More Sassy Faith

David sassed off at Goliath - “This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head” (1 Samuel 17:46). Elijah sassed off at the Prophets of Baal - ‘Elijah began to taunt them. “Shout, louder!” he said. “Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or travelling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened” (1 Kings 18:27).

We are to speak our faith just like David did and just as Elijah did. We have the same ‘spirit of faith’ that they had.

In John 15:7, Jesus spoke some of the most amazing words about faith. ‘If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you.’ Of course, Jesus predicates what he says with IF you abide in me and my words abide in you. Then again, this is the expectation of the healthy Christian life- we’re to abide in Him, we’re to have His word abiding in us.

Abiding in Jesus and His word gives us the confidence and knowledge of His will to call into being, for whatever is on our heart. This is not prayer, as such. At least not typical of prayer. This is more of a command. We’re not commanding God; we’re commanding circumstances to line up with the will of God.

The Bible is full of examples of people exercising faith by declaration. For example:

‘Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake, we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.’ Romans 8:35-37 ESV

In the scripture above the Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, declares us victorious, ‘more than conquerors’ in the face of trials that are current or still to come. He’s calling us winners before the battle.

It’s pretty sassy to face life’s trial, calling yourself a winner, before you can see the outcome.

That is exactly what we’re to do. We are to call the outcome of the tests and trials we’re facing. We can rightly say, “I know I have the victory; I am more than a conqueror.”