Confidence in God

Scripture Text

Psalm 138: 7-8

Intro: King David is a good example of one who had great confidence in God. The scriptures for this message tell us we too can have great confidence in God.

1. Christianity is not trouble free. Psalms 138:7 (NKJV) Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch out Your hand Against the wrath of my enemies, And Your right hand will save me. Our hope is not in the absence of trouble. David walked daily in the midst of trouble and trials. So do Christians! Every day we face all kinds of troubles, distresses, different risks, sicknesses. So we shouldn't expect a absence of trouble. Our hope is in God. He will revive us [cheer our spirit] in the midst of trouble. He will stretch out His hand against the wrath of our enemies. He will bring us victory in the midst of troubles. God says in Psalms 23:4 (NKJV) Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. If one finds their self in a valley of deep [trouble, distress, sickness, anxiety] , they need not fear. The Lord is with them and will protect them with His provisions. God gives the victory in the presence of our enemies. [Psalms 23:5] You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. The psalmist here rejoices in the Lord’s provision. What was comforting to David was that the victory was in the presence of his enemies. Despite impending danger, the Lord spread out a table for him, that is, God provided for him and anointed his head with oil which is symbolic of the anointing of God's favor and blessings in which comes our victory. In view of the table and the oil, David knew that his lot in life (his cup) was abundant blessing from the Lord. His right hand will save us. The same hand that strikes out against our adversaries will save us from disaster. 1 Peter 3:22 (NKJV) Jesus has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him. Romans 8:34 (NKJV) Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

II. God will complete that which concerns us. Psalms 138:8 (NKJV) The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever; Do not forsake the works of Your hands.

a. This is the same confidence that Paul expressed in; Philippians 1:6 (NKJV) being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

b. We can be sure God will complete His work in us because His steadfast love endures forever. [In Heb. 13:5 God says] “He will never leave us nor forsake us.” God's word says in; Romans 8:28 (NKJV) And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

c. God never can or will forsake the works of His hand. We Christians are the work of His hands. Ephesians 2:10 (NKJV) For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Romans 8:38-39 (NKJV) ³⁸ For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, ³⁹ nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Conclusion: God works constantly to bring beauty out of pain. The question is not “Will He succeed?” But rather,

“Will we trust Him until He completes that which concerns us?”

Invitation: Confidence in God begins with born again by the Spirit. When we confess our sins to Jesus and ask Him to forgive and save us, we can have confidence that He will hear us and save us. Once we have taken this first step we can have confidence that God will take care of us and deliver us through whatever we have to face in this life because He will never leave us nor forsake us. We can have then confidence that nothing can separate us from the love of God which we have in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We are His now and throughout eternity! Praise God!