Keeping and renewing our confidence in our God Jehovah and his son Jesus Christ

There are many examples of people displaying faith and confidence in Jehovah in the Bible. Some of the most faithful servants of Jehovah had at times lost their confidence in God, either because of sin, fear or even feeling not worthy. Let us take a look at some of these people and how we can learn from their example and also learn how Jehovah lovingly dealt with them. The prophet Elijah showed great confidence in Jehovah! He performed many miracles with the power of God. He made a firm stand for true worship challenging the Baal worshipers to out-perform Jehovah in a display of power! We all know the outcome of that event! What is interesting though is how Elijah afterward grew afraid of Jezebel after her threat to kill him. 1 Kings 19:1 "Then Áhab told Jeźebel all that Elíjah had done and all about how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 At that Jeźebel sent a messenger to Elíjah, saying: “So may the gods do, and so may they add to it, if at this time tomorrow I shall not make your soul like the soul of each one of them!” 3 And he became afraid. Consequently he rose up and began to go for his soul and came to Béer-shéba, which belongs to Judah. " Why did Elijah grow afraid? Did he not just show Jehovah was more powerful than the Baal gods? 1Kings 18:36 "And it came about at the time that the grain offering goes up that Elíjah the prophet began to approach and say: “O Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, today let it be known that you are God in Israel and I am your servant and it is by your word that I have done all these things. 37 Answer me, O Jehovah, answer me, that this people may know that you, Jehovah, are the [true] God and you yourself have turned their heart back.” 1 Kings 18:38 At that the fire of Jehovah came falling and went eating up the burnt offering and the pieces of wood and the stones and the dust, and the water that was in the trench it licked up. 39 When all the people saw it, they immediately fell upon their faces and said: “Jehovah is the [true] God! Jehovah is the [true] God!” 40 Then Elíjah said to them: “Seize the prophets of Báal! Do not let a single one of them escape!” At once they seized them, and Elíjah then brought them down to the torrent valley of Kíshon and slaughtered them there. " What did Elijah say after fleeing? 1 Kings19:4 "And he himself went into the wilderness a day’s journey, and at length came and sat down under a certain broom tree. And he began to ask that his soul might die and to say: “It is enough! Now, O Jehovah, take my soul away, for I am no better than my forefathers.” It seems that Elijah not only grew afraid but then felt guilt over it saying “for I am no better than my forefathers.” He also seems to be just plain frustrated over the whole situation saying “It is enough!” After finally getting rid of all the Baal prophets, here was Jezebel still in the house of the King breathing threats! She had already had some of the prophets killed and Obadiah had hid a hundred others in caves. Elijah had thought that all the other prophets had been killed already. He thought he was the sole survivor. 1Kings 19:9 "There he finally entered into a cave, that he might spend the night there; and, look! there was Jehovah’s word for him, and it went on to say to him: “What is your business here, Elíjah?” 10 To this he said: “I have been absolutely jealous for Jehovah the God of armies; for the sons of Israel have left your covenant, your altars they have torn down, and your prophets they have killed with the sword, so that I only am left; and they begin looking for my soul to take it away.” How did Jehovah react to Elijah’s momentary fear of man? 1 Kings 19:11 "But it said: “Go out, and you must stand on the mountain before Jehovah.” And, look! Jehovah was passing by, and a great and strong wind was rending mountains and breaking crags before Jehovah. (Jehovah was not in the wind.) And after the wind there was a quaking. (Jehovah was not in the quaking.) 12 And after the quaking there was a fire. (Jehovah was not in the fire.) And after the fire there was a calm, low voice. 15 Jehovah now said to him: “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; and you must come in and anoint Haźael as king over Syria. 16 And Jéhu the grandson of Niḿshi you should anoint as king over Israel; and Elísha the son of Sháphat from Ábel-mehólah you should anoint as prophet in place of you. 17 And it must occur that the one escaping from Haźael’s sword, Jéhu will put to death; and the one escaping from Jéhu’s sword, Elísha will put to death. 18 And I have let seven thousand remain in Israel, all the knees that have not bent down to Báal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.” Jehovah renews Elijah’s confidence with a personal fear-inspiring display of power! Not only that but he reassures him that he is not the only one left but there are 7000 others. He also reassures Elijah that whoever is left of the Baal worshipers would be taken care of by either Hazael, Jehu or Elisha. Even thought Elijah gave into a momentary fear of man, Jehovah lovingly renewed his confidence. King David is another good example of having confidence in Jehovah. Consider that he conquered the giant Goliath with a mere stone, becoming a mighty warrior in battle and serving Jehovah with a complete heart. But after sinning with Bathsheba and killing Uriah to cover up his adulterous relationship, we could definitely say David’s confidence was down. Many problems arose for David after his sin as foretold by Jehovah. Did David give up putting faith and trust in Jehovah? No. Psalm 51 shows how David had confidence in Jehovah’s mercy and forgiveness and that he would renew him. "51 Show me favor, O God, according to your loving-kindness. According to the abundance of your mercies wipe out my transgressions. 2 Thoroughly wash me from my error, And cleanse me even from my sin. 3 For my transgressions I myself know, And my sin is in front of me constantly. 4 Against you, you alone, I have sinned, And what is bad in your eyes I have done, In order that you may prove to be righteous when you speak, That you may be in the clear when you judge. Even after receiving forgiveness from Jehovah David in his days of trouble afterward still put his trust in God. Psalm 3 is a good example. A melody of David when he was running away on account of Absalom his son. 3 O Jehovah, why have my adversaries become many? Why are many rising up against me? 2 Many are saying of my soul: “There is no salvation for him by God.” Sélah. 3 And yet you, O Jehovah, are a shield about me, My glory and the One lifting up my head. 4 With my voice I shall call to Jehovah himself, And he will answer me from his holy mountain. Sélah. 5 As for me, I will lie down that I may sleep; I shall certainly awake, for Jehovah himself keeps supporting me. 6 I shall not be afraid of ten thousands of people Who have set themselves in array against me round about. 7 Do arise, O Jehovah! Save me, O my God! For you will have to strike all my enemies on the jaw. The teeth of wicked ones you will have to break. 8 Salvation belongs to Jehovah. Your blessing is upon your people. " Consider also the example of Peter and the apostles. After spending three and a half years with the Lord the apostles seemed very confident in their ability to stand firm with full faith. The night of the Passover Jesus told them that they would all be stumbled but afterwards he would renew their faith. All the apostles said that they would not be stumbled even saying they would be willing to die for him. "27 And Jesus said to them: “YOU will all be stumbled, because it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered about.’ 28 But after I have been raised up I will go ahead of YOU into Gaĺilee.” 29 But Peter said to him: “Even if all the others are stumbled, yet I will not be.” 30 At that Jesus said to him: “Truly I say to you, You today, yes, this night, before a cock crows twice, even you will disown me three times.” 31 But he began to say profusely: “If I have to die with you, I will by no means disown you.” Also, all the others began saying the same thing. " It was inconceivable to them that any one of them could be stumbled but, as Christ said, they did all stumble. Knowing ahead of time that they were going to be stumbled Jesus said a prayer on their behalf in the 17th chapter of John. This prayer was not only for the apostles but all that would exercise faith in him in the future. Once Jesus was resurrected he did indeed renew the confidence of his disciples explaining the reason he had to suffer and die and explaining the scriptures to them. We live in a unique time period with the world plunging ever deeper into depravity. Many of us have suffered, are suffering and yet will suffer whether due to our own imperfections, unfavorable circumstances, feeling unworthy, having fear, or whatever else. May we never give up in having confidence in our God Jehovah and his son Christ Jesus. They will bring us through even the most violent storm. May we also stay humble and pray with all our heart that we may finally be found by him spotless, unblemished and in peace.