How to Be Fully Persuaded About Who You Are and What You Can Do

There are many things in life that people choose to be fully persuaded about, from political views and sports teams to a specific way of life.

However, the greatest thing we can ever be fully persuaded about is God and His Word.  

We must be fully persuaded of two things: first, that we are exactly who God says we are, and second, that we can do exactly what God's Word says we can do.

If our minds settle for anything less than being fully persuaded on these two fronts, we will end up living below the abundant life God has planned for us.  

What Does "Fully Persuaded" Mean?

The phrase "fully persuaded" appears in Romans 4:21.

Romans 4:21

Being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

Notice it does not say partly persuaded or mostly persuaded; it says fully.  

The original Greek word used here is plerophoreō. It is a compound word where the first part means "full," much like a cup filled to the very brim. The second part means "to carry" or "to bring". Put together, it means being brought to fullness or carried all the way to the top with absolutely nothing missing.  

Imagine a glass sitting under a running faucet. It fills halfway, then three-quarters, and finally reaches the rim where just one more drop would make it spill over. That overflowing state is plerophoreō—that is what it means to be fully persuaded.  

This persuasion happens entirely in our minds.

Romans 14:5

Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.

The more of God's Word we put into our minds, the more fully persuaded we become in any category of life. Eventually, our minds can become so filled with the Word that there is no room left for doubt, worry, or fear.  

Abraham’s Example

Abraham provides a perfect example of what it looks like to be fully persuaded. God promised Abraham a son, even though Abraham was around 100 years old and his wife, Sarah, was about 90. By every natural measure, this promise looked completely impossible.  

So, what did Abraham do with these facts?.

Romans 4:19

And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead". Abraham did not just pretend the facts were not there, but he refused to let those natural facts override God's Word. Instead, he focused entirely on what God had said.  

Romans 4 shows an important progression in Abraham's life. Romans 4:20-21 notes that he did not stagger, he grew strong in faith, he gave glory to God, and then he was fully persuaded. Being fully persuaded was a destination Abraham arrived at over time, not something he simply started with. He got there by holding onto what God had spoken to him (Romans 4:18) and continually giving God the glory for it. Over time, that promise stayed inside him until no doubt remained.  

Two Truths We Must Believe

Just like Abraham, we need to be fully persuaded of two foundational truths:

• We are what God says we are. First John 3:1 tells us we are the sons and daughters of God, and Ephesians 2:10 declares that we are His workmanship, created for good works.  

• We can do what God's Word says we can do. Philippians 4:13 reminds us that we can do all things through Christ, and John 14:12 promises that believers will do even greater works than Jesus did.  

  
  

Steps to Becoming Fully Persuaded

Getting to this point takes intentional effort. Here are four practical steps to build that persuasion in your own mind:   

1. Find what God says about your situation: Study the Word and look for the verses that outline who you are in Christ and what is available to you. Write those promises down and memorize them.  

2. Return to those promises continually: You have to keep going back to the promise until you actually see the deliverance. Abraham did not just hear God's word once and sit back; he walked with that promise for years. God even changed his name to mean "father of a multitude," so every single time someone called his name, he heard the promise all over again.  

3. Give God glory before you see it: Romans 4:20 highlights that Abraham was strong in faith and gave glory to God. Thank God for His promise while you are still in the waiting period, because that is what builds you up to be fully persuaded.  

4. Measure circumstances by the promise: Do not measure the promise by your current circumstances; measure your circumstances by the promise. Abraham considered his old body and he considered Sarah, but then he set those facts aside because the promise always outranks the facts.  

If we settle for anything less than being filled to the brim with God's Word, we live below where God wants us and miss out on the abundance He has made available. But when we are filled all the way to the rim with what He has said, there is no room left for doubt, and nothing shall be impossible for us.  

This week, choose one area of your life where you want to become fully persuaded. Find the verses that address it, and become fully persuaded that God's promise is much bigger than your situation. God bless you!