2 Timothy 1:12–…I am not ashamed; for I know Whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.
To KNOW Him results in powerful truth, but something that causes people to stumble is the huge difference between clear mental understanding—what is known!— versus intuitive perception—derived from emotional ‘thinking’.
Knowing is concrete—based on God’s truth, logic, facts, critical thought, wisdom, and discernment, whereas intuitive perception is the acquiring of knowledge WITHOUT conscious reasoning. It is a willful internal belief or desire, which opens a door for Satan to separate a person from understanding God. He uses intuitive perception to deceive people into believing their internal emotional thought IS mental understanding.
Whereas, a believer KNOWS—placing their faith in the One who is unshakeable!
How? A believer strives daily to die to self (incorporating more of God and less of self, which is, by our nature, sinful—man’s own internal wishes and desires). A believer captures every thought and compares it to what is real, versus what is intuitively perceived (conjured up). Then the believer replaces intuition with a goal toward active obedience. They capture their sinful nature and turn it over to Him, daily, hourly, every minute, every second until He fills their thoughts continually. As a result, the blessings are incredible!
For He who is able provides peace, joy, fearlessness, trust, rationality, love, faith, reason, capability, bravery, wisdom, discernment (…a long list) to believers who strive to know Him.
This obedience is blessed throughout the Bible in many passages like Philippians 1:6 —Being confident of this very thing, that He who hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ (death, raptured, disappeared, vanished, harpazo, departure in the air, or His second coming).
Oh Lord, my God…search my heart and remove anything that blocks me against Your ways. Hasten to me, Lord and fill me with You. Make less of me, that I may be filled with Your wisdom, knowledge, and discernment. That I remain in mental connection with You, thus lessening my tendencies toward intuitive perception and all its falseness. Protect and guide me as I learn to hear Your voice…for You alone I seek. You are the God of creation Who made me specifically for You. Teach me Your ways that I may follow closely, for You alone are my refuge and strength. In Your holy name, Lord Jesus, I pray. Amen.