#291 My Confidence Is In Christ

#291 My Confidence Is In Christ
By Guest Speaker: Pastor Bobby Sullivan

Hebrews 10:35-37  

New King James Version (NKJV)
35 Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: 37 “For yet a little while, And He[a] who is coming will come and will not tarry.

Amplified Bible (AMP)
35 Do not, therefore, fling away your [fearless] confidence, for it has a glorious and great reward. 36 For you have need of patient endurance [to bear up under difficult circumstances without compromising], so that when you have carried out the will of God, you may receive and enjoy to the full what is promised.37 For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay.

New International Version (NIV)
35 So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.
36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 37 For, “In just a little while, He who is coming will come and will not delay.”  (It wont be long now)

The Message (MSG)
32-39 Remember those early days after you first saw the light? Those were the hard times! Kicked around in public, targets of every kind of abuse—some days it was you, other days your friends. If some friends went to prison, you stuck by them. If some enemies broke in and seized your goods, you let them go with a smile, knowing they couldn’t touch your real treasure. Nothing they did bothered you, nothing set you back. So don’t throw it all away now. You were sure of yourselves then. It’s still a sure thing! But you need to stick it out, staying with God’s plan so you’ll be there for the promised completion. It won’t be long now, he’s on the way; he’ll show up most any minute. But anyone who is right with me thrives on loyal trust; if he cuts and runs,
I won’t be very happy. But we’re not quitters who lose out. Oh, no! We’ll stay with it and survive, trusting all the way.

MY CONFIDENCE IN CHRIST IS COMING BACK

Has your confidence in Christ ever been compromised?

Turn to your neighbor and say, “My confidence is coming back”

I’m not looking for a confidence that comes through compromise that is nothing more than compensation for being complacent. I’m looking for a confidence from the KING!  I’m looking for the WELL DONE MY GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT for not buckling, bowing, and bending.

Introduction:  The writer of Hebrews is trying to instill and reconstruct confidence in a group of Christians in Crisis.  He is speaking to these people in the midst of chaos and he uses CONTRAST and CONTEXT to catapult them back into the confidence they once had. HE is addressing the conflict that occurred around the late 60’s of the first century before the fall of Jerusalem in AD70. It was at this time that the fear of persecution was a grim reality for the church in Rome and many of these people were torn and tempted to revert back to Judaism. So he is trying to get these people refocused on Christ and will remind them of what He already did and will leave them orphaned, abandoned, and alone.

I don’t know if things have changed much from then to now? Have you ever felt the same way? If so, this message is for you If not, then reference this message because you will need it one day.

I want to make a declaration to you today. You must focus on Christ in your Crisis!
You recall Peter when he focused on Christ in his crisis he defied the laws of buoyancy and didn’t become a human sub marine! LOL

The writer begins in Hebrews 1 reminding them who God is and that nothing catches Him by surprise. HE is all, He knows all and HE is aware of all.

HE basically tells them GOD is bigger and better than the boogie man. 

It is in this context that the writer must present a motivational message to re establish their confidence.

How many would agree that a Crisis Can Cripple your Confidence?
How many of you would also agree that in spite of it all that Christ Conquers Crisis through Confidence, Christ can conquer your crisis through confidence!  Why? I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me! 

You can lose a lot of things in life and get them back if you hold on to your confidence. Jesus never has to apologize for a calling he gave you. Now you may have to apologize for not acting on it!  But if the devil can steal your confidence he can stop you from functioning in your calling.

Don’t even think about allowing the devil to rob you of progress by reminding you of your past because he stripped you of your confidence.

Without Confidence, your calling is captured! IMPORTANT!!

Joyce Meyer said, “A believer without confidence is like a jet without fuel on the runway. All that equipment but no power to get it up above the circumstance.”

Christians without confidence is like a kiss without lips.

I want to back up a bit and show you why he says, “Don not throw away your confidence”
People are losing friends because of the faith, suffering loss, constantly struggling, having things stripped from them etc.

Vs 19-23 A Call to Persevere in Faith
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence
( WE MAY NOT BE ACCESSING IT RIGHT NOW) ( How man have a phone? Just because you have access to it doesn’t mean your using it) 

 ( You don’t need any more confidence no more than you need more faith! You just need to use what’s already given to you)

to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

This is your promise described, defined and elaborated by the Sovereign Lord himself. This is your access key to and undefiled relationship with Most High, Holy of Holies Himself. This is the New Covenant contract. This is the real deal.

I want you to see where your confidence comes from today!
It’s not from your spouse, your boyfriend/girlfriend, coach, doctor, or even me. Its from HIM!

There are 3 things in the text that all start with the letter C!

1. CONSCIENCE  

Its very difficult to have full confidence when you have a troubled conscience.

Some of you lost your confidence because you violated your conscience.
(Your convictions were sealed rather than revealed) They were hidden rather than seen.  Someone said, “If you were arrested for being a Christian would there be enough evidence to convict you?

If the devil cant get your calling without your confidence, he will get to your confidence through your conscience.

Listen….The devil will tempt you with anything that will defile your conscience. Now because you have a defiled conscience, you have no confidence to come into His presence and now you hide in the shadows.

Don’t allow the devil to rob you of your progress to Gods presence by reminding you of your past because he attempted to strip you of your confidence to come boldly to the thrown of GRACE.

The presence of God is the only place where your conscience can be cleansed.
His compassion covers a seared conscience which gives me confidence in the midst of a crisis.

The context of Christian confidence is not your ability to conform to a curriculum of behaviors. That’s the old way!  Jesus is the context of confidence that clears my conscience!  So I can confidently come into HIS courts with praise and thanksgiving!

Each drop of blood that was shed, every cry from his lungs grasping for another ounce of air was a clear indication from HIM that I was on HIS mind. He is longing, desiring, and hungry for MORE OF US!!! Im not a slave to fear, I am an heir to the thrown, I will rule and reign with HIM.

JESUS SAYS COME ON IN!!!!  WHAT TOOK U SO LONG?

With a clear conscience, I can confidently declare who I am in Christ!

• I am a child of God.
  But to all who have received him–those who believe in his name–he has given the right to become God’s children … (John 1:12).

• I am a branch of the true vine, and a conduit of Christ’s life.
  I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener. I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me–and I in him–bears much fruit, because apart from me you can accomplish nothing (John 15:1, 5).

• I am a friend of Jesus.
  I no longer call you slaves, because the slave does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because I have revealed to you everything I heard from my Father (John 15:15).

• I have been justified and redeemed.
  But they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:24).

• My old self was crucified with Christ, and I am no longer a slave to sin.
  We know that our old man was crucified with him so that the body of sin would no longer dominate us, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin (Romans 6:6).

• I will not be condemned by God.
  There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).

• I have been set free from the law of sin and death.
• For the law of the life-giving Spirit in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2).

• As a child of God, I am a fellow heir with Christ.
  And if children, then heirs (namely, heirs of God and also fellow heirs with Christ)–if indeed we suffer with him so we may also be glorified with him (Romans 8:17).

• I have been accepted by Christ.
• Receive one another, then, just as Christ also received you, to God’s glory (Romans 15:7).

• I have been called to be a saint.
  … To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, and called to be saints, with all those in every place who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours (1 Corinthians 1:2). (See also Ephesians 1:1, Philippians 1:1, and Colossians 1:2.)

• In Christ Jesus, I have wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.
• He is the reason you have a relationship with Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption … (1 Corinthians 1:30).

• My body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who dwells in me.
  Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you (1 Corinthians 6:19)?

• I am joined to the Lord and am one spirit with Him.
  But the one united with the Lord is one spirit with him (1 Corinthians 6:17).

• God leads me in the triumph and knowledge of Christ.
  But thanks be to God who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and who makes known through us the fragrance that consists of the knowledge of him in every place (2 Corinthians 2:14).

• The hardening of my mind has been removed in Christ.
• But their minds were closed. For to this very day, the same veil remains when they hear the old covenant read. It has not been removed because only in Christ is it taken away (2 Corinthians 3:14).

• I am a new creature in Christ.
• So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away–look, what is new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17)!

• I have become the righteousness of God in Christ.
  God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21).

• I have been made one with all who are in Christ Jesus.
• There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female–for all of you are one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28).

• I am no longer a slave, but a child and an heir.
• So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if you are a son, then you are also an heir through God (Galatians 4:7).

• I have been set free in Christ.
• For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be subject again to the yoke of slavery (Galatians 5:1).

• I have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.
• Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ (Ephesians 1:3).

• I am chosen, holy, and blameless before God.
• For he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we may be holy and unblemished in his sight in love (Ephesians 1:4).

• I am redeemed and forgiven by the grace of Christ.
  In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace (Ephesians 1:7).

• I have been predestined by God to obtain an inheritance.
  In Christ we too have been claimed as God’s own possession, since we were predestined according to the one purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will (Ephesians 1:11).

• I have been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.
• And when you heard the word of truth (the gospel of your salvation)–when you believed in Christ–you were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13).

• Because of God’s mercy and love, I have been made alive with Christ.
• But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, even though we were dead in transgressions, made us alive together with Christ–by grace you are saved (Ephesians 2:4-5)!

• I am seated in the heavenly places with Christ.
• … And he raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus … (Ephesians 2:6).

• I am God’s workmanship created to produce good works.
  For we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do them (Ephesians 2:10).

• I have been brought near to God by the blood of Christ.
• But now in Christ Jesus you who used to be far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ (Ephesians 2:13).

• I am a member of Christ’s body and a partaker of His promise.
  … The Gentiles are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:6). (See also Ephesians 5:30.)

• I have boldness and confident access to God through faith in Christ.
  … In whom we have boldness and confident access to God because of Christ’s faithfulness (Ephesians 3:12).

• My new self is righteous and holy.
  … Put on the new man who has been created in God’s image–in righteousness and holiness that comes from truth (Ephesians 4:24).

• I was formerly darkness, but now I am light in the Lord.
• … For you were at one time darkness, but now you are in the Lord. Walk as children of the light (Ephesians 5:8).

• I am a citizen of heaven.
  But our citizenship is in heaven–and we also await a savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ … (Philippians 3:20).

• The peace of God guards my heart and mind.
• And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7).

• God supplies all my needs.
• And my God will supply your every need according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).

• I have been made complete in Christ.
  … You have been filled in him, who is the head over every ruler and authority (Colossians 2:10).

• I have been raised up with Christ.
• Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God (Colossians 3:1).

• My life is hidden with Christ in God.
  … For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3).

• Christ is my life, and I will be revealed with Him in glory.
  When Christ (who is your life) appears, then you too will be revealed in glory with him (Colossians 3:4).

• I have been chosen of God, and I am holy and beloved.
  Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a heart of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience … (Colossians 3:12).

• God loves me and has chosen me.
  We know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you … (1 Thessalonians 1:4).

The more we embrace these truths from Scripture about who we have become in Christ, the more stable, grateful, and fully assured CONFIDENT we will be in this world

Can you see it? We have a great high priest who is the context of my confidence

2. I need a COMMUNITY:

If your confidence has been compromised you need a community.
You have to follow Christ for yourself but you can’t follow Christ by yourself.

You are a candidate for a new community to help you conquer carnality not camouflage it.

No longer will you be help captive by circumstances

No longer will you be compensated or complimented by comparison

I confess that I am COMPLETE in CHRIST

I’m connected!    My conduct will no longer be compromised or crippled
QUESTION? Who sits on your confidence committee?

I Need people in my life- I need more Wayne Zimmer’s, Martin Desousa’s,
I need more Mira’s to laugh at my dumb jokes when they are not funny
I need more Karl’s and Cheryl’s to compliment me even when I’m corny
I need to Geoff’s, Bills, Gord’s, to kindly correct and encourage me
I need more Kevin’s and Georges and from time to time even more Harrys!  LOL
I need a carrying community of Christians to carry me.
I needed Rex Lowe and Tony Maddox who came to Bethesda Home for Boys when I was 15 to take in a kid who had 3 fathers.

Maybe you have Past Experience and Dr. Doubt and Captain Critical on you committee always challenging your decisions.

2 Kings 6:17   Elisha was trying to teach faith.    Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes so he can see.”  Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes and he looked and saw the hills full of horses. Chariots of fire all around ELISHA.

Elisha gave him a different context     Elisha opened his eyes so he can see

Nothing really changed except how he saw his crisis

You need a community that will surround your greatest fears. That will help you silence the fear in you that screams the loudest

A community that will help you protect the promised provision of God protection in your life.

You may have come to church today tempted, tried, tested, targeted, tarnished, ticked, tormented and thirsty but the good news his JESUS
Trumps it all!

He triumphs over your tragedy.  He trade your sorrows for joy!
In other words…JESUS IS RIGHT ON TIME

You made it this far !   We wont let you go back without a fight!

You are surrounded by the heart of God!

Are you having a crisis in confidence?  Your lack of confidence in not the death of your calling!

ARE YOU AT A HEBREWS 10 CROSSROADS?   Is your confidence in Christ compromised  because your conscience calls you out of community?   There are way to many callings abandoned at the crossroads of compromise. 

When the devil puts the pressure on to cave in, it’s a sign that you are in proximity to the promise. Listen, if you have never met the devil face to face chances are your traveling in the same direction he is!   

Stand up and fight back!!!   Don’t you dare through in the towel!!!  

IN JUST A LITTLE WHILE!!!   HANG ON!!
2. Confidence comes from a commitment to Consistency:  

     Let’s not get weary n well doing, we will reap if we faint not.
Cyrena Williams was asked a question when she won her GRAND SLAM.
“How do you deal with the pressure”  She said, “I play a lot of tennis”

35 So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded

Vs 32. Be mindful of the days gone by in which, after you were first spiritually enlightened, you endured a great and painful struggle.

(You did it before You can do it again) You have gone through much worse than this.

MY STORY BRIEFLY!!   I MADE IT   I WILL MAKE IT AGAIN

How do you get your confidence back?
You get I back in the gap!

How do you go forward? By Remembering the past!

SHOUT MY CONFIDENCE IS COMING BACK!

We are all in the GAP

1. WHERE I WANT TO BE
2. WHERE I AM
3. WHERE I WAS

 You see the church that Hebrews is talking about is not the one walking away from their faith as much as they are weakening in it.

Most people struggle from where I am and where I want to be. But you have to look back at where you were to appreciate where you are. This will give you a bigger perspective on where your going.

You could be missing God because your looking for Him in the destination, but he is waiting for you in the detour.

291 You’re Confidence In Christ, PowerPoint Slides

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