Speaking Knowing
Foundation Statement: This speaking knowing is a big time mark of the person who has the
spirit of faith
I.
2 Corinthians 4:13, “We
having the same spirit of faith,” is him explaining why and how he can have the
attitude he has in verses 8 through 12
A. When you’re attitude
about pressure and affliction and distress is one like this, you have to
explain yourself; And what’s the explanation? How can
you have this attitude that you have in verse 8 through 12? – We have the
same spirit of faith
1.
The
spirit of faith is the explanation of this attitude, of this outlook, of this
approach towards pressure
2.
The way for us to have
this same attitude, this outlook, this same approach towards pressure is to
develop the same spirit of faith
3.
This
is not the attitude of the many, but it’s the attitude of the few-Proverbs 20:6-A faithful man who can
find?
B. He gives the explanation
of spirit of faith and then he gives the execution of the spirit of faith (what
the spirit of faith looks like in action)
1.
We
believe and out of this believing is coming this, “speaking knowing”
(confidence)
2.
This speaking knowing
(confidence) is a big time mark of the person who has the spirit of faith; When
somebody has the spirit of faith there is going to be this speaking knowing (confidence)
a. They’re not wandering,
they’re not trying to talk themselves into knowing/believing; They are not
unsure, they are assured, persuaded
II.
*Confidence marks the
person with the spirit of faith* (Having the spirit of faith and knowing
go together)-2 Corinthians 4:14
A. We also believe and
therefore speak knowing (Phillips-For
we too speak because we believe and we
know for certain that he who raised the Lord Jesus from death shall
also by him raise us)
1.
“Knowing”
suggest fullness of knowledge (Ginosko suggest progression of knowledge, but Eido suggests fullness of knowledge)
a. This means their “knowing”
has reached it’s highest place; it’s not progressing, it’s complete; This means
they couldn’t be any more certain about it, more sure about it, more assured of
it
b. If you’re fully
persuaded, then you can’t be persuaded anymore-Romans 4:21
1)
Being fully persuaded-To fill one with, To be persuaded, fully convinced or assured or certain-Hebrews 10:22, Acts6:8
2)
EX:
It’s like a bottle full of water; if it’s full it is not possible to put
anymore in there
3)
EX:
I can’t convince you anymore that Jesus was born of a virgin, died and three
days later rose again – You are FULLY convinced
a) You can’t get that way
about your healing, your family, your finances
c. There’s a place that a person with the spirit of faith
reaches where their knowing/believing is full, it’s no longer progressing, it’s
complete, it’s reached it’s highest place, it’s FULLY persuaded
2.
To
know, to get knowledge or, to understand any fact (Heb11:1AMP-Faith perceiving as real fact,
what is not yet revealed to the senses)
a. This means that they know
this as a fact-Any thing done;
Reality; In their heart and mind it is done
b. What’s your name? Paul.
Will Jesus raise you up? Yes. – Same level of confidence in what is name
is as will Jesus raise him up
B. This knowing is confidence
and confidence is THE expression of the spirit of faith (genuine faith)
1.
Faith-Belief with the
predominant idea of trust or confidence, assurance, to be persuaded; to have
confidence in God
a. If you really ARE in faith then you HAVE confidence
2.
The spirit of faith oozes
confidence and assurance
a. It’s not phony confidence or forced confidence or false
bravado; when you develop the spirit of faith confidence and assurance will
just come oozing out of you without you putting forth any effort to do so;
you’re not trying to be, you just are
C. Confidence and assurance is
not something you hear coming from a lot of believers
1.
After
their eternal salvation most believers aren’t too sure about anything;
Believers have been more known for being unsure than being sure
a. Many quote, “You just never know” like it’s a verse; The insinuation
is you can’t be sure or confident about anything
b. You ask many, “Will God heal you?” and they’ll say some he
does and some he doesn’t – You ask others, “Will God protect you?” and
they’ll say some he protects and some he doesn’t – You ask others, “Will
God make you rich?” and they’ll say some he chooses to be rich and others he
doesn’t.”
2.
Confidence
is actually preached against in churches; They call it
arrogance; “Who do you think you are? What makes you so special?”
a. In fact, people are so
ignorant about what faith is, then when somebody does get persuaded and
confident where the Word of God is concerned other people will call them arrogant
and say they are in pride
b. 1 Samuel 17:26-28-Eliab
calls David’s faith pride and the words that must have sparked him was, “Who is
this uncircumcised Philistine?”
D. Does God want you to have
confidence and to be sure? - Proverbs 14:26, Acts 28:31
1.
Hebrews
10:32-38-God tells us not to cast away our confidence so apparently He wants us
to have confidence
a. 35-The command was don’t
let go of your confidence; Confidence has the reward, faith has the victory and
if you lose confidence you won’t get the reward and if you let go of faith you
won’t get the victory
b. 36-If you cast away your
confidence you’re not going to have the patience you need to do the will of God
and receive the promise
1)
How
could you be steadfast and endure and persevere? Your confident that you’re
going to win-Psalm 27:13
a) It’s hard to continue to
fight if you’re not sure you’re going to win; when you know you’re going to win
it empowers you to continue
b) 38-Why would you draw
back? You lost confidence, you became unsure that you were going to win
2)
38-God
gets no pleasure in you having no confidence and being unwilling to say it
boldly knowing
a) Don’t get rid of that
speaking knowing (What if somebody tells you about a negative experience or how
it didn’t work for somebody they knew or shows you a scripture that they think
contradicts it? Don’t let go of that speaking knowing)
2.
Ephesians
3:12-In Jesus we have confidence and access WITH confidence
a. Most believe they have access to God through Jesus, but the
boldness and confidence thing they don’t have a revelation of
b. Most when they approach God don’t approach him with any
boldness or confidence and that’s why they don’t receive
c. It’s not just confidence that he won’t burn you up and
condemn you, it’s confidence to get what you desire of him-1John 5:14-15
1)
You
can pray and have no confidence and if you did you’d be praying a prayer in
unbelief
2)
1
John 3:20-22-Confidence towards God will affect receiving from God
E. It’s the enemy trying to
get you to live with no confidence; No assurance is part of the
curse-Deuteronomy 28:66
1.
It’s all this uncertainty
that he’s trying to peddle and push and he does it a lot through religion and
through Bible verses
a. “Well you just never
know, and it could happen to you or me as well as anybody so let’s just thank
God it didn’t happen to us and hope and pray that it doesn’t,” and people call
that humility and when people talk like this, “I know, it’s not going to happen
to me, it’s never going to happen to me, God is my protector, my provider, my
healer,” people call that pride
b. The enemy will use other
believers to try to get you unsure-They’ll say, “Well brother, use wisdom and
don’t get your hopes too high.”
c. The enemy will use
somebody’s experiences to get you unsure-“Well they prayed and did that and it
didn’t work.”
d. The enemy will use verses
to get you unsure-“What about Job and life is but a vapor
III.
When you have the spirit
of faith, you will speak knowing – A person with the spirit of faith,
there’s a “knowing” in their speaking
A. People with the spirit of
faith who spoke knowing
1.
Psalm
23:1-6-David composed this fame psalm
during of the most dangerous and discouraging times in his life. He was a forlorn fugitive, fleeing from
King Saul and his army. In
desperation David hid himself in a barren, desolate, forest called Hareth, named so because it was parched and dry like baked
earthenware. But God did not
forsake David. He soaked this dry
forest with moisture, which had the flavor of the World to come, making even
the grass and the leaves of the forest succulent and edible. This showed David that God supports and
nourishes at all times even when the chances of survival seem to be
non-existence.
a. Does David say, “I’ve had a good run. I’m just in God’s hands now and whatever
he wants to do is fine. If he wants
me to die, that’s fine and if he wants me to live that’s fine. I’ll do by best out here to survive, but
whatever the Lord wills.”
b. In a time of uncertainty
David had certainty; He’s speaking, knowing; The Spirit of faith will be
certain in times of uncertainty; He’s confident, he’s certain--- I will not
lack provision, protection, direction
2.
Daniel
3:17-18-HE WILL DELIVER US
a. They didn’t say, “Well king we are just the humble servants
of our Lord. Our lives are in his
hands and if He wants us to die, the death will be and if wants us to live life
will be. We are in his hands and
whatever he wants to do is fine. We
believe if God wanted to he could do something here today, but we don’t know
what he wants to do, so we are in his hands and he can just do what he wants.”
b. They did not say, But if
he doesn’t deliver us – The only way you can read it like that is if you
aren’t familiar with the spirit of faith
3.
1
Samuel 17
a. Most people, “Well you all pray and we’ll just see
whatever the Lord wants to do and if I die, then I die, whatever the Lord
wants. Well I’m going to do the
best I can and Goliath sure is a big fellow and I just believe God if he wanted
to he could do something here today, but you just never know, God’s ways are
mysterious and I’m just going to putu6 myself in the Lord’s hands and he can
just do whatever he wants to with me.” That sounds right to millions of church going
people, but that’s not faith, faith doesn’t talk like that
b. 36-This uncircumcised philistine
WILL BE as one of them, 46-This day WILL the Lord deliver you into my hand, I
WILL smite you and take your head from you, I WILL give the carcasses of your
army to the birds, He WILL give you into our hands
4.
Psalm
91
a. The spirit of faith won’t
just roll with the majority
1)
It
could happen to 11,000 people surrounding me, but it won’t happen to me
b. People justify evil stuff
happening to them by saying, “Well it’s happening to everybody,” and they’ll
just yield to something because it’s happening to everybody else
1)
In this verse there was
one person it didn’t affect so why don’t you be that one person
2)
There’s going to be some
it doesn’t affect so let’s be those ones
B. Some people actually
think talking this opens the door for the devil to come into your life; Some
people are afraid to talk like this and they think talking like this is
challenging the devil and he’ll come and get you
1.
Daniel
6:10,23-Daniel must have been confident God was going to deliver him and he was
delivered because of his faith
2.
1
Peter 1:5-Faith is what allows the power of God to keep you and therefore
talking this is what keeps you
a. Some don’t believe this; Some believe it could happen to them
too at anytime and they say things like hug your kids before you go to bed
because you just never know what could happen and because that’s what they
believe they are open to it
b. Very few will say, it
won’t happen to me the way the Psalmist did in Psalm 91:7 and that’s why few
will be protected
3.
Proverbs
3:23-26-The Lord is your confidence
a. He will keep your foot
from being taken – Can you be confident you want be you won’t be got by
some trap or hidden danger?
b. Who’s your confidence
that it won’t happen to you? The Lord
IV.
A mark of a person with
the spirit of faith is that they speak KNOWING; because they believe they are
speaking knowing-2 Corinthians 4:13-14
A. *It’s not just the
speaking that express believing, it’s the ‘speaking knowing’ that expresses
believing
1.
We’ve misquoted the verse
and said, “We also believe and therefore speak,” and leave out the “knowing,”
and then quote verses like a parrot and say, “see I’m in faith, ” but if there
is no “speaking knowing” there is no believing
2.
We’ve
looked at this verse and thought if the words were right then faith was present
in the heart (I’m speaking so that means I believe)
a. It’s not just speaking that proves faith is present in the
heart, it’s speaking KNOWING that proves that faith is present in the heart
3.
You can speak, NOT
KNOWING and henceforth not believing
a. If the belief is not there, there will be no speaking
knowing; There maybe speaking, but there’ll be no speaking knowing; it’ll be
speaking that lacks conviction and belief; it will be speaking hoping, speaking
wishing, speaking wandering, but not speaking knowing
B. *Don’t mistake faith
words in the mouth for faith in the heart (or the spirit of faith)
1.
If
there is no speaking knowing
(confidence) present, then the spirit of faith (genuine faith) is absent
a. Faith is of the heart,
not of the mouth; faith will get in the mouth when it has filled the heart
b. We’ve missed it in that
we’ve tried to fill our mouth without filling our heart and call it faith
c. People have said we were
in faith, we were saying the right things; saying the right things is different
from speaking knowing
2.
You
can talk faith and not believe; you can speak faith words and not say them in
faith and not be in faith
a. Matthew 15:8-So honor was
in their mouth, but not in the heart and therefore their words of honor did not
honor him
C. The Letter vs. The
Spirit-The letter is always outside in, but the spirit is always inside out
1.
We’ve thought if the
outside was faith, then that was enough, but that is the letter, not the spirit
a. Faith does this, faith says this, faith has a good attitude,
so look I’m doing all these thing so I’m faith
2.
Evidence
that you don’t have the spirit of faith developed in your life is that you
don’t talk faith knowing; you might have learned what faith sounds like and can
repeat it like a parrot, but your words lack conviction because you haven’t
developed the spirit of faith and are still operating by the letter
a. Faith is of the heart and this speaking knowing is the result
or the outflow of something happening inside
3.
It’s
not just what you say, but it’s how you say it and with what spirit did you say
it; What you said can be right, but how you said it be lacking
a. Saying something in faith
with and from the spirit of faith is what we are after
4.
See we are looking for
the knowing because the knowing is the evidence of genuine faith, not the
speaking
a. You can speak and not believe, but you can’t speak knowing
and not believe
D. A lot of times we’re
trying to say something in faith to prove we believe; We don’t speak to prove
we believe, we speak b/c we believe
1.
Where
are these bold words, these faith-filled words coming from that he’s writing in
2 Corinthians 4? They’re coming from a faith-filled heart; he’s saying these
things because he believes these things, not because he’s trying to believe
them, not because he knows he should say them, not to try to prove he believes,
but the only reason he is speaking is because he believes what he’s saying
2.
The
spirit of faith speaks with conviction not hesitation; There’s confidence and
conviction and knowing in the words of a person who has the spirit of faith;
There’s this conviction with the spirit of faith, there’s this knowing and it’s
not a put on, it’s the reality
3.
Most
people don’t believe and speak knowing and therefore their words lack
conviction and you know they don’t believe them and they know they don’t
believe them and God knows they don’t believe them and the enemy knows they
don’t believe them; They speak wishing, hoping, wanting to believe