Confident.
A word you think of when someone seems to have it all together—and they don’t care who knows about it.
As Christians, that word may grate us the wrong way. We are called to be humble and meek. But we may struggle when verses like Hebrews 10:19 tells us to “have confidence to enter the holy places.”
In the Greek, the word for confidence can mean: “frankness, courage, boldness.”
So, what are we to do? Today, we will look at several angles of what it means to be a confident (not cocky) Christian.
Let’s get to it.
#1 - Gospel paradox: the God who devastates your confidence in you, by grace, gives you more reason for confidence than you've ever had before.
Perhaps, after so many years, you have made so little progress in your faith. Yet, failure has a positive result: Less confidence in self and more confidence in Christ.
#2 - Our confidence before God does not come from who we are or what we have done, but from who He is and what He has accomplished on our behalf.
When viewed correctly, the Law serves to expose man’s sin, overthrow his confidence in his own righteousness, and lead him to faith in Christ, His vicarious death, and resurrection. We can only have confidence that we have any part in Christ’s atoning work to the degree that there is evidence of the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit within us. A renewed heart will manifest itself, not in an effortless sinless perfection, but in gradual transformation.
#3 - If we are to impact the world, we must lay aside all confidence in the flesh and find our strength in the inexhaustible power of Christ.
Great Commission confidence: God never sends us to a location that he doesn't rule and he never sends us without going with us. Bottom-line: Hope in Jesus = a confident expectation of a guaranteed result. He who promised, is willing, able and will deliver.
#4 - We would all be happier and more confident and less anxious in life if we could take a step back and realize that God knows what he’s doing.
The joyful confidence of a Christian going through difficult times is: "No matter what happens NEXT, I know what happens LAST!" I am so thankful we can lay down tonight confident of God’s full favor, unwavering love, complete satisfaction with Jesus’ work on our behalf., confident of all sins forgiven, Christ's righteousness imputed, and all guilt canceled and fear of death pummeled. We sleep very well!
#5 - Again, God has acted in the past so that you might have confidence that he will act this afternoon, and a thousand years from now.
Here is your place of confidence and potential, "I will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5).
Thank you, Lord, for the confidence your resurrection gives me that in the end all wrongs will be made right. Thank you for allowing me to rest in the assurance of my future resurrection and of living with you forever. Knowing this heals all wounds. Amen.
#6 - Christ the King is on his throne, not a whiff of worry in his sovereign mind. This should not make us careless but confident— and bold.
“In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence (Proverbs 14:26). “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes” (Psalm 118:8-9). “The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples” (Psalm 33:10). Joyful confidence.
