Stand Firm: Cultivating A Christ-Confidence For Living
Stand Firm
Cultivating A Christ Confidence For Living
Pastor Charlie Weir
“Self-confidence is an attitude about your skills and abilities. It means you accept and trust yourself and have a sense of control in your life. You know your strengths and weakness well, and have a positive view of yourself. You set realistic expectations and goals, communicate assertively, and can handle criticism.”
The University of South Florida’s Counseling Center
The word "confidence" is a combination of two Latin words: con (with), and fides (faith).
"Self-confidence" means "with faith in yourself."
Proverbs 16:18 "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall."
Philippians contains some of the most “quotable” passages in all of the NT.
Philippians 1:6 “… 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 1:21 “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”
Philippians 3:14 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”
Philippians 4:6,7 “6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, 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.”
Philippians 4:13 “13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
Philippians 4:19 “19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”
1. Christ-confidence Comes from God’s Commitment to Our Completion.
Philippians 1:2-6 2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
What leads to that discouragement?
Something taking longer than you thought.
Something being more complicated than you thought.
Something being harder than you thought.
Something not producing what you thought.
Living with a Christ-Confidence doesn’t work because Jesus believes in us – but because He believes in Himself in us!
2. Christ-Confidence Comes from God’s Commitment to His Purpose Completion
Philippians 1:12-14 12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. 13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14 And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.
Philippians 1:20-26 20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. [this is the ultimate statement of purpose] 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.
It is amazing what can be accomplished for the Kingdom of God when you are not afraid for yourself or worried about the success of the outcome.
Philippians 1:27-30 27 Whatever happens conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel 28 without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. 29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, 30 since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.
Last Words…
You can live Christ-Confident because He will finish what He started in you.
You can live Christ-Courageous because He will finish what He started with you.
Standing Firm is a group project. Standing firm together projects our inevitable salvation by God and the inevitable defeat of the enemy.