Being confident from within

Being confident from within

The Lord stood at his side and said, “Take courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also.”- Acts 23:11

Acts 9:10-17

 10 Now, there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord!” he replied.

 11 The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now.

 12 I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again.”

 15 But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel.

 16 And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.”

 17 So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Does it sometimes seem like everyone around you is confident and sure of themselves? Chances are, they have doubts just like you. So what’s the secret they’ve discovered about how to be confident? They know that confidence is not something you have, it’s something you create.

Being confident is nothing more than a feeling of certainty that you can accomplish whatever you set your mind to. Confidence comes from within. You can find ways to believe in yourself.

Creating confidence is not about knowing it all; it’s about trusting that no matter what happens in a particular situation, you’ll be able to handle it and learn from the outcome.

You must change your perspective and your mindset and choose to be confident. And part of achieving this is believing – building certainty – that you are confident. It is all about becoming the master of your emotions (Tony Robbins).

Children of the King are exhorted to be confident. However, their confidence is not merely in themselves but rather in the character and promises of the Father.

Paul had the privilege and honor of hearing directly from the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ on several occasions. He had absolute confidence in what he was told. As a result, he passionately carried out his calling in complete faith.

He sets the high bar for the rest of us. However, any child of the King can seek to emulate him.

1 Corinthians 11:1 You should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.

REFLECT & PRAY

Hebrews 11:1 Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.

Father thank You that You speak truly and have eternal plans for each child of the King. Thank You that I can have complete confidence that what You have promised, You will also perform.

INSIGHT

The apostle Paul was called for a specific mission to share the Good News with the Gentile world and the Nation of Israel.

Acts 9:15-16

 15 But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel.”

 16 “And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.”

He was also tasked to share the Good News in Rome.

Acts 23:11 The Lord stood at his side and said, “Take courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also.”

The Father determined that Paul would go to Rome and present the gospel. Because the Father shared His plan, Paul had complete confidence that the Father would preserve him no matter what happened so that he might accomplish his mission. The Father had provided additional revelation to Paul via an angel. When the life-threatening storm occurred recorded in Acts 27, Paul had complete confidence that he would be preserved along with all of the crew members if they followed his advice.

Acts 27:18-44

 18 The next day, as gale-force winds continued to batter the ship, the crew began throwing the cargo overboard.

 20 The terrible storm raged for many days, blotting out the sun and the stars, until at last all hope was gone.

 21 No one had eaten for a long time. Finally, Paul called the crew together and said, “Men, you should have listened to me in the first place and not left Crete. You would have avoided all this damage and loss.

 22 But take courage! None of you will lose your lives, even though the ship will go down.

 23 For last night, an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me,

 24 and he said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul, for you will surely stand trial before Caesar! What’s more, God in his goodness has granted safety to everyone sailing with you.’

 25 So take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as he said.

 26 But we will be shipwrecked on an island.”

 31 But Paul said to the commanding officer and the soldiers, “You will all die unless the sailors stay aboard.”

 41 But they hit a shoal and ran the ship aground too soon. The bow of the ship stuck fast, while the stern was repeatedly smashed by the force of the waves and began to break apart.

 42 The soldiers wanted to kill the prisoners to make sure they didn’t swim ashore and escape.

 43 But the commanding officer wanted to spare Paul, so he didn’t let them carry out their plan. Then he ordered all who could swim to jump overboard first and make for land.

 44 The others held on to planks or debris from the broken ship. So everyone escaped safely to shore.

What was the source of Paul’s confidence? He believed that what the Father had spoken would undoubtedly come to pass. By faith, he knew he would make it safely to Rome.

Acts 27:25 So take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as he said.

The Greek word translated as encouraged is euthumeo. Euthumeo means to be inspired with confidence, given hope, or courage. It also means to take courage or be of good cheer.

In the movie, Chariots of Fire, Eric Liddell knows that it is the Father’s strength that surges within him. The Father’s power gives Eric his supernatural drive, will, and the force to win against seemingly impossible odds. Liddell triumphs by tapping into the reservoir of the Father’s great strength, which courses within, and bursts forth as needed.

His motivation and driving force is summed up in one statement, “I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure.”

Sadly, many children of the King are confused about the Father’s role in our lives. He does not exist to serve us. We exist to serve the Father. Everything about us has been designed by the Father to equip us for the work He preordained long before our birth. The Father created us for His purposes. He has equipped every child of the King to serve Him in some fashion. He has a unique desire for each of us. We serve at His pleasure (Stanley).

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© Dr. H 2022