Jesus Helps You Know What You Know with Certainty

Key Verse to Read and Treasure

Jesus knew that the Father had given Him authority over everything and that He had come from God and would return to God. (John 13:3, NLT)

For Insight

Do you know that feeling of pure elation and joy after you have made it through something hard? Something that you had your reservations about—not as though you didn’t trust God to bring you through—but just the thought of what you needed to endure made you a bit shaky on the inside? (Remember courage is not the absence of fear but going and doing despite fear and apprehension). Then afterward, when it was all over, and you made it through, that feeling of victory and triumph? Feeling as though you were unstoppable? Strong beyond measure? Pleased with yourself, yes, even proud of yourself? Now multiply that by one thousand and you may be close to what Jesus must have felt not after he rose but even before. His hands were not shaking as he washed the disciple’s feet. He was strong and full of faith, which is how he endured the most severe pain anyone could. How he had perfect faith in his heavenly Father. Perfect trust. Perfect strength to get through his beatings. Perfect self-control to not get sucked into a verbal discourse. Perfect awareness of who he was, holding that truth as he was verbally assaulted and perfect peace as he was humiliated and mocked.    

John said Jesus knew that the Father had given Him authority over everything and that He had come from God and would return to God. Jesus did not face death ass a powerless victim but as what he was: the almighty Son of God.  

There is knowing and there is “knowing.” The first knowing is when we know something in the back of our mind. Meaning, we have knowledge of something and have filed it in our mental rolodex. But the second “knowing” is when we not only know something as facts or have knowledge, but we know it in our heart and spirit. It’s more than head knowledge but as deep as our soul and the fiber of our being. Spiritually speaking that kind of “knowing” results in having a new level and depth of faith in what God can/will do and what we can do by the power of Jesus.

When Jesus came out of the tomb, the days between his resurrection and ascension were spent impressing on his disciples—those who would need to carry on what he had started—He had all authority and all power and because they belonged to him, were a part of him, there was nothing they would not be able to accomplish in his name. Because Jesus had/has authority and power they/we have power and authority. If they/we stay connected to him, his power will be our power we can speak in his name, declare in his name, refute evil in his name, resist temptation in his name, claim victory in his name, pray in his name and we will have whatever we need.   

Like you, I’ve had some things in life I should have faced with deep dread and fear. I won’t bore you with the details, but they were enough to make my knees shake and my insides like soft-set Jello. Yet, because we know who we are, we can remind daily ourselves of Jesus’ power and authority. The fact that we are branches on his vibrant Vine, sojourners sheltered in his Strong Tower, recipients of His inexhaustible grace and mercy, dwellers in his Sanctuary, beloved sheep in his care, covered by his promises, we can do whatever is needed and experience that feeling of accomplishment and victory.

The more we dwell in the Vine as we face difficult times, the more we will know. Not head knowledge but heart and soul knowledge and the more we will begin to act and respond based on what we know in our heart and soul. Dwelling in Jesus and Jesus living in us will cause us to know and live with certainty and confidence.

Jesus, thank you for helping me know what I know what I know and how to live with certainty and confident based upon what I know! Amen

Ask Yourself:

Am I remembering to know what I know about Jesus’ authority—now my authority also—take me through the difficult things I face in life?  

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