Day 24 - The Power To Believe
- Pastor b.Side
- Apr 23
- 3 min read
For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day. - 2 Timothy 1:12
The Bible teaches that a true Christian should “walk by faith and not by sight.” That is much easier said than done. That’s why we need God's power. Yes, we need God to perform daily miracles, equipping us with abilities beyond our natural capacity so we can have the faith to trust in who He is and what He says. Why? Even though faith produces fruit that we can see, the things we trust in cannot be seen – at least not yet. The central focus of our faith is Jesus Christ, His identity, and the work He accomplished on the cross. We have never seen Jesus. Our faith also promises we’ll have eternal life. We’ve never experienced eternity.
“I am not ashamed…”
When we observe faith in the lives of God’s people, we are truly witnessing His power at work. Without God granting us the ability to believe, we wouldn't have faith. Furthermore, when we think about the remarkable confidence some individuals have and realize that there are believers all around the world, God’s power is even more evident! Consider the testimony in 2 Timothy 1:12. There, Paul writes to the young pastor Timothy, again, while in prison, this time facing a death sentence. Yet, Paul offers encouragement and confidence. Why?
“I know whom I have believed…”
Jesus came and abolished death, bringing life and immortality through the light of the Gospel. Believers in the finished work of Jesus are born again, granted eternal life, and equipped as servants of His eternal purposes. This salvation encourages God’s people to embrace the challenges that come with serving and following Jesus because He affirms our hearts about eternal life. That’s where Paul’s confidence originated. It wasn’t a byproduct of his ability. Paul’s faith was evidence of God’s power to assure the human soul regarding truths we’ve never seen! Paul’s dedication to the purposes of Jesus Christ didn’t turn out well for him in terms of circumstances. He didn’t care. He wasn’t ashamed of his faith despite the many difficulties it brought. He knew Jesus had conquered death. Even though Paul couldn’t see heaven at that moment, he saw the work of the Spirit, affirming Jesus' promises about eternal life.
“And am persuaded that He is able…”
So, he was persuaded. He was confident that Jesus would hold his soul regardless, because he understood that he was made a child of God and a citizen of heaven through Jesus. He knew Jesus was alive, so he believed that God had the integrity to fulfill the promise of eternal life. Paul knew he would die, but recognized he was a recipient of God’s eternally unconditional covenants concerning redemption and the return of Jesus Christ. God’s power isn’t limited to the aspects of this life. His power focuses on producing eternal results, starting with the work of shifting our focus to align with His eternal perspective, just like Paul did.
Prayer for today
Our heavenly Father, thank You for showing Your understanding of our weakness. Without the ability You provide, we wouldn’t believe and would remain condemned. Thank You for giving us the ability. Help us express our gratitude through obedience, demonstrating Your power by showing our faith in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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