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AAs the modern century continues to unfold, we see more and more persons living on this planet who are overwhelmed and depressed. They have lost all confidence in governments, the family structure and even religion. It seems like we have entered into that era described by the author Charles Dickens, in“ A Tale of Two Cities”.“ It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” everywhere men and women are looking for the answers to life’ s questions.
The Church, sadly has found herself in a similar state. Many believers today have lost confidence in the Church, its institutions, its systems and ceremonies … to this I say, IT’ S ABOUT TIME!! I believe that as a Church we are currently reaping the fruit of the seeds we have sown. Decades of preaching a self-help psychology based gospel has caused more disillusionment and has driven Jesus’ Bride further away from Him.
We were taught to have faith in our faith, name it and claim it, we developed a gospel to fix our heads while our spirit man went hungry. 2 Corinthians 4:16 states,“ For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.” in Christ
Somehow we seemed to have flipped the script. Our confidence was meant to only come from Christ, not from a religious system. We have been long driven by success rather than being led by the Spirit of God. For decades we have lived unconsciously from the mantra“ If it is good, it is God.” God cannot be defined as just good, HE IS GOD. He says He can turn the bad into good. We must find that place in our lives when we had stopped trusting in God, started trusting in ourselves, repent and return to the Lord. It is Christ who will present us faultless to His Father, not our works. In fact the Bible teaches that all the work we need to do is to believe.
John 6:29“ This is the work of God, that you believe on Him whom He has sent.”
We are called to have full trust and confidence in Christ as a believer. To trust anyone else or anything else will lead to failure and stress. Paul wrote,“ Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” Phil 1:6. Our confidence must be rooted in the fact that Jesus has already finished the work.“ CHRIST IN US,” [ Christ in you ] the Hope Of Glory.” Colossians 1:27. Our confidence is not afar off, Christ is in us. Religion keeps us looking outwards, into the future, some day. But God the Father has invested all that heaven has to offer in us. We must be confident in His Words not in our strength.
Finally, Peter walked on the water toward Jesus on one word, Jesus said“ Come” and Peter stepped out of the boat and walked on water. Even in this moment of miraculous triumph the other eleven disciples didn’ t trust Jesus’ word to also step out of the boat. The Bible teaches us that when Peter observed the winds he doubted and began to sink. We cannot lose sight of Jesus’ words to us. He states,“ He will never leave us nor forsake us.” Do we believe? No matter what you are going through, God’ s words can be trusted, no matter what happens. Our only responsibility is to act upon His word in our lives.“ Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word.” Romans 10:12 Faith is not a thought, a dream, or a fantasy, faith is responding to God’ s word. It is LIVING REALITY that God is withIN you. That is confidence in God. p
By Dino Nicholas A Maranatha Ministries International Pastor, Author, Leadership Counsellor and Church planter
12 | SHARE | MAGAZINE April- June 2018