“20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. 22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.” I John 3:20-22
The apostle John has just finished talking about how practical acts of love can give believers assurance that they “are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before Him” in prayer (3:17-19). But sometimes when we kneel before the Lord in prayer, we may feel like failures trying to love one another compared to how Jesus has loved us without limitations. We may have a sensitive conscience that condemns us for having done too little, or for not making up for past failures. Our sinful flesh may even suspect ourselves of impure or unworthy motives when we try to love others. This kind of self-condemnation can lead us to think that God could never answer our prayers. No doubt, Satan, who is the accuser of believers (Rev. 12:10), is happy to see Christians approaching God in prayer with a condemning heart that lacks the assurance that God will answer their prayers. He knows if this is not addressed, shame will set in and isolate the believer from God and others.
John counters a self-condemning heart by reminding us that “God is greater than our heart” (3:20a) which may forget how we have loved “in deed and in truth” (3:18) in the past. But what our heart does not take into account, God, who “knows all things” does take into account (3:20b). God remembers the times we have loved others even though our hearts may be inclined to ignore this. During these times when our hearts condemn us, we need to speak the truth to our hearts and assure them that “God is greater than our hearts” in that He “knows all” about how we have loved others in the past. So when we approach God’s throne of grace in prayer (Heb. 4:15-16), John wants us to remember that God takes into account (even if our heart does not) “all” that we have done for Him in love.
When we come before God in prayer with a heart which “does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God” (3:21). The word “confidence” (parrēsia) refers to freedom to speak, boldness, or fearless confidence before God when we pray.
John goes on to say that we can have a more confident and effective prayer life when “we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight” (3:22). Just as an earthly father has great delight in the obedience of his children, so too, does our heavenly Father as well. He loves to answer the prayers of His obedient children who ask for what pleases Him.
Dr. Tony Evans tells the story of being in Columbia S.C. to preach at a crusade at the University of South Carolina’s football stadium. Twenty-five thousand people had gathered for the evening session, but news reports indicated a serious thunderstorm was on the way. In fact, the storm was expected to hit at 7:00 pm—the exact time the meeting was scheduled to start.
When the sky grew darker and darker, the organizers didn’t know what to do at first. Eventually, they called a prayer meeting. When the preachers and other Christian leaders came together, Tony says that all the preachers prayed “safe prayers” – prayers where God would look good either way it went. Lots of comments about the Lord’s will and so forth. Then, a short little woman named Linda spoke up, asking, “Do you mind if I pray?” Linda’s prayer went something like this:
“Lord, Your name is at stake. We told these people if they would come, they would hear a word from God. If they come, and it rains, and You control the weather, then You look bad… because we told them that You wanted to say something to them. Therefore right now I command You, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to stop the rain for the sake of Your name!” The preachers opened one eye and started looking at one another and said, “Whoah!”
Everyone took their places under the dark, threatening sky. The leader of the crusade told the people, “We will go as long as we can.” Umbrellas sprouted up among the crowd. Linda was on the stage and a man next to her opened his umbrella and offered to shield her as well. Linda said, “That’s okay. I don’t need it.”
Tony says he and his wife watched as the rain clouds came up to the stadium and then split in two. The storm rained on both sides of the stadium and came back together on the other side. All of those gathered for the crusade stayed dry. They all witnessed a miracle!
When we focus on the fact that God is greater than our condemning hearts and He answers those who are pleasing and obedient to Him, we will have the kind of boldness that Linda had at that crusade. We will be able to approach Him without fear or hesitation.
Prayer: Father God, often times when I approach You in prayer I do not believe You will answer me because my heart condemns me. Help me to believe that You are greater than my condemning heart and know all the things I have done for You in love. I want to love You more and obey Your Word more so I may grow closer to You and deepen my communication with You. Please grant me Your boldness to pray in a way that honors You above all else. In Jesus’ name. Amen.