Confidence through Christ

here's a devotional By Sharon Jaynes -
“Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God” (2 Corinthians 3:4 NIV)

The three-headed monster of inferiority, insecurity and inadequacy can paralyze a Christian into inactivity and leave him or her sitting on the bench during the game of life…afraid to get into the game. God’s desire is to destroy the monster with the truth and render him impotent in our lives. Satan’s desire is to feed him with lies and train him to control our lives. Whom are we going to believe?

Believing who we are in Christ destroys feelings of inferiority. Believing where we are in Christ destroys feelings of insecurity. Believing what we have in Christ destroys feelings of inadequacy. What a transformation when a Christian believes the truth. She experiences a confidence makeover!

I do not want you to think I am always victorious and never struggle with the three-headed monster. He still rears his ugly head every now and then. Let me give you one example.

It was my first large speaking engagement to about 450 women. My topic was “Unshakable Confidence in Christ.” Two weeks before I was to speak to the group, I attended a luncheon. Two ladies whom I did not know were sitting at my table, and they were talking about a speaker they had recently heard at the church where I would be speaking in a few weeks.
“He was the most powerful speaker I have ever heard,” one said.
“I cried all the way through his testimony." I don’t think we will ever have a speaker that was that good again.”

On and on they sang the praises of this mighty man of God. They used words like dynamic, powerful, electric, and eloquent. I never mentioned that I was the speaker for their next meeting. At that point, I wasn’t so sure I would be.

As I listened to the ladies, my throat constricted, the tea sandwiches clung to the roof of my mouth, and my heart pounded wildly. Then Satan, the gatekeeper for the three-headed monster, let him out.

“Who do you think you are, going to speak at this event? Listen to the caliber of people they bring in. This man came from all the way across the country. You are just from across town. What could you possible have to say to help these women? If I were you, I’d bow out now before you embarrass yourself.”

You know what? Even though I knew it was the enemy whispering in my ear, I started to believe him. After all, what he was saying made a lot more sense than the “I am” statements taped on my refrigerator door.

After the luncheon, I decided to go by the church and purchase a tape of the previous speaker, just to see what I was going to be compared to. I walked into the church, paid my $5.00, popped the tape in the console, and braced myself for the hour of power.

Nothing happened.

I fast-forwarded the tape.

Nothing happened.

I flipped the tape over.

Nothing happened. The tape was blank.

At that moment, I did not hear the dynamic speaker on the tape, I heard God.

Sharon, you do not need to hear what my servant said to these people two weeks ago. The tape is blank because I do not want you to compare yourself to anyone else. It doesn’t matter what he said. I will give you a message for these ladies. I can speak through a prophet, I can speak through a fisherman, and I can speak through a donkey.

I gave him a message and I have given you one as well. Who are you “performing” for, my child, them or Me? Do not compare yourself to anyone. You are my child and I am asking you to speak to an audience of One.

It was indeed an hour of power. I didn’t bother getting my money back for the defective tape. It was exactly what I needed to hear.

So the next time Satan said to me, “Who do you think you are?” let me tell you what I said. “I am the light of the world. I am the salt of the earth. I am a child of God. I am the bride of Christ. I am a joint-heir with Christ. I have the power of the Holy Spirit. I have been delivered from the domain of darkness and transferred to the kingdom of Christ. I am chosen of God, holy and dearly loved.”

Two weeks later, I spoke with confidence, and God blessed us all.

Let’s Pray
Dear God, I know that without You I am nothing but an empty vessel. However, because of You, I am filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and have been blessed with every spiritual blessing! I can be confident because of who I am as a child of the King. I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me!
In Jesus’ Name, Amen
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by Sharon Jaynes

The Power of Proclaiming Our Faith - Psalm 27

(this was a sermon from one the Pastors I listen to)
Sometimes when we are exhausted, it can make our problems seem even bigger. We can have a tendency to look at everything on our plate and feel overwhelmed. On one hand it is good to come to the end of ourselves because it makes us aware of our dependency on God to make it through the day; it is good to acknowledge our need of Him and that we are dependant on Him.

on the other hand, if we never move beyond that sense of feeling overwhelmed and we just pray, “God I can’t do this by myself”, we never come into a place of greater faith. We need to come to a place of acknowledging “Yes God, this is a big problem or a big circumstance in my life, but Lord I know that with Your help I can do this or this situation can be worked out”. To stay at the point of feeling overwhelmed can drain us and can drain the life out of our prayer time. We need to move beyond feelings of fear or inadequacy to praying in faith, like David did.

David had numerous problems which could overwhelm him but he was one to move beyond the circumstances and pray in faith by proclaiming God’s goodness. He came from attitude of “I know the Lord will move in this situation. I know God desires to help me”. Ps 27:12 David has people against him, Saul is pursuing him to kill him when he wrote this psalm and David was fleeing…..
what did David do that moved him from being overwhelmed to being filled with faith?
When we are moved to a position of faith, not just wishing that God will help, but believing that God will help, this puts our heart at ease. Sometimes we need to get a hold of ourselves and remember Who God Is & what He does. He will partner with you... but you must also partner with Him, it is a 2 way street.

What helped David to move to a position of faith?

A. David personalized what he knew to be true about God
v.1 David could have said,” the Lord is light” and that would have been true. but instead he says “the Lord is my light”- He lights my path, He directs my steps. You need to shift your prayer from God I don’t know what to do or how this will work out to You are my light and I know that I’ve called on You and You will lead me. I want to thank You; I may not have a clue what to do but I know that You’ll guide me and light my way. As you make a proclamation of faith aloud in your prayer life, it will move your heart from feeling overwhelmed to trust and joy. God You are the Deliverer – You've helped me in the past and I know You will help me again. I know that You are good and desire the best for me. v1 – If God is my Light to show me what to do at the right time – why should I fear? You are my Stronghold, my Fortress, my Defender. You will help and protect me, so who/what should I be afraid of? In personalizing what he knew to be true about God, David moved from a place of fear to one of faith.

B. v3 –David is confident in the Lord
“ yet I will be confident”. wow what if more Christians lived that way? Commit to move from an aspect of fear when praying about your problems, to one of faith. God is honored when we do that. It is not wrong to pray in proclaiming our faith in Him – (not name it claim it), but rather bring honor to Him and be increased in your faith by reminding yourself Who He Is. This lifts your heart to a new level of faith in Him...... and faith, is the stuff of answered prayer.
v5 – my heart will not fear…. I will be confident – he is saying - God is going to take care of me.
Eph 3 – He can do more than you can ask or imagine.

C. v14 David anticipates what God will do
‘wait’ for the Lord – this is the same word used in Isaiah 40:31. (those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength') The word wait for us can hold a very negative connotation in our impatient society; a delay; to be put on hold. but the Hebrew word really means ‘to hope with anticipation’. Like a prayer of ‘Lord I know You want the best in this situation and I can’t wait to see how You are going to work this out’. Hope in the Lord. v14 Be strong and a person of courage. wait on Him with hopeful anticipation. …’God I know You will take care of me, that You want the best for me and I just cant wait to see what You are going to do next in this’. If you will get in the habit of proclaiming your faith in His desire to see good in our lives and His ability to accomplish what we cannot by ourselves… you can go into your prayer room one way (overwhelmed) and come out of it with your heart lifted and encouraged and your faith increased. There is no faith in simply praying – ‘God I have this big problem and I know that it is beyond me and I cannot do this on my own’. You need to add to that prayer that He can do anything and nothing is beyond Him and that He is your Provider. You need to rely on Him and also say God I know that your Word says that You want to help me, that You love me. Proclaiming your faith in God can move your heart from dreading something to excitement. God doesn’t want us living in a state filled with dread, anxiety, feeling overwhelmed.

Turn every burden into a proclamation of faith when you pray about it, trusting in His power and desire to help. What will follow is a holy confidence (humble-dependant on Him) and a divine enthusiastic anticipation of how He will move in your life…. as you acknowledge not only your dependence on Him, but His ability to do more than we can imagine.
...one of David's proclamations of faith:

Psalm 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation-- whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life-- of whom shall I be afraid? 2 When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. 3 Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident. 4 One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. 5 For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. 6 Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord. 7 Hear my voice when I call, O Lord; be merciful to me and answer me. 8 My heart says of you, "Seek his face!" Your face, Lord, I will seek. 9 Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, O God my Savior. 10 Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me. 11 Teach me your way, O Lord; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. 12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing out violence. 13 I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. 14 Wait for (hope in) the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for (hope in) the Lord.