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  GENUINE ASSURANCE
  by Thomas Brooks
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Summary: Genuine assurance brings a deep sense of joy, comfort, and
peace, making every experience sweet and enjoyable.

Topics: "Assurance of Salvation", "Joy in Affliction"
Scripture References: Psalm 23:4, Psalm 119:165, Isaiah 26:3, John 16:33, Romans 15:13, 2 Corinthians 1:24, Philippians 4:7, 2 Timothy 1:12, Hebrews 10:22, 1 John 5:13

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DESCRIPTION
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Thomas Brooks emphasizes the profound impact of genuine assurance in the
life of a believer, asserting that it not only leads to a future heaven
but also provides a present heaven filled with joy, comfort, and peace.
He explains that genuine assurance transforms afflictions, strengthens
faith, and enhances the sweetness of every experience, making burdens
lighter and life more desirable. Brooks illustrates how this assurance
acts as a protective sword, a supportive staff, and a guiding star,
ultimately highlighting that knowing one is saved is one of the greatest
mercies in life.

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CONTENT
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Genuine holiness will yield you a heaven hereafter; but

genuine assurance will yield you a heaven here. He

who has holiness and knows it, shall have two heavens

--a heaven of joy, comfort, peace, contentment, and

assurance here--and a heaven of happiness and

blessedness hereafter.

Genuine assurance will be a spring of joy and comfort

in you. It will make heavy afflictions light, long afflictions

short, and bitter afflictions sweet. It will make you frequent,

fervent, constant, and abundant in the work of the Lord. It

will strengthen your faith, raise your hope, inflame your love,

increase your patience, and brighten your zeal. It will make

every mercy sweet, every duty sweet, every ordinance sweet,

and every providence sweet. It will rid you of all your sinful

fears and cares. It will give you ease under every burden,

and make death more desirable than life. It will make you

more strong to resist temptation, more victorious over

opposition, and more silent in every difficult condition.

Genuine assurance will turn . . .

every winter night into a summer's day,

every cross into a crown, and

every wilderness into a paradise.

Genuine assurance will be . . .

a sword to defend you,

a staff to support you,

a cordial to strengthen you,

a medicine to heal you, and

a star to lead you.

Well, remember this--next to a man's being saved, it is the

greatest mercy in this world--to know that he is saved.

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/thomas-brooks/genuine-assurance/
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