Faith (3)

Faith 5: Boldness

Online Wikipedia says, boldness is the opposite of fearfulness. It is a noun. To be bold means a willingness to get things done despite risks. Bold could also mean fearless and daring; courageous.

Online Wikipedia says boldness maybe distinguished from courage in that the latter means being afraid but tackle it.

Cambridge dictionary defines courage as the ability to control your fear in a dangerous or difficult situation.

From this we could see that both, courage and boldness, has risks associated with it, but in boldness, the person is not afraid although there are associated risks, the person knows that the risks would be overcame, but in courage the person is not sure of what lies ahead, but he could hide his fear to confront the challenges or the risks.

In the King James Version of the bible, boldness occurs in ten places, one time in the old testament (Ecc. 8:1) and nine times in then New testament. Bold on the other hand occurs nine times in the bible, one time in the old testament and eight times in the new testament.

The only place where bold is found in the Old Testament is in the book of proverbs 28:1 and the Hebrew word used for it is “בּטח”, bâṭach, (pronounced as baw-takh') which means to be sure, or to be confident.

While in the Greek word about five words are translated to mean bold according to the presenting circumstances of the speaker. Those words are “παῤῥησιάζομαι”, parrhēsiazomai (phonetical spelling is par-hray-see-ad'-zom-ahee) which means confident, being frank. Another word is “ἀποτολμάω”, apotōlmaō (pronounced as ap-ot-ol-mah'-o) meaning to venture plainly. (Rom. 10:20) In the book of second Corinthians 10:1 the word used for bold there is “θαῤῥέω”, tharrheō (thar-hreh'-o is the pronounciation) and it means courage. It would be discovered that another word is used for bold in the book of second Corinthians 11:21, “τολμάω”, tolmaō, (phonetical spelling is tol-mah'-o) which means dare, venture is the word used for bold. When apostle Paul was writing to Philemon he uses “παῤῥησία”, parrhēsia (pronounced as par-rhay-see'-ah) which is frankness, bluntness, for bold in chapter one verse 8 of his letter to his friend.

Boldness in Hebrew word is “עוז    עז”, ‛ôz  ‛ôz (pronounced as oze, oze) which means strength, strong, might, power. The meaning of the word translated as boldness in Greek is slightly different from that of the Hebrew word this may not be unconnected with what was common those days, what was common during the Old Testament days is war, but during the New Testament it is speaking of the Gospel that is common. Therefore, the Greek word for boldness in the New Testament is “παῤῥησία”, parrhēsia (pronounced as par-rhay-see'-ah) which means frankness, bluntness. The bluntness to speak the word of God to the people is desired of all the disciples, unlike during the days of the Kings and Judges in Israel where people would go to war to deliver their country from the hands of the enemies. Thus, it would be required of all who will be leading the people to have power, to be able to look enemies in their eyes and silencing them by their power and might. But that is not the case in the new testament for in the new testament the apostles say we though walk in the flesh, but we war not after the flesh, but the weapons of our warfare are mighty through God to pull down strongholds.

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

“(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” (2 Co. 10: 3-5)

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

“Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” (Eph. 6:10-13)

However, in warring spiritually, boldness is required, bluntness, straightforwardness is required of all who will be carrying the vessels of the Lord to be able to speak authoritatively to the demons to flee.

This was put into use by Apostle Paul when they were being followed about by a damsel in Thyatira who was possessed of demons of divination. Apostle Paul looked her straight in the eyes with boldness and commanded the demons to leave her and immediately the demons get out of the damsel’s life.

“And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:

“The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, these men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.

“And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.

“And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers.” (Act 16:16-19)

The faith in the Lord Jesus Christ requires boldness for without this we may not be able to do much in faith.

Even though we are not in the times when the bible and the gospel have not been widespread, it should be known that the devil has invented new dimensions of spreading his messages across the globe such that the importance of boldness, cannot be overemphasized in the Christian race.

You may be in a place where there is no discrimination to the gospel, but there you still have people who are possessed of demons, and some of those demons’ manifestations and demonstrations required bluntness on the part of believers before such would leave the lives of those being oppressed or tormented.

It is via this that Jesus could authoritatively speak unto the person possessed of legion demons and you and me being his children nothing less than this is expected of us to be exhibited in dealing with demons today.

“And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.

“And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,

“Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:

“Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.

“And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.

“But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,

“And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.

“For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.

“And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.

“And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.

“Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.

“And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.

“And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.” (Mar. 5:1-13)

Apostle Paul while talking on the importance of this in his epistle to his son, Timothy says, God who gives us his Holy Spirit has not associated with the Holy Spirit given unto us the spirit of fear or timidity, but those things associated with the Holy Spirit which the Lord has given us is that of power.

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Tim. 1:7)

The Greek word for power in this verse is “δύναμις”, dunamis (“doo'-nam-is” as it is being pronounced) which means force, strength. This corroborates the translation given unto boldness in the Old Testament which is “עוז    עז”, ‛ôz ‛ôz (pronounced as oze, oze) which means strength, strong, might, power.

We have been given the spirit of power, spirit of force, a dunamis spirit to speak unto the demons in love and they will flee from us because he has said that in his name, we shall cast out demons.

“And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues.” (Mar. 16:17)

“For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.” (Act. 8:7)

The name given us with which to achieve this is the name, Jesus. Jesus is the name that is above all names, through this name we shall do exploits, through this name we shall conquer lands and regions, through this name we shall silence the demons.

“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

“That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

“And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Php 2:9-11)

Devils on hearing this name would bow to our feet as they did bow to the disciples when Jesus sent them out.

“And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.” (Luk 10:17)

We cannot have this name and not be bold with is usage, we cannot have this name and not use the name boldly, use it with force and strength that is required to meet up with the roaring lions of the world, with the raging waves of the demons in the world.

Having seen a part to boldness as required by believers in this present age, Apostle Paul while talking about deacons (and or elders) says they who use the office well have purchased for themselves “a good degree and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 3:13)

When we act as it is worthy of the gospel everywhere, we go, we are purchasing for ourselves boldness in faith of our Lord Jesus Christ. And the kind of boldness that we are purchasing for ourselves is a great one, not an ordinary one, neither is it a small one, but a great one.

This kind of boldness that we are purchasing for ourselves is the kind of boldness that Prophet Samuel purchased for himself when he was leading the Israelites. He could stand before all and said he has neither defrauded anyone nor did anything contrary to the law of Yahweh.

“Behold, here I am: witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.

“And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man's hand.

“And he said unto them, The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found ought in my hand. And they answered, He is witness.” (1 Sa. 12:3-5)

This is the kind of boldness, (bluntness) that would be exhibited by those who have lived their lives according to the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ in the world today. We shall be able to stand before all and declare the will of God without fear or favor. But those who have not lived their lives right, those who have soiled their garments with this passing world’s riches would not be able to declare the will of God as it ought to before all and sundry because their garments have been soiled and the people having known this would not attach much importance to what they are saying, the gospel would not have power neither weight as it ought to have in the minds and hearts of people when they hear them speak.

However, those who have been blunt with the gospel, those who have bought good names for themselves through their lifestyles would stand bold and tall before the world and devils. Through this bluntness that they have bought for themselves, the demons would say of those ones that they know them as they know Jesus and the apostles. But this, they would not be able to say of those who have not stood for the gospel, for the demons would tear them apart as they did to the sons of Sceva.

“Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.

“And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.

“And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?

“And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.” (Act 19:13-16)

In exercising our faith in the world, we need boldness. This we could purchase through our living, this has been associated with the Holy Spirit that God has given us, that he has sealed our lives up with till the day of redemption, this is essentially required in exercising our spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12) and in the manifestation of the fruits of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23) for it is by these fruits that the people the world would know that we are really children of the Living God, because it is by fruits that trees could be identified (Matt. 7:16-20), it is by our spiritual fruits that people would say, “yea, this is God’s heir, yea, that is God’s daughter”.

Faith 6: Faith Talks

There is a time when one keeps silent and there is a time when one needs to talk. God sees the heart, knows the contents of the heart, but he still requires that we speak to those situations or he requires that we speak what is in our minds.

There are instances when he will work on the contents of the heart having seen the heart afar off, like it happened in the case of Nathanael (Joh. 1:45-49), but after working on the contents of the heart he would advance from that stage to allowing the person to speak.

In gospel according to saint Mark 5, there is an account of a woman with the issue of blood there, this woman did not talk to anyone, what was in her heart was what she carried out, what was in her heart was trying all she could to get near to Jesus and touch the hems of his garment.

“And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,

“And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,

“When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.

“For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.

“And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.” (Mar. 5:25-29)

The word said as used by Mark here in Greek is “λέγω”, legō (phonetic spelling is leg'-o) which is a verb which means to lay forth, set in her heart, speak to herself. In other words, this woman did not tell anyone what she intends to do. When everyone was going to where Jesus was, she also follows them, but with repeated words in her heart that she must strive to get near him to touch the hems of his garment. In this wise we could say that he was silent and God who works with the purpose and intents of the heart sees this and touches her, heals her instantly.

However, after this feat has been performed on her, we discovered that Jesus who knew what happened asked to know who touched, he asked to know whose heart had been glued with his such that the person could be healed. While his disciples talk about the multitude of people, he emphatically stated that someone has touched him spiritually, someone has had her heart glued with that of his and the woman came forward and told him and the rest of the disciples what she has done.

“And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?

“And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?

“And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.

“But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.

“And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.” (Mar. 5:30-34)

She broke her silence on knowing that Jesus knew what has happened, she spoke out and by her faith she was made whole by the power of God.

Hannah has become uneasy with herself of what her adversary was doing, and when they were going for their yearly festival, she did not discuss with anyone what was in her heart, she did not tell anyone what she would do at the harvest that year. After they had done all that was required, he returned to the place of worship to silently tell Yahweh what was in her heart.

“And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb.

“And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the LORD, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.

“Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?

“So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the LORD.

“And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore.” (1 Sa. 1:6-10)

After God has read through our hearts, he still expects us to say what is in our hearts our as could be seen by these examples. Even if it be that we shall silently be saying it, it does not matter, but there would be a position of expressing what we are saying out to him in words. We know that Hannah did not speak loudly she was silently talking and God who hears silent words listens and replies the contents of her hearts.

Jesus himself would talk about silently talking to God in the gospels when he says when we want to pray, we should not be like the hypocrites but we should rather enter into our closets and talk secretly to our heavenly father, and our heavenly father who is neither blind nor deaf would answer us openly.

“And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

“But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

“But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

“Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.” (Mat. 6:5-8)

It is the position of faith in expression that Jesus is emphasizing here, talking in the secret, where no one is, but being assured that our God is everywhere, omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscience.

Sometimes some people think it is the shouting that would work while talking with our heavenly father, but it is not shouting that would do the magic, but the position of our hearts with the Lord. However, some ministers of God in this part of the world would ask for a thunderous amen and shouting while praying, they are saying this to bring the hearts of individuals closer to the Lord but not as if praying silently would make God far from the person.

Some people cannot pray alone, and when they come to the fellowship with the brethren, so that they would not lose out, leaders would request that they pray out, that they be not silent to avoid them being cheated by the devil.

It should be noticed that God himself from the inception could make things come to pass by the thoughts of his heart, yet he decides to speak out when creating the heavens, the world and everything in there. He is laying foundation for us all the importance of speaking out.

When our fore-parents, Adam and Eve, sinned in the garden of Eden, God speaks of what would happen afterwards, although Satan arose to prevent this from coming to pass, but he failed thereby.

“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” (Gen. 3:15)

He could have kept what he has in mind to himself until the time he will bring it to pass, but he did not do that, he says it so that the devil himself would be aware of his redemptive plan and purpose for mankind.

When we equally say what we have in mind by faith out, we are gingering God, we are given angels what to work on. This was what Prophet Elisha did when there was drought in the land which cause great havoc. We never read that he started praying, for if he has started to do that he would have been killed by the king’s servants, but he uttered the word out in faith, he commanded the change he wants to happen, and it happened. (2 King 7)

It is undoubtedly certain that when we speak, the devil will arise to counter those words, he does this through several means, but his main objective for doing this, countering or opposing what we have said is to renege on what we have said. But, if we could maintain our stance even against all odds, those things we have uttered in faith would come to pass in its time having been ascertained that it is in tandem with the will of God.

As it is being said that, God is never late neither too early in answering our petitions, we should know that what we have talked to him about, before us it may look as if the answer is being delayed, or not being answered according to our own timing. Our timing is not his timing, and it is not because we say it out that it becomes delayed, it is going to happen according to his own timing and it has been discovered that he is never too late, neither is he too early in answering what we brought before him to do for us.

When we speak in faith, we give angels, what to work on, because they are called ministering agents, they have been assigned by God to minister for the saints.

“But to which of the angels said he at any time, sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?

“Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” (Heb. 1:13-14)

Are you afraid to speak out in faith? Have you been told not to speak out in faith again because all the previous utterances never come to pass after saying them? Those may have not come to pass maybe they are not in tandem with the word of God. However, if they agree with the word of God, they may have not come to pass because it is not yet time, but not because you have said it out.

In speaking out in faith that I shared here, I want you to know the emphasis there. The stress is on speaking to God, not going before people and be boasting, the emphasis is speaking in your closet to God, the emphasis is speaking the word that is in agreement with the scriptures, not just saying anything, maybe speaking in annoyance or speaking from the flesh and saying you are speaking in faith. The stress is on finding and knowing what the will of God is on that situation but not speaking after the flesh for those who walk after the flesh walks contrary to the will of God and it is certain that all that they would say would not be answered by God.

“For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.” (Rom. 8:5)

We are therefore enjoined to walk and live our lives according to the spirit of God so that we shall become apple of his eyes and all we uttered in faith would be sanctioned.

“For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.” (Rom. 8:13)

Prophet Moses as beloved as he was when what he spoke was not according to the will of God, God did not answer the request, his request was denied because that was not what God desires for him on that situation and at that point in time.

“But the LORD was wroth with me for your sakes, and would not hear me: and the LORD said unto me, Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto me of this matter.

“Get thee up into the top of Pisgah, and lift up thine eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and behold it with thine eyes: for thou shalt not go over this Jordan.” (Deut. 3:26-27)

I begin to think that, God in fulfilling what he would later reveal to have always be his plan for his people from the time immemorial through Apostle Paul that everything works together for good of those who are called according to the purpose of God, God was really protecting Prophet Moses in that he did not allow him to lead his people into the promised land as he had earlier on promised him.

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Rom. 8:28)

God was protecting him because if he allows him to continue with the leadership, he would soil his spiritual cloth and dignity the more such that the people of Israel would afterwards have been saying that it would have better were he to have gone to be with the Lord than being left behind.

You can flash your mind to what happened to King Hezekiah when he was given more time? The rest years he lived show his selfishness such that he was not seriously mindful of what would happen to his lineage afterwards.

“At that time Berodachbaladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah: for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick.

“And Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and shewed them all the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not.

“Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country, even from Babylon.

“And he said, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All the things that are in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them.

“And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD.

“Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD.

“And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.

“Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken. And he said, Is it not good, if peace and truth be in my days?

“And the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and all his might, and how he made a pool, and a conduit, and brought water into the city, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

“And Hezekiah slept with his fathers: and Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.” (2 Ki. 20:12-21)

It is the sensitivity of the kings and rulers of Israel as well as other leaders all over the world that endear them to the hearts of their followers, but after this king was restored to health, he became insensitive to the plight of his people, his posterity. When the prophet told him, what would happen one would have thought he would use that medium too to appeal to God not to do that, but he did not do that all that he could say was that since “peace and truth” would be in his days, what God has said is good, let him carry out what he said.

Something like this may have been the disposition and reaction of prophet Moses too to some things that would rear up their head assuming he continued to lead thus resulting in worse end, but God prevented this from happening by taken him off the scene because he loves him, because he makes everything work together for his good.

You may have been talking in faith to, but God hasn’t answer because of this, because he is making everything to work together for your good. What you need to do is be patient with God and continue to follow him.