In the last post, we concluded that Confidence is of the soul, and Faith is of the spirit. With Confidence, we “move or motivate” people to follow, whereas Faith moves God to show Himself strong on our behalf.
Confidence in General
In the natural some people are effortlessly confident. They are optimistic and see the “cup half-filled instead of half-empty.” They are often the ones who make a success of what they put their “minds to.” Their Confidence is on their natural ability, skills, or talents.
Then, there are others who lack Confidence and see the “cup half-empty instead of half-filled.” They seem to be naturally timid or lack Confidence. They often are focused on their lack of natural ability, skills, or talents. They are often afraid to take risks and will often settle for just getting by in life. Their lack of Confidence is in their natural ability, skills, or talents. Show More
Confidence for a Believer
In a born-again believer, our Confidence is not in our own natural ability, skills, or talents, but our growing Faith in Jesus Christ. So, whether you are confident in yourself or not confident in yourself is not the issue. The issue is Faith, in what Jesus says about you and His power and authority made available to you. When you learn to “walk by faith and not by sight” your Confidence will grow, and others will recognize that there is something different about you… that you know God!
The Heart of God
The only way to operate in Faith and Confidence is to know the heart of Father God. Knowing the heart of the Father requires that we understand, from the Scriptures:
- The purpose of the Father: that which prompts Him to action (His motivation). John 3:16.
- The process of the Father: how He performs that action (His outworking).
Once we understand the purpose and the process of Father God, we can then begin to understand our purpose and the process to which God has called us to.
So, there is both a purpose and a process. The purpose has to do with the mission; the process has to do with how the mission is fulfilled. As Christian, we often confuse purpose and process. We try to do instead of first learning how to be. The Bible teaches that we are not just servants – we are first sons (Rom 8:14-17) who are then called to serve!
Our purpose is not to be doing many things for God; just doing things has to do with process, as we shall see. Our purpose is to first walk in relationship with our Father (through Jesus Christ, with the help of the Holy Spirit) as His sons and daughters. “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs – heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ…” (Rom 8:16,17).
Apostle Paul’s Teaching on the believer’s relationship as sons
In the very last chapter of the Book of Acts, in the last verse of the chapter, the scripture says of the Apostle Paul that he, “preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him” (Acts 28:31).
The ministry of Paul was characterized by the personal trait of Confidence. This Confidence was more than a boldness or recklessness. This Confidence was born out of Paul’s understanding of who he was in Jesus Christ. Paul understood that being a believer in Jesus meant more than conquering sin and death. Paul understood that being a believer meant that he was called to live in a new position for the rest of his life. This new position in life was to live as a son! A son whose Father is God.
- Jesus is The Son of God and we are His brothers.
- “For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren” (Hebrews 2:10-11).
- We are adopted as sons.
- “Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,” (Ephesians 1:5).
- “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12).
- Because of our sonship position, we have access to God.
- “For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father” (Ephesians 2:18).
- As sons we are called to serve.
- Parable of the two sons, Matthew 21:28. A son always obeys his Father.
Son vs. Stranger
We often define ourselves by what we do for a living. If asked, “who are you”? Some would answer, “I am a farmer, plumber, businessman, teacher or minister. Paul did not define himself by what he did for a living or his ministry, but he defined himself by what God said of him. God said he was a son, and therefore, Paul chose to live as a son! Paul saw himself as a son who chose to serve his Father. Isn’t this what Jesus demonstrated for us throughout His life in His obedience to Father God? “And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8).
Let’s take a closer look at God’s idea, that we are sons in Galatians 3:26-29.
“For you are all sons of God through Faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise”.
- Notice in verse 28 God makes no distinction of position, gender, status or reputation. All that is required is to be in Christ.
- Notice also that God does not distinguish between male or female. That means that sonship is not about gender but position in Christ. It may seem odd to us, but it is perfectly acceptable to God that a female can be a son in position!
- In verse 29, sons are declared to be heirs. That means we have access to the promises of God. Because only sons inherit.
Paul continues to teach about sonship in Galatians 4:4-7
“But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ”.
Confidence happens when you understand that your identity is to live by Faith as a son!
You are not defined by what you do for a living, but by what God says of you… you are a son!
An illustration of believing God- Private Chauvin
In the early 1800s there was a story about Nicolas Chauvin, a private in Napoleon Bonaparte’s army. Private Chauvin was standing at attention while King Napoleon reviewed the troops riding on his white horse. For some reason, the horse became startled, Napoleon dropped the reins, and the horse ran out of control with Napoleon still on the horse. Immediately Private Chauvin ran after the King, grabbed the reins, calmed the horse, and brought Napoleon to safety.
Napoleon said, “What is your name, soldier”? To which Chauvin said, “My name is Private Chauvin, sir.” The King then said, “Thank you, Captain Chauvin.” Immediately Chauvin went to his quarters, took off his enlisted uniform, and replaced it with an officer’s uniform, that of a Captain! His fellow enlisted soldiers began to ridicule him and challenged his right to wear the uniform of an officer. To which Captain Chauvin said, “I have the right to wear this uniform because My King called me Captain”! Your King calls you, son!
As a son, you inherit the promises of God.
- Your Father is God (Matthew 5:16, Matthew 5:48, Matthew 6:1, Matthew 6:8, Mark 11:25, Luke 6:36).
- You have access to the Throne Room of God (John 14:6, Ephesians 2:18, Ephesians 3:12).
- God’s Holy Spirit dwells in you (Romans 8:9, Romans 8:11, 1Corinthians 3:16, 1Corinthians 6:19, Ephesians 5:18, 2Timothy 1:14).
- Supernatural power and authority are available to you to fulfill God’s ministry, mission or assignment(Luke 10:19-20, John 16:7, Acts 1:8, 2Corinthians 12:9, 1John 4:4).
- You are anointed for service (2Corinthians 1:21)
Jesus Christ purchased your Position as a son. His death on Calvary’s cross opened a door into a New Covenant that describes our new relationship with God. All things are made new and all things are possible!