Embracing Audacious Faith: Trusting God for the Impossible
Summary
In this gathering, we explored the concept of audacious faith, a faith that is daring, bold, and confident. Audacious faith is about stepping out of our comfort zones and trusting God to do the impossible. We looked at Matthew chapter nine, where Jesus performs four healings, each demonstrating different aspects of faith. The synagogue leader, whose daughter had died, approached Jesus with the belief that if Jesus laid His hand on her, she would live again. This act of faith, in the face of death, shows us that audacious faith hopes even when all seems lost.
We also examined the story of the woman with a bleeding issue, who believed that touching Jesus' cloak would heal her. Her faith drew power from Jesus, illustrating that audacious faith can make a withdrawal from heaven, releasing healing on earth. This teaches us that our faith can bring about miraculous changes in our lives and the lives of others.
Furthermore, we discussed how audacious faith attracts the presence of the Lord. Jesus was drawn to the synagogue leader's faith and followed him to his daughter. This shows that God is attracted to our boldness and willingness to believe in His power. Audacious faith requires us to see our circumstances from a kingdom perspective, trusting that God is bigger than any challenge we face.
In the face of trials and sorrows, we are reminded that Jesus has overcome the world. We must hold onto the promises of God and contend for our future, just as David did when he sought God first in his crisis. Audacious faith is about trusting God, even when the situation seems dire, and believing that He can bring about change.
Key Takeaways:
- Audacious faith hopes in the face of complete loss. The synagogue leader's belief that Jesus could raise his daughter from the dead teaches us that faith can hope even when all seems lost. This kind of faith challenges us to trust God in the most difficult circumstances, believing that He can bring life where there seems to be only death. [01:08:50]
- Audacious faith attracts the presence of the Lord. When we step out in bold faith, God is drawn to us. The synagogue leader's faith moved Jesus to follow him, showing that our faith can invite God's presence into our situations. This encourages us to be bold in our faith, knowing that God is with us. [01:12:33]
- Audacious faith makes a withdrawal from heaven. The woman with the bleeding issue believed that touching Jesus' cloak would heal her, and her faith drew power from Him. This teaches us that our faith can bring about miraculous changes, pulling resources from heaven to impact our lives on earth. [01:14:34]
- Audacious faith requires a kingdom perspective. We must see our circumstances through the lens of who Jesus is, trusting that He is bigger than any challenge we face. This perspective shift allows us to believe in the impossible and trust God to work in our lives. [01:19:15]
- Audacious faith contends for the promises of God. In times of trial, we must hold onto God's promises and trust that He will bring about change. Like David, we should seek God first and believe that He can restore what has been lost. This kind of faith requires perseverance and trust in God's goodness. [01:23:12]
Youtube Chapters:
[0:00] - Welcome
[01:05:28] - Introduction to Audacious Faith
[01:06:01] - Definition and Importance of Audacious Faith
[01:06:36] - Matthew 9:18-34: A Call to Audacious Faith
[01:07:46] - The Synagogue Leader's Audacious Faith
[01:08:50] - Faith in the Face of Loss
[01:10:15] - Testimony of Resurrection
[01:11:30] - God's Work in the UK
[01:12:33] - Faith Attracts God's Presence
[01:13:00] - The Woman with the Bleeding Issue
[01:14:34] - Faith Draws Power from Heaven
[01:16:23] - Jesus' Perspective on Death
[01:17:55] - Courage to Believe in God's Perspective
[01:19:15] - Seeing from a Kingdom Perspective
[01:23:12] - Contending for God's Promises
[01:26:19] - Prayer and Impartation
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: Audacious Faith
Bible Reading:
- Matthew 9:18-34
- John 11:25-26
- 1 Samuel 30:1-8
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Observation Questions:
1. In Matthew 9:18-34, what are the different situations where audacious faith is demonstrated? How do these examples illustrate the concept of audacious faith? [01:07:46]
2. How does the synagogue leader's approach to Jesus reflect his belief in Jesus' power over death? What does this tell us about his understanding of Jesus' authority? [01:08:50]
3. What was the significance of the woman with the bleeding issue touching Jesus' cloak, and how did Jesus respond to her act of faith? [01:14:34]
4. How does Jesus' perspective on death, as seen in John 11:25-26, differ from the common human perspective? How is this perspective demonstrated in the story of the synagogue leader's daughter? [01:16:23]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. What does it mean for audacious faith to "make a withdrawal from heaven," and how can this concept be applied to our understanding of prayer and faith today? [01:14:34]
2. How does the story of David in 1 Samuel 30:1-8 illustrate the idea of contending for God's promises? What can we learn from David's response to his crisis? [01:23:12]
3. In what ways does audacious faith require a shift in perspective, particularly in seeing our circumstances through a kingdom lens? How can this shift impact our daily lives? [01:19:15]
4. How does the sermon suggest that audacious faith attracts the presence of the Lord, and what implications does this have for how we live out our faith? [01:12:33]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a situation in your life where you feel all hope is lost. How can you apply the synagogue leader's audacious faith to this situation, trusting God to bring life where there seems to be only death? [01:08:50]
2. Consider a time when you felt unworthy or isolated, like the woman with the bleeding issue. How can you reach out in faith to Jesus, believing in His power to heal and restore? [01:14:34]
3. What are some practical ways you can shift your perspective to see your challenges from a kingdom viewpoint, trusting that God is bigger than any obstacle you face? [01:19:15]
4. Identify a promise from God that you feel called to contend for in your life. What steps can you take to actively pursue this promise with audacious faith, as David did? [01:23:12]
5. How can you cultivate a bold and daring faith that attracts the presence of the Lord in your daily life? What changes might you need to make in your approach to prayer and worship? [01:12:33]
6. Think about a recent trial or sorrow you have faced. How can you hold onto the promises of God and trust in His goodness, even when the situation seems dire? [01:21:46]
7. In what ways can you encourage others in your community to step out in audacious faith? How can you support each other in trusting God for the impossible? [01:26:19]
Devotional
Day 1: Hope in the Face of Loss
Audacious faith is characterized by hope that persists even when circumstances seem dire. The synagogue leader's belief that Jesus could raise his daughter from the dead exemplifies this kind of faith. Despite the finality of death, he approached Jesus with the conviction that life could be restored. This teaches us that audacious faith dares to hope when all seems lost, challenging us to trust God in the most difficult situations. It is a call to believe that God can bring life where there seems to be only death, encouraging us to hold onto hope and trust in His power. [01:08:50]
"Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?" (Jeremiah 32:27, ESV)
Reflection: Think of a situation in your life that seems hopeless. How can you invite God into this situation and trust Him to bring about change?
Day 2: Bold Faith Invites God's Presence
Audacious faith attracts the presence of the Lord. The synagogue leader's boldness in approaching Jesus moved Him to follow and respond to the leader's need. This demonstrates that God is drawn to our boldness and willingness to believe in His power. When we step out in faith, we invite God's presence into our situations, knowing that He is with us. This encourages us to be courageous in our faith, trusting that God will meet us in our boldness and work in our lives. [01:12:33]
"Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded." (James 4:8, ESV)
Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to step out in bold faith? How can you actively invite God's presence into this area today?
Day 3: Faith as a Withdrawal from Heaven
The story of the woman with the bleeding issue illustrates that audacious faith can draw power from heaven. Her belief that touching Jesus' cloak would heal her demonstrates that faith can bring about miraculous changes. This teaches us that our faith can pull resources from heaven to impact our lives on earth, encouraging us to believe in the power of God to transform our circumstances. It is a reminder that our faith can make a withdrawal from heaven, releasing healing and change in our lives. [01:14:34]
"And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith." (Matthew 21:22, ESV)
Reflection: What is one specific area in your life where you need a miracle? How can you exercise faith today to draw on God's power for that need?
Day 4: Seeing from a Kingdom Perspective
Audacious faith requires us to see our circumstances from a kingdom perspective. This means trusting that God is bigger than any challenge we face and believing in the impossible. By shifting our perspective to align with who Jesus is, we can trust God to work in our lives, even when situations seem insurmountable. This perspective shift allows us to believe in God's power and trust Him to bring about change, encouraging us to see beyond our immediate circumstances and focus on His promises. [01:19:15]
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord." (Isaiah 55:8, ESV)
Reflection: How can you shift your perspective to see your current challenges through the lens of God's kingdom? What practical steps can you take to align your thoughts with His?
Day 5: Contending for God's Promises
Audacious faith contends for the promises of God, holding onto them even in times of trial. Like David, who sought God first in his crisis, we are called to trust that God will bring about change and restore what has been lost. This kind of faith requires perseverance and trust in God's goodness, encouraging us to hold onto His promises and believe that He can bring about transformation in our lives. It is a call to contend for our future, trusting that God is faithful to fulfill His promises. [01:23:12]
"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:23, ESV)
Reflection: What promise from God are you holding onto in this season? How can you actively contend for this promise in your daily life?
Quotes
1) "And as I began to pray about this, I became very excited for you guys because I've been watching you step out in audacious faith. Do you know, what the Lord wants us to do is to live in this realm of trust and faith that is absolutely almost, how can I put it, unapologetically rude. So it is. Where we're just calling things into being where the world says you can't do that. So if you've got a Bible, quickly turn with me to Matthew chapter nine. And we're going to go through from verses 18 to 34. Matthew is basically teaching us that if we're going to be a people that actually follow Jesus, he will continually invite you to be a person of audacious faith." [01:06:01] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2) "But this drives him to Jesus. It doesn't drive him, you know, into depression or anxiety. It drives him towards the Lord. And he comes to Jesus with this conviction, do you know, that if you just put your hand on her, Jesus, she will come alive again. That's a kind of audacious faith when you think about it. That is in the midst of something that is regarded as so final where death is seen as the actual great enemy of all mankind and humanity that this person would believe that Jesus can actually bring resurrection prior to his resurrection. And the first thing that jumps out to me from this script, do you know, is this audacious faith sits in the face of complete loss, but it still hopes. It still hopes, which is extremely difficult to do and could seem ridiculous to actually many." [01:08:50] (47 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3) "Audacious faith attracts the presence of the Lord. God wants you to be bold. Yes. John's very bold. John's very bold. Very, thank me. I can be bold as well. And do you know what? That's why we see things happening. I think it's just because we go for it. And it's not that we're anything special." [01:12:33] (16 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4) "Audacious faith makes a withdrawal from heaven that releases healing in earth. Guys, we can do this. This is how to do it, just exercise your audacious faith. It's really dig into that bucket and exercise it, and it draws something, it pulls something from heaven. Notice there's an interesting turn here in the sequence of events. The man's saying my daughter has just died. Jesus starts coming with him, but all of a sudden it turns out Jesus is gone. you know he's like what's just happened here you know why is he off healing someone else in the midst of the moment of crisis Jesus is addressing someone else's moment of crisis because he's completely attentive to what's happening all around him in other words you might be sitting here with an illness and a condition and you've seen someone else getting healed and you go that's it he's done it for them what about me no Jesus is attentive to everything that's going on around about him and you're just as special and important to him as anyone else" [01:15:14] (64 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5) "Audacity you know of faith is actually having the courage to believe what Jesus actually says and thinks about your situation in the deacon's scenario here it was having the courage to put his trust in how God looks at circumstances where even though he had actually lost you know a loved one he still believed that Jesus would raise her where you feel you've lost hope because your situation has actually been going on for so many years maybe like that woman with the blood issue do you know Jesus says I can still heal you I can still touch you I can still enter into your situation" [01:17:55] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6) "A disciple is someone who begins to see life and circumstances from the perspective of who Jesus is and again it's that mindset shift again just looking at things differently not how horrible the circumstances are not how dire the needs may actually be or how long the situation has been going on for but it's a mindset shift and it's a perspective shift and it's a perspective shift it's having that audacity to actually believe that in the midst of your crisis moment that Jesus is far far bigger than anything that's facing you or coming against you at this present time he is the king of kings he sustains all things do you know he's resurrected he's ascended he's ruling over the whole complete universe that's the God we follow I get so excited even thinking about that the spirit's alive and you so that you in the midst of crisis can be the hope to Ashford and every single place that you actually go and do you know what it might look ridiculous from the world's perspective on earth but from a heavenly perspective it looks just completely right you're at the right place at the right time just exercise that which God has given you" [01:19:15] (65 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7) "One of the things that God has convicted me of deeply is there's times in my life where I have to just trust them no matter what the situation looks like it's trusting them but I trust them for what they're doing and I trust them for what they're and placing you know our hope in him that produces audacious faith as we lay everything down before him I come against difficult circumstances at times and it's been a difficult season for my wife Linda and I see me pushing into the kingdom the enemy pushes back you know we've had family problems we've had not between Linda and I but in the family we've had family illness we've had bereavement I lost my mum over the summer she went home to be with the Lord we've had pastoral and logistical issues you know from leaving the vineyard I've had threats of violence against me I've dead threats you know against us we've navigated a lot of stuff and maybe the last six months and they top it all off we were getting kicked out the school building you know because they were re-roofing part of it and so we had nowhere to meet for I think at least eight weeks and we thought we're back to COVID again you know and no one wants to go back to there and then I looked at the scriptures and I read it and you know what this was what I read here on earth you will have many trials I thought oh great Lord thanks and sorrows oh it's just getting better but take heart because I have overcame the world and you know what we took heart and we refused to accept that we were getting kicked out the school and we exercised audacious faith we talked to a couple of people and we were in the school for the whole eight weeks never get kicked out for that I thought this doesn't have to be the end you know why should we just take that no that's a good word no we're not settling for that no so we've had to contend for the future sometimes you and I have to hold on to the promises that God gives you you gotta hold on to them and then do something with it do something with it" [01:21:46] (116 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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