Confidence is a trait many of us lack. We aren’t confident in our own abilities, skills, or talents. We seem to display a lack of confidence in all that we do – always second guessing our decisions. Often this shortage extends to our relationship with God. Why do we reek of worry and self-doubt when we approach God? We doubt the goodness and the promises of God and have no confidence in the fact that God delights in our very existence.
While it is important to fear the Lord, it is critical to not live in perpetual fear of the Lord. This will stop us from loving Him. God asks us to join in a loving and caring relationship with Him, not one based on fear of intimidation. A relationship with God is one in which our best interests are being served. We are seeking the heart of God and ultimately our desires will reflect His; benefiting us greatly.
I say this because it is important to be confident. To believe without question that God has a plan for us and that it is one that will not harm us (Jeremiah 29:11). We are told to approach God’s throne with confidence (Hebrews 4:16) and to believe that whatever we ask for in prayer, that we have received it (Mark 11:24).
There is an adage that states, “those who kneel before God can stand before any man.” And that sounds nice. But I disagree. I will stand before God. I will stand because I have taken a hold of the promises He has promised, and I am not going to sway in collecting those promises. The great theologian Charles H. Spurgeon said it this way:
“There is no pleading with God like reminding him of his covenant. Get a hold of a promise of God, and may you pray with great boldness, for the Lord will not run back from his own Word.”
That is how I approach the throne of God. That is how we should all approach it. With such great confidence that God is who He says He is. We must be so bold in our belief that God is not a liar and His words hold true. By adopting this mindset and fully submersing oneself in it; your life will be changed.
Well, God…
One of the best examples of this is found in the book of Exodus. In a time of need, Moses saved a whole nation of people because he approached God & said ‘well you can’t wipe them out. You promised Abraham you would always look after them.’ And God said ‘you’re right. For your sake, I will not (Exodus 32:13-14). That’s what approaching the throne with confidence and holding God accountable looks like. Moses was confident enough in God’s Word that He held God accountable to it.
God will never flee from His word. He will not break a promise. Exodus 32 is an example of this. Another example is the prayer of Jabez. Jabez asked God to expand his influence and territory and God granted it (1 Chronicles 4:10). Had he of not have had confidence he probably would not have prayed such a bold prayer.
That doesn’t mean God will give you a Ferrari because you desire one. But what it does mean is that by seeking God, the desires of your heart will slowly be changed into what is best for you, and what aligns with God’s perfect and Holy will. When you seek God, you seek godliness. You seek to do His will for your life; not your own — for His ways are greater than ours (Isaiah 55:9).
With freedom and confidence for all
Ephesians 3:12 tells us, “In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.” Because of our faith in Jesus Christ – which means we can now dwell with God for eternity – we can approach God with confidence. Knowing that because of Jesus’ blood we are now viewed without blemish is a powerful thing. God separates our sin from us as far as the East is from the West (Psalm 103:12) and we need to take this to heart. We must have absolute confidence in this because it will dictate every facet of our Christian walk. Hebrews 10:23 (NKJV) says “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.”
“Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need.”
Piper goes on to explain what this confession is and what it means:
“The confession is simply our unshakable hope (Hebrews 10:23) that God is for us and will work to bring us into his final rest and joy. Hold fast to that because you have a great High Priest. That’s the first conclusion. For weeks we have been seeing the call to hold fast and to be diligent and to take heed. Here we see it again. Only here the writer is spreading out powerful reasons not only for why you should hold fast to your confession, but also why you can! God is for you. You have a great High Priest. He is alive. He is in the presence of God. He is the Son of God. He is sympathetic. So, hold fast to your hope.”
A need for God
It is important to note that each of us needs God. It is critical to understand that no person can truly live without being connected to the source of Life. We do not deserve the supernatural help that God provides in the same way we are not worthy to enter His Holy presence. But that is the fascinating and mysterious nature of God and that is why we have Jesus; so, we can have hope.
Quoting John Piper again,” Because we have a great High Priest, the throne of God is a throne of grace. And the help we get at that throne is mercy and grace to help in time of need. Grace to help! Not deserved help — gracious help. This is the whole point of the Old and New Testaments. God planned for a High Priest, a Savior, a Redeemer, a gracious Helper.”
In Jesus, we have exactly that. We have a reason to be hopeful and we have an intercessor, the Holy Spirit. Even to this day both Jesus and the Father work on our behalf (John 5:17). In Jesus we have joy and that is why we have a reason to be confident. We can approach the throne of God with sheer confidence because all we must do is approach it – Jesus has done the rest. The great comforter welcomes us with open arms and we can collapse into them knowing full well that we are loved and cared for. We can offer up the tiniest of requests and in full confidence believe that what we have asked for we shall receive. We can and must believe in the fulfillment of God’s Word.
This is the confidence we should approach the throne with. Anything less is a poor use of our time and we will simply be misusing the perfect goodness God can offer our poor wretched souls.
