Do we?

He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”
John 7:38 NKJV

Do we believe?
Do we love Him?
Do we know Him and not just know about Him?

Asking ourselves these questions is not harmful when we ask and examine ourselves to PROVE that we are walking in faith. But if we are just content answering yes to these without any real examination and comparison of our lives to Christ, aren’t we instead trying to CONVINCE ourselves instead?

So the Word of God teaches us ways to know whether we are true or whether we are deceiving ourselves.

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
James 1:22 NKJV

Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load.
Galatians 6:1‭-‬5 NKJV

Living water flows from the heart of a believer, the annointing of the Holy Spirit – Christ lives in the hearts of those who are born again as children of God. And these living waters “convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment”. So we should ask ourselves – Is the example of my Christian day to day life a light shining in the darkness proving that I have been convicted regarding sin and righteousness and judgement?

Additional Reading

Some verses and notes from a related article about examining ourselves:

“There are many ways you can deceive yourself and believe what you’re doing is right. Many Christians deceive themselves by thinking they can’t stop a certain sin, but truly just don’t want to stop a sin. Many people deceive themselves by believing something bad is good. They go out of their way to find a false teacher who will justify their sins when the Bible and their conscience says no.”

Lying to yourself and telling yourself you’re not sinning.

1. Romans 14:23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.

2. Proverbs 30:20 “This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I’ve done nothing wrong.’

3. James 4:17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

4. 2 Timothy 4:3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,

Thinking you’re a Christian when you don’t live a Christian lifestyle.

5. Luke 6:46 “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?

6. James 1:26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.

7. 1 John 2:4 Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.

8.  1 John 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

9. 1 John 3:9-10 Everyone who has been fathered by God does not practice sin, because God’s seed resides in him, and thus he is not able to sin, because he has been fathered by God. By this the children of God and the children of the devil are revealed: Everyone who does not practice righteousness—the one who does not love his fellow Christian—is not of God.

Thinking you will get away with things.

10. Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.

11. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

12. Proverbs 28:13 Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

Saying you don’t sin

13. 1 John 1:8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

14. 1 John 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.

Deceiving yourself with friends.

15. 1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”

Wise in your own eyes

16. Isaiah 5:21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.

17. 1 Corinthians 3:18 Stop deceiving yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world’s standards, you need to become a fool to be truly wise.

18. Galatians 6:3 If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves.

19. 2 Timothy 3:13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

20. 2 Corinthians 10:12 Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.

How to know if I’m deceiving myself?

Your conscience.

21. 2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

22. John 16:7-8 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:

23. Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

24. 1 John 4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

Reminders

25. James 1:22-25 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it–not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it–they will be blessed in what they do.

Bonus

Ephesians 6:11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.