(Pro 28:1) . . . the righteous are bold as a lion.
Do you ever wish you could be bolder for the Lord and speak out for Him? Do you remember the times like me when you felt you were too quiet when you should have spoken up? Do you desire to break loose of the inhibition to say something for heaven’s sake? Then you need boldness!
Interesting what boldness means in the Bible. It means “freedom in speaking, unreservedness in speech, free and fearless confidence.” Sometimes we use the phrase, “Cat got your tongue?” And it’s true. At times we feel like our tongue just won’t cooperate. It’s because we are fearful of other’s reactions. We are afraid of what they will say or do. It holds us back and freezes our words. We can be so outgoing about any other topic but when it comes to our faith we feel like a mouse. We tell ourselves that if fear and insecurity could be removed from our lives then we could really speak out for what we believe. Boldness is that gift from the Lord that is an antidote against these hindrances and restraints. It nukes ‘em every time.
So, what do we do? How do we go from being bashful to bold? Do what the disciples did . . . they prayed for boldness! (Acts 4:29) They were threatened by the authorities to not speak anymore in the name of Jesus. But that didn’t stop them. They got together and instead of encouraging each other to silence and passivism they prayed for boldness. So, what happened next? (Acts 4:31) And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. God answered by rocking the place and they went out and rocked the world for Jesus Christ!
I was recently at a memorial service for a friend who died of cancer at 48 years old. Prior to his passing he and his pastor got together to talk over what his desires were for the service. You know what he told his pastor to tell all those who would be in attendance? He said, “Tell everyone to be bold for the Lord. That’s something I have always struggled with and now that I am dying what does it matter? Speak up and speak out because you never know when the opportunity to speak just might not be there.”
Brothers and sisters, it’s time to be bold as a lion. Let it roar! (Amos 3:8) A lion has roared! Who will not fear? The Lord GOD has spoken! Who can but prophesy? I figure the world is bold so why can’t I be? Everyone else seems to be outgoing in what they are into so why shouldn’t I be daring for God? May the Lord grant us boldness!
(Acts 4:13) Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.
(2 Cor 3:12) . . . since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech.
Louie
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