Fall 1994

Our Confidence
Nancy Warner

"Thou hast the words of eternal life. And we
believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the
Son of the Living God" John 6:68b-69.

Jesus told the multitude that He was the bread of life and that they were to partake of His flesh and blood.

"Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood,
hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at
the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and
my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my
flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me,
and I in him" John 6:54-56.

When they heard this, many said, "This is a hard saying, who can hear it?" And from that time they walked no more with him.

"Then Jesus said to the twelve, Do you also want to go
away? But Simon Peter answered Him, Lord, to whom shall
we go? You have the words of eternal life" John 6:67-68 NKJ.

This teaching was beyond that which their natural minds could comprehend, therefore many who had become disciples also turned away. But there had developed within Peter such a confidence that Jesus was the Messiah, that though he did not understand, he knew there was no other place where he could receive "the word of life." Therefore, he was able to stand on that which he knew at a time when others turned away.

From where did this unshakable knowledge within Peter come, concerning the identity of Jesus? Matthew 16 tells us that when Jesus asked, "Whom do men say that I am,?" He was given several different answers.

But when He asked His disciples who they thought He was, Simon Peter answered, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus responded, "Blessed art thou Simon Barjona for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My FATHER which is in heaven."

The identity of Jesus had come to Peter by revelation, not as an opinion that was based on man's teachings, but from the Father; not through Peter's natural mind, but by the Holy Spirit. Therefore, when things appeared that his natural mind could not understand, his spirit rose up in faith, and Peter was able to believe.

The Apostle Paul said,

"But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the
hidden, which God ordained before the ages for our
glory ... but God has revealed to us through HIS
SPIRIT. For the Spirit searches all things, yes,
the deep things of God" I Cor 2:7,10 NKJ.

"Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but
the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things
that have been freely given to us by God. These things
we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches,
but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual
things with spiritual" I Cor 2:12-13 NKJ.

Understanding this, Paul prayed,

"That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of
glory may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and
revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of
your understanding being enlightened" Eph 1:17-18a.

How do we receive this Spirit of wisdom and revelation? Joshua received it through the laying on of hands. Deuteronomy 34:9 tells us that Joshua was full of the Spirit of wisdom for Moses had laid his hands upon him.

Jesus received it through a sovereign gifting.

"The Lord God hath given Me the tongue of
the learned, that I should know how to speak a
word in season to him that is weary, He wakeneth
morning by morning He wakeneth mine ear to
HEAR as the learned" Isa 50:4.

"Blessed is the man that HEARETH me, watching
daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my
doors. For whoso findeth me findeth life and
shall obtain the favor of the Lord" Prov 8:34-35

"That I may cause those that love me to
inherit substance and I will fill
their treasures" Prov 8:21.

Maintaining a balance between sitting under anointed ministry and spending time alone with the Lord will aid the release of the presence of the Lord into our lives. As His Spirit is imparted into our inner most being, our spirits are quickened and an understanding of spiritual things will develop. We begin to become "spiritually minded," hearing spiritually. This deep inner knowledge of God will be unshakable under the pressures of life and will also provide a firm foundation for the further revelation of truth into our lives.

Jesus then charged His disciples that no man should be told that He was the Christ (Messiah), for the things of God are spiritually discerned. First, we must receive the Spirit of God, then we may know the things of God for they are revealed to us by His Spirit.

It is one thing to know "the things of God." It is another to know "the God of the things." It requires a coming to Him to know Him, a partaking of Him in a personal way (eating His Flesh and drinking His blood).

This foundation of spiritual hearing is to be established within each of our lives. Upon this, the Lord will be able to build experiences through which the Word will become personalized within us, causing the "letter of the Word" to become "experientially" ours. We are the product of His workmanship, members of the Church He is building.

He will build His corporate Church stone upon stone, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it because there is a deep inner knowledge of the Lord that has been imparted into the heart of each "stone" by the Spirit of God. Each of these will have within themselves the same sureness as Peter, despite the uncertainties or pressures that come at times.

Then as the Father begins to reveal "The deeper things of God" to His Body, we will all speak the same thing - "You are the Christ, You have the words of eternal life, where else could we go?

And we will stand, stone upon stone.