Assurance

Hupostasis – firm trust, the steadfastness of mind( no provision or space for double-mindedness
or doubt).

Assurance of Forgiveness of Sins

This refers to that surety in your spirit-man that when you fall into sin and come
back to God in repentance, He is “…faithful and just…” to forgive all sin and also
cleanse us through the washing of the water of His Blood and His Word (1 Jn. 1:9;
Eph. 5:25-27; Rev. 1:5; 1Jn. 5:7). (Rev 1:5) and from Jesus the Messiah, the witness, the faithful
one, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To the one who loves us
and has freed us from our sins by his blood. If Jesus actually forgave shed blood then be assured
that you are forgiven by virtue of the bloodshed. (1Jn 1:9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful
and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. God is faithful and at
the same time just, therefore be steadfast in your mind with the truth that you are forgiven.

Some facts about assurance of forgiveness of sins;

1. Forgiveness is only on the condition of sincere confession of wrongs committed and a
determination to turn away from them (1Jn. 1:9; Prov. 28:13). (1Jn 1:9) If we confess our
sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Have you sincerely confessed your sins? (Pro 28:13) Whoever hides his transgressions
will not succeed, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will find mercy. Are you
willing to forsake your sinful behaviors? If yes to both questions then be certain beyond
doubt that you are forgiven.

2. No sin is too great for the Blood of the Lamb to wipe out (Ps. 103:3). (Psa 103:3) He
continues to forgive all your sins, he continues to heal all your diseases,

3. His forgiveness is at the point of sincere repentance and confession of His children. His
forgiveness is instantaneous, a free gift, devoid of lingering guilt and accusation (Ps. 103:8-
14; Zach. 3:1-3; Rev. 12:10). (Zec 3:1) Then I saw Joshua the High Priest standing in the
presence of the angel of the LORD, with Satan standing at his right to oppose him. (Zec
3:2) The LORD told Satan, "The LORD rebuke you, Satan—in fact, may the LORD who
has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! This man is a burning brand plucked from the fire, is he
not?" (Zec 3:3) Now Joshua was wearing filthy clothes as he stood in the presence of the
angel. (Zec 3:4) So the angel continued to tell those who were standing in his presence,
"Remove his filthy clothes." And he told Joshua, "Look how I've removed your iniquity.
Now I'm clothing you with fine garments."
4. Forgiveness is released as a free gift of God’s grace and He does not grant it to those who
sin willfully or commit sins that lead to death (1Jn. 3:7-9; 5:16-18; Heb. 10:26-29). The
truth that whenever we confess our sins, we are forgiven does not mean that we should see
it as an opportunity to willfully engage in ungodly acts.

An example;
Kwasi: Ama, how are you? How was your prayer life this week?
Ama: oh! It was cool.
Kwasi: Ama, charlie, your girlfriend fresh oh!!
Ama: is that so? Your boyfriend was also dripping.
Kwasi: then as usual, hook me to her and let me hook you to him.
Ama: After the fornication with them we will come and lie on the pulpit and
confess.
Kwasi: And as usual God will forgive us.
Ama: But charlie, be careful with my girlfriend she is a baby Christian. She does
not know that as a Christian you can fornicate saaa!!!!!!! And repent, God will forgive you.

Kwasi and Ama in this story are deceiving themselves. They are not willing to turn away
from their sinful behavior and are taking the forgiveness of God as a joke as they willfully
sin, religiously confess and willfully go back to the same sinful act. This implies that
repentance which is a change of mind, will and actions do not take place whenever they
confess their sins. As the fourth point says, people like Kwasi and Am are the kind who do
not get their forgiveness granted. (Heb 10:26) For if we choose to go on sinning after we
have learned the full truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, (Heb 10:27) but
only a terrifying prospect of judgment and a raging fire that will consume the enemies of
God. (Heb 10:28) Anyone who violates the Law of Moses dies without mercy "on the
testimony of two or three witnesses." (Heb 10:29) How much more severe a punishment
do you think that person deserves who tramples on God's Son, treats as common the blood
of the covenant by which it was sanctified, and insults the Spirit of grace?

Assurance of Answered Prayers

Last week we ascertained that we are certainly without doubt saved by virtue of the new
birth experience. This implies that the veil or dividing wall of hostility that existed between
us and God has been torn or broken. Now we can approach God with confidence. We can
communicate with God without any hindrance. (1Jn 5:14) And this is the confidence that
we have in him: if we ask for anything according to his will, he listens to us. (1Jn 5:15) And
if we know that he listens to our requests, we can be sure that we have what we ask him
for. In 1John 5:14-15, there are two certainties which we are to keep in mind unwaveringly
and steadfastly.
• We can approach God confidently.
• Whatever we ask God for according to His word (will) we have it or
whatever we pray about according to His word we will see its manifestation.

In other words, an assurance that when we approach God in prayer, whatever the
form, He hears us and not only does He hear us but whatever we ask Him, which are
in accordance with His will, are in our possession the moment we ask. The
assurance of answered prayer is of prime importance especially to those of us who
have been asking for certain things for long and it is as if He hasn’t heard, or those
who feel only some ‘Man-of-God’ somewhere can ask God on their behalf before He
will answer. It is important to remember that Abraham waited expectantly for a
child for 25 years (Gen. 21:1-5) and the angel who revealed himself to aged
Zechariah in the temple and announced the coming son (John the Baptist) said “…
your prayer has been heard…”. These ‘heard prayers’ surely had been offered right
from the beginning of their married life when Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth were
still young (Luke 1:10-13). God hears AND answers the prayers of His children.

The basis for an answered prayer after being born again is: praying according to
God’s word(God’s will) – no ulterior motive.

The thing is that the prayer is answered once prayed but then seeing it or experiencing the
answered prayers is where sometimes we encounter challenges.

Keys to effective, mountain-moving prayer;

• Faith – Mk. 11:20-24; Jas. 5:13-15
• Forgiving others – Mk. 11:25; Matt. 6:9-15
 • Fervency and Passion – Jas. 5:16
• Commitment to God’s righteous standards – Jas. 5:16; Isa. 59:1-3;
• A posture of humility, meekness, submission and yieldedness – Lk. 22:41

Why then don’t I see the manifestation of what I prayed for or about?
• Not praying according to God’s will, that is having an ulterior while, before or after
praying.
• Forces of darkness interfering the manifestation of your answered prayers. In
Daniel’s case.
• Your level of certainty that the prayers have been answered also determine the
manifestation of your answered prayers. As Jesus said, ”if you say to this mountain
be removed and you doubt not you will have what you asked for”.
• Timing of God and your timing you have set. As in the case of Abraham expecting
a child and also in the case of Zechariah.

Looks look at Abraham’s case in that regard.

• Genesis 12:2. Promised to be made a great nation. It can be inferred that he will give birth
and have descendants.
• Genesis 15:2-3. Petition for a child said. Note that the word was already given in Genesis
12:2 that it was the Lord’s will to give him descendants, therefore he petitioned God
concerning his word.
• Genesis 15:4. Assured that his petition had been answered and that his servant would not
be his heir.
• Genesis 15:6. Abram believed that God had answer his petition and God credited that as a
righteous act. Note that till that time the physical evidence of a child being born to Abram
was not seen.
• Genesis 16. Ishmael born to Abraham but in Genesis 17:19, God tells Abraham that
Ishmael was not the answered prayers and that Isaac would be the physical evidence of his
answered petition in Genesis 15:2-3.
Now, even though Abram was assured of his answered prayers, the timing he expected for the
physical evidence was not the timing of God.
When you pray right now, for something or about something according to God’s will, be assured
that your prayer has been answered but then the physical evidence is dependent on your faith and
the timing of God.