“And if we know that he (God) hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.” 1 John 5:15
When the Lord Jesus spoke of eternal life, He was not just speaking of an existence that would last forever. The key word here is “life.” In that word is revealed Christ Himself, for to know this Life of God by the Spirit is to know Christ. The Lord had said, “And this is eternal life, that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent.” (John 17:3) What then is this “knowledge” of which He speaks? Is it just the receiving of the knowledge of the truth, or is it far more? There is no doubt that the true knowledge of God is based upon the revelation of the objective truth of God as revealed in the Scriptures. But the Lord Jesus takes us a step further to consider another aspect of this knowledge. In John’s gospel He made very clear that there were two components to this knowledge. He said, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth, shall make you free.” (8:32) Here is the objective truth of God, and His ways, according to His word. It is only according to the truth, and by the truth, that God reveals Himself to the heart and life. Jesus went on to say, “And if the Son, therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” (v.36) When He speaks of “the Son,” of course, He is speaking of Himself. But in that declaration He is speaking of His power, the very power of His indestructible life. Freedom from sin, self, the world and the devil, is not only known and experienced by the grasp of the truth. There must be the accompanying power of Christ by the Spirit. Eternal life is thus both the objective knowledge of the truth, and the revelation of the presence and experience of the intervention of God in Christ. Christ came to reveal to mankind the truth of God, but also, to communicate to him the very power of God to cast off the shackles of sin and death, to rise up and follow Christ. This Life which has no end is Christ himself in truth and power by the Spirit. What rapport then does the subject of assurance have with the subject of prayer?
In John’s first letter, or epistle, he writes on the subject of assurance in prayer. He writes of knowing that “…we have the petitions that we desired of Him (God).” (1 Jn. 5:15) He lays the basis for our confidence in God with regard to prayer by saying, “…if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us.” (v.14) The objective knowledge of the will of God is essential to prayer. God does not answer prayer that is not according to the truth, specifically the truth of His will. So, truth is essential to prayer. However, John, like Jesus, takes us a step further. He writes, “And if we KNOW that He hears us, whatsoever we ask, we KNOW that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.” (v.15) The believer is called upon to pray through to the assurance that Christ gives by the Spirit. John is speaking of being sure, certain, that God has heard us. Where does this assurance come from? It comes from heaven itself, from Christ by the Spirit. The Spirit witnesses to our hearts, giving us the assurance of His answer.
The believer is called upon to live in the assurance of God’s response to believing prayer. In Daniel’s pursuit of God in prayer, there came a moment that the Lord said to him, “…thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.” (10:12) Daniel was seeking God, praying according to the objective truth of the knowledge of the will of God. The Lord then gave him the assurance that the words of his prayer had been heard and answered.
Dear Father, Teach us to pray with assurance according to the knowledge of Thy will. In Jesus’ name, Amen.