Do You Have CONFIDENCE??

Faith Filled Thoughts
September 4th, 2008
By Connie Ciccone
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Do You Have CONFIDENCE??



Scripture: Romans 12:3 "For I say ... to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think."

Before the Apostle Paul made this statement, he addressed the church at Rome as being "the called of Jesus Christ, beloved of God, and those called to be saints." He also declared that "their faith was spoken of throughout the whole world" (Romans 1:6-8). These folks were believers who loved God just like you and me and were doing their best to serve the Lord with all of their hearts. Yet, the Apostle Paul felt it necessary to warn them not to think more highly of themselves than they ought to think. Paul knew the enemy well and knew that this would be an easy trap for them to fall into.

This warning is for us today regardless of our calling or the depth of our faith. It is like a spiritual pendulum within our souls that can swing to the far left or all the way to the right. We can either be confident because we know that God is with us and working through us or we can become arrogant in our own self-sufficiency. Often it is a difficult matter for others and for ourselves to discern which direction the pendulum in our life is actually swinging. Sometimes our confidence in God is misread by others because our boldness in the Lord and our faith in His word come across as being arrogant to those who have no spiritual understanding. Then, there are other times when we, ourselves, are self-deceived. We think that we are being confident in the things of the Lord when we are actually being arrogant and presumptions. It comes down to being an issue of our heart. We must ask God to help us make a distinction concerning whether arrogance or confidence is ruling in our heart.

An arrogant spirit has an exaggerated opinion of itself and is overly convinced of its own superiority. It is proud, lofty, and presumptuous. Arrogance stands alone and says, "I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing" (Revelations 3:17). This scripture continued to tell us that that when we say we have need of nothing, we don't realize that we are actually "wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked." This is a pitiful state to be in. The bottom line is that the spirit of arrogance or self-sufficiency doesn't know how little it really has and how much it really needs.

Confidence, on the other hand, doesn't try to stand alone. It declares, "Without God, I can do nothing" (John 15:5). It understands that it is a branch that can only function because it is attached to the vine of life, who is Jesus Christ. Confidence has faith and relies upon that which has been placed within us by God. It is knowing that the Spirit of the Lord within us is greater than the spirit that is in the world. Jesus was the Son of God and had confidence in who He was, yet He never acted in presumption or relied upon His own strength. He only did what the Father showed Him to do and what the Holy Spirit empowered Him to do. Our confidence should reside in our belief that God is with us and our actions should mirror those of Jesus. We should not attempt to do anything unless the Father shows us and the Holy Spirit empowers us. Instead of speaking arrogantly and saying "I have need of nothing", our confidence should declare the words of Philippians 4:13 (Amplified).

" I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me
I am ready for anything and equal to anything
through Him Who infuses inner strength into me,
That is, I am self sufficient in Christ's sufficiency."
Today Have CONFIDENCE!!

May He Bless You and Keep You Today!

With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie