Audacious Faith // Mustard: The Seed That Can Change Everything (Part 2)

Focus Keywords: Audacious Faith, Divine Authority, Transformation Church, Michael Todd, Mustard Seed Faith, Spiritual Growth, Overcoming Apathy, Matthew 28:18, Luke 10:19, Christian Living

This rewrite summarizes Pastor Michael Todd’s message, “Audacious Faith // Mustard: The Seed That Can Change Everything (Part 2),” delivered at Transformation Church. The sermon challenges believers to move beyond “safe faith” and embrace audacity—the willingness to take bold risks—rooted in the authority transferred to them by Jesus Christ.

The goal is to enlarge the believer’s ability to believe God. Just as people have faith in unseen things like Wi-Fi because of the consistent results, believers must recognize and rely on the consistent results God shows in their lives, such as the simple ability to breathe.

Why Audacious Faith is Necessary

The message emphasizes that faith performs its best when there is a demand on it. Many people use their faith for fundamental, low-risk, or “middle of the road” expectations. The call is to declare faith statements that are so bold they provoke pushback from loved ones.

• Unlearn the Need for Explanation: Audacious faith requires believers to unlearn the principle of “showing your work” (explaining how things will happen). Worldly success often demands a step-by-step rationale, but when it comes to faith, the answer will not always “add up” in a human sense. The believer doesn’t have to have the answer, because they know the Answer (Jesus).
• Audacity is a Bold Risk: While the term “audacity” is often used negatively in culture (e.g., “she had the audacity to ask…”), for the believer, it means “a willingness to take bold risks”. Safe or secure faith is an oxymoron; believers cannot be “out of the boat and in the boat” simultaneously. Biblical figures like Noah (building a boat when it had never rained) and the disciples (leaving their profitable business to follow Jesus) demonstrated this high level of audacity without a guarantee.
• Overcoming Fear and Reservation: Many believers mask fear and reservation as “not wanting to get their hopes up” or thinking they are protecting God. The message affirms that even if a faith-filled prayer or bold step doesn’t result in the desired outcome, God is still God, and His position is unchanged. The challenge is to supply the ingredients (faith) and put it into play.

The Source of Audacity: Authority Transfer

The capacity for audacious faith stems directly from the authority that Jesus transferred to every believer.

1. Jesus Has All Authority: Jesus first established His own authority, declaring in Matthew 28:18: “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth”. This means His authority covers all visible and invisible realms.
2. Authority is Given to Believers: In Luke 10:19, Jesus subsequently declares: “Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy”. This transfer means believers have authority over temptation, anxiety, suicide suggestions, and the power to “crush” things that look like snakes or scorpions (the enemy’s power).
3. The Ignorance of the Transfer: Many believers are ignorant of this divine transfer. Using the analogy of a $100,000 bank transfer, the speaker explains that if a person is unaware of the deposit, they will continue living timidly at their previous level of resource, restriction, and reservation. The transfer is not “in transit”; it is “yours for the taking”.
4. Access is the Key: The example of a child having access to their father’s credit card illustrates that authority is granted, not earned. The child does not know the account balance or the mechanics of the transfer, but they use the father’s authority. Similarly, believers must use their access to all of God’s knowledge and wisdom in every sphere of life, including their jobs and relationships.