Ministering: Pastor Seyi Osanyinbi
In the natural, we live and have been trained to believe what we can see and verify. Persuasion is the art or process of persuading; to hold an opinion with complete assurance of its validity. In this realm of the seen, there are still certain things we cannot see but we believe them, an example is gravity. However, we need to ask if those persuasions are based on spiritual reality. Christianity is driven by persuasion. If you are not persuaded about the claims of the bible, then you cannot live in the faith. A person can be in church and not be persuaded about Christ and the reality of God. Heaven knows when you are persuaded about what you claim to believe. From the beginning to the end, Christianity is all about being convicted of the reality that you have been told. People have believed lies because persuasive people spoke to them.
Matthew 7:21; 2 Corinthians 13:5
You know you are in faith when you are persuaded about certain things which are fundamental to the faith. It is not just about having head knowledge. When Paul wrote his letter to the Hebrew Christians, he observed that at the beginning of their Christian walk, they were convinced that they could not continue in the Mosaic way of doing things and had to come to Jesus (Hebrews 10:35). Over time, they began to question their confidence and beliefs; if whether it was worth their lives. They had come under serious persecution and began to wonder if they had believed a lie about Christ. In the book of Daniel, the three Hebrews believed God but they still ended up in the burning furnace. You need to understand that the fact that you serve God does not mean God must do all that you want. You need not doubt the authenticity of God because of unmet expectations. A look at Hebrew 11:1 shows that without hope there is no faith. You must be given hope before you can believe it. Faith without hope is head knowledge. – When you doubt biblical claims, you cannot have faith. God wants you to believe Him for who He is not for what He has to give. His commitment to our well being is well assured (Jeremiah 29:11).
There are people in the Bible that were not persuaded of things they believed. The rich fool in Luke 16:31 who had falsely taught his brothers that there is nothing like hell wanted father Abraham to send someone from the dead to go preach to them and correct what they believed. He postulated that they will believe that there is life after death if someone from the dead will go and tell them. But since Jesus had risen from the dead, some people have not believed. Many have also died and come back to life and have given testimonies of hell and heaven and yet some people have not believed. If you are waiting for signs before you believe, you may wait for a long time. Many have weak wills and the devil is taking advantage of that. The wisdom of God is to use the simple preaching of the gospel to test those that will be worthy of eternal life. If anyone will not be persuaded by that means, he may not get any other way of beimg persuaded.
Romans 4:17-23
Abraham believed in God. He did not believe because he was asked to, he believed based on testimony. He knew it was God who quickens the dead. At this point, Abraham had not heard any story about God raising the dead. However, he knew God speaks as if a thing had already happened. He speaks in the past tense. Hardly will you hear God speak in the future tense. He speaks of the matter as already settled. That is how Christianity was designed to be; believing God has spoken. Verse 18 – There was no reason for Abraham to hope but he hoped because he knew whom he was dealing with. He knew that his present reality was a fact not the truth. The seed of Abraham are people who believe that God has spoken even when their natural situation negates what has been spoken. Faith does not deny facts. Faith superimposed truth on facts. Faith is not presumption. Presumption arises when you think on your own. Abraham did not allow the fact which was the deadness of their (he and his wife) bodies affect his faith. The truth is not dependent on what happens around you. Abraham sat and convinced himself about God. Take time to sit and persuade yourself too. Under pressure, words from others can fall away but your persuasion about God remains. Though the facts do not line up with the truth, choose to believe God. Many go through life based on what people say without internal conviction.
Romans 8:38
Probably Paul did not understand the love of God before he got to this point. He had to sit and think of God’s love. People have lost loved ones and assumed God did not love them since He had permitted the situation. Paul was persuaded that experiences cannot change the love of God for him. Nothing can change that truth. 2 Corinthians 5:11 – Paul was also persuaded that God was terror so he was encouraged to preach to men. 2 Timothy 1:12 – Paul felt no pain or shame going through those persecutions. Paul entrusted his soul to God and was convinced God can keep him to the end. Do you know God is able? Sit by yourself and convince yourself that God is able.
Romans 14:5
It is necessary to be persuaded. You cannot walk with God successfully without being fully persuaded. People can become sad and lose confidence in disappointments and unmet expectations. Hebrews 11:13 – When God gives a promise can you make it a reality in your mind. You need to mentally engage yourself. These men convinced themselves about the promises they have heard.