When You Know That You Know Who Jesus Is

Have you ever heard someone say, “I’m pretty sure I’m right,”—but you can tell they’re not fully convinced? There’s a big difference between thinking you’re right compared to when you that you know.

The apostle Paul didn’t speak with uncertainty about the gospel. He didn’t suggest it, he didn’t soften it. He stood on it with conviction.

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In Galatians 1, Paul confronted false teaching that had started to pull believers away from the truth. He didn’t treat it lightly. He addressed it directly and without hesitation.

Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you. Galatians 1:8

That’s strong language.

Paul made clear that the gospel of Jesus does not change. No person, no teacher, no spiritual being has the authority to alter it. If someone twists the message, believers must reject it.

In fact, Paul repeated himself in the very next verse to drive the point home. He refused to leave room for confusion.

I say again what we have said before: If anyone preaches any other Good News than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed. Galatians 1:9

Then he made his motive just as clear. He wasn’t aiming to please people or chase their approval. He served Christ. That kind of boldness raises an honest question. How could Paul speak with such confidence?

The Time When Paul Didn’t Know

Before Paul preached Christ, he opposed Him. He didn’t question the gospel—he attacked it. He admitted that openly: Paul didn’t hide his past, he faced it head-on.

You know what I was like when I followed the Jewish religion—how I violently persecuted God’s church. I did my best to destroy it. —Galatians 1:13

He arrested believers. He approved persecution. And he traveled from place to place trying to stop the spread of the message he would later defend.

That history matters. Because it proves something important. That was a time when Paul didn’t always “know that he knew.”

At one point, he stood fully convinced—and completely wrong. So what changed?

A Personal Encounter Changes Everything

Paul answered that question clearly.

I received my message from no human source, and no one taught me. Instead, I received it by direct revelation from Jesus Christ. Galatians 1:12

Everything shifted when Paul encountered Jesus.

That moment didn’t simply adjust his thinking—it transformed his life. The man who once fought against Christ now devoted himself fully to Him.

Paul’s confidence didn’t come from education alone. It didn’t come from tradition or from popular opinion. It came from a personal encounter with the risen Lord.

After that encounter, Paul spent time growing, learning, and being shaped. Scripture tells us he went away for a season before stepping fully into ministry. You might describe that time as his preparation.

But his confidence didn’t begin there. It started with Jesus.

You Can Know With Confidence Too

That same principle applies to us. We don’t build confidence in our faith through secondhand information alone. Nor do we rely on someone else’s experience.

We come to know Jesus personally. Now, will your experience look exactly like Paul’s? Probably not. But that doesn’t weaken its power. God still reveals Himself today.

Paul speaks through God’s Word.
He leads by His Spirit.
And he strengthens through the fellowship of believers.

As you walk with the Lord, your faith grows deeper. Your understanding becomes clearer. Your confidence becomes stronger. Over time, something shifts inside you.

You don’t just repeat what you’ve heard. You speak from what you know.

Standing Firm in a Confused World

We live in a time when truth often gets redefined. Messages shift, opinions change. And people mix ideas together and call it truth. That’s exactly why Paul’s words still matter.

When you know who Jesus is—when you have encountered Him personally—you don’t drift easily. You don’t chase every new idea or compromise the message to fit the moment.

Instead, you stand firm. Not in arrogance, but in conviction. Because you know the One who changed your life. And when you share the gospel, you don’t speak with hesitation.

You speak with confidence. Not because you have all the answers—but because you know the One who does.

Life Application

Pursue a Personal Relationship with Jesus. Don’t rely on secondhand faith. Spend time in God’s Word and seek Him daily through prayer.
Stand Firm in the Truth of the Gospel. When you recognize truth, hold onto it. Don’t allow shifting opinions to pull you away from what God has revealed.
Let Your Past Strengthen Your Testimony. Like Paul, don’t hide where God brought you from. Let it highlight what He has done in your life.
Grow in Your Understanding. Take time to learn and develop spiritually. Growth strengthens confidence and deepens your walk with Christ.
Share with Confidence. When you speak about Jesus, do it with assurance. You’re not sharing theory—you’re sharing truth grounded in your relationship with Him.

There’s a difference between hoping you’re right and knowing when you know you’re right. Paul reached that place—not because of pride, but because of a real encounter with Jesus Christ.

You can live with that same confidence. As you walk with Him, listen to His voice, and grow in His Word, your faith will settle deeper. And when the moment comes to stand or to speak…

You won’t hesitate because you’ll know.

Lord, I desire to know You more. Reveal Yourself to me through Your Word and by Your Spirit. Strengthen my faith so I can stand firm in truth and share Your message with confidence.

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