Confidence In The Lord

Temple Baptist Church - 7-1-2015

Philippians 3:1-3

 

Introduction:

 

A.  English 101: the word “and” ties two equal phrases together.  Verse 14 gives us something that goes along with our assurance of salvation.  Why does God spend so much time giving assurance? 

 

1.  God wants you who have believed on Christ to be “doubtless!”  He wants you so assured of what He did for you and in you that you will praise and glorify Him for the rest of your life. “that ye may know that ye have eternal life” (1 John 5:13:b)

 

2.  God wants you to believe Him in salvation so that you can believe Him for all else that comes in this life.  We have spent two months dealing with salvation’s assurance in order to instill confidence in God in every other area of life. “and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God” (1 John 55:13c)

 

3.  If you can trust the Lord with your soul, you can trust Him at all times – Proverbs 3:5-6

 

B.  Confidence in the Lord can be lost.

 

1.  Our Confidence can be lost in times of trouble - Hebrews 10:35-36  Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.  (36)  For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

 

Psalms 42:5  Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.

 

2.  Our Confidence can be misplaced - Psalms 118:8  It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.

 

Psalms 118:9  It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.

 

Philippians 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.

 

3.  Our Confidence can just slowly slip - Hebrews 2:1  Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

 

C.  Confidence in the Lord plays a major part in the peace and productivity of the believer’s life.  We need to have a knowledge of God and His love for us in order to have a right confidence.

 

1.  A lack of confidence causes fainting - Proverbs 24:10  If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.

 

2.  Confidence inspires waiting - Isaiah 40:28-31  Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.  (29)  He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.  (30)  Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:  (31)  But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

 

D.  What inspires confidence in the Lord.

 

1.  Confidence comes through a personal knowledge of who and what God is.

 

1.  He is God!  Omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent!  There is nothing that He cannot do.  He spoke the universe into existence and is the Owner of it!  Everything and all power is at His disposal.  Romans 11:36  For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

 

2.  He is our Father!  Luke 11:9-13  And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.  (10)  For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.  (11)  If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?  (12)  Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?  (13)  If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

 

2.  Confidence comes through a personal communion and walk with the Lord.

 

a.  Fervent, effectual praying! James 5:16  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

 

b.  Godly, consistent walking with God!  Psalms 84:11  For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

 

3.  Confidence comes through a working knowledge of the Bible through personal reading and study.

 

a.  Reading God’s Word!  Psalms 119:105  Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

 

b.  Studying God’s Word!  2 Timothy 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

 

4.  Confidence comes through trusting God even when you cannot track Him. 

 

a.  When you do not understand!  Proverbs 3:5-6  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  (6)  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

 

b.  When you do not see results!  Psalms 119:83  For I am become like a bottle in the smoke; yet do I not forget thy statutes.