Advancing Encouragement By:
Bishop James Jr. Hairston

1John: 3:21: Beloved, if our heart condemns us not, then have we confidence toward God.

Be encouraged today to walk in confidence toward God meaning toward is the destination of the relationship you have with God! If you have a relationship with God then having confidence should be a direct prerequisite of having that relationship with Him. Having confidence toward God is also having boldness and assurance that is also a prerequisite of having a relationship with God! Hence, you must not walk around condemning yourself for any reason if you are in Christ Jesus. In the previous verse if your heart condemns you remember that God is greater than your heart and He knows all things. Most of the time if our hearts condemn us is because we did not obey God and we failed to please Him. The word of God say’s in Romans 8:1: There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. The key to not having a heart that condemns you is you are not walking after the flesh but after the Spirit! Yes, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) but our desire is not to sin but to do what is right before God because we choose to walk after the Spirit not after the flesh. This is where Gods grace comes in to forgive us of our sins because God said previously in 1John chapter one verse nine (1:9), if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Therefore you see why God is greater than our hearts and surely He knows all things. Today my friend you can go to God in boldness and confidence assured that He is able to fix your situation. He is able to bring you out of your situation. He is able to change your situation if you trust Him in your relationship with Him, so let not your heart be troubled, this is what He said in the next verse in 1John 3:22: And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. When we keep His commandments and are faithful to Him doing things that are pleasing in His sight even when we slip up and sin (His grace is there to forgive us and the blood of Jesus Christ is there to clean us up) whatsoever we ask in His name we receive of Him. If you are sick in your body ask for healing, if you need a financial increase ask for a financial increase, if you need to fix a relationship ask God to help you fix it and whatever else you stand in need of ask of Him according to His will in Jesus Name…

James Jr. Hairston