FOR I KNOW WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED
2ND Timothy chapter 1 verse 12b “Nevertheless, I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and I am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him unto that Day” NKJV.
Whose confession is this? It is bro Paul’s under the influence of the Holy Spirit. There is a need that we walk according to the Will and Purpose of the Master.
The first thing to notice here is this “Nevertheless” what does it mean, from Encarta dictionary, it is seen as in spite of that: that is despite a situation or comment. It can be also seen as this, even if anything happens, there is something I am holding unto. Brethren, when we look at your life, can we see anything that we can actually hold unto. For him here, it was a hope, and that hope was able to keep anyone that will depend on it.
NEVERTHELESS, I AM NOT ASHAMED:
It is something that most of us here seated, will ordinarily be ashamed of, i.e. ashamed that men will see you and call you names, calling you a waste product, they may even say that you are useless and hopelessly confused, and so because of that, we tend to cut corner, just because we want to please men and not God, but here we notice a nevertheless, in your own case, what will it be like. Note from verse 8 to 12, he was listing his suffering for the sake of the Cross of Christ and he was writing to his son in the Lord and to us today, authenticating what he told the Philippians Church in Philippians 1 vs 27. The calling of the Master is beyond the understanding of man and men may misunderstand us for who we are and the place the Lord is taking us to and if we don’t understand, we will end up hiding our faces, when we should hold it up high, knowing who has called. There was something that this brother saw and it was holding him firmly and that thing is this
FOR I KNOW WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED
Jokes apart, you as a Christian, who do you, say you believe? As a senior friend, as a junior friend, who do you say you believe? Infact, do you actually know who you believe? The first thing that kept him and that will keep us from being ashamed is this “for I know”- do you actually know/ when a man gets into the place of knowing God for himself, it brings him into the realm of remaining in the Will and purpose of God. A man cannot just come out and start shouting, “I know whom I’ve believed”, and something must have taken place in his life, somewhere, sometime, for him to boldly make this glorious confession. The proving of who God actually is, is done in the wilderness, where men are tried and passed through fire. It is not done in the open field nor on the pulpit, it is done where men will not disturb the dealings of the Lord upon that life. 1st Samuel 17 vs 37 “ the Lord who delivered me from the pew of the lion and the pew of the bear, will deliver me from the hand of this philistine” NIV. Where did he know God as a deliverer, it was at the wilderness, where he was tending the father’s flock and I know that while he was doing this, those friends of his that know not anything about the wilderness, will be busy laughing at him and even be calling him names, but he didn’t care because there was one thing before him and it was knowing the Lord for himself and that was enough for him. Now, except a man has been tried by God and has himself tried God, he cannot boldly say “I know Him”. Cannot goes with struggling that is no matter how he tries, he cannot and will not boldly come out before man and say he knows the Lord whom he believes. Do you actually know him for yourself or are you relying on the experiences of other people (my pastor said this and did that, that brother or sister said that and did that), but for you, there is no story to tell, why because you have not known Him for yourself. Don’t run away from that wilderness, for when the Lord is through with you, you will actually come out boldly to say-I know whom I’ve believed. It is only in the wilderness that our faith is tried and when it is tried, I know that by His special grace, we will come out stronger than we entered. Psalms 119: 71. The coming of temptation to us is actually to boast our faith in the Lord so that we will come to the place of personal knowledge and understanding of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.
Whatever comes my way as a Christian now, whether good or bad, I take it under grace with calmness, because I know that he will not let me dash my foot against the stone and even if He does, it is for my own good, because He wants to teach me what I have been ignoring for quite a long time so that I will be better. Paul didn’t just grow up and discovered that he knows him that is to say that he wasn’t born so, but in everything, there was a place of learning Christ which he faithfully followed all the day of his life, you too can start now and make that change that will change your generation.
AND I AM PERSUADED THAT HE IS ABLE
All these other things that followed were as a result of the first, which has taken place earlier on in the life of a believer. Looking at the confession of David in 1st Samuel 17:37, we will see the confidence he had in the Lord’s ability to save him, that is actually to be persuaded of something, he knew that the Lord was able to keep him and that He will not allow His name to be dragged to the mud. When a man knows the Lord, he is not persuaded otherwise, his conviction is always real because he has had an experience in the wilderness, where he proved God’s faithfulness. The heart of a man fails at the slightest news of anything evil, because he has not come to know whom he believes, if only you will know Him for yourself, then no matter the situation, you will actually look back and remember Him and stay put.
The confidence Paul had in the Lord, was as a result of the Lord’s ability to keep that which is committed to Him unto that day, brethren, I am not persuaded otherwise, for I know that the Lord will surely keep us in the hollow of His hand and He will build us up into vessels He can actually use for His glory. Looking back at my life throughout my life, I discovered that actually it will be a false humility if I say I don’t know Him. His name is Jesus Christ and He alone has the power to keep us until that Day. Brethren, that day is actually coming, hope to see you there
I wish you a happy stay in His presence as you have come upon this mount to experience the newness of Him. Grace to all of you. You are welcomed once again.
Think SUCF Pray SUCF Act SUCF
Maranatha, Shalom.
Your brother in the Lord
Dike, Daniel Emeka.
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