Confidence of the Believer

On one of my official trips to Abuja, the capital city of Nigeria, I had reason to visit one of the branches of the Bank where I work. While waiting for the meeting I was scheduled to attend, I overheard some staff arguing over a software application which was being tested.

I walked over to where they were and explained the workings of the software with them. While one of them seem to be satisfied with my explanation, the other appeared less satisfied and probably wondered about how I knew so much about the software. I smiled as I told him, ‘Trust me, I developed this software and I know every detail about it’. Realization crept into his face as he reconciled my previous explanations with this new found knowledge.

I was told the story of a man in the United States, who was driving a Ford car along the highway when suddenly, his car stalled. He was fairly knowledgeable with cars and wasted no time in bringing out his tools. After several futile attempts, he gave up and decided to call his mechanic.

Just as he ended his call, a man parked his car in front of his, came down and inquired what the problem was. The man explained that the car developed problems while he was driving. When the stranger asked if he could have a look at the engine, the man told him, ‘I have done all I could but could not get the car to work. I have called my mechanic and he should be on his way now.’

The stranger nodded, looked at him and said, ‘I am Mr Ford and I built this car. There is nothing about this car that I do not know’. Guess what happened next?

Confidence comes from a full assurance or belief in something. It comes from having a knowledge of something that works, in spite of situations where it appears not to be so. Man’s confidence however fails. There have been times I have sweated through a software program I developed, for hours and sometimes days because I did not know where the bug was. At that moment, I could not with confidence, tell anyone the software worked. Rather, I would advise a suspension of usage pending the time I am able to discover where things went wrong.

There is something however, that we can totally rely on with absolutely no room for error or failures. That thing is the word of God. Once spoken, God’s word is established and never changes. It has remained true and faithful through the centuries in spite of man’s efforts to disprove it.

The Psalmist said, ‘I will worship toward Your holy temple, and give thanks to Your name for Your mercy, and for Your truth; for You have magnified Your Word above all Your name’ (Psalm 138:2) God’s word is His bond. No wonder He said in Isaiah 55:11, ‘so shall My Word be, which goes out of My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in what I sent it to do!’

Now if God, who spoke His word can be so sure of His word, how much more should we trust His word! This is the confidence of the believer! There are so many promises in His word towards us which only requires our faith, our firm belief that God is able to fulfill His word.

The driver of that car, knowing that this was Mr Ford standing before him, would have no doubt that his car would work. Yet, we balk at God’s word. We can’t seem to appreciate that the one who speaks to us is the one who created us along with all that exists. There is no impossible in His vocabulary, oh may I correct that, the only impossible thing for God, is that He cannot lie (Hebrews 6:18) This further gives proof to potency of God’s word.

A confident believer is one who implicitly and explicitly trusts God’s word. He does not look at the circumstances facing him, rather he focuses on what God has said concerning the situation. He knows that God will do what He says He will do and confidently waits for it to happen.

A confidence based on human knowledge, skill, power and possessions is misplaced because these things do not last but confidence in God’s word is sure and proven over and over again by those who have trusted His word.

Steve O. Popoola

© June 2009, Biblepraise Fellowship Online.

Steve Popoola is the editor of Biblepraise Newsletter and the webmaster of Biblepraise Fellowship Online at http://www.biblepraise.org . British by birth, He currently resides in Lagos, Nigeria with his wife Maris and their children; Praise, Stephanie and Precious. He works as an IT professional in a bank. He presently serves as Church Secretary and Heads the Music Ministry in his local church . He loves to encourage and inspire through speaking forums. He is the Moderator/Editor of Biblepraise Newsletter. He can be reached through His email address, steve@biblepraise.org