Truths to Buld God-Confidence

OPENING INVITATION (SERIES)

…asking God to help me to see the GOOD—Trying to keep a perspective of faith that keeps me looking up—my thoughts and my eyes fixed on Jesus.

Stay OPTIMISTIC…

— Denial of reality—Its all good—no big deal—rose-colored glasses

— Blind faith—Naive hope, wishful thinking

its the unwavering expectation that our loving God is working in every situation for our good!

Cure for Complaining

— Wearing GRATITUDE on our sleeves—Jesus the FINAL word—Words of Jesus ENRICH our life's

— Staying GRATEFUL…the gateway to PEACE...

Today...Stay CONFIDENT—Living the Christian life with the temptations of thew world

1 Corinthians 10:12 “If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall.”

SELF-Confidence centers on self—God-Confidence is centered on Jesus—Staying confident is knowing we are not alone...

CENTERING SONG — I Am Not Alone

MESSAGE

(S1)

Confidence—“belief in one's powers or abilities; as it relates to self-confidence; self-reliance; assurance in oneself” dict.com

When it comes to confidence; I am my own worst enemy!

Low self esteem—Reason(s)…

— Believing I was the cause of my parents divorce

— lack of confidence in my abilities…comparison

— My appearance…didn't get all the girls...Sadie Hawkins dance

Lack of confidence can rob us from the life that God created us to live.

— Not interviewing for a certain job/avoid going back to school/‌Not getting in shape-don’t want look stupid gym/Not asking someone out.

Lack of confidence in myself almost kept me from ministry—still something I struggle with today

New room (pastors panel)

Truth is, we all lack confidence on some level or another...

(S2)

Problems with only having SELF—Confidence…centered on self

Insecurities...manifest in at least 3 types People

People Pleasers—Yes boss, do anything...like me?

Fishers—Photo IG/FB/likes/fishing for boast of confidence—Asking Jenny, how was my sermon?

One-Uppers—Better story…

(S3)

God-confidence is centered on our God who is FAITHFUL—living with the unwavering certainty that Jesus is in every situation for our good!

3 TRUTHS TO BUILD GOD-CONFIDENCE

Bibles/Pray

(S4)

Jesus’ walked this earth with confidence in…

—His Identity—Relationship to God (Sonship)

— His Mission—purpose for which he came

— His Authority given to him by the father

— His Message — Repent and receive the good news

Confidence his disciples came to grasp…apostle Paul shared...

Philippians 1:6 “I am confident that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”

Today’s scripture lesson writing to believers who were overly self-confident—concerning temptations they were facing

14 Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.

The heart of the problem…the temptation to worship other God’s

Idolatry—“Anything replacing God in your affection.”

Culture around them—they were to flee from all forms of it

(S4)

(MSG) 14 So, my very dear friends, when you see people reducing God to something they can use or control, get out of their company as fast as you can.

Don’t be too secure in what yourself wants—Confidence in only self, replaces our affections meant for God

10:1-11

Context/history—to the PRESUMPTUOUS attitudes of God’s people under Moses, to point out the arrogance of certain Corinthian Christians…

(S5)

1 I don’t want you to forget, dear brothers and sisters, about our ancestors in the wilderness long ago. All of them were guided by a cloud that moved ahead of them, and all of them walked through the sea on dry ground. 2 In the cloud and in the sea, all of them were baptized as followers of Moses. 3 All of them ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all of them drank the same spiritual water. For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ.

DELIVERED….GUIDED…given a WAY THRU..PROVIDED for…IMMERSED into a life of following Moses…who believed in God who was FAITHFUL. They were never alone and learning to trust in God who is faithful..

Notice who was there with them! A prequel to Christ, as living water for all would follow…as we are nourished in his resurrected spirit

“5 Yet God was not pleased with most of them…they were lacking God-Confidence

The problem with to much SELF-confidence! Why we need to build God-Confidence?

(S6)

My HEART is deceitful!

Jeremiah 17:9 “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?”

(S7)

My FLESH is weak!

Matthew 26:41 “ Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!””

(S8)

My BEHAVIOR is inconsistent!

Romans 7:15 “ I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate.”

(S9)

ALONE I am no match for the enemy!

Deuteronomy 1:42 “But the Lord told me to tell you, ‘Do not attack, for I am not with you. If you go ahead on your own, you will be crushed by your enemies.’”

(S10)

Godly-Confidence is TRUSTING in GOD over SELF

1 John 4:4 “But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.”

David, the giant Killer…confidence on the run from Saul…not in himself

Psalm 57:7 “7 My heart is confident in you, O God; my heart is confident. No wonder I can sing your praises!”

God was not pleased…they had walked away from loving him to loving self—giving int the temptations of self gratification

— They indulged in playful activity (eat, drink and be merry)—They practiced sexuality immorality (Study)—They grumbled...

Problem with parenting; in building our kids up…we are setting them up to fall…lack of belief in Jesus, and identity only in themselves

A God-Confident person has a deep sense of identify of who God is and who they are in Christ

The Apostle knew and was teaching them to trust in God over self, so they would not fall to temptation

(S11)

11 These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us...12 If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. 13 The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience.

They would face temptations like non-believers—Not heading Paul's warning would be costly,,,

242 Church Worship Leader

THREE TRUTHS TO HELP YOU BUILD GOD-CONFIDENCE (13)

(S12) — Confidence that…

I. God is always FOR you!

13a “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful.

A parent’s love to a child can feel like we are out to get them—always wanting good for our kids—ready to correct even punish them if they make a mistake?

Sometimes we can walk in fear of making a mistake. Feeling like God is out to get me…punish me for

faithful (pistos) — reliable, trustworthy, won’t let you down…STEADFAST AFFECTION—God is genuinely in love with you…

Isaiah 49:16 “See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands. Always in my mind is a picture of Jerusalem’s walls in ruins.”

Sometimes as Christians, we can strive so hard for God’s approval…you already got it—God is always for you

God’s fridge…your pic

I remember a time in my life when I didn’t feel worthy of God’s love. Overcome by guilt/shame! Someone told me about Jesus…who left the 99 for the one…

No matter how far you have strayed….God is for you—Feeling …unworthy of God’s love

Romans 8:31 “What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?”

—Hoping to climb out of mountain of debt? God is for you!

— Need to reconcile a broken relationship? God is For you!

— Been hurt by someone? God is for you!

— Single looking for love? Troubled marriage? God is For you!

— Need a miracle? God is for you!

(S13)

Hebrews 10:35 “So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you!”

God isn’t looking for self-confident God pleasers. You don’t need to go fishing for his love—Jesus is proof of it!

Because God is for you…you are NEVER alone!

(S14) — Confidence that…

II. God will always HELP you!

13b”He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand.”

Sometimes facing temptation is a fight of your life…alone it certainly can feel that way.

Boxing Ring/Corner Man/Boxers only friend in the field of battle

Watch for that right hook, back off, go in…God is always looking out for you…

—The disciples…falling a sleep in the garden

—Peter…runs toward Jesus on the water

— Mary, his mother at the cross...

God is always there to help you!

Isaiah 41:13 “For I hold you by your right hand— I, the Lord your God. And I say to you, ‘Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you.”

Speaker at New room…image of God’s helping hand holding his children

(S15)

Song of Solomon 2:6 “His left arm is under my head, and his right arm embraces me.”

Facing a temptation? You don’t have to fight it alone—Confidence is knowing that GRACE will always find you.

— Find yourself in a compromising situation…phone rings (friend)

— Tempted to gossip…duck…a verse come to mind

James 4:11 “Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters.

Jesus faced the temptation of his life right out if the gate—Hungry—

Matthew 4:4 “The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

What ever your facing…know that you are not alone in the ring of life

Hebrews 13:5–6 “5 For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” 6 So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. ”

God is always there to help you!

(S16) — Confidence that…

III. God will always provide a WAY thru!

“13c When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.”

The Bible says that endurance is the best teacher…

James 1:2–4 “when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”

Sometimes the hardest lesson learned is found at the bottom of a pit

Once, a farmer’s donkey fell into a well. The poor donkey cried for hours as the farmer considered what to do. At his wit’s end, he decided the donkey was too old to be useful, and the well was dry and needed to be sealed anyway, so it was probably best not to try to rescue the poor creature. The farmer asked his neighbors to come and help him fill in the well, donkey and all. Everyone grabbed a shovel and began to throw dirt into the well.

Realizing what was happening, to everyone’s surprise, the donkey became quiet. A few shovelfuls later, the farmer leaned over the edge of the well to see what was happening: As each shovelful of dirt hit the donkey’s back, she shook it off and took a step up, higher and higher, until she, to the amazement of all, emerged from the hole, shook herself once more, and trotted off.

Joseph found himself there—Daniel found himself there—Shadrach, Meshack, and abendingo…Jesus found himself there…they stayed CONFIDENT in a our God who is FAITHFUL—God who is always FOR us—God who will always HELP us—God who will always provide a WAY thru—Jesus is our GodCONFIDENCE…

John 14:6 “Jesus said, “I am the way…the truth, and the life.

Paul warned them to not trust too much in self

(S17)

(MSG) 12 Don't be so naive and self-confident. You're not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it's useless. Cultivate God-confidence.

Instead build God-Confidence—That your not alone—look at your ancestors…in the wilderness they had all they needed...

1 Corinthians 10:4 “all of them drank the same spiritual water. For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ.”

Self confidence is good—or God confidence is best? SELF-Confidence centers on self—God-Confidence is centered on Jesus

(S18)

Its living with the unwavering certainty that Jesus is in every situation for our good!

How to we build confidence? By putting our trust in Jesus; who is always FOR you…will always HELP you…is the only WAY thru

Stay positive? Stay CONFIDENT! Jesus is the way to build God-Confidence