ADDRESSING THE LACK OF CONFIDENCE TO COME BEFORE GOD

'For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.' - Ephesians 2 vs 18

Hello dearly beloved of God in Christ. Be lifted as you read these words which I share with you now. Amen.

Many fellows around the world, by reason of their sins, they feel they are disconnected from God, they have no confidence in them to stand before God, to wave to God in worship, they cannot even pray to God, that's how condemned they feel because of their sins; to them, so long as God is concerned, they are cut off. They feel they are cut off from their relationship with God. It's a terrible state for a man to be in. But Christ is our confidence before God! Hallelujah. The Bible talks about we having boldness on the last day, and that boldness we have is all because of God's love towards us. See this;

'And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.' - 1 Johm 4 vs 16 - 17 {KING JAMES VERSION}

Pay attention to the words I want to highlight to you from these Bible verses we have just read;

• The love that God hath to us
• Herein is our love made perfect
• That we may have boldness

Now note that the word 'herein' as used in the verse 17 means 'in this'. So the verse 17 is a continuation of the verse 16. In the verse 17, the Apostle John went on to say "in this is our love made perfect". So the question is, In what? The answer is in the verse 16. In the verse 16, he spoke about the love that God has towards us. See it again;

'And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.' - 1 John 4 vs 16 {KJV}

You see... He was talking about the love that God has toward us. Then in the verse 17 He says, "herein is our love perfect". Meaning, in this, in the love that God has towards us, our love is perfect. Glory to God. He also added to say that we have boldness in the day of judgment because of the love that God has towards us. Let's look at the verse 17 again;

'Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment...'

This means that the love of God towards us gives us boldness to stand before God. He says, in the love of God towards us our love is made perfect, that we may have boldness. That means one of the effects of God's love towards us which He manifested in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, is boldness to stand before Him. Glory to God.

'In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The LORD our righteousness.' - Jeremiah 33 vs 16 {KJV}

The Prophets spoke about the justification by faith, how that the Christ will become the righteousness of those who believe in Him. And this have been fulfilled by the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. Hence the Apostle Paul says;

'For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.' - Ephesians 2 vs 8 - 9 {KING JAMES VERSION}

• By Grace are you saved
• Not of works | not of yourself
• It is the gift of God

Waow. Glory to God. So you see, your salvation is a gift from God. You didn't earn it, neither can you sustain it. How can you sustain what you couldn't purchase? - Think about it. Note that, the price needed to sustain Salvation in a Believer is the same price that purchased it. Therefore, if you couldn't purchase it, you cannot sustain it, because it's the same price. See this;

'Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?' - Galatians 3 vs 3 {KJV}

Seeing that the blood of Jesus birthed our Salvation, it takes the blood of Jesus to maintain and sustain it. That's what the Apostle Paul was communicating to the Galatia brethren. - Think about it. This is God's love lavishly poured out on us. Therefore beloved, in this (by the knowledge of God's love to you) should your love for God be made perfect/solid, and you should have boldness to stand before God without any fear or guilt, because of His love towards you which you now know of. Christ's blood saved you, that same blood keeps you saved. Hence, you stand boldly upon that revelation and draw near to God. - Selah

'Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith...' - Hebrews 12 vs 2 {KJV}

The word 'faith' as used in this verse speaks of 'Salvation'. So what the Apostle said is,

'Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our salvation.'

Meaning Salvation was given by JESUS, and Salvation is sustained by JESUS. Glory to God.

So you see beloved, Christ is our righteousness. Now, since Christ is our righteousness, it means that to God we are perfect, because the righteousness God sees in us is Christ. That means our sins don't come up before God. Glory! This is the expression of the love of God towards you. Let your confidence and boldness to approach God be boosted by this knowledge of the love of God towards you, that Christ is the righteousness God sees in you. - Think about it

You see beloved, this is where our confidence and boldness in accessing and approaching God starts. Little wonder the Bible says in Ephesians 2 vs 18 as seen in our opening passage that through Christ we have access to God the Father. Glory to God forever. Amen. Let's take a look at it;

'For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.' - Ephesians 2 vs 18 {KJV}

You see that... God already made provision for us because He knew man will get to that point where his confidence to approaching Him will fail because of sin, so God conditioned our access to Him to be through Christ. So because of Christ who became our righteousness, because we are in Christ, we can boldly say FATHER, and have access to Him (prayer), and there can be no hindrance before us; not even our sins can hinder us from having such access. Glory to God forever.

I love what Ephesians 3 vs 12 renders, it says;

'In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.' - {KJV}

You see that, the Apostle is saying the same thing. He says, in Christ we have boldness and access with confidence to approaching God because of our faith in Jesus as our righteousness. That's what that portion simply says. Waow! You know what, the scales are falling from your eyes even now and you are beginning to see God for who He is - God is love, and your relationship with Him is restored. Amen.

You are lifted!

God is with you.

- Jenning U. Angel