50 Days of Wisdom

In 1 Thessalonians 1, Paul, Silas, and Timothy knew they were preaching with supernatural force. And they knew that if they were being used by God to preach with supernatural power, it was because God was going to do something with that power. They must have had confidence in Isaiah 55:11, which states, "My Word never goes forth and returns to me"—what?- "void. It always accomplishes the purpose to which I send it." In verse 5, Paul calls that experience "full conviction." He says, "Our gospel, that is the gospel we preach, didn't come to you in word only but also in power and the Holy Spirit and full conviction." Listen, when we talk about preaching with power, we're not talking about some foggy, mystical commodity; we're talking about the ministry of the Holy Spirit energizing the preacher. The two are inseparable. You say, "Just how do you experience that?" Well, it's very difficult to describe. There are a number of things: you feel an unusual energy in your heart, an unusual clarity in your mind, an unusual facility with the words, and there's a sense in which the Spirit of God is pulling all of the factors and all of the dynamics of communication together, and something is happening which transcends you. Here Paul says, "We were so assured and confident in what we said as to the truthfulness and the clarity of our message." Their preaching was straightforward, confident, and bold. Paul and his fellow preachers were powerful, Holy Spirit-filled men who spoke with conviction and boldness, as well as confidence and assurance. They lacked subtlety, folks. They weren't sneaking around the corners trying to sugar-coat the gospel to get people to believe it. They weren't working on some strategy by which they could get the non-elect saved if they could make the gospel palatable enough. They were powerful, Holy Spirit-driven, confident, assured, and bold men, and they knew that in that experience God was working and that He was working through them to effect something in those to whom the powerful message came. And they knew it wouldn't come back void. So Paul says, "We were experiencing power and the Spirit and conviction when we preached to you. And the way you responded is evidence that your salvation is real." Then, as time passed, Paul could see in them "a faith that works, a love that labors, and a hope that perseveres." Those are additional evidences that their salvation was real. Therefore, seeing someone's past conversion and their present condition are two ways to identify the elect. Another good indicator of true salvation is that they have sat under powerful preaching. Now let me say it another way. There are many people who claim to be Christians, but they have sat under a kind of articulation of Christianity that lacks power, decisiveness, assuredness, and directness. And maybe they have heard some weak, impotent, fleshly preacher spinning off clever quasi-Christian psychology, and because it's couched in Christian terms, they may think they're Christians. But when someone has sat under the powerful, Holy Spirit-anointed, convicting preaching of the true gospel, and they really understand it and it has come to them in the energy of the Spirit of God, that's a good indication they're saved. Thus, I believe one of the marks of the elect that identify them outwardly is that they have responded to a true and proper, powerful Holy Spirit-driven proclamation of the gospel. Yes, a lot of people talk about being Christians but aren't even clear on what the gospel is and have never sat under a strong convicting proclamation of that gospel. Therefore, true saving faith is not only manifest in production—"a faith that works," affection—"a love that labors," and continuation—"a hope that perseveres," but it also manifests itself in presentation. The people who are genuinely saved will remain under a truly powerful Holy Spirit-directed presentation. And that's how you shall know them. Repent and believe! GTY.org (52-3) - Identifying the Elect, Part 3

Today's Wisdom

Day: 1051

October 6, 2026

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My name is Mark Paul from Wauchula, Florida, and like the Apostle Peter said in 2 Peter 1:14, "I know that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent." Consequently, my goal is to leave a legacy that will continue to advance the kingdom of God long after I have departed. In other words, bear fruit for eternity. And by simply reading and sharing my free eBooks, you too become contributors to the advancement of His kingdom. Thank you for partaking in this endeavor, and I look forward to greeting you on heaven's shore.

The Truth in Love,

Mark Paul - Servant of God

Now grant, O Lord, that when the souls who read these books cast their eyes upon these lines, their minds may be illuminated and their consciences convinced and awakened, that they may see with their eyes, hear with their ears, and be converted so that You may heal them. Amen!