Sunday, August 26, 2018 pm
Lack of Confidence
a.
Defined – a feeling or
belief that you can trust that something is true.
To have certainty about something.
There are several passages that show this
– Acts 28:31, Paul had confidence as he preached
- Romans 15:14, Paul was confident that these brethren were full
of good works
- 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 – confidence of what is better – to be with the
Lord
- Philippians 1:6 – confidence that God can complete what He has begun
b.
This may include the way
you feel about yourself and your abilities.
It can also mean that we
are bold and courageous as we face something. (This is what we have in
mind).
c.
It is possible to be
overconfident - Romans 2:19, Proverbs 14:16, A fool rages and is
self-confident.” (NASB – careless).
Think of Peter when the Lord told him that he would deny Him.
Peter adamantly rejected that warning.
d.
What do we mean by lack
of confidence?
We have doubts, are timid, and let these things keep us from standing up
for truth and improving ourselves.
We see in the disciples of Jesus many examples of this – Mark 4:37-41 –
a great windstorm rocked the boat and they pleaded with the Lord to save
them; Peter when he began to sink – Matthew 14:30
The disciples failure to cast out a demon in Matthew 17:17-22, etc.
We may lack confidence in our abilities to teach others, to boldly stand
for truth, or even in ourselves that we can do what we need to do.
We sometimes use the expression,
“a lack of self-confidence”
a.
You have doubts –
unhealthy doubts. You doubt
yourself, your abilities, others and perhaps even God.
b.
You may not try – often
doubts lead to us not even trying.
We already believe we cannot accomplish whatever it is, so we
reason, “Why even try?” Or
if you do try, your efforts are half-hearted.
c.
You may eventually give
up – because you won’t try or give due effort, you don’t succeed
(remember – you cannot fall down if you don’t try).
This may cause one to surrender or totally give up.
Leave the task fully undone.
Fail to move forward, etc.
d.
It can affect the way
you feel about yourself. Because
of this spiraling process you have low self-esteem, maybe even
depression, etc. You despise
yourself. AND, unless you do
something about it, this will be a downward spiral until you can fall no
further. What a tragedy!
a.
IT DOESN’T have to be
that way. We can build up
confidence in ourselves.
Here are some suggestions to help us.
(Again, I note that it is easy to give these suggestions, but
much harder to do them.
Nevertheless, these are some God-approved strategies that will work IF
we do them)
b.
It involves the mind
– as so many things do. We
must not let Satan control our thoughts – 2 Corinthians 10:3-5.
Romans 12:2 – be transformed by the renewing of your mind…
Godly living begins with a godly mind – Colossians 3:1-2.
c.
You need genuine faith – lack of confidence is in reality a lack of faith – in
something (God or yourself).
We need faith in what do. It
is the foundation that we build upon (2 Peter 1:3).
Hebrews 11:6 without faith, it is impossible to please God!
What is faith? It is total
trust!
Confident faith is David facing
Goliath (1 Samuel 17). While
the rest of the Israelite army cowered (lack of confidence), David is
willing to confront this giant who was blaspheming God.
With just a sling and 5 stones he boldly runs toward him.
Note what he says, Then
David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a
spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of
hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day
the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take
your head from you…” (1 Samuel 17:45-46)
You need to build up
your faith – Like Paul - 2 Timothy 1:12;
Romans 8:37-39 – what can man do to me.
Hebrews 4:14-16 – let us come boldly before His throne.
d.
Abide in Him
– 1 John 2:28 – And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may
have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.
That means to live serving Him.
We need to be walking in the light as that is where our
confidence is (cf. 1 John 1:6-7).
1 John 3:18-21 – we love in deed and truth, and by this we assure our
hearts and have confidence toward God.
e.
DON’T put your
confidence in the wrong things.
i.
Philippians 3:3-4 – have no
confidence in the flesh
ii.
Riches – 1 Timothy 6:17
– don’t trust in uncertain riches
iii.
Yourself – James 4:13-16
– leaving God out of the picture.
f.
Trust in the right things –
i.
Trust in God
(which is a foundation of faith) – So much is said of this inscripture.
Jeremiah 17:7-8, “Blessed is the
man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be
like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the
river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green,
And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from
yielding fruit.
Proverbs 14:26,
In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, And His children
will have a place of refuge.
Ephesians 3:12 – in whom (Christ) we have boldness and access with
confidence through faith in Him.
Also vs. 20-21 – He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above
what we are able to ask.
ii.
Trust in His word – Hebrews 4:12, it is living and powerful (Romans 1:16)
Acts 28:31 – the book concludes,
preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the
Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.
2 Peter 1:19 – we have the word confirmed, which you do well to
heed...until the day.
iii.
Our hope beyond this life – 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 – we are confident of desire to be
absent from the body and present with the Lord.
Hope is the anchor that keeps us
going.
iv.
In yourself
– WITH humility and proper perspective – Philippians 4:13 – I can do all
things through Christ… This
is a part of genuine faith.
You need to tell yourself, “I can do this!”
g.
Repent of that which
produces doubts
– IF you lack of confidence is because you know you are not living as
you ought to, you have to repent of it.
And it needs to be genuine repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10-11).
2 Timothy 2:19 -
Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The
Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name
of Christ depart from iniquity.”
h.
Increase your knowledge
– if you lack confidence in studying with others, perhaps you need to be
studying some more. 2 Peter 3:15, Hebrews 5:12-14.
i.
Find strength in godly brethren – there is a reason Jesus sent out His disciples two
by two.
Godly brethren can give each other confidence to do and say the right
thing.
Paul often spoke of confidence in them - Galatians 5:10 – Paul
encouraged them by saying, “I have confidence in you…”
2 Corinthians 7:16 – I have confidence in you in everything.
Hebrews 6:9 – we are confident of better things concerning you
Philippians 1:14 – they found confidence in Paul’s chains.
j.
Pray –
James 1:5-6 – for wisdom, and with faith!
1 John 5:14 – this is the confidence we have in Him, if we ask anything…
Philippians 4:6-7 – be anxious for nothing…
k.
Get to work
– as we have noted in this lesson, you have to try.
You need to do something to deal with whatever is challenging
your confidence. BE busy!
l.
Don’t give up – Hebrews 10:35-39 – do not cast away your confidence which has great
reward…endurance.
Hebrews 3:6, 14 – hold fast our confidence firm to the end.
Confidence is something many of us lack, at least to the degree we ought
to have it. But it is my hope that in this lesson we have seen that it
doesn’t have to be that way.
We can develop the type of confidence we need to endure whatever comes
our way in this life, and to be ready to stand before God.
What about you? How
is your confidence?