Hold On To Your Confidence

Life can throw many challenges our way, and sometimes it’s easy to feel discouraged or lose heart. But as believers, we are encouraged to hold firmly to our confidence. This confidence brings a great reward, as it allows us to fully experience what God has for us. Let’s look at some thing about which we should be confident.

One of the most important foundations of our confidence is the blood of Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us, “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” [13, Hebrews 10:10]. Unlike the repeated sacrifices of the past that could never truly take away sins, Jesus offered one sacrifice for sins forever [13, Hebrews 10:12], perfecting forever those who are made holy [13, Hebrews 10:14].

Just as the patterns of heavenly things were purified with blood, the heavenly things themselves required a better sacrifice. Jesus, the perfect Lamb of God, entered into heaven itself to appear in the presence of God for us [14, Hebrews 9:24]. He offered himself once in the end of the world to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself [14, Hebrews 9:26].

Romans 3:23 reminds us that “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” However, we are “justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood” [14, Romans 3:24-25]. All that is needed for God’s satisfaction is found in Jesus Christ and is available to us through faith in His blood.

Furthermore, Romans 5:8 declares, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Because of this, we are “now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him” [15, Romans 5:9]. Even when we were enemies of God, we were reconciled through the death of His Son, and now being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life [15, Romans 5:10].

Secondly, we must not lose confidence in prayer. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we have “boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh, And having an high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water” [18, Hebrews 10:19-22]. We can go directly to God the Father through Jesus Christ, the one mediator between God and men, “who gave himself a ransom for all” [19, 1 Timothy 2:5-6].

Our closeness to God and our confidence in prayer can be hindered if we cherish sin in our hearts. Our sins create a separation between us and God, causing Him to hide His face so that He will not hear [19, Isaiah 59:1-2]. Therefore, we are called to “draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith” [19, Hebrews 10:22]. This requires us to confess the untrue parts of our hearts to God and seek His strength to do what is right.

Jesus understands our weaknesses. Hebrews 4:15-16 assures us, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.“

When our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence toward God [21, 1 John 3:21]. We receive what we ask because we keep His commandments and do what is pleasing in His sight

Finally, we must not lose confidence in Jesus’ soon return. Hebrews 10:37 says, “For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.” Jesus Himself promised, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” [24, John 14:1-3].

Let us hold fast to our confidence in the blood of Jesus, in the power of prayer, and in the promise of His soon return. May we continually evaluate our lives and surrender ourselves joyfully and completely to Christ.