Confidence. It is the ability to know that you can overcome the odds to be victorious. I just watched the freestyle men's relay. The French said they came to the Olympics to "smash" the United States team. There was something smashed, but it was not team USA. It was the pride of the French and the world record, by team USA. They swam with great confidence and received the gold medal- Awesome baby!
As we have been studying the book of Acts, every Life Group I am in says the same thing about the leaders of the early church. They all have a confidence as the kingdom is advanced at a rapid pace. The confidence comes from the presence of the Holy Spirit.
In Acts 3 & 4, Peter and John stand before the leaders and confidently proclaim, "We can not stop telling people about Jesus." This came after they were told to stop.
In Acts 8, we see Stephen proclaim the gospel and confidently fall asleep as he was stoned to death by those who did not want to hear the truth.
In Acts 10 we see Peter change his paradigm and go against what he had been taught for so long concerning his association with Gentiles. He went willingly to the house of Cornelius as God showed him that the gospel was also for people not from his same heritage. We see this confidence again as he explained his actions to the church in Jerusalem in Acts 11.
Then there was Paul, who confidently told the Gentiles about Jesus. In some cities he was run out of town and then returned. He went to Rome knowing he was going to be bound and put in prison. He went before kings telling them about the grace that only comes from God. When he was shipwrecked, he didn't flinch knowing he was going to end up in Rome.
Despite persecution these men never wavered, never complained, never worried and never gave up as tey told as many people as they could about Jesus. They stood up to the traditions the religious leaders tried to impose on them. They stood up to crowds who threatened their lives. Some even died knowing that it didn't matter because there was something better for them on the other side.
Why were they so confident? They trusted the leadership of the Spirit. As long as the Spirit was doing the leading, this movement would not be stopped.
Why don't we live with the same confidence? Because we do not trust the Spirit. We don't let the Spirit lead in every situation. We trust our own understanding more than trusting the Spirit of God. We let our fears overcome us. We fear people who are led by their own selfish wants and desires. We fear our culture and what they will think if we even mention the name of Jesus. We fear stepping out of our comfort zone because we want to play it safe.
The Missional church and the leaders of the missional church put their fears aside and confidently walk with the Spirit. I have to admit, there are times I give in to my fears and my personal incentives and don't listen to the Spirit. I have a desire to walk with the same confidence found in the leaders of the first Missional church. I have the desire to walk with the confidence that only comes from allowing the Spirit to lead. How about you, do you live by the Spirit or do you live by human wisdom?
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