CONFIDENCE - Crossline Church · 2017-11-20 · same easy confidence I observed in the woman who lived at the estate, graced the face of the woman who stood in this tiny room. She,

LESSON 3

CONFIDENCE

LEARNING TO LIVE IN CONFIDENCE

NOTES

GetHealthybyDonnaJones Copyright2017 AllRightsReserved17

GET HEALTHY: CONFIDENCE LessonThree:LearningtoLiveinConfidence

LookingBack:

• Spendafewminutesreviewinglastweek’shomework.HowdidyoupersonalizePsalm139?

• RecitePsalm139:14.

LookingForward:WhenJPandIwerenewlywedsawell-to-docouplefromourchurchinvitedustotheirhousefordinner.Drivinguptothehomewasanexperienceinitself.Itwasahugeestate,andtobehonest,itwasalittle(ok,alot)intimidating.Wewalkedin,weregreetedwarmly,thenusheredintothekitchenwhereIwatchedthewifeeffortlesslymakedinnerasherthreeteenagersrandomlycameandwent,occasionallysneakingatasteofthis,orthat.Eventually,oneofthekidshoistedherselfontothekitchencounter,andjoinedourconversation.Irememberthinking,Howdoesshedoit?Howdoesthiswomaneffortlesslymakedinner,whilemakingeverysinglepersonwhoroamsinandoutofherkitchenfeelcomfortable--feelspecial,even?Atthetime,Icouldbarelyboilwaterwithoutfollowingarecipe.Andwelivedinasmallrentalweaffectionatelydubbed,“TheHellHole”.Ourhost’seasyconfidenceboggledmymind.Butitwasn’tjustherconfidencethatintriguedme;itwashowherconfidencerubbedoffoneveryonearoundher.20yearsmysenior,andmilesabovemeonthesocio-economicscale,thiswomanmademefeelcomfortableinmyownskin,mainlybecauseshewascomfortableinhers.Iknewthenandthere,thiswasawomanwhosekidswereblessedtohaveherastheirmom,andwhosehusbandwasblessedtohaveher,too.AndIknewthatsomeday,Iwantedtobelikeher.

1.Haveyoueverhadanexperiencewheresomeoneelse’sconfidencerubbedoffonyou,makingyoufeelmoreconfidentandatease?Ifso,when?


Flashforwardseveralyears(andamoveoutofthe“HellHole”).JPandIwereagaininvitedtosomeone’shomefordinner.Onlythistimeitwasaonebedroom,low-incomeapartmentcomplexofacoupleabouttenyearsolderthanus.Weweregreetedwithwarmhugsandusheredintothekitchen.Ateenyone.ButthesameeasyconfidenceIobservedinthewomanwholivedattheestate,gracedthefaceofthewomanwhostoodinthistinyroom.She,too,wascomfortableinherownskin.Anditshowed.Iknewimmediatelythiswoman’sfriendsandfamilywereblessedtohaveher.AndIknew,too,Iwantedtobelikeher.Thesetwowomenmodeledaninvaluablelesson:Confidenceisnotafunctionofwhatyouhave--materially,relationally,physically,mentally,orsocially--confidenceisafunctionofwhoyouare.Ormaybe,moreaccurately,howyouseewhoyouare.

2.Readtheaboveparagraphagain,slowly.Doyouagreeordisagree?Whyorwhynot?

Themillion-dollarquestioneverywomanasksisthis:HowdoIgain,andmaintain,confidence?Thekindthat’snottiedtowhereIlive,anumberonascale,mycareersuccess,mychildren’sbehavior,myrelationshipstatus,myage,myeducation,myethnicity,or_____________(youfillintheblank).Solet’stakeapeekintothelifeofapersonwhoactuallylearnedtogrowinconfidence,movingfrominsecuritytosecurity,andfindoutthesecret.

3.ReadJudgesChapter6(Ohmygoodness…thisissogood.Igetexcitedjustthinkingaboutit!)a. DescribethesituationtheIsraelitesfoundthemselvesin,according

toverses1-6.

b. Accordingtoverse11,wherewasGideon,andwhatwashedoingwhentheangeloftheLordappearedtohim?

c. WhatdoestheangeltellGideoninverse12?WhatdoeshecallGideon?

d. Gideondoesn’tacknowledgebeingcalledamightywarrior.WhatdoesthistellyouaboutGideon’slevelofconfidence?Doyouignore


ordeflectpositivethingsothers(orGod--rememberlastweek’slesson)sayaboutyou?

I’mnotmuchofawineconnoisseur,butevenIknowyoupressgrapesinawinepress,youdon’tthreshwheat.Sowhywashehidinginthewinepress?WhatwasGideon’sdeal?Hewasstinkin’scaredtodeathoftheMidianites,that‘swhat.Doesn’tsoundlikemuchofamightywarriortome.Soundslikeaguywithmajorinsecurityissues.Exactlythepoint.SonowwehaveourstartingpointwithGideon.Hiscircumstancesstink,he’sriddledwithfear,andtheconceptoflivingasaconfidentovercomeristhelastthingonhismind.

4.Accordingtoverses12and13,Gideondoesn’tacknowledgebeingcalledamightywarrior.Instead,heasksaquestion.Whatisit?a. Fillintheblanksfromverse13:“Pardonme,mylord,”Gideonreplied,

“butiftheLordiswith______,whyhasallthishappenedto______?b. Nowfillintheblankfromverse12:Whentheangelof

theLordappearedtoGideon,hesaid,“TheLordiswith_______mightywarrior.”

c. Whatdifferencedoyounotice?Whydoyouthinkthisissignificant?

YouprobablycameupwithabetteranswerthanIdid,buthere’swhatstrikesme:wetendtomusterconfidencebybeingpartofagroup.Don’tbelieveme?Wouldyouratherattendasocialeventbyyourself,orwithafriend?Irestmycase.God,however,isn’tcontenttoletourconfidencerestonthecrowd.Godwantstobuildourindividualconfidence.Hewantstodevelopourownsenseofsecurity.Hewantseachofus--youincluded--tolivewithconfidentsignificance.

d. Whatdoyouthink:DidGideonfeelsignificantatthispoint?DidGodseehimassignificantatthispoint?

Gideonmaynothavebeenreadytobelievewhattheangeltoldhimabouthimself,butitwasimportantforhimtohearit,nevertheless.Thefirststeptobelievesomethingistrueistohearsomethingistrue.


Weareallaworkinprogress(andsomeofusarebiggerpiecesofworkthanothers!)butfromGod’svantagepoint,goodstuffiscoming--infact,goodstuffisalreadyhere.Hangontothat,truth,wouldyou,sweetfriend?Youmightjustneeditthisweek.

5. Readverses14and15again.WhatdidtheangeltellGideontodo?WhatwasGideon’sresponse?

a. Haveyoueverfeltlike“thestrengththatyouhave”(seeverse14)is

notenoughforataskGodhasassignedyou(thinkfamily,work,ministry,dealingwithhardship,etc.)?Haveyoufeltthatwayrecently?Discuss.

b. Howcanstartingsomething“inthestrengthyouhave”propelyoutohavemoreconfidence?Comparestartinginthestrengthyouhave,tobeingsidelinedbyworryoverthestrengthyoudon’thave.

c. Gideon’sstrengthdidn’tliesolelyinwhathepossessedonhisown;GodgaveGideonasecretweapon.Fillintheblanksfromv.16tofindoutwhatitwas:

TheLordanswered,“I_______be______________,andyou______.....”Whoa.Waitaminute.Didn’tGodmakethesamepromisetous?Toyou?Why,yes,Hedid.“….Godhassaid,“NeverwillIleaveyou;neverwillIforsakeyou.”(Hebrews

13:5b)SoGideontakesGodathisword,isfilledwithboldconfidence,andimmediatelysetsouttoaccomplishGod’spurposeforhislife.Right?Uh.No.

6.Describewhathappensinverses17-24.Nowpictureyourselfinthisscene.Howwouldyoufeelifthishappenedtoyou?a. Afterthewhole,God-charbeques-Gideon’s-dinnerthing,theLord

givesGideonanassignment,foundinverses25-32.Whatisit?DoesGideondoit?How?

Babysteps.Gideontakesbabysteps.HebreaksdownthealtarofBaal(yeah!),andbuildsanaltartoGod(yeah!).Buthediditatnight.Becausehewasscared.Honestly,though,whocouldblamehim?Thepeoplewantedtokillwhoeverdidit.


So,really,itwasavictoryforGideon’sfaith.Andhisconfidence.Don’tmissthis:Confidencegrowsonestepatatime.Justlikefaith.Becauseconfidenceisalwaystiedtofaith.

7.Howdoesknowingthatconfidencea)cangrow,andb)growsbit-by-bit,giveyouhope?a.IstheresomesmallareaofobedienceGodisaskingyoutomake,to

growyourconfidenceandyourfaith?Ifso,what?(Believeme,thereissomesmallstepGodwantsyoutotake!)

Justsowedon’tforgetthissignificanceofwhat’shappeninginGideon’sjourneyfrominsecuritytoconfidence,let’ssaythisalltogether:Thefirststepinbelievingsomethingistrueishearingsomethingistrue.Confidenceisalwaystiedtofaith.Confidencegrowsonestepatatime.Confidencegrowswhenwestepoutandsucceed(evenalittle).NotethatGideon’ssuccesswasn’twithoutitsproblems.Therewastheteensylittleproblemofangeringthewholetown.Still,Gideon’sonestepintherightdirection,ledtoanotherstepintherightdirection.

8.Doyoutendtoloseconfidenceifeverylittledetaildoesn’tworkoutseamlessly(oryoudon’tthinkitwill)?Whydoyouthinkthismightbeahindrancetoovercominginsecurityandbuildingrealconfidence?

a. Accordingtoverse34,whatroledidGodplayindevelopinghisconfidence?

b. Lookatverses36and37.Propelledbytheconfidencehegainedby

breakingdownthealtartoBaal,Gideonnowconsidersdoingsomethingevenbolder.Whatisit?

Whoa,Nellie.GideonactuallyconsidersallowingGodtousehimtosaveallIsrael.Thisisafarcryfromthescaredlittleman-childhidinginthewinepress.Hisconfidenceisgrowingrightbeforeoureyes.


ButGideonishuman,andstillhassomelearningtodotogetthiswholeconfidencethingdownpat.

c. WhatdoesheaskGodtoconfirminverses36-40?DidGodconfirmit?How?

d. WhatdoesthistellyouabouttheheartofGodasherespondstoour

imperfectjourneytoovercomeinsecurityandlivewithconfidence?

NowIknowwhatsomeofyouarethinking,becauseit’swhatI’mthinking:IfGodwouldjustgivemeasignasclearashegaveGideon,I’dliveincompleteconfidence.Buthere’sthething--Godalreadygaveusasignthathe’swithus,andforus.It’scalledthecross.

9.ReadJudges7:1-8andbrieflydescribewhathappened.HowdoyouthinkthisaffectedGideon’sconfidence?WhydidGodaskhimtodiminishthenumberofmen?

Gideon’sarmywentfrom32,000to300.Why?Ibelieveit’sbecauseGodwasnotsimplyteachingGideonconfidence,GodwasteachingGideonsomethingmoreimportant:GODfidence.

a. Accordingtoverse9-14,whatdidGoddotobolsterGideon’s

confidence,nowthathisarmywasgreatlydiminished?

b.WhatdoesthistellyouabouttheheartofGod?

10.ReadversesJudges7:15-17carefully.WhatdifferencedoyounoticeinGideoncomparedtothemanwefirstmetinthewinepress?

a. WhatthreethingsdoesGideontellthementodoinverse17?(Fillintheblanks

1. __________________me.2. __________________my____________________.3. _________exactlyas_____________do.


b. HowdoesGideon’sdeclarationepitomizeconfidence?Sotherewehaveit.Oneman,transformedfromfeeling(andacting)likeaninsignificant,fearful,intimidatednobody,toaconfidentleaderand,dareIsayit?Amightywarrior.Gideongoesontoleadhispeopleinvictory,andsaveIsrael.GodwasrightaboutGideon’strueidentity,evenwhenGideondidn’tbelieveit.Godisrightaboutyourtrueidentity,too.AndsoIreturnonceagaintothelessonIlearnedfromtwowomenwhosecircumstanceslookeddifferent,butwhosesoulsgraspedthesametruth:Confidenceisnotafunctionofwhatyouhave--materially,relationally,physically,mentally,orsocially--confidenceisafunctionofwhoyouare.Ormaybe,moreaccurately,howyouseewhoyouare.Howdoyouseewhoyouare?It’stimetoseeyourselflikeGodseesyou.It’stimeforyoutoclaimyouridentity,mightywarrior!

ThisWeek’sApplication:

1. Re-readJudges6and7.AskGodtoshowyounewinsightsforgrowingyourconfidenceandGodfidence.Writedownwhatyoulearn.

2. Makeonesmallstepofintentionalobediencethisweek,evenifyouarescared.Bereadytosharewithyourgroup.

3. Confidencegrowswhenwehearthetruthofwhoweare.Thisweek,beintentionalaboutspeakingwordsofencouragementtoyourfriendsandfamilymembers.Beopentoreceiveanyencouragementothersgivetoyou.


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CONFIDENCE - Crossline Church · 2017-11-20 · same easy confidence I observed in the woman who lived at the estate, graced the face of the woman who stood in this tiny room. She,