What a word. It carries such a sound of strength.
Say it. “Boldness.” The very word seems to hold such power.
Now couple it with the Word of God, and you find true power—and authority. Boldness is like a sword, just waiting for you to wield it.
Are you ready to pick up your sword?
If there was ever a time in human history when born-again believers in Christ must take a stand, it is today. Right here, and right now. In spite of our weaknesses, our failures, and even our fearfulness. Regardless of our differences.
You and I hold the truth of God, before a dying and dysfunctional world. And here are nine reasons why we should joyously defend it.
REASON ONE: THE WORD OF THE KING
“Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing?
a man’s wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed.
I counsel thee to keep the king’s commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God.”
“Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?”
(Ecclesiastes 8:1-2, 4)
Our world is becoming a mosh pit of sinful disobedience, mass confusion, and fearfulness. It’s really no wonder that the message of Christ is so obscured.
Must we shout above the madness, just to be heard?
Listen to the heart of the writer in the verse above. Thousands of years ago, he asks a question that any one of us could have asked today:
“Is anyone smart enough to figure this mess out? Does anyone have the answers for our world today?”
The answer comes to him, as he continues—the answer is held by a person with wisdom.
True wisdom is not our own. But it is the message of the King. It comes with His authority, and His purpose.
Wisdom shines openly and can not be hidden, as it soon replaces one’s own self-confidence. It must.
Wisdom should always be delivered with bold resolve—the boldness of God. With the assurance that arises—not from our own limited strength—but from that powerful confidence which is only made possible by the King’s own will.
Then and only then can you or I stand as the brave one, the assured one, who is sent out with the rightful authority that is needed.
You have been given the command of the King. You have taken an oath to be His. And you have been given the wisdom, along with the power to proclaim it.
The wise Christian, who understands his rightful position within the kingdom, is a bold Christian—no longer relying on self-confidence. In the wisdom of the King, true strength and authority can be found.
And it will not be shaken by anyone who dares to question it.
REASON TWO: THE LINEAGE OF THE LION
“The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.
For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof: but by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged.”
“They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them.”
(Proverbs 28:1-2, 4)
God’s righteous boldness is not brought forth out of anger. Our motivation must always be love.
Do you or I have enemies? Yes, of course we do. Jesus said we would be hated for his gospel, just as He was. But please understand.
What we can see on the surface is anger, curses, and lawlessness. But below the surface, all of this is rooted in worry, defeat, and fear.
Just about every behavior and attitude we see can be boiled down to one thing: fear.
Fear is carried like a contagious virus. It spreads quickly to anyone who is devoid of the joy and freedom of Christ’s love. And if we are not careful and prayerful, we too can succumb to the sickness.
Staying behind our own locked doors will not help. Fear follows us in. Our news media, social media—even our own thoughts—continue to infect us. Is it any wonder there is such a sense of uneasiness among us?
The above verse states that the “wicked”—those who are not found in Christ—are basically afraid of their own shadows. But the “righteous”—those who are found in Christ—are as bold as a lion.
How may we see this in Christians today? Where does that wonderful boldness begin? The verse goes on to explain: by upholding the law.
The ungodly gain a sense of satisfaction in breaking the law. But those who want to keep the law will contend with them.
In other words, friend, we have a mandate: to uphold what is right, and to oppose those who are in opposition to what is right.
You see, the Christ believer has every right to be as bold as a lion. What a contrast to 1 Peter 5:8, which states, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”
The devil goes around, roaring like he has authority. Yes—through the lawlessness of others—he may roam and rage like a lion.
But it is you and I—the direct lineage of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah—who have been given the true, God given authority to roar.
REASON THREE: CONTENTMENT BRINGS COURAGE
“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”
(Hebrews 13:5-6)
Let’s break this down. Let your “conversation” (your manner or character) be without covetousness. In other words, if you are going to minister to others, let your attitude be that of someone who is not out for personal gain or profit.
I can almost see someone frowning over that one. Ha ha.
But think about it. What have our own religious institutions basically turned into? Should we really regard most of what is done in our churches today as ministry? Or just business?
When the motive is personal gain, a minister is subject to fear. And very often, fear of others weakens, cheapens and corrupts the gospel message. The kingdom of God suffers, because the word of God is not boldly preached.
If we are truly ministering—seeking the kingdom of God first, out of a genuine heart of God’s love and compassion—then God will provide for us. He has promised.
When God is your provider, you can boldly and confidently proclaim, “The Lord is my helper! I don’t need to fear what man can do to me.”
Once that initial issue of personal gain is dealt with, the fear of lack is replaced with the essential faith required to believe that God does what He says He will do. He never leaves us, nor forsakes us.
Once the motives are right, our ministering—and our gospel message—can boldly take flight. Now, that’s true freedom.
REASON FOUR: OUR BONDS ARE NOT BONDAGE
“But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places;
And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.”
“According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
(Philippians 1: 12-14, 20-21)
Webster’s Dictionary defines boldness as being fearless before danger, and showing or requiring a fearless, daring spirit.
In the above verse, the Apostle Paul informs the Philippians that his bonds had actually furthered the gospel of Christ. And In fact, his imprisonment had a major impact: the gospel of Christ was placed on the map within the Roman Empire.
Paul goes on to report that many brothers in the Lord are now much more bold to speak the gospel—without fear.
Paul seems to have complete confidence, within the otherwise restrictive condition of imprisonment. He says,
I’m not ashamed of anything! I shall boldly show off my bonds. These don’t hold me back—not even death can hold me back now! I can not lose, but I can only gain—Christ.
Christianity is no longer a welcomed message by many. And things can quickly progress. One day, you may find you are breaking the law by openly ministering Christ Jesus to your world.
Could imprisonment follow? Or even death? It is vitally important to have this settled in your soul, as our brother Paul so boldly did.
May we all gain the assurance of the living Christ within us. He truly is our freedom, and our hope of glory.
To live is Christ, and to die is gain.
REASON FIVE: WE HAVE A GREAT HIGH PRIEST
“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
(Hebrews 4:14-16)
Your world is failing—falling into ever increasing confusion and chaos, at an ever alarming rate. Even unbelievers are dismayed by what they now witness.
But consider the world of Jesus’ day, as he grew up under a captive empire, and began his earthly ministry. The enemies of his “good news” from the Father were everywhere.
Not only was the nation of Israel surrounded by the Roman Empire’s power, but God’s enemies were from within, as well. The leaders of Judaism were adamantly opposed to Christ’s message.
The times were dangerous and full of opposing ideas. But in reading the gospels, we notice that Jesus did not concern himself with the politics of the time, or entangle himself in any worldly arguments or opinions.
He did not oppose his natural enemies, the Romans. Instead, he focused upon the real problems—the eternal problems, and their solutions. He carefully chose His battles, and openly confronted his religious foes.
Jesus understood who his real enemies really were. Do we?
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.
(Ephesians 6:12)
Our world today is chaotic and complex. Our enemies of today are on a global scale. And yet, the real threat to civilization has not changed.
We Christians do not war against flesh and blood, but with spiritual powers in high places. Our weapons of warfare are not fleshly weapons, but mighty spiritual weapons, designed to take down strongholds of the enemy.
We have a great high priest, firmly seated in heavenly places. Now is no time to lose our “profession” of faith, but to hold on to it—to use it.
Let us go boldly into the presence of Jesus, who is “touched by our infirmities,” who hears our cries, and who completely understands our world of confusion, lawlessness, and suffering.
We come boldly, because He is just waiting to hear from us. He understands the language of our suffering. We boldly fall upon his mercy, and find grace in times of trouble.
Lord, take our attention from the angry crowd. Fix our eyes and ears upon Jesus—our crucified and risen Great High Priest.
REASON SIX: GOD OPENS OUR MOUTH
“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds:
that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”
(Ephesians 6:18-20)
We may want to feel sorry for poor brother Paul, chained up in some house in Rome.
Why would God allow His faithful servant to be treated this way? How was Paul supposed to be effective in spreading the gospel to the Gentile world?
And yet, Paul was quite effective in communicating God’s truth to many places—evidenced by others’ words, and by his own infamous letters. In one letter, he reported, “but the word of God is not bound.”
The above verses in Ephesians give us Paul’s strategy for the Christian community when under duress: stay in prayer. Make your requests known to God. Stay alert, and keep praying about the needs for all Christians.
Then Paul makes it personal. Notice that he doesn’t request prayer for his personal troubles, even though he is the one in prison. Instead, he asks the saints of God to pray for his “mouth,” (his communication) that it be filled with boldness, so the gospel of Christ would not only survive, but flourish.
Paul understood his own limitations. But he also realized that the gospel message entrusted to him was never bound by the situations of the day. You and I must realize this for our own world, as well.
Lord, let your own Holy Spirit open our mouths, that we might be bold communicators for you. Right here—and right now.
REASON SEVEN: WE ARE HELD BY OUR FATHER
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:”
(Romans 8:14-16)
Our troubled world is one of great uncertainty. It’s no wonder that sometimes, we may feel powerless. Life can appear to be so out of control.
But don’t believe that.
Our God in in control. Complete control. He is fully aware, and fully involved in the lives of those who trust Him.
We who know God as our Father, can know that our sure and secure place is found in Him.
His Spirit guides us, because we are known and acknowledged by Him. We are adopted children—not bound by some fear of abandonment or slavery to Sin—but released by the sure embrace of our heavenly Father.
People who know their God can face most anything, because we know who holds us near and dear.
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;”
(2 Timothy 1:7-8)
It’s amazing, isn’t it? How seemingly average and ordinary people can become a real force to be reckoned with, when we recognize our sure place in God.
Fear (timidity) is not our portion. Our God has lavished upon His sons and daughters things far greater—the living disposition of power, and love, and a sound mind. This is the “triple threat” of which all enemies of the cross will tremble.
Those of us who boldly and unashamedly cry “my Father” are His. And He is ours. Nothing can separate us from His ever abounding love.
Imagine who that makes you—with your list of faults and failures. By His own Holy Spirit, you are made one with Him, with all power, majesty, and authority.
If you are held by Him, you have every right to be bold in Him!
REASON EIGHT: MEN MARVEL AT OUR BOLDNESS
“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.”
(Acts 4:13)
Fresh from the Holy Spirit’s indwelling of the newly-born church, here came Peter and John. Look out, devil! They were filled with Holy Spirit power, and were sent forth to use it!
Some might have seen them as trouble makers. Yes, they certainly were making trouble—for the ruling religious establishments, that is. The high priest and his boys had taunted them, asking, “By what power, or by what name have you done this?”
Of course, Peter wasn’t going to let a good question go to waste. He quickly proclaimed the mighty name of Jesus to them all.
People practicing mere religion had realized the boldness by which these otherwise unlearned men were speaking. It was made abundantly clear that Peter and John had been with Jesus. They were amazed—and certainly, they wondered. Could these Christians be speaking the truth?
Today, our world is watching us—sometimes taunting us. “Who do you think you are? By what power, or by what name are you speaking? Who gives you the right to bother us? How dare you judge us!”
Many expect us to shrink back with their intimidation—to go silent, or to be disheartened by such brashness. But let me ask you this. Have you ever looked at one of your persecutors straight in the eyes? Do you see what I see?
Your enemy isn’t the person you face. Christ died for them. And He loves them. No—there is a spirit behind the person, and it goads them to oppose the truth. That’s your enemy.
But the boldness of Christ’s Holy Spirit in us does not fear man, or spirits. Instead, He causes them to be astonished at the boldness and authority in which we speak.
And guess what? The enemy has a hard time holding the attentions of someone who has just witnessed Almighty God in you. Boldly speaking the truth, in love. Yes—always speak the truth, in love.
Lord, may we trust your Holy Spirit to speak through us. To speak whatever and whenever He desires, without fear or intimidation—with all boldness, and in love.
REASON NINE: WE ARE THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST
“And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.”
(Ephesians 3:9-12)
There is a mystery hidden within God. It’s been there, from the very beginning of the world.
It is a “fellowship” (a partnership) created by Christ himself. Only those who are in Christ, by faith, can understand this calling. Our calling as the “church” is to shed light on those principalities and powers in high places—and proclaim the wisdom of God.
And it’s true—those “principalities and powers” really don’t want to hear us. But we’re not here just to give them a religious lesson. Instead, we are to boldly proclaim the One who is actually in charge of heaven and earth.
You and I are given the great privilege of boldly declaring to our enemies, that we are not afraid of them—because we serve the King.
The “church” is you and me—actively living among and loving our world. We are not a religious organization. We are not a building, with a large stage and impressive sound system. We are the “body” of Christ, transformed by His will, to be His own forevermore.
Christ goes powerfully before us. And as we step boldly behind, He teams up with us, to bring total defeat to our enemies.
You may not consider yourself to be a strong individual. You may not see yourself favorably, in that mirror of self examination. You might not feel your worth. And you certainly wouldn’t consider yourself to be brave or daring.
But as they say, friend, “join the club.” But this isn’t the club of fear. And it’s not the club of hiding or holding back.
Instead, see yourself through the mirror of God’s own image—the image your Heavenly Father displays upon you. He created you. He knows you, and he knows who He has so masterfully created you to become.
Why hide when the battle is on? Why stay silent, when your heart is full of God’s word? Why cower in uncertainty?
“If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
(Romans 8:31b-32)
A time of darkness and evil seems to surround us. And it’s time for us to stop being casual about it.
Because times like this are always the times when God calls warriors—people who are willing to go out, beyond their own safe walls.
People who will fall fervently in prayer before Almighty God. People who will walk away from “normal” church, and wield that sword of boldness—the message of the Gospel of Christ Jesus.
Is it possible to love your world, in righteousness and in boldness? Right here, and right now?
It is. It must be.
While an orphaned world shakes within its own shadow, you have the Light. You have the right to speak the truth—to bravely love them.
And among all who are confronted by them, you may be the only person to boldly step out. You can be the warrior who leads them home, to a waiting Father.
Be bold—like a lion!
Because if God is for you, then who can really stand against you?