“And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. 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.” (1 John 5:11-13 NASB)

You can know for certain!

Jesus died on the cross for your salvation and you do not have to doubt it! Its wonderful to be able to know for certain you are saved! In fact, Jesus wants you to have complete assurance!

Jesus spoke about assurance to Martha after her brother Lazarus died

“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”  (John 11:25-26 NIV)

No one can snatch you away from Jesus!

“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.” (John 10:28-29 NIV)

Jesus gives amazing promises for complete assurance

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 8:38-39 NIV)

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.” (John 5:24 NASB)

“All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.  (John 6:37-39 NIV)

 “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it, If you love Me, keep My commandments.”  (John 14:13-15 NKJV)

A promise with a condition

This is an amazing promise because it states clearly that Jesus will do “anything you ask” in His Name. But, take note, there is a condition to this promise that must be met, which states, “If you love me and keep my commandments.” Therefore, if you love Jesus and you are keeping His commandments, that would effect what you are praying about. You would most likely be praying about things that are in line with His will, so  “that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” This is the stated purpose found within this promise.

“But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” (Acts 3:6 ESV)

Peter used Jesus’ Name to bring about healing!

Jesus didn't ask God to heal the sick. He simply healed them. Sometimes Jesus rebuked the sickness (Luke 4:39); sometimes He commanded sickness to go (Mark 9:25). Sometimes He laid hands on the sick (Mark 16:15), and sometimes He told people they were healed by their own faith as in Matthew 9:22 (Matthew 9:22).

Jesus said we are to be like Him in this world

“By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.” (1 John 4:17 ESV)

“And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.” (James 5:15 NIV)

“Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.” (James 5:14 ESV)

“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12 ESV)

No one comes to the Father except through Jesus!

“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6 NIV)

Jesus claimed to be God in the flesh

“I and the Father are one.” (John 10:30 NASB)

“He who has seen Me has seen the Father…” (John 14:9b NASB)

We have to judge his statements about himself as either true or false

The great British writer, C. S. Lewis, explained in his well-known book, Mere Christianity, "A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher; he'd either be a lunatic -- on a level with a man who says he's a poached egg -- or else he'd be the devil of hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God; or else a madman or something worse."

"You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come up with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to."

“So Jesus was either a madman, a liar, a myth, or He really was -- and is -- the Son of God.”

The apostle Paul said that salvation is available only through the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made when he carried the sins of the world on the cross.

“For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” (2 Cor. 5:21, NLT)

"That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Phil. 2:10-11 KJV)

There is no other name higher or more powerful than the Name of Jesus!

Over the next few days we will be looking at Jesus’ Name and what it means! Today's Scripture passage tells us several things about His Name

At the Name of Jesus every knee shall bow:

• Of things in heaven
• And things in earth
• And things under the earth

That every tongue should confess:

• That Jesus Christ is Lord
• To the Glory of God the Father

“Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon. The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring” (Isaiah 58:10-11 NLT)

Here is a formula for success

Do these things two things for others

1) Feed the hungry

2) Help those in trouble

 And God will do the following 

• Your light will shine out from darkness
• The darkness around you will be bright as noon
• The Lord will guide you continually
• The Lord will give you water when you are dry
• The Lord will restore your strength
• You will be like a well watered garden
• You will be like an ever-flowing spring

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Heb. 11:1 KJV)

I have often heard people say in conversation, “don't get your hopes up.” But, concerning the promises of God, you MUST!

The substance of things hoped for!

Notice that today’s promise verse says, “faith is the substance of things HOPED for.” That's because Hope is an important ingredient to faith. In fact, it's impossible to have faith without it! The Bible has thousands of promises for you but they are all faith activated with hope!

Abraham was a great example of using Hope 

“Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall your descendants be.” (Rom. 4:18 NKJV)

Here's what you must do

You find a promise in God’s Word, then you apply hope to it (just like Abraham did) and then you stand firmly on it, not wavering in unbelief. You don't go by what you see, you don't waver while you wait, but instead you go by what the promise in God’s Word says. (James 1:6).

What to do while you wait

Stand solidly on several promises found in Romans 5:13.

Through the power of the Holy Spirit:

• You can be filled with joy.
• You can have peace in believing.
• You can abound in hope.

"Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Rom. 15:13 NKJV)

"And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”(2 Cor. 9:8 NIV)

This is one of my all time favorite promises!

It declares that God is ABLE to bless (and He does) and it says that He blesses ABUNDANTLY, and promises that not only will you have ALL THAT YOU NEED, you will ABOUND in EVERY good work! And it's at ALL TIMES!

Wow! That is a great reason to praise Him!

“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” (Eph. 3:20 NLT)

“For His lovingkindness is great toward us, And the truth of the LORD is everlasting. Praise the LORD!” (Psalm 117:2 NASB)

His lovingkindness is precious!

 “How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.” (Psalm 36:7 NASB)

He poured it out upon you richly!

“But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior.” (Tit. 3:4-6 NASB)

It's intended to lead you to repentance

“Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?” (Rom. 2:4 NIV)

Therefore, we give Him praise! 

“Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips will praise You.” (Psalm 63:3 NASB)