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DON’T SHRINK BACK
June 28, 2024Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay. Hebrews 10:35-37
1. KEEP YOUR CONFIDENCE IN GOD. Faith pleases God. He tells us not to throw away our confidence, which has a great reward – confidence in God’s plan, His sending of His son Jesus, and His profound purpose for humanity. We can live by confidence in God’s promises, which means we rely on His grace and mercy and draw near to Him both in high times and hard times.
But My righteous one shall live by faith; And if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him. But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul. Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 10:38-11:1
2. IF YOU FAIL, REPENT AND MOVE FORWARD. The Bible is filled with examples of people who failed and got forgiven. Peter denied knowing Jesus, but then the Holy Spirit filled him, and he was transformed into a different man. Paul sanctioned murder and brought insults against the church, but after his redemption, he did not retreat; he boldly declared, “I am innocent of the blood of all people” because he understood the extent of his forgiveness (Acts 20:26). God granted David repentance after his terrible, sinful decisions with Uriah and Bathsheba (Psalm 51). David grabbed hold of God’s grace, walked through it, and was able to live another day. I’m thankful that mercy triumphs over judgment (James 2:13). Through the sacrifice of Jesus, the high price was paid, so we might as well receive that forgiveness – not to sin or shrink back again but to press forward into new things, knowing we have been redeemed.
3. YOU ARE CREATED WITH PURPOSE. We are not just a flesh pile of impulses, feelings, needs, and cravings. That is the human condition; however, we are spirits created in God’s image (Genesis 1:26-28). We are not the product of an accident that evolved over billions of years. We are created with specific purpose and with intention. King David wrote, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well” (Psalm 139:14b). You can have confidence that faithful is He who calls you. He will also bring what He promised to pass (1 Thessalonians 5:24). Don’t give up, don’t throw in the towel – stay with it so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come and will not delay.
PRAY THIS PRAYER
Father, I’m asking You to help me. With every temptation, You provide a way of escape. I repent. I ask for forgiveness. I ask You to help me lead an honorable, godly, consistent life that brings honor to Your name. Deliver me. Lord, help me actually walk this out. I am united with Jesus, who became to me wisdom from God, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption; I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I will never shrink back, in Jesus’ name, amen. (1 Corinthians 10:13; 1 Corinthians 1:30; Philippians 4:13)
You can trust God!
Pastor Jeff Perry
con·fi·dence, noun
The state of one that confides: trust, reliance, belief. The state of feeling sure: certitude. An object of faith or reliance.
Copyright © 2024 St. Louis Family Church, All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. Confidence, N. (1). Webster’s Third New International Dictionary, C. & G. Merriam CO., 1971, p. 475.
