Category Archives: Persuasion

Wooden sign with the word TRUTH in capital letters on a pole in a forest
Bible, Conviction, Jesus, Persuasion, Romans, Scripture, Truth

CONVINCED IN THE LORD

ROMANS 14:14

“I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to the one who thinks something is unclean, to that person it is unclean.”

Let me tell you something. It takes a lot to convince me nowadays. With the emergence of AI it’s hard to know what is real and what is not. You can’t tell if that person you know is really in that picture or someone planted them there. And don’t even get me started about the internet. People are fooled all the time by something they find via Google or Safari. We all need to be more careful what we believe is true.

Paul lays those doubts to rest with today’s verse, if we will follow his instructions. Look at just the first part of this verse.
“I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus…” I know he is still talking about the issue of judging others over food and stuff. But that first phrase hit me like a ton of bricks. I asked myself, “Self, do you know that you are convinced in the Lord Jesus?” My first response, of course, was “Yes, I am sure.”

APPLICATION

The Greek word for “convinced” is a primary verb and is used over 50 times in the New Testament. The word is peíthō which is the root of pístis (faith). It means “to persuade; (passive) be persuaded of what is trustworthy. The Lord persuades the yielded believer to be confident in His preferred-will (Gal 5:10; 2 Tim 1:12). Peíthō involves obedience, but it is properly the result of (God’s) persuasion. (HELPS Word-studies)

Remember my opening paragraph? There is a “however” here. If God is the one persuading you can take it to the bank. Why? Because He is trustworthy. He is truth! Anything He says or does is based in truth. God cannot lie. Wouldn’t it be great if you could say that about everyone? And God only wants what is best for you, so if He says for you to do something or go somewhere, He has prepared you for it.

Paul wrote to the Philippian church in Philippians 1:6, “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work among you will complete it by the day of Christ Jesus.” May I repeat those words over you? I am confident that He will continue to work good in you and will complete you one day. I just got word that a good friend of mine saw his sweet bride of 56 years go to her ultimate glory a couple of weeks ago. I had not heard about this, so I instantly called him. He was doing great because he is convinced in the Lord Jesus. He knows exactly where his sweet wife is now. Are you that confident in your belief in the Lord Jesus? I certainly hope so. He certainly believes in you.

O Lord, I am persuaded fully in Your awesome power and grace in my life. Thank You.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Conviction, Persuasion, Protection, Romans, Scripture

I AM CONVINCED

ROMANS 8:38

“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,”

What does it take for you to be persuaded about something? In this day of AI, you have to be careful about what persuades you. What might seem to be true could, in fact, be totally fabricated by the use of AI. I am convinced of a few things. I am convinced that I am sixty-five years old. I am convinced I live in TN. I am convinced I have been serving the Lord since April 1979. Other than that, it’s all up for grabs, lol.

But Paul tells us today that we can be convinced, just as he was, of some things. The word “convinced” is a primary verb used throughout the New Testament for being persuaded about faith. In faith, the Greek word here is peitho which is the root of pistis (faith). HELPS Word-studies says, “The Lord persuades the yielded believer to be confident in His preferred-will (Galatians 5:10; 2 Timothy 1:12).” Are you convinced?

APPLICATION

Paul was a persuader! In Thessalonica, when he preached to the Jews there, some of them believed. Acts 17:4 says, “And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas,…” Why were they convinced? Because Paul taught from the Scriptures how Jesus had to suffer and die and was the long awaited Messiah, the Christ. Then the Holy Spirit did His job and wooed them to the Lord. It is not only up to us. God uses us, but He calls them.

One of my favorite verses that uses peitho is 2 Timothy 1:12. “For this reason I also suffer these things; but I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to protect what I have entrusted to Him until that day.” There is even a hymn entitled “I Know Whom I Have Believed.” All four stanzas of that hymn talk about what we do not know. Here is the first one:

“I know not why God’s wondrous grace to me He hath made known,

nor why, unworthy, Christ in love redeemed for His own.”

But then the Chorus burst out:

“But I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able

to keep that which I’ve committed unto Him against that day. “

Praise be to God for the convincing power of the cross and His unfailing love for us. He has convinced me. Has He convinced you?

Lord, I am persuaded. I am convinced that You are able to keep me secure against all that comes against me.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Boldness, Confidence, Disciples, Encouragement, Freedom, Heaven, Persuasion, Scripture

BOLD AND CONFIDENT

EPHESIANS 3:12

“in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him.”

Often our boldness and confidence can be seen as arrogance or rudeness. There is no doubt that can be the perception IF we are not careful. I have prayed for boldness to witness more. I have prayed for confidence to face life’s challenges. There is nothing wrong with boldness and confidence if it is done through the Lord. We are going to see that in today’s verse.

Paul is continuing a thought from the previous verse in verse 12. “In whom” is referring back to “Christ Jesus our Lord” in verse 11. Look what Christ gives us. He gives us boldness to approach the very throne of grace. The Greek word translated as “boldness” is parrésia. It is defined as “confidence (bold resolve), leaving a witness that something deserves to be remembered (taken seriously).” (HELPS Word studies) Then Paul tells us we also have “confident access.” In the Greek text it is literally “access in confidence.” Pepoithésis is the word translated for “confidence. It means “interactive-access in persuasion.”  (HELPS Word studies)

APPLICATION

You are probably thinking Okay, Carl, I already knew that. I didn’t need a Greek lesson. I get it. But you can’t just read this verse and take it for granted. This boldness and confidence can only be exhibited correctly through Jesus. We have the privilege and honor to be given these in order to talk to our heavenly Father without any fear or trepidation.

In 1 Timothy 3:13, Paul tells Timothy as he talks about deacons, “For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.” As we develop as believers and learn to listen for His voice, our boldness and confidence increases. Leaders in our churches should have this boldness and confidence to lead others towards a deeper relationship with Christ.

The writer of Hebrews says this in Hebrews 10:19-22. “19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, through His flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let’s approach God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”

Don’t shrink back, beloved. Go before the Lord with boldness and confidence. God won’t embarrass you and send you to the back of the line. There is room for everyone at the foot of the cross. Approach Him today and thank Him for giving you this access through His Son, Jesus Christ. You’ll find Him open and receptive every time.

Lord, I praise You for all you have given me, including my access to Your throne.

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Belief, Bible, Calling, Direction, God's Will, Hearing, Listening, Messages, Persuasion, Scripture

WHO’S CALLING?

GALATIANS 5:8

“This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you.”

Have you ever been tricked by someone on a phone call? I used to occasionally call the office secretary when I was on a road trip and disguise my voice. I would pretend to be a donor who wanted to donate some wild and outlandish thing (which actually happened more times than you can imagine) just to make her squirm a little and figure out how to answer this person. Of course, towards the end of the call she would recognize it was me and threaten me bodily harm when I returned. Lol

Paul is warning the Galatians and us in today’s verse to be careful who you answer to, to make sure you know who is actually calling you. The Greek word for “persuasion” is only used here in Galatians 5:8. It refers to a self-produced persuasion. In other words, they decided themselves to believe this caller. It was not God who was calling them to keep the Mosaic law and deny their freedom in Christ.

APPLICATION

Matthew Poole’s Commentary says this about “Him who calls you,” “is not from God, who hath called you out of darkness into marvellous light, unto fellowship with himself, into a state of grace and favour with him, and to the hopes of eternal life; and who yet calleth you by his gospel: it must therefore be from the devil and his instruments, who go about to seduce and pervert you.”

Think about Poole’s words for a second. It is God who has called you out of darkness into marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9), into fellowship with Himself (1 John 1:3), into grace and favor (1 Peter 2:20, and to the hopes of eternal life (1 Peter 5:10). It seems Poole liked 1 Peter, didn’t he? It is God who calls us to these things. He isn’t adding on to His requirements.

The next time you hear a voice directing you to do something, make sure it is the voice of God and not His arch enemy attempting to disguise his voice and imitate God. Remember, the devil will never ask you to do anything that will glorify the Father or the Son. It will only be about you, what will make you happy. Listen closely. Learn to recognize His voice.

Father, it is sweet to hear Your voice and recognize that You love me beyond words or deeds.

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