Remaining Confident

1 John 5:14-15 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: (15) And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. (KJV)

That thing you petitioned the Lord about, was it something that would draw you closer to Him or was it something aimed more at the carnal realm, something that just might cause you more heartache than edification? True confidence in our Lord is to know, not just guess that He has heard you; actually knowing your petition has been heard; knowing you have what you desired of Him because you are doing what He is desiring of you. Simply put, are the things I desire of Him in line with what is best for my walk, or is it something that will have me walking in the opposite direction?

James 4:3-4 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. (4) Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. (KJV)

If you have petitioned the Lord concerning a matter and the answer was no, then be confident in the fact that it wasn’t beneficial to your walk with Him. Rather than asking the Lord for something that would feed and benefit the spiritual, you are seeking after something that is resurrecting the carnal old man, something the world and its people are more apt to seek and pursue. The more you remain in this fallen realm and become friendly with the world’s way of thinking, the less confident you will be in the things of the Lord; and rather than being an asset to His body you are just an ass set in your own ways. The will of God is for His people to be delivered from this present evil world, the love of money being the root of all evil. So to remain confident in the realm of the Spirit one needs to be walking in accordance to the will of God, then they will know their petitions are heard because their desire and the Lord’s will be one in the same.

James 1:17-18 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. (18) Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. (KJV)

You know, when the Lord provides His answer to His people there is no doubt about the fact that it came from Him. When the Lord does something, there is no variation or any shadow of doubt, but everywhere you look you see that what was needed was supplied by Him in a way above and beyond what you could have ever asked or thought. That job you were seeking, the Lord opened a door in a place you hadn’t even thought of, something you were best suited for. When the Lord opens the door and the petitions we requested of Him manifest, it comes upon the person and overtakes them without their own doing. Some people try to make things happen, fabricate situations and events to make something appear to be happening from the Lord, rather than letting patience have its perfect work so that they are not lacking anything, especially confidence.

1 John 1:3-5 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. (4) And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. (5) This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. (KJV)

There are no gray areas with our Lord; and there should not be doubt and confusion with His people. If your fellowship with the Father is true then you know that it can only be established through His Son Jesus Christ so that the joy of the Lord is full, not just partial or some of the time. True communion with our Father, which is what fellowship means, is to communicate with Him, to stay in communication and continue building a confident relationship based on trust and commitment, similar to a marriage. Two cannot walk together unless they be in agreement and stay that way; otherwise there will be a parting of ways. So don’t settle for anything less than our Lord’s perfect answer from above when making petitions, because the enemy is looking to throw you a changeup and get you swinging at the wrong pitch.

John 9:31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. (KJV)

A true worshipper of God is one that is a doer of His word and not just a hearer. Those that truly know the Lord worship and reverence Him seven days a week in spirit and in truth, not just standing in some building looking up to the ceiling and waving at it on Sunday mornings. Again we see the same pattern, if one desires to have their petitions heard then they need to hear the Lord and respond to His petitions for His people also. If you wish to provoke others to love and good works, then a confident lifestyle in what the Lord is doing through you will be more edifying than all the song and dance, the so called worship that goes on, basically people doing their alms before each other. My take on all this silly singing and hands in the air so called worship is that spiritually empty people are trying to make up for their lack of knowledge by some outward show. And here is another thing, why do so many so called preachers think the only way they can deliver God’s message is in a fancy three piece suit? Most of these three piece suits are putting out  two bit doctrines, though the outward may look good to man, God is still seeking the true inward one to work through. Remember the old song ‘You’re So Vain’, well so is all this nonsense people think impresses God.

Proverbs 10:9 He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known. (KJV)

You can talk to God all you want, and make as many petitions to Him as you want, but if you truly want them answered then you need to answer His call and do the walk. Personally I like knowing my petitions are heard, and I like knowing that I can walk in the light of the Lord, knowing surely that goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life so that my walk doesn’t end up like the soap opera ‘Days of Our Lives’, a continual pattern of heartache and misery.

Psalms 84:11-12 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. (12) O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee. (KJV)

When the sun is shining it is much easier to see the path of life than in the darkness. What a blessing it truly is to those that trust in the Lord; a confident relationship built by learning to walk in the Spirit and no longer living according to the flesh.

Jeremiah 5:25 Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you. (KJV)

If your confidence has been waning lately, if that light that was shining in the heart has gotten dimmer, if you are not sure that your petitions are being heard, then it is time to do a spiritual inventory and find out if you are in the place you need to be, seated in a heavenly place with Christ and not so entangled with the affairs of this life. Remaining confident in the Lord is based on remaining seated with Christ and not moved away from the hope of glory in Him.

Psalms 15:1-3 LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? (2) He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. (3) He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour. (KJV)

Abide means to continue; so if you wish to continue with the Lord then it is contingent on being a doer and not just a hearer. Talk is cheap, but a walk with our Lord is deep, and will bring you into a deeper relationship with Him if you are willing and obedient.

God bless and have a prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord.