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Access With Confidence
Text: Ephesians 3:11
11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: 12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. 13 Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. [1]
First of all, we must understand the importance of confidence. Many people today lack confidence. We place our confidence in our Almighty Creator, Jesus Christ, yet somehow, we must allow that confidence to carry over into our own spirit so that we can draw from it. It must be like a bank account that we can draw from in our lives. Confidence in something comes from having an understanding about the value of that which I am placing my confidence and trust in.
This word confidence here in Ephesians 3:12 is a trust and a reliance. You will not pursue access into something if you are not able to rely on it.
We go to the banks and deposit our checks week after week. Why? Simply because we have confidence and reliance upon the bank that they will handle our funds with integrity and honesty.
Here is the kicker: we can enter into His presence with confidence and reliance because we know that Jesus Christ is reliable and trustworthy! He is faithful to come through with the goods!!
(Dollar example)
1. Hold Dollar up and ask: “Who would like this dollar bill?”
2. (Crumple up the dollar and ask: “now who still wants this dollar?”
3. (Stomp on the dollar) “Now who still wants this dollar bill?
4. We all have just seen a very impactive lesson regarding confidence and value: No matter what I did to the money (save for burning it) you still wanted it because this dollar did not decrease in value in spite of the beating it has taken. It was still worth $1.00. Because of what we know about the value of money we have confidence that it will retain its value.
5. Many times in our lives circumstances seem to crumple us, drop us, and stomp on us. We sometimes feel as though we are worthless, insignificant, and without confidence in life.
The truth is that no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will not lose your value. Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those here who do love you.
1. God loves you!
2. Your church family loves you!
The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or who we know but by WHO WE ARE! We are a special creation:
We are children of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
That brings us to this word access in verse 12: I like this word because it speaks of an open door directly to Jesus Christ.
When you have access to something it means to have freedom to go there without hindrance. Think about what Jesus did for us on the cross!
To have access to God means to move towards God, to approach God. It is that relationship whereby we are acceptable to him and have assurance of His favor upon us!
How do we get His acceptance? Calvary. Faith in His redeeming work at Calvary.
So if God has accepted us because of Calvary, then we have this boldness of confidence.
So how do we get there?
We get to God through faith – confident faith
Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.[2]
Ephesians 2:18 tells us that we have access through the Spirit! 18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. 19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
God desires for us to being a holy habitation where the presence of God can dwell every day in our lives. That is how the world is introduced to Jesus Christ: When we rub shoulders with them, they feel something powerful that can bring lasting change walking into their life!
