New Year - New Word 2023
01.08.23
Message…
My wife prays every year for God to give her a word. Some inspiring word or phrase, a thought for the year.
I have been inspired by my wife for that. And a little jealous that I never thought to ask for that. I’ve asked for a verse in the past, but not asked for it to be condensed down to a word.
So, I thought to myself I want in on that! ?(There’s nothing like spiritual envy!) I’m going to get me one of those “words”! A word from the Word! A word from the Lord!
Now, I can’t take credit for even asking for my word. Truth is before I even asked for it…God began bringing up a word in everything I’ve been reading.
And, so I thought I would share my word with you (it can be yours to…we can share). ?(If you don’t want to share…get your own word.)
It all started with this verse:
My heart is confident in You, O God; no wonder I can sing Your praises with all my heart! Psalm 108:1
“confident - confidence” -
“the feeling or belief that one can rely on someone or something; firm trust.”
“...feeling certain about the truth of something.”
Other translations…
O God, my heart is fixed; KJV
My heart is steadfast, O God! ESV
“Confidence” - some people have a lot of it! Some people struggle to find any! What are you confident of?
This is not self confidence but a Spiritual Confidence.
In God you trust. But, just how much do you trust Him!
I’m just beginning to unpack this word myself…let me give you what I have so far… ?(Maybe as the year goes on, as God shares with me, I will share some more with you.)
This “spiritual confidence” keeps coming up in everything I have been picking up lately…
My wife got me a new devotional for Christmas “On Our Knees” by Phil Wickham…very powerful. It hasn’t used the word, “confidence” yet…but, every devotional so far…that’s the backdrop.
In another devotional time I came across…
Psalm 112:6-7
6 Such people will not be overcome by evil.
Those who are righteous will be long remembered.
7 They do not fear bad news;
they confidently trust the Lord to care for them.
Interesting.
Those that are righteous (believers)...do not fear bad news. (repeat)
Now, we don’t ever want bad news.
Someone tells you, “I’ve got good news and bad news”.
I don’t ever want the bad news.
If it is a “good news/bad news” situation… I always want the bad news first. I want to get it over with.
That way the good news serves as a relief/cushion from the sucker punch blow that the bad news brought!
Nobody wants bad news!
Imagine never being afraid of receiving bad news.
I’m not saying bad news won’t come…but, when it comes…you do not have to be afraid! How is that possible?
“...they confidently trust the Lord to care for them.”
Psa. 112:7
A commentator of old wrote this…
“A Christian at no time ought to fear either in expectation of evil tidings, or when the tidings actually arrive. And why?
1. Because, if you be troubled, … Where is the dignity of that new nature which you claim to possess?
2. Again, if you should be filled with alarm, as others are, you would, doubtless, be led into the sins so common to others under trying circumstances. The ungodly, when they are overtaken by evil tidings, rebel against God; they murmur, and think that God deals hardly with them. Will you fall into that same sin? Will you provoke the Lord, as they do?
3. Further, you must not give way to these doubts and alarms and fears, for, if you do, you will be unfit to meet the trouble.
4. If you give way to fright and fear when you hear of evil tidings, how can you glorify God?”
-Biblical Illustrator
Proverbs 10:24
The fears of the wicked will be fulfilled; the hopes of the godly will be granted.
We often spend more time believing our fears, rather than the hope of God’s blessing, protection, provision, and leading!
Our spiritual confidence in God can vary…lack, or falter!
You and I as believers are not to be afraid. We are not to live in fear! We are to live in hope! Hope based on our faith in God!
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1
Bad news will happen (we can neither stop it nor control it).
But, we can choose how to respond to it as a child of God with hope in God, rather than someone without hope.
“God does not tell you what He is going to do--He reveals to you who He is.” -Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest (Jan. 2)
Remember Jesus sleeping in the boat with the disciples during a storm…
Matthew 8:23-27
23 Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with His disciples.
24 Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping.
25 The disciples went and woke Him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”
“Drowning”. That’s a bad day! That’s some bad news! Lord, this is a bad storm. We won’t survive this storm!
We won’t make it out of this lake, this boat…we are going down with the ship! We are drowning in bad news here Lord!
Jesus was sleeping. Wake up Lord! You’re sleeping through all the bad news!
They weren’t feeling spiritually confident were they? ?(They were confident they weren’t going to make it!)
Sometimes you and I are more confident in our fear, than we are in our God! (repeat)
When bad news comes…we don’t think it through spiritually…we just react! We’re drowning!
God does not tell us what He is doing. He reveals who He is…
Matthew 8:26-27
26 Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then He got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.
27 The disciples were amazed. “Who is this Man?” they asked. “Even the winds and waves obey Him!”
Why are you ever afraid? Why do you live in fear?
Is your faith so little?
Has your bad news not met the Good News?
The Bible tells us on the Sunday morning Christ resurrected…after Peter and John had seen the empty tomb, along with some of the ladies…one of whom spoke to Jesus directly (Mary Magdalene)…after all that…
John 20:19a
19 That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” He said.
What a contrast! Jesus had resurrected! He had defeated death and the grave! He had done exactly what He said He would do! He had kept His Word!
Instead of living and celebrating in victory! The disciples were huddled in fear with the doors locked.
I know His death was the worst of bad news for them. But, what was His resurrection?
At a time when their spiritual confidence should have been the highest! It was at an all time low!
That’s what fear does! It robs you of spiritual confidence! It takes your eyes, mind, thoughts and heart off of Jesus!
Faith and fear cannot coexist! Fear will always suppress, weaken…destroy your faith!
Fear doesn’t want you to be confident in God!
Fear wants you faithless!
What do you do when your spiritual confidence is low?
John 20:19-20
19 That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” He said.
20 As He spoke, He showed them the wounds in His hands and His side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord!
Focus your eyes, thoughts, mind, and heart on Jesus!
Earlier, we read about the disciples in a boat with Jesus experiencing a storm, some bad news…fearful/afraid.
After Jesus woke from sleeping, He calmed the storm.
The disciples asked each other…
Matthew 8:27
27 The disciples were amazed. “Who is this Man?” they asked. “Even the winds and waves obey Him!”
Let Him tell you who He is! Hear His Word to you!
He is the One who went to the cross!
He is the One with the nailed scarred hands!
He is the One with the wound in His side!
He is the One who died.
He is the One that was buried…placed in the tomb.
He is also the One who took back His life…resurrected from the grave…casting out all fear!
1 John 4:18b “...perfect love casts out fear…”
His love is perfect! That’s what He showed the disciples that day behind locked doors!
John 20:21
21 Again He said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so I am sending you.”
Jesus didn’t make the disciples, nor you and I to live behind locked doors of fear!
He wants us to live in bold faith displayed for all to see…and believe!
God’s people are not exempt from bad news.
Bad things happened to God’s people.
But, God takes the bad and turns it around.
The believer shouldn’t fear when bad news comes.
Trust the Lord with confidence!
Psalm 112:6-8
6 Such people will not be overcome by evil.
Those who are righteous will be long remembered.
7 They do not fear bad news;
they confidently trust the Lord to care for them.
8 They are confident and fearless
and can face their foes triumphantly.
“confident and fearless”
God wants you to have confidence in Him.
Confidence that stands, stays, is fixed.
Confidence that is steadfast, unmoveable, rests in His Word and His working!
God wants you to have next level confidence.
Bold confidence. Confidence in Him that is courageous!
Confidence that so trusts in Him that it moves you past your fears and leads you into triumph over your enemy!
Who’s your enemy? Anything that causes you to fear!
I will not be afraid. I will not let bad news stop me! I will believe! I will trust! I will triumph through Christ!
The disciples after Jesus’ death and resurrection, as He revealed Himself to them on many occasions…after His ascension to Heaven they turned the world upside down!
There wasn’t any bad news thereafter that stopped them!
There was just a next level spiritual confidence that moved them, burned within them!
“But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. Jer. 17:7
If your spiritual confidence is low…look to Jesus! Let Him reveal Himself to you!
As He spoke, He showed them the wounds in His hands and His side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord! John 20:20
