him 

Joh 3:36 (KJV) He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. 

If you are lost there is no assurance of heaven Only the fear of going to hell 

John Wesley 

2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 

That spirit of fear comes from someplace else not from God Not only the Lost live in Fear 

Many a Christian live their lives in fear, wondering/ fretting on whether they can loose their salvation, or have already lost their salvation. 

I will be honest there are some verses which can cause some doubt, 

but God is not the author of Confusion We have clear verses which speak to the Assurance of the believer 

Joh 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 

Joh 6:37 (KJV) All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. 

Joh 6:39-40 (KJV) And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. 

Harry Ironside 

1Th 1:5 (KJV) For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. 

How is it that we can have such assurance?
 Our Assurance of Salvation doesn’t rest upon our goodness or effort It rests upon Jesus Christ alone 

1Pe 1:3-5 (KJV) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 

The vrs talked about the Res of Jesus Christ 

Ac 17:30-31 (KJV) And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: 31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. 

Joh 11:25-26 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? 

Some live in fear because they will not believe God
 Yeah but people What about this vrs But what did God say 

When we have the assurance of the presence of God there is a confidence to live for him without distraction. 

2 Be not dismayed 

Oh, this is something that we all suffer with 

Dismayed is being discouraged Disheartened Ready to quit 

When things go wrong when things don’t go as we expect them 

we get discouraged Disappointed 

When we think that God has forsaken us We get discouraged 

There are times, I’d say most of the time we are in the situation because of our own foolishness stubbornness Sinfulness 

Some blame God for not making the outcome of our own doing a bed of roses They reap what they sow 

But there are trials God puts us through which are by design to test us to refine us to make us better able to serve him 

They are tough And can push us to our limits 

Coach putting his team through the paces Running lines 

Texas Western 1966 NCAA Basketball championship Don Haskins 

And there are times when the present outcome is anything but what we expected 

But looking back now after some years God has taken those things which seemed to be mistakes or unfulfilled expectations 

and caused them to be for his, and our benefit Why does God say be not dismayed? 

be not dismayed; for I am thy God: 

Be not dismayed We have the right God Don’t forget who our God is and what he can do 

We have a God that created all things 

This world and it’s Religions are groping and believing in gods of no help or value They have been deceived 

Ps 96:4-5 For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods. 5 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens. 

This sets God far above all other Devil could never create anything 

Ps 115:3-8 But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. 4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. 5 They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: 6 They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: 7 They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. 8 They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them. 

Man is so superstitious 

They think that praying to an idol will profit them in some way 

Paul was at Mars Hill in Acts 17 seeing all of the idols 

Ac 17:22 (KJV) Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. 

They don’t have to be heathen who pray to idols Some in “Christian” denominations pray to Stone, Porcelain, Marble idols
 Which are of no help 

Talk about superstitious
 Had a conversation with someone here not to long ago 

Looking for signs and assurances from his deceased father Not a Christian 

lights turned on Radio playing a favorite song
 He was looking for assurances That everything is alright 

People and Christians turn to Mystics and other forms of Occult to get assurance that all is well Much like Saul did when he had turned away from God 

Readings Tarot Cards Ouija Boards Horoscopes Why look for signs?
 When they have available the Creator himself We have the right God The one true God 

2Ch 6:14 And said, O LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee in the heaven, nor in the earth; which keepest covenant, and shewest mercy unto thy servants, that walk before thee with all their hearts: 

Isa 45:5-6 I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: 6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else. 

God shows his power and existence every Morning and Evening Crucifixion and Resurrection 

Because he is The true God he has promised some things here in this verse 

I will strengthen thee I will 

Isa 40:29-31 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: 31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. 

Ps 27:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? 

How is that strength manifested? 

Ne 8:10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength. 

Joy is the sense internally, that everything is alright even if everything around you is falling apart. 

Joy is the assurance that It is well with your soul 

Heb 12 Who for the joy that was se before him, endured the cross 

Jesus Christ look to what laid ahead of him instead of dwelling on his present condition 

Joy is Knowing that you are saved// even if the worst happens to you, You are still going to heaven 

Joy is knowing That even if your Body is falling apart You are going to get a new one 

Joy is knowing that Even if You fail the Lord One day You will be with him and never sin again 

Joy is knowing that even if Troubles overwhelm us All things work together for good to them who love God to them who are the called according to his purpose 

I will help thee I Will

Ps 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 

Ps 145:18 The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. 

Ps 50:15 And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. 

“God Will Take Care of You” 

Be not dismayed whate’er betide, God will take care of You: beneath his wings of love abide, God will take care of you. 

Refrain:
 God will take care of you,
 through every day, o’er all the way; He will take care of you,
 God will take care of you. 

Through days of toil when heart doth fail, God will take care of you;
 when dangers fierce your path assail, God will take care of you. 

I will uphold thee I Will 

I will support you As Aaron and Hur upheld the arms of Moses God will uphold you 

Ps 54:4 (KJV) Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul. 

Ps 119:116 (KJV) Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope. 

How does he Strengthen Help and Uphold You 

with the right hand of my righteousness 

Who is God’s right hand? Jesus Christ 

Lu 22:69 Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God. 

Col 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 

Our ability to live for God is in the power of Jesus Christ 

When God sees us, he sees the righteousness of his own son 

not our righteousness 

2Co 5:21 (KJV) For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 

Ro 4:5-6 (KJV) But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. 6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, 

Ro 4:22-25 (KJV) And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. 23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. 

Don’t live in fear, but trust in the Living Word of God
 What a precious thing we have in Jesus Christ
 An assurance, that give a confidence that It is well with my Soul