HEALING THE SHRINKS
“Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering. Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. 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. For, ‘In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.’
And, ‘But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.’ But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved” — HEB. 10:32-39
THROW AWAY DOUBT, PESSIMISM, MEANNESS, UNFORGIVENESS; BUT YOUR FAITH, CONFIDENCE HANG ON TO IT! DON’T THROW IT AWAY!!!
CONFIDENCE IS A PLANT OF SLOW GROWTH.
CONFIDENCE IS KEEPING YOUR CHIN UP; OVERCONFIDENCE IS STICKING YOUR NECK OUT.
THE POWER OF CONFIDENCE
WHEN ONCE A SAINT PUTS HIS CONFIDENCE IN THE ELECTION OF GOD, NO TRIBULATION OR AFFLICTION CAN EVER TOUCH THAT CONFIDENCE. WHEN WE REALIZE THAT THERE IS NO HOPE OF DELIVERANCE IN HUMAN WISDOM, OR IN HUMAN OPINION, OR IN ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO… THIS IS THE FINEST CURE FOR SPIRITUAL DEGENERATION OR SPIRITUAL SULKS OR SHRINKS.
CONFIDENCE VS. CONDEMNATION:
CONDEMNATION IS THE GREATEST ENEMY TO CONFIDENCE
“If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God” — I JOHN 3:20-21
IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO HAVE CONFIDENCE AND CONDEMNATION AT THE SAME TIME.
THE POWER OF THE HEART- (“HEART CONDEMN US NOT”)
GUARD IT WITH ALL DILIGENCE
“For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” — ROMANS 10:10
CONDEMN: TO NOTE AGAINST, TO FIND FAULT WITH.TO JUDGE AGAINST, TO SENTENCE.
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” — ROMANS 8:1
“Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” — ROMANS 8:33-34
3 REASON’S WHY GOD’S ELECT CAN NOT BE CONDEMNED ACCORDING TO V.34
CHRIST DIED FOR US
HE IS ALIVE AND IS SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD.
HE IS INTERCEDING FOR US – HE IS ENTREATING FOR OUR FAVOR.
HAVING CONFIDENCE IN THE FACE OF INTIMIDATION:
“So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.” — HEB 10:35
CONFIDENCE: OUTSPOKEN, FRANK & FULL OF ASSURANCE.
CONFIDENCE IS ATTACHED TO YOUR CONFESSION; THE BATTLE OF TWO KINGS
“Later, when Sennacherib king of Assyria and all his forces were laying siege to Ú, he sent his officers to Jerusalem with this message for Hezekiah king of Judah and for all the people of Judah who were there ‘This is what Sennacherib king of Assyria says: On what are you basing your confidence, that you remain in Jerusalem under siege?’” — II CHRON. 32:9-10
WHO IT CAME FROM:
SENNACARIB – THE THORN LAID WASTE.
THORNS ARE ALWAYS THREATENING.
JESUS WORE A CROWN OF THORNS, PAUL HAD A “THORN” IN THE FLESH.
THE PURPOSE OF THE THREAT:
THREAT: AN EXPRESSION OF AN INTENTION TO INFLICT EVIL OR DAMAGE.
THREAT: (GREEK) - A MENACE, ONE THAT REPRESENTS A THREAT.
THE PURPOSE OF A THREAT IS TO CAUSE FEAR.
FEAR AND FAITH BOTH BELIEVE THAT WHAT YOU CANNOT SEE WILL HAPPEN!
“DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DAY YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN”
FEAR HOLDS YOU BACK FROM FLEXING YOUR FAITH MUSCLE.
OUR WORST IMAGINATIONS ALMOST NEVER HAPPEN, AND MOST WORRIES DIE IN VAIN ANTICIPATION.
FEAR KEEPS YOU RUNNING FROM SOMETHING THAT ISN’T AFTER YOU.
FEED YOUR FAITH AND WATCH FEAR STARVE TO DEATH.
NEVER BE AFRAID TO TRUST AN UNKNOWN FUTURE TO A KNOWN GOD.
FEARS BRING THREATS:
THREATS LOCK YOU OUT OF YOUR FUTURE.
THREATS CONFINE YOU FROM EXPANDING.
THREATS INTIMIDATE YOU OUT OF YOUR PURPOSE.
THREATS WILL KEEP YOU FROM THE GOD CONNECTIONS OF LIFE.
THREATS WILL LIMIT YOU AND KEEP YOU FROM TAKING RISK.
THREATS WILL SHUT YOU OUT OF THE PROMISES OF GOD.
THREATS CAUSE YOU TO DEVELOP A SIEGE MENTALITY – OVERLY FEARFUL ATTITUDE.
THE ENEMY RECOGNIZES CONFIDENCE:
“This is what Sennacherib king of Assyria says: On what are you basing your confidence, that you remain in Jerusalem under siege?” — II CHRON. 32:10
THE SITUATION:
“YOU ARE UNDER SIEGE!”
SIEGE: A MILITARY BLOCKADE OF A CITY OR FORTIFIED PLACE TO COMPEL IT TO SURRENDER.
THE ENEMY KNEW HE HAD THEM “UNDER SIEGE”, BUT COULD NOT IGNORE THEIR CONFIDENCE!
THE QUESTION:
“whereon do you trust?” — II CHRON. 32:10 (KJV)
(HEB) WHERE ARE YOU HIDING FOR REFUGE OR FLEEING FOR PROTECTION?
“WHERE IS YOUR CONFIDENCE COMING FROM?”
THE ANSWER
“‘Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.’ And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said.” — 2 CHRONICLES 32:7-8
PRAYER IN GOD! CONFIDENCE!
“King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz cried out in prayer to heaven about this. And the Lord sent an angel, who annihilated all the fighting men and the commanders and officers in the camp of the Assyrian king. So he withdrew to his own land in disgrace. And when he went into the temple of his god, some of his sons, his own flesh and blood, cut him down with the sword.” — 2 CHRONICLES 32:20-21
THE RESERVOIR OF CONFIDENCE:
REMEMBER HOW YOU MADE IT THROUGH: (LOOK BACK)
“Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering. Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. 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. For, ‘In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.’” — HEBREWS 10:32-37
VS. 32: “REMEMBER THOSE EARLY DAYS” – REMIND YOURSELF, BRING TO YOUR MIND.
VS. 32: “YOU ENDURED IN A GREAT CONFLICT FULL OF SUFFERING” – YOU HELD UP, YOU REMAINED WITH FORTITUDE.
(KJV) “AFFLICTIONS” – EMOTIONAL HARDSHIP AND PAIN.
VS.33 (KJV): EVEN TOUGH YOU WERE THE “GAZINGSTOCK” – EXPOSED FOR PUBLIC SHOW, YOU WERE A SPECTACLE.
VS. 34: EVEN THOUGH YOU LOST YOUR POSSESSIONS, YOU HELD ON.
V.34 (KJV): KNOWING IN YOURSELVES THAT YE HAVE IN HEAVEN A BETTER AND AN ENDURING SUBSTANCE
WHY WE HOLD ON TO CONFIDENCE:
V.35: ”So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.”
“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” — 1 JOHN 5:14
CONFIDENCE PRODUCES THE REWARD.
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” — HEB. 11:6
REWARDER: (GREEK) — REMUNERATOR – TO GIVE FOR SERVICES RENDERED.
“being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” — PHIL 1:6
“For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end.” — HEB 3:14 (KJV)
“And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” — 1 JOHN 5:14-15
BECAUSE WE WILL RECEIVE THE REWARD:
CONFIDENCE PRODUCES THE REWARD.
THE SHRINKS REMOVE HIS FAVOR!
WHO HE IS TALKING TO:
“Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” — HEB 10:38-39
VS. 38: “THE JUST” – THE JUSTIFIED! SAVED! REDEEMED! CHILDREN OF THE KING!
VS. 38: “DRAW BACK” – TO SHRINK OR TO COWER.
YOUR CONFIDENCE PLEASES YOUR FATHER AND BRINGS FAVOR INTO YOUR LIFE!
“Remember those early days after you first saw the light? Those were the hard times! Kicked around in public, targets of every kind of abuse—some days it was you, other days your friends. If some friends went to prison, you stuck by them. If some enemies broke in and seized your goods, you let them go with a smile, knowing they couldn’t touch your real treasure. Nothing they did bothered you, nothing set you back. So don’t throw it all away now. You were sure of yourselves then. It’s still a sure thing! But you need to stick it out, staying with God’s plan so you’ll be there for the promised completion.
It won’t be long now, he’s on the way; he’ll show up most any minute. But anyone who is right with me thrives on loyal trust; if he cuts and runs, I won’t be very happy. But we’re not quitters who lose out. Oh, no! We’ll stay with it and survive, trusting all the way.” — HEB. 10:32-36 (MSG)