Hebrews 10:35, Isaiah 30:15, Zechariah 4:6, Hebrews 3:6, Hebrews 4:16, Ephesians 2:3-5, Acts 4:31

Howard Drummond considers what confidence in Jesus looks like

Howard Drummond
Howard Drummond

Over the past week I attended our National Elim Bible Week held at the Telford International Centre. The theme was 'Confidence' and the pledge was:

'We are confident. Not arrogant, brash, egotistical or proud. Not pessimistic, cynical, despairing or 'glass half-empty' Christians. We are confident.

Confident that the gospel message changes lives. Confident that the Church has a significant future. Confident that the Bible has authority for life today. Confident in God's ability to heal bodies and transform communities. Confident that Jesus still saves and the Spirit empowers. Confident that Christ will return one day. We are confident.

And so, we will pray bold prayers, dream big dreams, create forward momentum and believe that we will prevail. We will plant churches, reach communities, teach passionately and love outrageously. We will not hold back.

We're not conceited or smug, we are confident.'

In being honest with you, at times I find that I lack confidence. In being honest, some people lack confidence in me. At times I may lack confidence in others. But in all such instances confidence can increase and be restored.

Alastair Campbell, the spin doctor, famously insisted, "We don't do God". He has further questioned the sincerity of David Cameron's Christian faith. However, we know that the Prime Minister has spoken candidly about his reliance on the Church in recent weeks, saying he regards the 'Big Society' agenda as the continuation of Christ's work. These comments have led to speculation that the burdens of office and the loss of his son have strengthened Mr Cameron's faith and perhaps rightly so. He has also made reference to the need for us to be, "More evangelical in our faith". In an edition of the Church Times David Cameron states, "I believe we should be more confident about our status as a Christian country".

David Cameron uses the word 'confident'.

Are you confident? What is being confident?

Let me start with what confidence isn't:

  • Arrogance

  • Becoming proud or puffed up

  • Bravado, swagger, or pretentiousness

  • Brash self-belief

To be confident is defined as:

  • Having strong belief or full assurance; sure: confident of fulfilment

  • Being sure of oneself; having no uncertainty about one's own abilities, correctness, successfulness, etc.; self-confident; bold: a confident speaker

  • Trustful or confiding

Are we confidently 'evangelical in our faith' as David Cameron asserted? Are we bold? Do we have a strong belief, a full and true assurance that Jesus is Lord over all?