Dearest Saints,
While we need to be humble to allow the power of God to work mightily through us, we also need to have that courageous and bold confidence in the Lord. Being bold in the Lord in an arrogant way is seeking to have His power to benefit with yourself in mind. Having that true spirit of being courageous and bold in the right way is delighting to see the power of His goodness work through you to represent Him favorably and to be a blessing to others. When a person believes they are being selfish by being confident in the Lord and knowing how much He favors us, this is false humility which is a form of pride. False humility is the same as pride because people are trusting in their own judgment and opinions rather than simply believing and receiving the truth of what He tells us to believe. So when we fail to be bold in Him, we have that form of false humility which is having a proud spirit, because we believe otherwise when He tells us to be bold, courageous and to fear not. It seems contradictory that God tells us to be humble, yet at the same time, to be bold. We need to be bold by having that fearless and courageous confidence in the Lord simply because we highly trust Him alone to help us in every endeavour because He wants us to rely on Him for everything. When we put our confidence in Him, we can trust Him personally to help us make every decision to lead us down the right path when we acknowledge Him (Prov 3:5,6). We are righteous before Him when we have confidence of His divine protection, even when we may be threatened by life's challenges. We are told to put no confidence in the flesh (ourselves or relying solely on other people, Governments, etc), so that we allow Him to be our Refuge, which He encourages us to do so. When it comes down to it, we always have confidence in something, in someone or another. When we have true confidence in Christ alone, that means we should never have any place by having confidence in anything or anyone else. Just like the Bible talks about God and mammon. You either love one or love the other. You cannot love both, nor can you love neither. The Bible tells us that we either love one or the other. The same thing holds true, that we either put our confidence in flesh (ourselves, our jobs, our status, our material possessions, etc) or we put our confidence in God. You cannot have confidence in both or neither (read Matt 6:24; Luke 16:13).
Here is a test to determine this; when we are more afraid of losing our jobs, etc., we are actually putting our confidence in our workplace, employers or organizations to support us more than relying on the One whom we should look to as our Provider. When we fret about being lonely and thinking we may never marry (for those who are single), we end up putting confidence in someone else to satisfy our needs rather than trusting God who is truly the only One who is able to satisfy our need, having that inner joy and peace that the world can never give. When we fret about losing our identity when we think of work or no longer being a part of a social group, or losing our status, we tend to identify more about who we are by what we accomplish, what we do or what groups or organizations we belong to instead of simply knowing our true identity in Christ. It all comes down to finding out if we are more fretful or worried about certain areas of our lives or having that rich inner peace by being confident in Him. We need to continue to build our confidence in the One who loves us more than anyone or anything else could ever do (John 3:16).
We are justified when we have that bold confidence in Him, because He tells us that the Righteous are as bold as a lion (Prov 28:1). Being righteous is being in right standing with God because we choose to believe what He tells us, regardless of what we think. The works Jesus tells His Disciples is simply to believe in the One whom the Father has sent (John 6:29). He also tells us in Heb 4:16 that we need to approach His Throne of Grace boldly (having confidence in Him) so we can receive His much needed Grace and Mercy which we desperately need at all times whether we realize it or not. Having that bold confidence starts with knowing how much He loves you because of what He Himself willingly went through for you and me personally. I like the song that reminds me if I should forget His love for me, just remember what He went through the Garden of Gethsemane and willingly went all the way to Calvary for me. I find it important that we need to speak boldly that Jesus loves me because He went to the Cross and laid down His life for me!! He loves me with an everlasting love. He loves me like no other friend. When we speak these words and other promises of His loving Word to ourselves, it is important to speak them audibly with confidence to yourself because I find that we believe more of what we say about ourselves than anyone else. By our words, we are either justified and acquitted, or we are condemned and sentenced (Matt 12:37). When we receive Him (who is that perfection of love) for us personally, we can walk boldly and confidently in Him because it is receiving that perfect love (that Only He has perfected) is able to cast out every fear (1 John 4:18). For perfect love casts out all fears. Walking in true humility (knowing our inabilities without the Lord) while having that bold confidence of knowing Him, knowing who we are as His Children, His inheritors and receiving the fullness of His love for us, we will be ever so strong in the Lord which He encourages us to be (Eph 6:10). Walking in the power of His Spirit always lives under the rule of love for Him and for one another. Just like operating in the gifts of the Spirit (prophesying, speaking in unknown tongues, gift of miracles, gift of discernment of spirits, etc (read 1 Cor 12:4-12) everything is to be under the rule of love. As an example, I always say that love is not the exception to anything, but is always the RULE for everything. Therefore, whatever we learn about the Word and how we can have more of Him in our lives, love is always the rule for everything in order for His power to work effectively through us.
When we walk in true humility, having the true characteristics of being strong in the Lord, having bold confidence in Christ and allow the rulership of His love to work through us, the power of God is able to do exceedingly beyond our expectations because we simply believe His promises that He truly does love me (insert your name).
Be blessed to browse my updated blog and both websites. God bless.
In the Matchless Name of Jesus
Richard
Associate Director
Answers2Prayer
http://sites.google.com/site/greatestbuilderforourlife http://www.answers2prayer.org/
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