Topic: Our Confidence Is in Jesus [Joyce Meyer Devotional 1 March 2021]
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I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency].— Philippians 4:13 (AMPC)
The last thing Satan wants is for you to fulfill God’s plan for your life, because he knows that you’re part of his ultimate defeat. If he can make you think and believe that you’re incapable, then you won’t even try to accomplish anything worthwhile. And if you’re convinced that you can’t, even if you do make an effort, your fear of failure will seal your defeat, which, because of your lack of confidence, you probably expected from the beginning. This is what’s often referred to as the “failure syndrome.” The enemy wants us to feel so bad about ourselves that we have no confidence and make no progress.
But here’s the good news: We don’t need confidence in ourselves—we need confidence in Jesus! I have confidence in myself only because I know that Christ is in me, always present and ready to help me with everything I attempt to do for Him. A believer without confidence is like a brand-new jet parked on the runway with no fuel; it looks good on the outside, but has no power on the inside. With Jesus inside us, though, we have the power to do what we could never do on our own.
Once you learn this truth, when the devil lies and says, “You can’t do anything right,” your response to him can be, “Maybe not, but Jesus in me can, and He will, because I’m relying on Him and not myself. He’s the one who causes me to succeed in everything that I put my hand to” (see Joshua 1:7). Or if the enemy says to you, “You’re not able, so don’t even try—you’ll only fail again, just like you always do,” your response can be, “It’s true that without Jesus I’m not able to do anything, but with Him and in Him I can do not just some, but all the things that I need to do” (see Philippians 4:13).
The more you speak the truth out loud, the more it will shape and affect your life for the better!
Prayer Starter: Father, thank You that I can put my confidence in You, and that because You’re able to do all things (and You’re in me), I can do everything that I need to do. Please help me remember to speak the truth out loud anytime the enemy tries to convince me of a lie. Thank You for giving me all the grace and wisdom I need for today. In Jesus’ name, amen.