Purpose of this teaching: For you to develop confidence in God no matter what your state is in life.
Objective: Develop a systematic plan of development based on the Word of God to build confidence through fear, knowledge, trials and tests, by example and practice.
In order words: We want saints who will not QUIT ON GOD in the face of trials, tests, temptations, persecution, trail, test, distress, famine, peril, hard times but be steadfast and unmoveable. God never quits on us.
We need confidence not to waver in our commitment and stay our course and steadfast unmoveable.
I Cor. 15:58
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
Bottom Line: No matter what you think, who you are, your education, social status – I want to show you that God knows what is best. He knows how He desires to get things done, the way He wants to get things done, the methods He has designed to get things done, the people He needs to get the purpose done. God’s system is not by might, not by power but by His Spirit. He can take the least and use it.
2 Tim 4:7
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.
The Spirit of God is the controlling, dominate power in the system of God.
We must learn to trust, rely, submit and be led by the Spirit of God.
You must make a choice to be confident.
Definition of Confidence:
1. Standing under
2. That which stands under
3. That which is set under a foundation
4. Endure or to undertake
We are to be confident in God so that the world can be drawn to Him.
Confidence in Greek: Parrshiva – par-rhay-see-ah
Confidence – boldness; assurance; trust or faith; a trusting relationship; a feeling of assurance; absolute certainty in the trustworthiness of another; a firm belief.
Confidence – faith we have in the testimony of God (or His Word).
Can’t please God without it.
Confidence is knowing that everything is going to be okay.
I am not talking about self-confidence or the power within you. We have no power of our own.
If you have confidence in the world, it developes in you:
1. Deludes you into a false sense of security.
2. Destroys the influence of truth (deception).
3. Following mode of activities that get you so involved you forget God.
As Christians, our confidence must be in God.
If you are only happy when no problems, then you don’t have any confidence in God.
Don’t fear trying times, they don’t last. They pass.
God will deal with you in the areas where your confidence is not in Him. YOU WILL BE TESTED!
Hebrews 10:32-38 (Message Bible)
Nothing they did bothered you, nothing set you back. So don’t throw it all away now. You were sure of yourselves then. It’s still a sure thing! But you need to stick it out, staying with God’s plan so you’ll be there for the promised completion. It’s won’t be long now, he’s on the way; he’ll show up most any minute. But anyone who is right with me thrives on loyal trust; if he cuts and runs, I won’t be happy. But we’re not quitters who lose out. Oh, no! We’ll stay with it and survive, trusting all the way.
The devil tries to steal your confidence because he doesn’t want you to finish. The devil wants you think it’s impossible, illogical, and ridiculous. He will send others even other saints (or family) to discourage you.
You may not know the way, but you know the waymaker.
If God tells you, He will finance it, open/close doors, give, favor, make enemies help, send people, resources, anoint your mind.
You have no idea what you’re capable of with God.
John 5:1-7 (Impotent man)
1 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. 3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. 5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? 7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.
Man had been this way 38 years. Jesus asks strange question ‘do you want to be healed?’
‘Of course I do, you’d say.
What was response?
Excuses – v.7
Feeling sorry for self won’t help.
God responds to faith, not tears.
Jesus didn’t allow the man room for self-pity.
His confidence was in angels and bubbles, not in God.
This man needed to stand up on the inside first before he stood up on the outside.
The man was in self pity; self pity feeds on itself and God can’t help you.
Do you really want to be made whole? Then have confidence in God.
Don’t dwell on past failures or defeats. Dwell – meditate on God’s grace and mercy.
Don’t wait for someone also to rescue you.
How To Develop Confidence In God:
Your confidence in God must be developed thorugh knowing God’s:
Holiness
Righteousness
Awesomeness
Unchanging nature
All these produce a fear of God. Reverential fear or a confidence assurance who God is.
1. I must develop a fear of God. When I have a fear of God in my heart:
Control my life (natural, spiritual and moral issues)
Fear of God should be the basis of how I make decisions, communicate and cause me to operate in the system of God.
Banished the fear of man (what man can do, think, say, etc.). You don’t have a fear of man’s system.
Hebrews 13:5-6
5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
2. I must develop a dread of displeasing Him.
Too many saints are boldly sinning because they don’t have a fear of God.
Reverential fear of God causes you to please Him.
3. Must understand that there is blessing in fearing God.
Proverbs 1:7 Fear of the Lord if beginning of wisdom
Proverbs 9:10 Fear of the Lord brings knowledge of holiness of God
Proverbs 10:27 Fear of the Lord prolongs days
People have no confidence in God because they have no fear of God.
4. Confidence in knowing that:
a. You are born again
b. You are filled with God’s Spirit
c. You are led by God’s Spirit
d. You are adopted by God
e. You are a child of God
f. Joint heirs of Christ Jesus
g. Called according to purpose
This is confidence: When God says you are blessed, fifty million people in the world and fifty-million fallen angels cannot reverse it. If God says you are blessed, then you are blessed.
We need to change our thinking. We need to say, “When I go, blessings follow me”. When you go in someone’s house you say, “The blessing of the Lord be on this house”. This is how we walk out fear and put confidence in God’s word.
Phil 4:13 You can do all things through Christ.
God wants involvement in everything in your life.
Confidence Building Scriptures:
Psalm 118:1-9
1 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever. 2 Let Israel now say, that his mercy endureth for ever. 3 Let the house of Aaron now say, that his mercy endureth for ever. 4 Let them now that fear the LORD say, that his mercy endureth for ever. 5 I called upon the LORD in distress: the LORD answered me, and set me in a large place. 6 The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me? 7 The LORD taketh my part with them that help me: therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me. 8 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. 9 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.
Phil 3:3
For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
Hebrews 3:14
For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
You are a runner who can’t get weary in well doing. You have to run until you cross the FINISH line!
