Confidence is defined as the quality or state of being sure. Self-confidence is essential for success, but even more vital than self-confidence is God-confidence. Without God-confidence, molehills can morph into mountains, and grasshoppers can seem like giants. The writer of Hebrews reminds us:
So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. Hebrews 10:35-35
GOD CONFIDENCE, NOT SELF-CONFIDENCE
The story of Hezekiah, the King of Judah demonstrates how God-confidence is a sure-fire way to success. Judah was under attack by Assyria. The King of Assyria, to ensure his win over Judah, attempted to sow seeds of doubt in King Hezekiah’s heart; doubt that God was enough, doubt that God was able to overcome the army of Assyria. The King of Assyria sent message after message to Hezekiah. He said, “Tell Hezekiah: This is what the great king of Assyria says: ‘On what are you basing this confidence of yours?’” Later he also tried to sow seeds of doubt in those closest to Hezekiah. He said to Hezekiah’s men, “Do not let Hezekiah persuade you to trust in the Lord when he says ‘The Lord will surely deliver us; this city will not be given into the hands of the king of Assyria. Do not listen to Hezekiah.’” Isaiah 36:4
DO NOT BE AFRAID OF WHAT YOU HEAR
Immediately upon hearing these messages, Hezekiah relayed them to Isaiah the Prophet who in response, said “…this is what the Lord says: “Do not be afraid of what you heard – those words with which the underlings of the King of Assyria have blasphemed me.” The Lord then promised Hezekiah that the King of Assyria would be defeated. (Isaiah 37:6-7)
The King of Assyria was relentless in his pursuit to erode Hezekiah’s confidence in God because he knew that if Hezekiah lost confidence in God, he would more quickly accept defeat. He sent blasphemous message after blasphemous message to Hezekiah and to those closest to him. Being discouraged by the enemy is hard, but being discouraged by those closest to you is particularly disheartening.
HOWEVER, when Hezekiah heard the messages, instead of letting them affect his confidence in God, he instead turned to God in prayer. His prayers were not ignored. God answered Hezekiah’s prayers and caused the King of Assyria and his troops to turn back from Judah. Just as God said, the King of Assyria was defeated.
PERSEVERE & RECEIVE WHAT WAS PROMISED
Although Hezekiah’s confidence in God was under constant attack, Hezekiah did not throw away his trust in God, and he was richly rewarded. He persevered and received what he was promised.
Despite others trying to sow seeds of doubt in his heart, He turned his face to God, not away from Him; he allowed his confidence in God to grow.
Like Hezekiah, let’s not throw away our confidence in God. Let’s not listen to those naysayers who try to plant seeds of doubt in our hearts. Naysayers surround us. They can even be those closest to us. They hurl their messages towards us every day; those messages that try to convince us to replace our trust in God with trust in other things, those messages that try to change our perception of what is right and what is wrong, those messages that cause us to doubt. Maybe that naysayer is not a person, but that relentless voice of uncertainty in your head saying:
Did God really say that he would meet all your needs? Do you really believe that? Really? Look, you can’t even pay your bills, what makes you think that your God will?
Did God really say he could change you? Really? Then why do you keep making the same mistakes over and over again? You will never change.
OPEN YOUR HEART TO THE TRUTH
When you hear these messages, remember what God said to Hezekiah, “Do not be afraid of what you have heard.” Do not allow these messages to plant seeds of doubt in your heart, but instead open your heart to what God says and rely on His truth. Do what Hezekiah did. Turn to God. Drop to your knees and pray! Ask God to help you believe that He is enough and that He is bigger than the circumstances that you are facing. Trust God, and then you will be richly rewarded with the blessings He has promised!
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.” Jeremiah 17:7
