Assurance Anchor

 What does the Bible have to say about “Assurance”?

 

Believers are subject to faith struggles in this life

 
Christians with strong beliefs and principles are not exempt from trials and temptations. Existential questions, ethical struggles, and spiritual wrestling are a common occurrence during an overcomer’s story.
You are NOT alone:
 
Lot’s soul was crushed by the evil in the surrounding city he was living in.
 
Gideon, who was a “mighty man”, spent much time hiding in wait for God’s deliverance not realizing that the Lord was going to make Gideon the answer to Israel’s prayer for deliverance.
 
Jonah was called to preach repentance in Nineveh. Although he went through much trouble just getting to Nineveh, he still struggled with his own faith and trust in God’s plan even AFTER his preaching was successful!
 

Believers have Assurance in Jesus, the Word made Flesh

 

Colossians 2:2
that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself,

Ephesians 3:12
in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him.
 
Hebrews 6:17-20
Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath.
 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. 
We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 
where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.
 

Believers maintain Assurance through the Scriptures

 
2 Peter 1:19-21
We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things.
For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

1 John 5:13
These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.
 
Brothers and sisters, even though we will surely continue to face many struggles of faith in the coming days–we can know that the Son of God, Jesus Christ Himself is our Eternal Assurance. Remembering Scripture, reading Bible stories, and meditating daily upon God’s Word will help to maintain our assurance and hope in the Lord.
 
May the Lord’s Grace give you Peace,
 
Richard Leighton

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