What does godly confidence look like in an individual? In one of my favorite stories (see this link and scroll down to the section “A Step of Faith”), the Lord prompted me to pray for confidence for a man at our church. I’ve often thought of what that meant for him, and I’ve wondered what it means for me. Do I operate in godly confidence? What does it mean for a Believer to display the kind of confidence that’s directed 100% in the Lord?

Look for it in the Bible

As with all aspects of life and godliness, the Holy Spirit-filled Bible-believing Jesus-follower gets to find the Lord’s answers in the written Word of God. Are there examples of people operating in godly confidence?

When I asked myself this question, the first person that popped into my mind was King David. But the scene happened before he took the throne. Let me set the stage for you.

David Goes Out to the Battle

In 1 Samuel 17, the famous David and Goliath story is elaborately described for us. David is a young man, the youngest of all his brothers. When the Philistine army comes up against the Israelites, David’s three oldest brothers join with King Saul in going to the battle. After 40 days of waiting, Jesse, the father of David, seems a bit worried about his sons, so he sends David to his brothers at the battlefront with food and provisions. 

When the giant Goliath steps up and defies God and the Israelite army, David hears it. The men tell David what would happen to the Israelite champion who could defeat Goliath. This piques the interest of David, so he keeps asking about it. Well, pretty soon, David’s curiosity is reported to King Saul, who has David sent to him. This is where we pick up the story:

David Speaks Confidently with King Saul

“When the words that David spoke were heard, they repeated them before Saul, and he sent for him.

And David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”

And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth.”

But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” 

And David said, “The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” 

And Saul said to David, “Go, and the LORD be with you!”” 1 Samuel 17:31-37 (ESV)

Who Did David Put His Confidence In?

David exhibits high levels of confidence in his ability to fight. Where did he get this confidence? He tells us. While David was growing up and watching his father’s sheep, apparently lions and bears would come out to have a tasty meal of mutton. Under the power of the Lord God, David struck down lions and bears. If he was telling King Saul the truth, and I believe he was, then that means he killed at least 2 lions and at least 2 bears.

David is tough! And he also testifies to Who gave him deliverance from these wild beasts. “The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”

David had seen the Lord at work in his past experiences. And now in the present circumstance of the battle, he continues to see the Lord at work, confident that God will continue to bring him deliverance… if he has the faith for it. And we see that David definitely has the faith for it.

We also see that David is the first person in the entire chapter to mention God, and then more specifically, the LORD (Jehovah or Yahweh, the covenantal name of God). Why is this? David has a personal relationship with Yahweh, having experienced firsthand the power of God’s Spirit (see 1 Samuel 16:13).

What About the Others?

The other trained soldiers and men in the army of Israel are not confident, not in themselves or in their God. 1 Samuel 17:13 says “they were dismayed and greatly afraid.” Instead of being filled with confidence, they are filled with fear.

When a man of confidence shows up, does everyone rally behind him? Nope, not everyone. David’s older brother Eliab does not like what he hears or sees from David. Eliab mislabels David’s confidence as pride and wickedness.

“Now Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spoke to the men. And Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, “Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your presumption [or pride] and the evil of your heart [or wickedness], for you have come down to see the battle.”” 1 Samuel 17:28 (ESV) [brackets mine]

Accusations in the Heart

I can almost give you a 100 percent guarantee that the two things Eliab accuses David of are the two things that Eliab struggles with. We don’t know too much about Eliab, but we do get a glimpse of what the Lord thought about Eliab.

In the previous chapter, 1 Samuel 16, the prophet Samuel was sent to anoint a son of Jesse. When Samuel sees Eliab, the firstborn son of Jesse, Samuel is impressed. He remarks to himself, “Surely he is the LORD’s anointed.” But the Lord speaks to Samuel in his mind, revealing the heart of Eliab.

“But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.”” 1 Samuel 16:7 (ESV)

Eliab had a heart problem: the condition of his heart was not pleasing to the Lord. Eliab had made his choice concerning the Lord, harboring wickedness in his heart, so the Lord rejected him. 

David’s Heart is in the Right Place

On the other hand, this revelation from the Lord shows us the kind of heart David has. David trusts in the Lord. David has a relationship with Yahweh. He has seen actual deliverance from God Himself. He trusts God, which is revealed in Psalm 56.

“In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?” Psalm 56:4 (ESV)

And, just to be very clear about the condition of David’s heart, it is said he is a man after God’s own heart.

“[God speaking]: ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.'” (Acts 13:22b ESV) [brackets mine]

What About Your Heart

How is your heart? Has it been redeemed by the blood of Jesus? Is your heart being purified by the work of the Holy Spirit? Would God say of you that you are a man or woman after His own heart? Do you want to be? I know I sure do!

Why don’t you take a moment to pray this simple prayer and mean it in your heart? 

“Lord, make me a woman [or man] after your own heart.”

This is a prayer that the Lord loves to answer. I speak from personal experience. I have prayed this prayer easily more than 100 times.

What About Accusations Against You

Has someone mistaken your godly confidence for pride? Do they know your heart? It’s clear that David’s brother Eliab did not know David’s heart. Do not listen to the accusations. Typically the thing that someone accuses you of is the thing they are struggling with.

Have you mistaken someone else’s godly confidence for wickedness or pride? It’s easy to see the public display of confidence and judge immediately, “How dare they say such a thing!” or “You better watch out, or you’ll fall.”

Godly Confidence is Built in the Secret Place

What is not easy to see are the hundreds of hours of prayer behind the scenes that have developed the godly confidence in a person. Godly confidence is built in the secret place with the Most High. Faith and trust in the Lord come through prayer, and it’s evident by the Psalms David wrote that he was a man of prayer!
It’s ok to be confident in the victories the Lord has given you. Remember, He gets the glory in the Church as His power moves within the Church (Ephesians 3:20). The more victory you get in the Lord and with the Lord, the more confident you will be in Him. This is natural and expected. It’s good to trust in the Lord! You have trusted that He will come through in past situations, and it’s ok to trust that He will come through again. It’s ok to have confidence in His deliverance. We can even expect it, like David did. David spoke some profoundly bold words because of his trust and confidence in the Lord. Go and do likewise.