Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God.
1 John 3:19 NLT
1 John 3:19–24 confronts a quiet instability in modern Christianity: believers who are sincere, devoted, and active — yet governed by how they feel.
John does not diagnose this with psychology or technique. He anchors us somewhere far more solid: Jesus Christ.
The Christian life is not sustained by emotional clarity, but by relational faithfulness.
Our Confidence Is Rooted in Truth, Not Mood
“Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God.” (v.19)
John does not point us inward.
He points us Godward.
Confidence before God is not summoned by positive thinking. It grows as our lives remain connected to the truth — and in Scripture, truth is not abstract.
Truth has a name: Jesus Christ.
Obedience does not earn our standing; it reveals where our faith is resting. When faith is anchored in Christ, obedience follows naturally.
Many believers feel unstable — not because they lack sincerity, but because they’ve been taught to look at themselves instead of at Him.
God Is Greater Than Our Feelings
“Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything.” (v.20)
This verse is not permission to ignore emotions.
It is a declaration of order.
Feelings are real — but they are not reliable. They rise and fall with circumstance, fatigue, memory, and fear. God is greater because Christ is greater.
You are not called to interpret your life through your emotions. You are called to interpret your emotions through Christ. Think about how David brings his soul’s condition to the Lord in Psalms for an upgrade.
Your standing before God is not measured by how you feel today. It is secured by who you are trusting — today and always.
Boldness Before God Is Relational, Not Emotional
“If we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence.” (v.21)
John is not teaching emotional management. He is describing the fruit of abiding faith.
Boldness before God does not come from inner calm. It comes from knowing:
- who God is
- who you belong to
- where your faith is anchored
When faith rests in Jesus — not in performance or emotional consistency — confidence becomes steady, quiet, and unforced.
This is the confidence of sons and daughters, not performers.
Prayer Flows From Trust, Not Striving
“We will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him.” (v.22)
This is not a promise of indulgence. It is a picture of alignment.
When faith is fixed on Jesus, obedience becomes responsive — not negotiated. When obedience is present, prayer stops sounding like anxiety and starts sounding like trust.
We are not convincing God to act. We are learning to ask as people who already belong.
Faith Comes First. Love Follows.
“This is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another…” (v.23)
John reduces the Christian life to its unshakable center.
Not behavior first.
Not emotion first.
Faith first.
Belief in Jesus is the foundation. Love is the evidence.
When belief is secure, love becomes courageous and generous. When belief wavers, love becomes conditional — and exhausted.
The Church does not need more emotional intensity. It needs deeper confidence in Christ.
The Spirit Confirms What Faith Has Anchored
“Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him… And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us.” (v.24)
The Holy Spirit does not replace faith. He confirms it.
He does not testify to moods.
He bears witness to our union with Jesus.
Peace may come and go.
Conviction may rise and fall.
But Christ remains — present, faithful, and sufficient — yesterday, today and forever.
An Encouraging Word
There will be days your feelings accuse you.
Days they affirm you.
Days they say nothing at all.
Do not build your life on any of them.
Build it on Jesus Christ.
“My faith is not in how I feel today. My faith is in Jesus Christ.”
When emotions shake, return to Him.
When clarity fades, remain in Him.
When confidence rises, trust Him more than yourself.
A faith anchored in Jesus will stand — even while everything else is shaken.
Closing Prayer
Jesus, we confess how easily we measure our faith by how we feel.
When emotions accuse us, steady us in Your truth.
When they affirm us, keep us anchored in You.
When they fall silent, teach us to remain.
We choose to trust You more than our moods,
Your faithfulness more than our clarity,
and Your finished work more than our inner state.
By Your Spirit, anchor our confidence in who You are, not in how we feel — today and always.
Amen.
Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he remains in fellowship with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us.
1 John 3:24 NLT
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