The Root of Confidence

I was never a confident person growing up. I always relied on others to do things for me mostly because of my own insecurities. My lack of confidence hurt me in many ways. When Lynn and I started dating I would tell her I would love to be a pastor but I could never make it through school because I am not smart enough. Lynn encouraged me to go and in time as I studied more and more of the Word of God and the more my walk with God was strengthened I stopped relying on myself and became confident not in my works or abilities but in God and what God is accomplishing. Confidence is never rooted in ourselves, when we trust ourselves it is pride not confidence, true confidence is always rooted in God and it is accomplished in His work through us and all for the purpose of His glory. We will focus on this truth this morning as we look at our text in Acts 9:32-43. And our focus this morning is Confidence is Rooted in What God is Accomplishing.

Confidence is Rooted in God's accomplishing

Confidence in Service

Peter was a man of confidence but it was self-confidence.

Peter now has been transformed and moves with confidence in God.

Peter in his confidence in God serves God's people. Went to the saints.

It was not about building a name for himself but for God's glory.

That is what ministry is, that is what service is, Confidence in What God is doing to further His Glory.

Serving in the church is always for God never for the person serving.

The spiritual gifts we receive are to glorify God not ourselves.

1 Corinthians 12:4-7

1 Corinthians 12:4–7 NASB95

4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. 6 There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

1 Corinthians 14:26

1 Corinthians 14:26 NASB95

26 What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.

Ephesians 4:4-7

Ephesians 4:4–7 NASB95

4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

Confidence in The Sovereign

Peter's Confidence in The Sovereign, meaning in Jesus and in God' power, is evident in the healing and the resuscitation.

Peter tells Aeneas that Jesus Christ heals him, and the healing is instantaneous.

The healing is all do to God and not Peter or the man.

No faith on the man's part or Tabatha's is involved.

The confidence came from God and was fully rooted in God.

Hebrews 6:13-20

Hebrews 6:13–20 NASB95

13 For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, 14 saying, “I will surely bless you and I will surely multiply you.” 15 And so, having patiently waited, he obtained the promise. 16 For men swear by one greater than themselves, and with them an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute. 17 In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, 18 so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. 19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, 20 where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

Confidence in Salvation

Ephesians 1:3-14

Ephesians 1:3–14 NASB95

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight 9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him 10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him 11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, 12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory. 13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.

Where is your confidence rooted? Is it in your abilities, is it in your knowledge, is it in platitudes? If it is rooted in God, are you serving Him and His people, if it is rooted in God do you trust Him no matter what happens? If it is rooted in God do you trust where you are going and do you live with the hope that is inside of you so that others can see it too? If it is not rooted in God why? What is stopping you from being rooted in God? What is stopping you from trusting in the gospel? Ask God to strengthen your confidence and ask for a firm root in Him?