Who Do You Believe?
The Apostle Paul writes of the confidence we can have in God in 2Timothy 1:12b…
·“I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have committed to him for that day.”
This morning we will use this verse as and outline and leave here with 3 important proclamations drawn from this verse:
1) we know who we believe!
2) we are convinced that He is able!
3) we have entrusted everything to Him!
1) We know who we believe!
The key to this statement is the who in between the words know and we…
To know who we believe reflects a high level of intimacy.
-The word for know here in the Geek means to:
- to be sure of
-to understand
We must each cross a line of faith in our walk so that we come to the place where we are.
-sure of God
The place where we on a certain level
-understand Him … in an intimate way.
Our understanding of Who God is must -- cause an action of belief in our life.
*Someone once said it this way..
-Our belief must equal our behavior.
*Another man said it this way…
-If you get enough of Jesus inside of you He will eventually start coming out of you!
There has never been a day when people who call themselves Christians could justify so much and due so little – as in our day!
If you get to know Jesus –your whole lifestyle is going to change – If you see the beauty of His holiness – You’re going to want to be holy as well.
a) The Example of Moses applied to our prayer life.
Turn with me to Exodus 33:7 while I paraphrase the background.
We know that Moses was trained in both the knowledge of Egypt and also the traditions of the Israelites. He chose to suffer with the Israelites rather than to enjoy the pleasures of Egypt.
Yet God had not yet reveled Himself to Moses in an intimate way. We know this because at the burning bush experience God had to introduce Himself to Moses. He also had to strengthen Moses’ faith through signs and wonders.
Though Moses feared God at this point he did not Know Him. Moses was not sure of Him. He did not understand Him on an intimate level.
God was faithful to deliver the Israelites from Egypt - at the hand of Moses. The signs God had promised were fulfilled.
An interaction between Moses and God was beginning to take place. A relationship was being formed. No longer did Moses Just believe in the Great I AM –HE KNEW HIM.
Exodus 33:7-10
“7 Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the “tent of meeting.” Anyone inquiring of the LORD would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. 8 And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. 9 As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the LORD spoke with Moses. 10 Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to his tent. 11 The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.”
· The key to this passage is the TENT OF MEETING
When Moses would Go --- God would come!
The Heavenly would meet with the earthly
We each need a tent of meeting in our life:
-A place where we can go to meet with God!
-A place where a relationship can be nurtured based not on rules but friendship!
-A place where you can get to know Jesus!
We have a greater revelation than Moses had -- we have the Holy Spirit of God and the person of Jesus alive and at work in us… We need to spend time meeting with God.
Moses had a burning desire to know God more -- in verse 13 He cried…“13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you.”
When we have a place of meeting with the Lord.
When our hearts burn to know Him more.
When we know who we believe -
- we are liberated from our own weaknesses, sins, and frustrations by our revelation of Him.
Human limitations will still abound in our lives - but we are not Held by their power - we are held by the callings and will of God. BECAUSE WE KNOW WHO WE BELIEVE!
2) Knowing God intimately will convince us that He is Able.
a) “I know who I have believed and am convinced that He is able to… overcome our weaknesses.
I am not a psychologist but I have learned 3 things about human weaknesses:
·we all have them.
·we usually know what our personal weaknesses are.
·we hate it when other people tell us about our
weaknesses.
In fact our weaknesses can pop their ugly head up at the most in opportune times.
Usually during times of great success we are reminded that we are human.
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-One group of British military men were reminded of this fact in the early 1990’s.
-The Civilian Fire department went on strike so it was the military’s job to handle
their calls.
-One night an elderly woman called and reported that her cat was stuck in the tree.
-With amazing speed a few soldiers quickly drove to the scene and rescued the cat out of the tree.
-The woman was so thankful that she invited them in for tea and desert.
-Though they were very busy they could not refuse this nice old woman.
-After a time of pleasantries and repeated thankfulness from the woman.
-The soldiers climbed in their truck to return to their post.
-As they were leaving the driveway they hit a bump and heard a thud.
-A quick observation reveled that they had hit an killed the cat!
Human weaknesses will pop its head up at the most inappropriate times. But this is not an excuse to quit doing the will of God.
The example of Gideon applied to our weakness.
Success is not based on our own strength but on our revelation of who Christ is!
He has promised us, “In our weaknesses Christ is made strong.”
b) “I know who I believe and am convinced that He is able… to kill the giants in my life.”
Tertullian declared in 240 A.D. “I believe because it is impossible.”
·Tertullian touched on the fact that “What is
impossible with man is possible with God.”
The Example of David applied to our giants:
When David walked on the battle field to fight with Goliath - I wonder how many people said,
“it is impossible”.
But David knew his God and was convinced that God was able to kill the Giant – David only needed to be obedient.
God had helped David to kill a lion and a bear with his bare hands – But this was a totally different battle.
-He was now facing a giant.
-A giant who was skilled in warfare from his
youth.
-A giant who was clothed in armor.
For David this could have been a more difficult battle - but there is no degree of difficulty with God - and this was God’s battle!
·David did not try to get close to the Giant and kill Goliath with his bear hands - like the other beasts.
·David did not try to just knock the giant out and keep him in a cage.
When God shows you a giant that He wants you to kill -- the way to do it is quickly, mercilessly, and totally.
The Bible tells us “We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.” (Phil. 413)
Too many people are wondering why God hasn’t destroyed the Giants in their lives.
-They are no longer convinced that He is able.
The problem is not in God’s ability to kill giants - it is often our desire to have them around!
c) “I know who I have believed and am convinced that He is able to.. “Bring to fulfillment to my life.
There are people here today who are doubting their call.
You are wondering, “How could God have called me? My life is to messed up!”
Friends, God knew your struggles before you did!
God knew you struggles before He called you!
Now is not the time to quit!
Now is not the time to give in!
NOW IS THE TIME TO GET RIGHT!
Get to know your God – become convinced that He is able to bring your call to fulfillment!
The Example of the Apostle Paul applied to our search for fulfillment.
Paul wrote in Phil. 312-14…
“12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
Paul realized the only way to take hold of fulfillment in life was to take hold of Christ… In a continual pursuit to be more like Jesus.
-Now is the time to press on in the callings of Christ!
-Don’t be negligent now!
-Don’t be so wrapped around your own imperfections
that you miss the perfection of Christ
-Don’t be so caught up in what you cannot do that you
do not accomplish what God has called you to!
“I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have committed to Him for that day.” (2 Timothy 1:12b)
3) The final proclamation is that we have committed
everything to Him against that day!
Because we know our God…
Because we are convinced that He is able in every situation…
We have committed everything to Him..
Everything: our hearts
our lives
our struggles
our plans
our giants
The day is coming when the heavens will crack open and Christ will come for His church…or deaths cold dew will rest on our brow.
In that day we will be made perfect – like Jesus is perfect!
Because we are looking for that day…
-we will get to know Him.
-we will become convinced that He is able
-we will commit everything to Him!
Altar:
-Come this morning and get to know your God better -build places of meeting in your life.
-Come this morning and be convinced that He is able in every situation -His abilities are greater than our weakness
-Come this morning and re-commit everything to Him!
Who do you believe?
*2Timothy 1:12b….
“I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have committed to him for that day.”
1) We know who we believe!
The Example of Moses applied to our prayer life.
*Exodus 33:7-10
2) Knowing God intimately will convince us that He is Able.
a) “I know who I have believed and am convinced that He is able to… overcome my weaknesses.
The Example of Gideon applied to our weakness.
Our success is not based on our strength, but on our revelation of who Christ is!
b) “I know who I believe and am convinced that He is able… to kill the giants in my life.”
The Example of David applied to our giants.
c) “I know who I have believed and am convinced that He is able to… “Bring to fulfillment to my life.
The Example of the Apostle Paul applied to our search for fulfillment.
*Philippians. 3:12-14
3) We have committed everything to Him until that day!
