Often, the issue about our faith is how deep it is, and how confident we are in God through Jesus Christ. As God is truly faithful, can you measure the depth of your trust in His faithfulness? The depth of your faith will be reflected in your actions. In the same way as the foundation of a skyscraper, the foundation below ground has to be significant in comparison what is being held up above ground. Your foundation of faith in Jesus Christ must have a similar presence.
When you determine, in your faith, that God is faithful, you will see how He works in your life. Your faith in Him is a dependence upon Him. He will provide direction in your life.
Colossians 2:6-7
6 Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, overflowing with gratitude.
Notice Paul’s confidence in The Lord, as he entrusted his life to Him.
2 Timothy 1:8-12
Not Ashamed of the Gospel
8 So don’t be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, or of me His prisoner. Instead, share in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God.
9 He has saved us and called us
with a holy calling,
not according to our works,
but according to His own purpose and grace,
which was given to us in Christ Jesus
before time began.
10 This has now been made evident
through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus,
who has abolished death
and has brought life and immortality to light
through the gospel.
11 For this gospel I was appointed a herald, apostle, and teacher, 12 and that is why I suffer these things. But I am not ashamed, because I know the One I have believed in and am persuaded that He is able to guard what has been entrusted to me until that day.
Why are you willing to suffer for Jesus? Why are you willing to put it all on the line for Him?
Philippians 3:8
More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of Him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them filth, so that I may gain Christ.
What are you willing to give up in your life for the glory of God through Jesus Christ?
2 Corinthians 11:22-29
22 Are they Hebrews? So am I.
Are they Israelites? So am I.
Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I.
23 Are they servants of Christ?
I’m talking like a madman—I’m a better one:
with far more labors,
many more imprisonments,
far worse beatings, near death many times.
24 Five times I received 39 lashes from Jews.
25 Three times I was beaten with rods by the Romans.
Once I was stoned by my enemies.
Three times I was shipwrecked.
I have spent a night and a day
in the open sea.
26 On frequent journeys, I faced
dangers from rivers,
dangers from robbers,
dangers from my own people,
dangers from the Gentiles,
dangers in the city,
dangers in the open country,
dangers on the sea,
and dangers among false brothers;
27 labor and hardship,
many sleepless nights, hunger and thirst,
often without food, cold, and lacking clothing.
28 Not to mention other things, there is the daily pressure on me: my care for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?
Paul suffered through many, many things for the cause of Jesus Christ. He was not ashamed to live this way. In the same way, we are to live in a godly manner in order that others might be saved. We may not suffer in the way that Paul did, but there is something to be said for making the effort to give up things for the comforting presence of Jesus Christ in your life.
Romans 1:16
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek.
1 Peter 4:1-2
1 Therefore, since Christ suffered in the flesh, equip yourselves also with the same resolve—because the one who suffered in the flesh has finished with sin— 2 in order to live the remaining time in the flesh, no longer for human desires, but for God’s will.
Paul declares, “I know whom I have believed…” Do you know Jesus Christ and what He can do in your life? The more that you know Him, the more you will have confidence in Him.
He is the author of my salvation.
Hebrews 12:2
…keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame and has sat down at the right hand of God’s throne.
He is the truth.
John 14:6
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
He is your blessing.
2 Peter 1:3
Growth in the Faith
His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.
To know Jesus is to know (and understand) what He can do.
He can deliver and rescue you.
2 Timothy 4:18
The Lord will rescue me from every evil work and will bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom. To Him be the glory forever and ever! Amen.
2 Peter 2:9
…then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment.
God calls upon you to stretch and exercise your faith.
Matthew 14:28
28 “Lord, if it’s You,” Peter answered Him, “command me to come to You on the water.”
God calls you to have faith, hope and love in your life as you gain confidence in Him.
1 Corinthians 13:13
Now these three remain:
faith, hope, and love.
But the greatest of these is love.
Romans 8:38-39
38 For I am persuaded that not even death or life,
angels or rulers,
things present or things to come, hostile powers,
39 height or depth, or any other created thing
will have the power to separate us
from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!
Paul was confident that God would be with him.
Isaiah 50:7
The Lord God will help Me;
therefore I have not been humiliated;
therefore I have set My face like flint,
and I know I will not be put to shame.
John 4:41-42
41 Many more believed because of what He said. 42 And they told the woman, “We no longer believe because of what you said, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this really is the Savior of the world.”
1 John 3:24, 5:11-14
24 The one who keeps His commands remains in Him, and He in him. And the way we know that He remains in us is from the Spirit He has given us.
11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
12 The one who has the Son has life. The one who doesn’t have the Son of God does not have life. 13 I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.
Effective Prayer
14 Now this is the confidence we have before Him: Whenever we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
To know Jesus Christ is to have a confidence in Him with faith that He will deliver and keep His promises. Have you put everything that occurs in your life at the feet of Jesus Christ? He can best use you for Him when you do.
Akron Alliance Fellowship 