Confidence is something we all need. It can mean the difference between success or failure in life. When we’re confident in someone, we trust them completely. In light of this, it’s important to rely on someone who will never let us down and will always come through for us—Jesus Christ.

Many new believers have an intellectual knowledge of Christ, but still need to learn how to fully trust and rely on Him after being born again. To reap the benefits of what God offers us, we need to develop confidence in the finished works of Jesus. One of the reasons He went to the cross and shed His blood for us was to keep us safe from harm. “For the Lord shall be your confidence, firm and strong, and shall keep your foot from being caught [in a trap or some hidden danger]” (Proverbs 3:26, AMPC). We build up our confidence level by reading God’s Word, hearing it preached, and meditating on His love for us as reflected in the Scriptures.

The world has a way of tearing down our confidence and making us afraid to trust anyone; learning to think differently from the world helps us build up our trust in God. Constantly thinking about what we learn from the Bible gradually changes our thought patterns. “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2, NKJV). This can be compared to replacing old, incorrect, outdated software that controls our thought processes with new computer software that lines up with the Word.

This transformation in our mental outlook is aided by spending time with other believers, speaking the Word out loud, and deliberately confessing it over every situation in our lives. As God’s beloved children, we have received new identities in Him; this means that we are what He says we are, not what the world says we are. Renewing our minds helps us understand this. “See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him” (1 John 3:1, NLT).

When we fully trust in someone, we don’t second-guess them or try to figure things out for ourselves. Acknowledging our reliance on them opens us up to their guidance and direction. “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5, 6). The more we develop our faith in God in every situation, the more we’ll see Him working in our lives to turn things around in our favor. We’ll also notice that He is the one who gives us the wisdom to know what to do when we don’t know what to do, and the confidence to carry it out.

God loves us, and He wants us to have faith in this love. The more we believe this, the more we’ll believe what He says to us. He’ll always be there when we need Him. “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness” (Isaiah 41:10). We can’t help but be confident when we trust in this promise of support from God.

For more on how to develop confidence in Christ in our daily lives, click on the link below for the two-DVD series, Becoming a Confident Christian.