The Power of Our Confession

Welcome to the intense podcasting town family December 8 are not magical formulas that they do reflect inner attitudes that can affect here's biblical insight on the power of your confession. I will think about this whole issue of the powerful words, the power of our confession, how it affects us how we can apply to real life how it does apply how devastating it could be and how absolutely fantastic it can be so will you turn if you will to Philippians chapter 4 and remember that Paul wrote this epistle does not a single negative ordinate. Nothing negative about what he wrote to them yet. He's writing it from a prison, he could've had all kinds of negative things to say about how he'd been treated how bad things were and how cold it was.

The food was poor and his friends went there.

They were outside talking to Giselle, you know what he says don't be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God, then he is saying that these Philippians are grateful he is for the times that he's been in need, and he needed and they sent it and so he begins with verse 10 by saying, but I rejoiced in the Lord graded that now at last you have received all revived your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity that is that there were times when they had sent him out whatever he they felt he needed and so he was grateful for that. And then there came a time when they could not send it.

Maybe that inhabit all that and have the right message or whatever it might be. So he says not that I speak from want, Rob learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.

I know how to get along with humble means also know how to live in prosperity in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Here is a confession.

Listen to this. He says can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. A lot of people who said that he didn't understand what they were saying know the basis upon which they can sense within work and so this knob said that I believe that within work.

Maybe it's because you know understand what Paul said maybe it's because you understand what he meant and how we could say and why. He said it's almost a look at this passage from that perspective I want to simply say right up front in the very beginning simply list that is often times our confession about ourselves of self-defeating we defeat ourselves with our own mouth. We say things that are negative. We say things that are not building but destroying things that not strengthening but weakening and we oftentimes wonder why all circumstances are independent. Why don't we get a break. Why don't things change for us want to be. Keep seem to be in a rut. I want to be seem to be locked in. We admired up with stagnant where static things are moving. Why doesn't something happen in life and his amenities says I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Well, what we forget is the awesome power our own words have upon ourselves. Listen this passive Scripture. The 18th chapter, the Proverbs look, if you will, in verse 21 for he says death and life on the power of the tongue, look at that death and life are in the power of the tongue. What we say make such an impact upon ourselves, about ourselves, we need to be careful what we say. So let's look at this confession for a moment, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Remembering that the apostle Paul how to he learned this, he did learn this reading a book he learned this through difficulty, hardship trials, suffering, threat of death continues in this life times of need and what it is saying. He said most amazing thing I have learned to be content in every circumstance I meant writing from a Roman prison food. What good cold hot, you name it, with all the difficulties and hardships he was going through. Not complaining he's is not learned to be content. Because here's what I've learned, I've learned that I can do anything and everything through Jesus Christ my Savior, my Lord who strengthens me. Can you say that there we have the right to say it. What did he mean and how can we say let's look at this for a moment, because I think it's very exciting though exciting it still be life-changing. If you're willing to believe exactly what he says.

So let's look at the characteristics this particular confession I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me know what you notice something about a first of all first of all, it is a very bold confession this is that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. The only thing that the apostle Paul ever boasted he says in Galatians 6 he says in Galatians 6 at 14 verse he says I will boast in nothing other than the cross of Jesus Christ.

But this is not opposed.

This is a humble but confident, courageous, bold statement of a conviction. The apostle Paul has listen based on several things will come to the view mode, but certainly one thing is because of his relationship to our Lord. And secondly, because he lived through enough in his life to know that God had proven that to be true, and there is something about time is something about age.

There's something about difficult the hardship and pain. You've heard me say over and over again when the we learn the most difficult to hardship, pain, trials, persecution, suffering. That's when we learn the greatest lessons of the Christian life is what Paul saying he says there was a time when you sent me things that I needed there was a time you didn't imitate what I've learned when you didn't I learn to be content without those things that I felt like I needed that I wanted my life so this is certainly not a confession that is born out of egotism, but it is a bold statement of confidence assurance boldness certainty commitment. I know he says that I can do anything and everything through Christ who strengthens me know what you notice something about this because this is a very important part of understanding this particular confession because this is where people get all they will take a verse of Scripture and taken out of context and say the Bible says I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Here's what I'm going to do and then they just fall flat on their face or why is that true well it's true because first of all they know, understand what this really mean what did Paul mean when he said I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

So I want you to see.

First of all, while it's a very bold statement. It is a very balanced statement. I watch this. He says I can. The balance of that is through Christ. So it isn't just I can. It's I can through Christ. So it's very balanced. What he saying is I am enabled because of my relationship to Jesus Christ because of his supply of whatever I need whatever is necessary for me to do his will, because he will supplied. I can so he's not saying this is what I can do but he simply saying there's a relationship here and my relationship with him makes it possible for me to say that whatever is required of me. Whatever God wants me to do whatever I am challenged to do. I will do it. I will succeed at it because I have God's enabling power to help me now what we mean by all things. Suddenly Paul was dependent upon the Lord for everything. The apostle Paul would never even begin to think or to him about the fact that you and I have the right to ask anything and everything and ask God to give us all bless our ozone enablers to achieve anything. Everything we will. It all has to be balanced out in the one it's the will of the father. What is the will of God. The only thing I have the right to ask my heavenly father to enable me to accomplish or to achieve it to heaven life of those things of those challenges or those accomplishments that his will and purpose and plan for our life. That's the only thing we have a right so we can say what I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me all things that fall into the category of the will and purpose and plan of God for our life. Yes, those things that do not know.

We do not and so therefore I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Listen, that is in the a confession. Every single child of God can make but you have to understand that I and the Christ in our inadequacy and his strength and the fact that it is God working his will and purpose and plan a life not just anything and everything we want to do in life. And so the reason people get confused just cost about simply you not tried that it didn't work in my life. I don't believe that because it is what I did and outcome Telus something so milder that they had and it didn't work and so therefore nobody description more if you understand what he says he means exactly what he said that his something is 1/3 part of this whole idea being balanced year third of December.

This the apostle Paul realized that he had responsibility and got it responsibly. This verse doesn't mean that God does it all and we do nothing, it doesn't mean that we do it all. God does nothing and you hear people say will example, not the bombs is not a habit. Christ right was not what I do, but what he does. Let's true will go say I had nothing to do.

It was all of God not understand what somebody I hope means when they say that but the truth is, is not true.

Listen when you were saved you became a regenerated personality. You became a child of the living God, you became a brand-new person tries the brain you spared a brand-new life that did not relieve you and me of responsibility. We have responsibility God has responsibility and so while he places were the knows the will to do something.

Listen, he empowers it so we talk about willpower.

Our will and his power.

But the truth is, even our will is his will, he that called you. He says will also do it. That is, if God called you to do something, God will enable you that's what he saying this passage I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me is Christ ministry committed to something that is not his will know is that all my doings and none of his know where it says not another none of me and all of him. That's not true. If your eyes your hand your feet your legs your body your voice your compassion, your love, your desire as you drive your motivation. But what happens, God empowers that he directs that an empowers that to accomplish his purpose and plan for your life and so you can't say it's all of God. None of me is all of me and none of God is a relationship I can do through Christ not I but Christ, yet not our adequacy, but our adequacy in him very, very balanced is what Paul is placed here. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Why, because our God would never called you to do anything he will fail to enable you to do this is what Paul is saying a very bold balance confession but also when he noticed something else about. That's this that it's based on his faith in the three bowl foundation. I watch this. How can a man like the apostle Paul say I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me actually say that is high consent to watch this carefully. He could say it based number one on his position in Christ. What was his position.

He's not a list saying he's normally sanctified, he's not reconciled to God. God is only working in his life, but he has a whole new position.

What is his position. He is now a child of God, he is taken upon himself, that is, God is the Bible uses the term adoption that he's been adopted in the kingdom of God that now he's become a child of God is what that means you have the same Jesus and the same Holy Spirit in the same position of son ship daughter ship right amen absolute that's what you have now posted the basis upon which I can say I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me is on the basis of my position to what you see is you have the same position as a born again child of God as the apostle Paul had and he had the privilege you have the prep. The second thing I want to notice here, what was his basis not only his position Christ, but it was also based on something else very important and that is his right perception of who Christ is, if I just see Jesus as my Savior and don't understand and recognize and magnify the fact that he is not create or he's my Savior, he's my sustainer.

Listen, he is ever present with me moment by moment, day by day, no matter what I'm going through in life.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Listen why because of my position I'm in the family eyeball. The purpose of the payment. But secondly, because of who it is that is enabling me. This is the infinite eternal, unchangeable, unconditional loving son of God who is enabling and empowering you to become and to do what God wants you to do and so first of all a look at that passage and Paul says I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. On what basis on the basis of his relationship on the basis of who he understood the Lord Jesus Christ to be.

And thirdly on the basis of the promises that God made nether lots and lots of promises millimeters midget therefore hit insert the apostle Paul knew so very well think about this.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. How only if I know he knows me understands me and he is with me when they say I'll never leave you nor forsake. He said his disciples go with you all way to the end of this age is the fact that you and I listen you and I live in the presence of Almighty God.

We live in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. We live in the presence of the Holy Spirit is living on the inside of us so we can say I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me because inside the heart, the spirit of every single living human being who is a child of God. Also, infinite power of the Holy Spirit is drilling there. Listen ready to release at any moment. Whatever you and I need to be able to fulfill God's perfect plan and will prayer life at that moment. Whatever it might be. So therefore I got to be sure, I know it of something that is present but also his power, he says, you shall receive power that is divine, supernatural energy, strength when the Spirit of God comes upon you when you trust in Christ as your Savior Holy Spirit came in your life to enable you to empower you know what happens every single day. We have living on the inside of is this eternal dynamo this the spirit of the living God, enabling it every single moment in situations and circumstances we get in situations we need an answer he's there. We need to know what to do. He will show us which way to go. What kind of decision to make.

That is, he's always the enabling is giving us listen, physical energy, mental energy, strength, understanding, wisdom that's who we have living on the inside of us.

Likewise, we have the promise of his protection. He says, for example just one example. He says when we are facing temptation and trials. He says God has set a limitation on the temptation trials that you and I can face that will be able to bear we have the promise I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, because in times of great trial and temptation. I have this promise, he sets the limit of what I will face and he will enable me to face it victoriously and triumphantly no matter what.

When that comes times my life when I need things. Whatever it might be my provisions. What is he say in Matthew chapter 6 he says headings talk about the birds of the air flowers in the field and so forth. And he says, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things all of your human needs will be added to you. Why because he's a loving father and our position is with sons and daughters of the living God.

We're in the family of God.

We can say I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me based on what based on our relationship with him.

Based on the fact of who he is and based in the fact of what he's promised so you think about your life for a moment, you know, like where you are in life, you know like the way things are.

You want to see them change. Ask yourself the question, what even telling yourself. Things are bad. I don't like is not going to get better. I'm going to fail. It will never change, or can you say father I'm in a trust you.

You said I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I'm trusting you to show me your will. I'm in a trust you to energize me, enable me to do what you will be to do you know what he will change your self-image, he will change your relationship.

He will change whatever needs to be changed in your life you need to start affirming the truth of the gospel.

This is why I've said the over and over again. Don't say lounges the sinner saved by grace you know what, what's the emphasis of that. I'm just a sinner saved by grace sinners center center, why not say what God says, seek saved by the grace of the living God. Listen, there's a lot of difference in the St. in the center and what's the difference is that means things don't say no. Here's the difference.

The difference is an eternal difference. That is, saints are in the realm of the Holy Spirit, sealed by Almighty God through his redemptive work at Calvary unto the day of redemption, eternally secure and him and a sinner who may commit the same sins is lost as they can be on their way to an absolute lost eternity without help and without hope in this world apartment Jesus Christ by the difference in getting up in the morning and say I'm just a sinner saved by grace, adventure, concept of yourself. You need to get in the word of God and listen all you have to do is read the first couple of verses of Paul's epistles because almost everyone on he said to the saints at Philippi saints at Ephesus saints in Rome since the time what is a saint is when a person doesn't send Noah same as a person who's been saber the grace of God to the shed blood of Jesus at Calvary and who has been set apart by God for God to live for God. That's what this thing.

St. send the sinless know that's who we are and once we begin to understand that we have the privilege children of God have an intimate personal relationship with Jesus Christ to the supreme ruler of the universe and who is committed himself to meeting our needs and guiding our life and making as a person he wants us to be and enabling us through his awesome power of the Holy Spirit. Listen your life order suddenly become excited, adventurous, because God is in control of your life. If you are letting me. Thank you for listening to the power and our confession. If you'd like to know more about Charles Stanley in touch ministries and started wagging his podcast is a presentation in touch ministries advantage to