Hebrews 4:14-16 Increasing My Confidence in My Conversation with God

Hebrews 4:14-16 Increasing My Confidence in My Conversation with God

All Christians struggle with two crucial areas that will make or break us in the Christian life: perseverance in times of trial; and, prayer. As you know, they are connected. A vital prayer life is essential to endure trials. In other words, in order to endure difficult time, I need to build my confidence as a Christian. Prayer is essential to building my faith. But what if I don’t have the confidence to do that? What if I really struggle with prayer? That is where the writer of Hebrews can give us encouragement. He shares the connection between my walk as a Christian and my talk with God.

Because you see I need help every day. In order to get that help, I need to ask God. But what if I am in doubt, or I am struggling, or I don’t know how God will help me, or don’t see what God can do, or are anxious, depressed, distressed, or feeling any other difficult emotion? How can I trust God and see that He will help me? The writer of Hebrews gives us hope today and shows me how I can increase my confidence in my conversation with God. Let’s look at what he has to say about my confidence.

My Confidence – “hold fast to the confession”

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus the Son of God—let us hold fast to the confession.” (Hebrews 4:14, HCSB)

I have confidence in what I believe as a Christian. Yet my confidence is not built on just myself. It is not on who I am. It is built on Whom I trust – Jesus Christ. When I am told to “hold fast to my confession,” it means that I should be committed. What I am told be to committed to is my confession. What is that confession? That is confession is that belief and trust in Jesus Christ. My solid rock trust in Jesus Christ.

The image here calls back to the resurrection. Jesus was raised from the dead, and therefore conquered sin. He ascended into Heaven to show His power over sin. This is my confession. I trust Jesus because He overcame sin. My confidence is in the work of Christ – His sin-crushing, death-defying, life-giving work. That is where my confidence lies.

I don’t trust myself. Because trusting in my own securities will fail me. I am reminded daily that people will fail me and that I can fail myself. I am learning more every day that I have to trust Christ. It is this trust in Christ that gives me the confidence to ask Him for my needs.

Upon the Solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.

Why can I trust Jesus Christ?

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tested in every way as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15, HCSB) ?

The question is why can I place my confidence in Jesus Christ for my needs? Why can I go to Him and ask for help? Why should I trust Jesus with my deepest needs and problems? The writer of Hebrews lists seven reasons to trust Jesus.

SEVEN REASONS I CAN BE CONFIDENT IN CHRIST WITH MY PRAYERS

1. Accessible – “high priest”

Jesus has access to God. Yet, He also has access to me. Because Jesus is God, He has access to God. He is co-equal to God and lives with God. Because Jesus is human, He is accessible to me. Like the high priest, Jesus presents my prayers before God. Jesus prays for me. Jesus can bring all of my concerns to God.

2. Remarkable – “great”

Jesus is not just any priest. He is not just any high priest. He is more remarkable than any other. The word here used to describe the kind of high priest is where we get our word “mega.” Jesus is larger than life. He is surprising. He is definitely and supremely better than any other go-between.

3. Supernatural – “passed through the heavens”

Jesus has passed through the heavens and that makes Him supernatural. A high priest could only stand in God’s presence on Earth and present prayers. Jesus is the Great High Priest because He is supernatural. He left Earth and now presents my prayers for me in God’s presence.

4. Relatable – “Son of God”

Jesus is God’s Son. Because Jesus is supernatural, Jesus can relate to God. Because Jesus was human, He can relate to me. Unlike any other priest, Jewish or otherwise, Jesus is the perfect mediator. He knows both sides of the conversation. Jesus knows both parties very well. He knows God very well. Jesus knows you and me very well. Jesus is the most relatable Person to place my confidence in.

5. Tested – “One who has been tested”

Jesus, therefore, knows how weak we are. He knows that it is hard for us to ask. We feel so unworthy to ask for help because of our sin. Jesus knows this dilemma. Yet, He can help us because He overcame the dilemma.1

6. Sinless – “yet without sin”

Jesus was tested from His humanity. Yet, Jesus was sinless because of His divinity. But don’t think that Jesus was never truly tempted. He spoke to Satan and told Him to stay away. He had to pray against the temptation to avoid the cross. Yet, He overcame temptation.

7. Sympathetic – “sympathetic”

Because Jesus was sinless and yet tested, He is sympathetic to our prayers. Jesus knows what it feels like to be tempted. He knows what it feels like to pray and ask for God to help.

We all need someone to sympathize with our problems and weaknesses without condemning us. Sometimes that is enough to get us through, just to know that someone else understands what we’re going through. I read about a boy who noticed a sign, “Puppies for sale.” He asked, “How much do you want for the pups, mister?”

“Twenty-five dollars, son.” The boy’s face dropped. “Well, sir, could I see them anyway?”

The man whistled and the mother dog came around the corner, followed by four cute puppies, wagging their tails and yipping happily. Then lagging behind, another puppy came around the corner, dragging one hind leg.

“What’s the matter with that one, sir?” the boy asked.

“Well, son, that puppy is crippled. The vet took an X-ray and found that it doesn’t have a hip socket. It will never be right.”

The man was surprised when the boy said, “That’s the one I want. Could I pay you a little each week?”

The owner replied, “But, son, you don’t seem to understand. That pup will never be able to run or even walk right. He’s going to be a cripple forever. Why would you want a pup like that?”

The boy reached down and pulled up his pant leg, revealing a brace. “I don’t walk too good, either.” Looking down at the puppy, the boy continued, “That puppy is going to need a lot of love and understanding. It’s not easy being crippled!” The man said, “You can have the puppy for free. I know you’ll take good care of him.”

That is a limited illustration of our Savior’s sympathy for our condition. Since He became a man and suffered all that we experience, He sympathizes with our weaknesses. He demonstrated His compassion many times during His earthly ministry. But His humanity was not diminished in any way when He ascended into heaven. We have a completely sympathetic high priest at the right hand of God!2

My Conversation – “approach with boldness”

This verse shifts from the why I can have confidence to the how of praying for what I need. The texts shift from the confidence I should have to the conversation I can have. Here, we see how I can approach God with my needs.

“Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time.” (Hebrews 4:16, HCSB)

Based on the confidence that I have in God, I now can turn to God and ask for help. How do I ask God for help? In what way can I speak with God in prayer?

HOW TO CONFIDENTLY SPEAK WITH GOD IN PRAYER

I believe that there are five qualities listed here in how to approach God with my prayer. If I am going to converse with God, I can do it using these five qualities. Using these qualities will increase my confidence when I pray to God.

1. Be willing to approach – “Therefore let us approach…” (Hebrews 4:16, HCSB)

2. Realize that God has good intentions with my prayer – “…the throne of grace…” (Hebrews 4:16, HCSB)

The reason you should be willing to approach God is because of the kind of throne He has. In a normal royal throne, when a person or subject presents themselves before the king, the king is primarily concerned with himself – his kingdom, his ideas, his desires, and his plans. The throne of grace is different. Unlike a normal king, God dispenses goodness to people who come before Him, regardless of the benefit to Himself. God listens to our requests and then dispenses what we need. It is important to remember that God has good intentions with my prayer.

3. Be straightforward and honest – “…with boldness…” (Hebrews 4:16, HCSB)

If God has good intentions with my prayer, then I need to be straightforward and honest. I don’t have to fear what God is going to do. Tell God what you need. Be bold. Be confident. Don’t be wimpy with your prayer. Don’t say: “I don’t know if you can answer this.” No, God can answer it. So ask.

4. Be ready for an answer that helps you – “…so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us…” (Hebrews 4:16, HCSB)

God’s answer will always have two characteristics when it comes to His children. You will find mercy and grace.

MERCY

Let’s talk about the difference between these two qualities. Grace is about getting what you don’t deserve. Mercy is about not getting what you do deserve. Because God is merciful and He is also gracious. Mercy is dependent upon me. I merit mercy. Mercy is not judgment. I deserve judgment. But God shows mercy. I earn mercy based upon the relationship. The word is leniency and compassion shown to offenders by a person or agent of authority. I am the criminal and God is the cop. He could punish me, but I go to Him and He shows me mercy.

When I sin, I can ask for mercy. I come to God and plead that God doesn’t judge me like He has the right to. You know about this. As children, we do this. We know we did wrong. So we deny it. When your parent confronts you, you shift blame. When it looks like you are not going to get away with what you did wrong, your emotion changes. You see it in the eyes of your children. Please, Dad, don’t judge me. Please, Dad, don’t punish me like I deserve. I’m not the best parent. But I can recognize when my child is pleading to me for mercy.

Yet my child would never ask for grace. Because we are not entitled to grace.

GRACE

Grace, on the other hand, is dependent only on God. God’s grace is unmerited. I don’t do anything to earn grace. So God answers your prayer based upon mercy. You pleaded with God. But then God shares out of His wondrous love, out of Who He is, something that you didn’t know would happen.

5. Be patient for God’s timing in His answer – “…at the proper time.” (Hebrews 4:16, HCSB)

Sometimes, God doesn’t answer my prayers immediately. But He will answer at the proper time. It may not be on my timetable, but it will be on God’s timetable.

I like John Piper’s analogy that prayer is our walkie-talkie. He says:

“This is the place of prayer—on the battlefield of the world. It is a wartime walkie-talkie for spiritual warfare, not a domestic intercom to increase the comforts of the saints.”3

It is a walkie-talkie to get the supplies we need in the spiritual war that we are engaged in. It’s not an intercom to call the maid to bring extra beverages to the den. In other words, prayer isn’t to make us comfortable and cozy, oblivious to the advancement of God’s kingdom purposes. Prayer is our walkie-talkie to bring in the needed supplies as we seek first His kingdom and righteousness. If you’re under fire in the battle, persevere—hold fast your confession, because Jesus is our great high priest. If you have needs, pray—draw near to the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace to help in the battle.