Embracing God-Given Confidence for the New Year
Summary
Summary:
As we step into the new year of 2025, it's crucial to embrace the confidence that God has already placed within us. Drawing from 2 Timothy 1:5-7, we are reminded of the importance of being confident in our faith and God-given calling, just as Paul encouraged Timothy. This confidence is not self-rooted but is empowered by the Holy Spirit. It is cultivated through self-discipline, love, and power.
Self-discipline, or having a "safe mind," is about aligning our thoughts with God's truth. This requires intentionality and discipline, as exemplified by Daniel's disciplined prayer life. By spending time with God through prayer, worship, and reading His Word, we can recognize His voice and eliminate distractions.
Confidence also comes through love, specifically God's agape love, which is unconditional and selfless. This perfect love casts out all fear, allowing us to trust in God's acceptance and protection. Embracing this love assures us that God is with us, just as He was with Jeremiah, who overcame doubt and fear to fulfill his calling.
Lastly, confidence is rooted in the power of the Holy Spirit within us. This dynamis power is a supernatural strength that enables us to face challenges with courage. We are called to share the love of Jesus with others, stepping out in faith and confidence. Our purpose is to pursue God, love Him, and share His love with others.
As we enter 2025, let us fan into flame the spiritual gifts God has given us, stepping out in confidence and courage. We are equipped to influence the world for Jesus, leaving behind fear, doubt, and negativity. Embrace the God-given confidence within you and step into all that God has for you.
Key Takeaways:
1. Confidence Through Self-Discipline: Confidence is cultivated through self-discipline, which involves aligning our thoughts with God's truth. By spending intentional time with God, we can recognize His voice and eliminate distractions, leading to a "safe mind" that is free from fear and anxiety. [07:34]
2. Confidence Through Love: God's agape love is unconditional and selfless, casting out all fear. Embracing this love assures us of God's acceptance and protection, allowing us to trust Him fully. When we understand and trust in God's love, we have no reason to fear. [12:45]
3. Confidence Through Power: The Holy Spirit within us provides a supernatural strength, enabling us to face challenges with courage. This dynamis power is already within us, empowering us to step out in faith and share the love of Jesus with others. [21:27]
4. Overcoming Fear and Doubt: The enemy seeks to distract and discourage us, but God's love and power enable us to overcome fear and doubt. By embracing God's love and power, we can confidently fulfill our calling and influence the world for Jesus. [19:47]
5. Embracing God-Given Confidence: God has equipped us with an inner power to succeed. By embracing this God-given confidence, we can step into our calling and use our spiritual gifts to reach others for Jesus, leaving behind fear and negativity. [31:22]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [03:29] - Scripture Reading: 2 Timothy 1:5-7
- [04:58] - The Confidence of the Called
- [06:29] - Building Confidence: A Personal Story
- [07:34] - Confidence Through Self-Discipline
- [09:17] - Daniel's Disciplined Prayer Life
- [10:54] - Recognizing God's Voice
- [12:45] - Confidence Through Love
- [15:46] - Embracing God's Agape Love
- [17:05] - Overcoming Fear with Love
- [19:47] - Confidence Through Power
- [21:27] - The Holy Spirit's Dynamis Power
- [23:17] - Sharing the Love of Jesus
- [25:38] - Embracing God-Given Confidence
- [31:22] - Fanning into Flame Spiritual Gifts
- [35:28] - Closing Prayer and Worship
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- 2 Timothy 1:5-7
- Daniel 6:10-23
- 1 John 4:18
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Observation Questions:
1. In 2 Timothy 1:5-7, what qualities does Paul remind Timothy that God has given him, and how do these qualities relate to confidence? [03:29]
2. How does Daniel's disciplined prayer life in Daniel 6 demonstrate the concept of a "safe mind" as discussed in the sermon? [09:17]
3. According to 1 John 4:18, what is the relationship between love and fear, and how does this relate to the confidence discussed in the sermon? [12:45]
4. What role does the Holy Spirit play in empowering believers with confidence, according to the sermon? [21:27]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the concept of a "safe mind" in the sermon relate to the idea of self-discipline in 2 Timothy 1:7? Why is this important for cultivating confidence? [07:34]
2. In what ways does God's agape love, as described in 1 John 4:18, provide a foundation for overcoming fear and doubt in one's life? [12:45]
3. How does the sermon illustrate the power of the Holy Spirit in enabling believers to face challenges with courage? What does this mean for the believer's daily life? [21:27]
4. How does the story of Jeremiah in the sermon highlight the struggle between fear and confidence in fulfilling one's calling? [19:06]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your current prayer life. How can you incorporate more discipline to align your thoughts with God's truth, similar to Daniel's example? [09:17]
2. Think of a situation where fear has held you back. How can embracing God's agape love help you overcome this fear and step into your calling? [12:45]
3. Identify a specific area in your life where you need to rely more on the Holy Spirit's power rather than your own strength. What steps can you take to make this shift? [21:27]
4. Consider a time when you felt prompted by the Holy Spirit but hesitated due to lack of confidence. How can you prepare yourself to respond differently in the future? [22:25]
5. What spiritual gifts do you believe God has given you, and how can you fan them into flame to influence others for Jesus in 2025? [31:22]
6. How can you actively remind yourself of God's promise of a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline when faced with challenges or doubts? [32:33]
7. Reflect on the sermon’s encouragement to step out in confidence. What is one specific action you can take this week to live out your God-given calling? [33:07]
Devotional
Day 1: Aligning Thoughts with God's Truth
Confidence is cultivated through self-discipline, which involves aligning our thoughts with God's truth. This process requires intentionality and discipline, as seen in the life of Daniel, who maintained a disciplined prayer life. By spending time with God through prayer, worship, and reading His Word, we can recognize His voice and eliminate distractions, leading to a "safe mind" that is free from fear and anxiety. This alignment with God's truth empowers us to live confidently, knowing that our thoughts and actions are guided by His wisdom. [07:34]
Bible Passage:
"Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth." (Colossians 3:2, ESV)
Reflection:
What specific distractions in your life are preventing you from aligning your thoughts with God's truth? How can you intentionally create space to hear His voice today?
Day 2: Embracing God's Unconditional Love
God's agape love is unconditional and selfless, casting out all fear. Embracing this love assures us of God's acceptance and protection, allowing us to trust Him fully. When we understand and trust in God's love, we have no reason to fear. This love is a powerful force that transforms our hearts and minds, enabling us to live with confidence and courage. By embracing God's love, we can overcome the fears and doubts that hold us back from fulfilling our calling. [12:45]
Bible Passage:
"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love." (1 John 4:18, ESV)
Reflection:
Think of a fear that has been holding you back. How can you invite God's perfect love into that area of your life today to overcome it?
Day 3: Empowered by the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit within us provides a supernatural strength, enabling us to face challenges with courage. This dynamis power is already within us, empowering us to step out in faith and share the love of Jesus with others. We are called to rely on this power, trusting that God has equipped us with everything we need to fulfill our purpose. By embracing the Holy Spirit's power, we can confidently face any obstacle, knowing that we are not alone. [21:27]
Bible Passage:
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." (Acts 1:8, ESV)
Reflection:
In what area of your life do you need to rely more on the Holy Spirit's power? How can you take a step of faith today, trusting in His strength?
Day 4: Overcoming Fear and Doubt
The enemy seeks to distract and discourage us, but God's love and power enable us to overcome fear and doubt. By embracing God's love and power, we can confidently fulfill our calling and influence the world for Jesus. This requires a conscious decision to reject the lies of the enemy and stand firm in the truth of God's Word. As we do so, we become more resilient and courageous, ready to face any challenge that comes our way. [19:47]
Bible Passage:
"For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control." (2 Timothy 1:7, ESV)
Reflection:
Identify a specific doubt or fear that the enemy has used to discourage you. How can you replace it with God's truth and take a step forward in faith today?
Day 5: Stepping into God-Given Confidence
God has equipped us with an inner power to succeed. By embracing this God-given confidence, we can step into our calling and use our spiritual gifts to reach others for Jesus, leaving behind fear and negativity. This confidence is not self-rooted but is empowered by the Holy Spirit, cultivated through self-discipline, love, and power. As we fan into flame the spiritual gifts God has given us, we are equipped to influence the world for Jesus, stepping into all that God has for us. [31:22]
Bible Passage:
"Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you." (1 Timothy 4:14, ESV)
Reflection:
What spiritual gift has God given you that you may have neglected? How can you begin to fan it into flame and use it to serve others today?
Quotes
"Self-discipline is what keeps our mind safe. It isn't easy, but if we want to know the Lord, we need to be disciplined in our time with him. There is nothing more fulfilling and satisfying than spending time with God. Don't you agree? Than just being in his presence, listening to his voice, allowing him to guide us. Once we recognise his voice, it is easier to eliminate all the other noises and distractions." [00:09:45] (31 seconds)
"Perfect love refers to the unconditional love that God has for us, the unconditional love of the Father. And this love, when fully embraced, assures us of God's acceptance for us. His protection for us. When we understand and trust in God's love, we have no reason to fear. Do you believe that? Because God's love drives out all fear. Amen?" [00:13:09] (29 seconds)
"God through the Holy Spirit has given us a supernatural strength, a power that enables us to face challenges and opposition with courage and confidence. Church, have you ever been in a situation where you've heard the Holy Spirit prompting, you've heard the Holy Spirit talking, but you've lacked the confidence to step in? Is it just me? I think we've all struggled with that, lacked the confidence to step in because we don't know what to do. The unknown can be scary." [00:22:11] (39 seconds)
"Even though you feel weak, God isn't. God is strong. And when you step out in faith and confidence, watch what God will do in and through your life. He has already put this confidence, this confidence inside you. He's just waiting for you to grab a hold of it and step out in faith. You know, we saw this very thing last month with our baptisms. People grabbing a hold of their God-given confidence." [00:25:01] (34 seconds)
"God has equipped you with an inner power to succeed. You just need to believe it for yourself. Come on, don't you want to do something great for the Lord? Do you want to do something great for the Lord? Don't you want to step into all that God has for you? Don't you want to do something great for the Lord? Do you want to influence the world for Jesus?" [00:32:46] (31 seconds)
"We are here to influence the world for Jesus. We are here to step out in confidence and lead the way and be an example to those that don't have any hope. Because we have a future with hope. Do you believe that? Come on, that's who our God is. That's what He says in His Word. He has a future of hope for us." [00:33:23] (26 seconds)
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