Confident Assurance: The Power of Prayer in Faith

 

Summary

In the epistle to the Hebrews, we are reminded of the profound privilege and responsibility of drawing near to God with a true heart and full assurance of faith. This passage addresses Christians who, despite their faith, find themselves in a state of unhappiness and spiritual unrest. The root of their struggle lies in their uncertainty about the very faith they profess. As believers, we are called to live in the fullness of Christian salvation, yet many fall short of experiencing the "unsearchable riches of Christ" due to a lack of assurance.

The essence of a Christian life is not to be marked by doubt or uncertainty but by a confident assurance of salvation. This assurance is crucial, especially in the context of prayer, which is central to our relationship with God. Prayer is not merely a ritual but a bold approach to the holiest of all, made possible through the blood of Jesus Christ. The New Testament emphasizes that believers should pray with boldness, confidence, and assurance, knowing that God hears and accepts us.

However, the challenges of prayer are significant. Entering into the presence of God, who is a consuming fire, can be daunting. The accusations of our conscience and the awareness of our own unworthiness often hinder us. Yet, the solution lies in the full assurance of faith in Jesus Christ, who has opened a new and living way for us through His sacrifice. His death, resurrection, and ascension have made it possible for us to approach God with confidence, knowing that our sins are forgiven and we are clothed in His righteousness.

To pray effectively, we must have a true heart, characterized by honesty and sincerity before God. We must also possess full assurance of faith, understanding and applying the significance of Christ's sacrifice. This assurance silences the accusations of conscience and allows us to stand confidently in God's presence, knowing that we are accepted in the Beloved.

Key Takeaways:

- Full Assurance of Faith: A Christian's life should be marked by certainty and assurance, not doubt. This assurance is essential for a vibrant prayer life, enabling us to approach God with confidence and boldness. [05:15]

- The Privilege of Prayer: Prayer is a profound privilege, allowing us to draw near to God. It requires boldness and confidence, rooted in the assurance that God hears and accepts us through Christ. [08:19]

- Overcoming Prayer's Challenges: The difficulties in prayer arise from the holiness of God, the accusations of conscience, and our sense of unworthiness. These are overcome by the full assurance of faith in Christ's sacrifice. [15:28]

- The New and Living Way: Jesus Christ has opened a new and living way for us to approach God. This way is characterized by His death, resurrection, and ongoing intercession, providing us with access to the holiest of all. [23:25]

- The Role of Christ's Sacrifice: Understanding and applying the significance of Christ's sacrifice is crucial for full assurance of faith. It silences the accusations of conscience and allows us to stand confidently in God's presence. [31:43]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:09] - Introduction to Hebrews 10
- [00:50] - The Unhappy State of Believers
- [02:22] - The Purpose of New Testament Epistles
- [04:29] - The Importance of Full Assurance
- [06:05] - Full Assurance of Faith in Prayer
- [07:31] - The Privilege and Power of Prayer
- [09:08] - Praying with Boldness
- [10:34] - The Challenges of Prayer
- [12:05] - Entering the Holiest of All
- [15:28] - The Accusations of Conscience
- [20:58] - The Possibility of Prayer
- [22:43] - The True Heart and Full Assurance
- [23:25] - The New and Living Way
- [27:20] - The Role of Christ's Sacrifice
- [31:43] - Applying Full Assurance of Faith
- [39:21] - Conclusion and Encouragement

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Hebrews 10:19-22

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Observation Questions:

1. What does the author of Hebrews mean by having "boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus"? How does this concept relate to the Old Testament practices mentioned in the sermon? [10:54]

2. According to the sermon, what are the three main challenges believers face when approaching God in prayer? [15:28]

3. How does the sermon describe the "new and living way" that Jesus has opened for us? What are the key elements of this way? [23:25]

4. What role does the "full assurance of faith" play in overcoming the accusations of conscience and the sense of unworthiness in prayer? [33:07]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the concept of "full assurance of faith" change a believer's approach to prayer, according to the sermon? Why is this assurance crucial for a vibrant prayer life? [06:05]

2. The sermon mentions that prayer is a profound privilege. In what ways does understanding this privilege impact a believer's relationship with God? [08:19]

3. How does the sermon explain the significance of Christ's sacrifice in providing believers with confidence to approach God? What does this mean for a believer's daily life? [31:43]

4. What does it mean to have a "true heart" in the context of prayer, and why is it important for effective communication with God? [21:13]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your current prayer life. Do you approach God with boldness and confidence, or do you find yourself hesitant? What steps can you take to cultivate a more assured approach to prayer? [09:08]

2. The sermon emphasizes the importance of understanding Christ's sacrifice. How well do you understand the significance of His death and resurrection? What resources or practices could help deepen your understanding? [31:43]

3. Consider a time when your conscience accused you during prayer. How did you respond, and how might the concept of "full assurance of faith" help you address such accusations in the future? [33:07]

4. The sermon describes prayer as entering the "holiest of all." How does this perspective influence your attitude towards prayer? What changes might you make to honor this sacred privilege? [10:54]

5. Identify an area in your life where you struggle with doubt or uncertainty in your faith. How can you apply the sermon’s teachings on assurance to strengthen your faith in this area? [05:15]

6. The sermon discusses the role of honesty and sincerity in prayer. Are there areas in your life where you need to be more honest with God? How can you begin to address these areas in your prayers? [21:13]

7. Think about a specific challenge or burden you are currently facing. How can you apply the sermon’s teachings on prayer to bring this issue before God with confidence and assurance? [07:31]

Devotional

Day 1: Assurance as the Foundation of Faith
The Christian life is meant to be lived with a confident assurance of salvation, not marked by doubt or uncertainty. This assurance is essential for a vibrant prayer life, enabling believers to approach God with confidence and boldness. When Christians are certain of their faith, they can fully experience the "unsearchable riches of Christ" and live in the fullness of Christian salvation. This assurance is not self-generated but is rooted in the promises of God and the finished work of Jesus Christ. [05:15]

Hebrews 10:22-23 (ESV): "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful."

Reflection: What specific doubts or uncertainties about your faith can you bring before God today, asking Him to replace them with His assurance?


Day 2: The Privilege of Bold Prayer
Prayer is a profound privilege that allows believers to draw near to God with boldness and confidence. This boldness is rooted in the assurance that God hears and accepts us through Christ. Prayer is not merely a ritual but a dynamic interaction with the Creator, made possible through the blood of Jesus Christ. As believers, we are invited to approach the throne of grace with confidence, knowing that we are welcomed and heard by our Heavenly Father. [08:19]

Ephesians 3:12 (ESV): "In whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him."

Reflection: How can you intentionally approach God with boldness in your prayers today, trusting in His willingness to hear and respond to you?


Day 3: Overcoming the Challenges of Prayer
The challenges of prayer often stem from the holiness of God, the accusations of our conscience, and our sense of unworthiness. These obstacles can hinder our ability to pray effectively. However, the full assurance of faith in Christ's sacrifice overcomes these challenges. Jesus has opened a new and living way for us to approach God, silencing the accusations of our conscience and allowing us to stand confidently in His presence. [15:28]

Hebrews 4:16 (ESV): "Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

Reflection: What accusations or feelings of unworthiness do you need to bring before God, trusting in Christ's sacrifice to silence them?


Day 4: The New and Living Way
Jesus Christ has opened a new and living way for believers to approach God. This way is characterized by His death, resurrection, and ongoing intercession, providing us with access to the holiest of all. Through Christ, we are invited into a relationship with God that is marked by intimacy and assurance. This new way is not based on our merit but on the finished work of Jesus, who continually intercedes on our behalf. [23:25]

Hebrews 10:19-20 (ESV): "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh."

Reflection: How can you embrace the new and living way opened by Christ in your daily walk with God, especially in moments of doubt or fear?


Day 5: The Role of Christ's Sacrifice
Understanding and applying the significance of Christ's sacrifice is crucial for full assurance of faith. His sacrifice silences the accusations of conscience and allows believers to stand confidently in God's presence. By recognizing the depth of Christ's love and the completeness of His work, Christians can live in the assurance of their salvation and approach God without fear. This understanding transforms our relationship with God, enabling us to live in the freedom and joy of His acceptance. [31:43]

Colossians 1:21-22 (ESV): "And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him."

Reflection: In what ways can you deepen your understanding of Christ's sacrifice today, allowing it to transform your confidence in approaching God?

Quotes


The essence of their trouble they were Christians they had become Christians they' been brought up in the Jewish religion but they had espoused the Christian faith and had become members of the Christian Church nevertheless they were not happy they were not enjoying the fruits and the benefits of Christian salvation. [00:01:50]

A Christian is not meant to be doubting a Christian is not meant to be uncertain of his salvation and of his whole position a Christian is not a man who hopes that he may be saved that's not his condition at all he isn't the man who trying to persuade himself that what he believes is true. [00:04:42]

Full Assurance of faith is absolutely essential in this whole matter of Prayer and unless we have this full Assurance of Faith according to his argument and it's the argument everywhere else we cannot pray as we ought as we are meant to do and as is possible for the True Believer. [00:06:21]

Prayer means going into the presence of the Everlasting God this same men later on at the end of the 12th chapter of his epistle uses words like like these he says wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved let us have Grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. [00:12:09]

The accusations of conscience this man says and having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience now what he means is this the evil conscience is an accusing conscience and who is there in this congregation who doesn't know what an evil conscience is and The Time Of All Times when a man knows about an evil consciences is when he is approaching God in prayer. [00:15:29]

The moment you approach God your conscience begins to speak and it reminds you of things you've done things you haven't done it resurrects your past sins things you'd forgotten perhaps they come back to you the conscience brings them back and here you are Accused by your conscience and you're made to feel that you have no right to go into the presence of God. [00:16:03]

The moment a man goes into that earliest of all he feels that he's unclean he's tarnished he's bespattered and B smed by the grime and the sin and the filth of this world he's going into this light that is unapproachable to one who is Holy and he feels he's unclean oh here again the Bible is full of it. [00:17:11]

We must be honest if we rarely want to pray and to talk to God if we want to know the blessings that he alone can give David understood this thou requirest truth in the inward Parts he says of course again the psalmist puts it if I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me I can't pretend in the presence of God. [00:21:29]

We must have a true heart and we must have full Assurance of Faith what does this mean well it means this we must have full Assurance of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and what he has done for us there is God in the holiest of all here am I in my need how can I get there how can I enter in enter in says this man. [00:22:54]

There is a new and a living way which has been prepared by the Son of God it's the only way and the whole secret of prayer according to this man is that I should have full Assurance of faith with regard to this New and Living Way which has been opened which has been consecrated by the Lord Jesus Christ. [00:23:57]

The moment we have this full Assurance of Faith with regard to this we can answer every objection if I really believe this and understand it and I'm assured concerning it I can answer all the accusations of my conscience I've got an evil conscience conscience speaks condemns yes but you see I can do something I can sprinkle upon my evil conscience the blood of Christ. [00:32:52]

The Christian goes with boldness into the presence of God not because of what he is but because of what Christ is and because he utterly and entirely relies upon him and upon him alone of De to Mercy alone of cant Mercy I say thing nor fear with thy righteousness on my person and offering to bring the Terrors of Law and of God with me can have nothing to do. [00:43:04]

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Transcript
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