Psalms 62:5-8
Isaiah 26:3-4
All these are easy said, easy read, easy claimed, easy sung about. Easy enough in easy times.
BUT...
What if God asked you to: build an ark? leave your country? confront a king? fight a giant? faithfully preach to an unrepentant people for 40 years? feed 5,000 with one small lunch? step out of the boat on stormy seas? Etc......
We all wish we had more confidence in God, and cite Noah, Abraham, Moses, Elijah, David, Jeremiah, Peter, Paul.... and say, "I wish I had THAT confidence." They didn't have it either!
Observations about trusting God.
#1. What these people display is not SELF confidence, but GOD confidence. Heb. 11:1
They did not have confidence in self, in the decision, in hte outcome, but in GOD!!
For example: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Dan. 3:15-18 This is not what usually happens.
Most Christians who come up against this kind of trial, die in the midst of it, but retained their confidence and faith in God.
#2. God-confidence is not so much FEELING as DOING.
Examples; Moses and the Exodus Gideon and Midian Jeremiah and Judah
1 Cor. 2:3-5
Heb. 11 - "by faith they DID , not "by faith they FELT.
#3. The doing (obeying) leads to an APPEARANCE of self-confidence.
Note: God-confidence does not mean that you will never struggle with doubt, questions, fear.
But, you obey in spite of these doubts, questions, and fears.
The point is: You wish you FELT more confidence? So does everyone ELSE!!!
#4. In the New Testament this God-confidence is extended to Jesus Christ.
John 14:1
(Matt. 3:17, Matt. 17:5 "my beloved Son..... Hear Him!")
So, How to increase your confidence in God!!
#1. Pray for faith. (but remember that faith is usually found in the fire!!) So understand what you are praying for.
#2. Study the Word.
The more you know of God, the easier it is to trust Him. The best place to learn of Him is in His Revelation. Rom. 10:17
#3. Obey what you know.
Obedience leads to experience which leads to confidence. Mal. 3:10
#4. Remember and recall His faithfulness in the past.
to others, to you. Read Christian biographies and learn how He's worked in others' lives as well.
#5. Hang out with faith people. Rom. 1:11-12 You have more chance of getting to know God and developing God-confidence if you are getting together with fellow Christians than if you are hanging out in a club or a bar.
#6. Experience His presence.
This is NOT something you can fabricate, conjure up, or control, but you CAN put yourself in positions and places where you are most likely or experience Him. ie: worship, Bible Study, prayer, Christian groups, etc.
#7. Share your faith.
Faith is like a hole: the more you take away, the bigger it grows.
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