Self-confident/Self-confidence

<<secure in own abilities>>

This is having confidence, courage and boldness in our own ability and resources through knowledge and skill, compared to self-esteem, which is the overall valuing of self. Regular practice develops an increased ability and belief in your expertise, so when you have done a good job affirm yourself, by being your own greatest fan. Have a good, healthy, yet humble, appreciation of what you can do with the Lord’s enabling, for it is He who gives the ability (Deut 8:18; Jn 5:30; 1 Cor 10:12; Eph 6:10,11; Phil 4:13). We should not boast in our own power and ability, but rather acknowledge and affirm that we know the Lord and it is His doing (Jdg 7:2; Ps 118:23; Jer 9:23,24; Lk 18:11-13; 1Cor 1:31; Gal 6:14). It is only by the grace and mercy of God we are what we are (Eph 2:8,9).

The Bible records that after initially relying wholeheartedly on the Lord’s power the people of Israel became over confident in their own ability, thinking they didn’t need to rely on divine help anymore, so they disobeyed Him by worshipping other gods, resulting in their

Trust in God, not ourselves

being abandoned by Him (Jdg 2:2,3,11-19; 1 Sam 15:17-23; 2 Chr 12:1-5). If we display this type of arrogant behaviour, God will leave us too, and as we come out from under divine protection we will understand we are not able to withstand the enemy on our own. This was the downfall of Adam and Eve – thinking they could be independent of God.

It is better to trust God than put our confidence in humans – especially ourselves (Ps 118:8; Phil 3:3-6). The enemy opposed to the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem lost their self-confidence when they realised the mammoth task “had been done with the help of our God” (Neh 6:16). These heathen had to acknowledge a power greater than human effort was operating.

See also: confidence, self-esteem, self-image.