Jesus Power

"Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God." -II Corinthians 3:4-5

The verses from 2 Corinthians show Paul never lacked confidence to preach the Gospel to the populace for he gained freedom in Christ. The source of his confidence was always from one place: Jesus Christ. He knew the secret to being confident of whatever he took on. He was convinced that he would succeed because he had the power of Christ with him.

No, Paul didn't need any external assistance and neither do we. I first fully realized that in my own life on my first trip inside a prison with South Texas Prison Fellowship. I knew my ability to witness for my Lord was weak and I wanted to stretch myself and learn to be more outspoken. I talked to my friend, Katy. She and her husband lead the prison fellowship and I asked what they did. The crazy lady said I should go with them that weekend. I assured her I only wanted information and I was not qualified to actually do anything! She had been my prayer partner for a couple years and knew my failings well. She should have known better, I thought. She said the women would identify with me because of all the things I’d gone through in my life. Let me say here, I could not have been less confident or felt any more ill qualified than I did the day I walked into that prison.

I even listed for the Lord all the reasons I shouldn’t be there. I wasn’t as holy as the other women in our group, not as spiritually enlightened, didn’t know what they knew, couldn’t quote Scripture like they could and certainly couldn’t talk about it in front of people. That’s what precipitated the whole thing! I wanted to learn how to be bolder in witnessing instead of keeping a low profile when the God talk came up; I sure wasn’t prepared to do it.

Thankfully, we had a program to present so I had printed materials in front of me when I was sitting with the small group I was supposed to ‘lead’. I started out giving them my testimony which, I thought, rather emphasized my lack of qualifications to even be there. As I spoke about the circumstances of my past and how God was willing to use me in-spite of it all, I was struck in awe, my ‘light bulb’ moment, as I realized He had taken all the ugliness and painful things in my life and was using them to His greater good to reach these women! I didn’t have to do anything but show up. It had nothing to do with me and/or my abilities or lack thereof. It was a total God thing!

I had been reminding the Lord scripture said He would put the words in my mouth and He did. Watching the faces of these women as they realized I wasn’t really different than them, I had gone through a lot of the same situations they had in their lives and STILL Jesus loved me and used me, gave them hope. I was excited and wanted to share all about His mercy and forgiveness and blessings. When I walked out of the prison that day, I was not the same woman that walked in.

 
All we have to do is call upon the same power as Paul. Christ living in us, through the presence of the Holy Spirit, will give us all the confidence we need to be all that God wants us to be and accomplish for Him and provide for those He sends to us. It’s all Jesus Power. You can have complete confidence in that!