When I wanted to be saved, before I was saved, I started obeying Jesus' teachings. I started doing whatever I could do that Jesus said. Jesus said to sell all you have and come follow him, I could not do that, so I found something else he said to do and I would think can I do this? Yes, I can do this. I thought what can I do? I will start at the beginning. In the beginning Jesus said repent or perish, so I started there, I admitted I was a sinner, and I thought about every sin I ever did, starting with the present sins, and working back to the earliest of times I could remember. After I admitted to being a sinner, I knew that I had to understand exactly what my sins were.
After I obeyed other things that Jesus told me to do, Jesus saved me, and then gave me understanding.
I knew what Jesus meant and to whom he said to sell all you have and follow him. I knew that was not to everyone, but only to the other men who would become traveling ministers with Jesus while he was on earth.
Jesus gives understanding to those he saves, to those who obey him.