CONFIDENT!
Seventh of seven devotions in World Stage Series
Philippians 4:4-13
Philippians
4:6-7: “Do not be anxious about
anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present
your requests to God. And the peace of
God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds
in Christ Jesus.”
Believers
are people who trust and believe in God and His Son Jesus. Faith explains believers’ confidence. But the world doesn’t get it. Confidence only comes from faith certainty. Security rests in God.
Believers
dare to believe God’s Word.
Believers
acknowledge God’s presence in their lives.
They “see” His provision when meeting every need to achieve His purpose. His strength empowers them to accomplish the seemingly
impossible.
Simply
put, God blows believers’ minds!
Believers
bow to God’s sovereign credentials.
Believers know that human creds can NEVER measure up. Believers admit not deserving: God’s love, forgiveness,
salvation, sanctification, grace or peace.
Those
who mix it up by trusting God AND relying on self, get mixed results. They can never be confident. Self-reliance is “iffy.” They hesitate and waver when making
decisions. God’s Spirit isn’t extra baggage;
He is the trump card that the world can’t see.
(See lesson, linked below).
It’s
people who introduce extra baggage to situations. I can
help. I do it this way. These thoughts interfere with God’s
work. Humans are pesky know-it-alls. (We usually know nothing!) After we pray asking for God’s help
(divine intervention), we need to get out of God’s way.
We
need to move out of the driver’s seat!
God
is never wrong. His path is always secure. His promises never fail. God never deserts His kids. Believers who depend on God to equip, strengthen
and guide them are victorious, totally (sometimes irritatingly) confident.
Believers
remain at peace even in the middle of chaos.
They’re confident that God works everything out for their good (Romans 8:28). Believers live by faith, led by God’s Spirit—something
opposite to human instinct!
Believers
grow spiritually more like Christ every day.
Believers grow more confident every day.
Take Home Nugget
This devotion celebrates Apostle Paul. His Jewish credentials made him confident, proudly
persecuting Jesus’ followers. Acts 9:1-8
shows Jesus calling Paul out. Paul was shamed,
humiliated. Falling face first on the
ground, he couldn’t see when Jesus commanded him to rise. (For Paul was “blind” all his life).
How
mortifying for a once-proud Pharisee to be led around by his hand!
His
conversion into a believer was swift. He
now considered his creds garbage—compared to knowing Christ. He became empowered by God’s Spirit to preach
Christ crucified and Him risen from the dead.
Paul
was never more bold. He was never more
confident.
Faith certainty is bold. Believer’s hidden trump card makes them
confident.
J.D. Griffith
Written
for http://www.Biblestudyforkids.com
J.D. Griffith
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