03/10
Heart Alignment
“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.”
John 5:14-15
John 5:14-15
God hears you. He is not deaf. He is not ignoring you. God hears you and he loves you. But to fully understand what this often quoted verse means, we need to look a bit deeper at a few ideas often overlooked.
This letter was written by the disciple John to a group of believers. They may have had issues and problems, but these were mature believers. The context here is important because we need to understand that these words of John were not meant for a group of unbelievers, or even for new Christians who were immature in their faith. John was declaring the confidence that mature followers of Jesus could have in approaching God. In fact, there is not one instance in the New Testament where supernatural healing took place where there wasn't also a mature follower of Christ involved. These were people who had grown in their faith to a point where they knew what the Power of God could do, they sensed what the Holy Spirit was leading them to pray for, and they whole-heartedly believed that healing would come.
All of the ingredients needed for healing were in place. The faith of mature believers, the power of the Holy Spirit, and the willingness of the recipient. Often, in today's age, healing is prayed for and expected even though there may not be the faith of mature believers, or the power of the Holy Spirit, or the willingness of the recipient present. An immature Christian may pray for someone who asks for healing but there was no Holy Spirit leading or power involved. It was a totally natural act under the disguise of being a supernatural act. However a mature Christian can have confidence when they approach God; because we know that our sanctified hearts are aligned with His. Whatever we ask is going to be according to his will, because those who are in Christ are aligned with Him. This alignment and confidence are what come only through growing in your faith and becoming a mature believer. Therefore we should seek and pray that we would grow to become mature in the faith and our hearts would be aligned with God.
Reflection Questions:
This letter was written by the disciple John to a group of believers. They may have had issues and problems, but these were mature believers. The context here is important because we need to understand that these words of John were not meant for a group of unbelievers, or even for new Christians who were immature in their faith. John was declaring the confidence that mature followers of Jesus could have in approaching God. In fact, there is not one instance in the New Testament where supernatural healing took place where there wasn't also a mature follower of Christ involved. These were people who had grown in their faith to a point where they knew what the Power of God could do, they sensed what the Holy Spirit was leading them to pray for, and they whole-heartedly believed that healing would come.
All of the ingredients needed for healing were in place. The faith of mature believers, the power of the Holy Spirit, and the willingness of the recipient. Often, in today's age, healing is prayed for and expected even though there may not be the faith of mature believers, or the power of the Holy Spirit, or the willingness of the recipient present. An immature Christian may pray for someone who asks for healing but there was no Holy Spirit leading or power involved. It was a totally natural act under the disguise of being a supernatural act. However a mature Christian can have confidence when they approach God; because we know that our sanctified hearts are aligned with His. Whatever we ask is going to be according to his will, because those who are in Christ are aligned with Him. This alignment and confidence are what come only through growing in your faith and becoming a mature believer. Therefore we should seek and pray that we would grow to become mature in the faith and our hearts would be aligned with God.
Reflection Questions:
Reflection Questions:
- What is something in today’s devotional that has sparked something in you or changed your perspective on healing in your current situation?
- In what way can God use your physical struggle to expand your family in order to grow you spiritually and depend more on Him?
- What is the spiritual need that God is addressing in you and your spouse's life currently that you can pray and reflect on?