Be Courageous: Living out your faith boldly.

He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance! Acts 28:31

Being a bold believer is what we are called to do, but it doesn’t always come easy. It’s something within us that hesitates when we believe we are the outcasts or the oddball. It’s not easy to go against the crowd. It requires confidence, assurance, and boldness. It’s like swimming against the current. It’s hard and it takes a lot of work, but when you move with a purpose, it can be done. Regardless of social norms or the opinions of others, we must stand firm in the face of adversity when it comes to our Heavenly Father.

The enemy wants to keep you quiet. As believers in Jesus Christ, we have a lot to boast about. If we have good news, why be quiet about it? How can we make disciples if we are reluctant to share with others what has so drastically changed our lives? If we have what it takes to save someone’s soul, we should gladly share our personal testimony pointing them to the One who saved us.

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander 1 Peter 3:15

We easily speak boldly and loudly in support of things such as sports teams, concerts and entertainment, and other local events, but when it comes to our faith we tend to shy away. I say we because, this includes me sometimes. I am an introverted person, so speaking with a lot of people is not my forte naturally. The enemy tries to rehearse that to me in my head often. BUT that’s not an excuse to not be a bold believer. Satan wants me to believe that my soft-spoken and reserved ways are not useful in the Kingdom of God. But being bold does not require you to be loud, but it does require you to not be silent. It requires you to speak up when God gives you something to say. When we walk in step with the spirit and are listening for God’s voice and guidance, we will feel the promptings of the Holy Spirit.  Boldness may not be my personality, but it is a trait of the Holy Spirit that lives within me. We can be bold in our love towards others, bold in how we treat our coworkers, and even how we encourage others through hard times. As bold believers we must come to the point where we are unapologetically on fire for God. We must choose calling over convenience. It may cost us our comfort, but that’s a part of living a life for Christ. Sometimes God places us in specific places and environments for a specific encounter. When we go into jobs, schools, stores, social events, and other gatherings, it could be business as normal. But it could also be a special moment where God is calling you to be his hands and feet. The Church isn’t simply a building, but the church is wherever we go.

We are called to be bold in sharing the gospel, bold in our faith, bold in our prayers, and boldness in our authority as heirs in Christ.

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16

There are many definitions in the dictionary on what it means to be bold.

Bold: not afraid of danger or difficult situations, lack of fear, very confident in a way that may seem foolish.

Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. Psalms 62: 5-6

If God calls us to boldness, what do we have to fear? We all know the old quote “if you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything.” If we don’t stand firm on the Word of God, the world will quickly try to move us towards its worldly views. Being weak and timid will have you tossed back and forth during life’s storms. Too often we are staying silent when God has called us to speak up. When we don’t feel like we have the exact words to say, the Holy Spirit will guide us.

 “I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. But whoever disowns me before others will be disowned before the angels of God. And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. “When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.” Luke 12:8-12

Someone out there is depending on your boldness. Someone needs to hear your story. They need to hear about the goodness of the God. Someone needs to see you model boldness for the Kingdom of God. When you do what you are called to do, someone else can do what they are called to do. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Get used to having hard conversations. That’s why having community is important. Learning to talk about your faith and seeing how much you learn from doing life with others is how we are supposed to live.

The Bible tells us that all it takes is the faith of a mustard seed. This reminds us that something so small can have a huge impact. That one conversation with someone, can change the trajectory of their life. To be bold, doesn’t equate to a platform or an audience.  Doing God’s work can look different for everyone, and he can use us however he sees fit. Many people in the Bible showed boldness when they stepped out in faith, trusting in God’s plan.

Many may say it doesn’t take all that, but I believe that is what has led to so many lukewarm believers. We sit back and watch as our enemy, Satan, claims territory around us. But through the Holy Spirit, God has given us the power and authority to speak about our Savior and salvation boldly.

When you begin to operate in boldness you move from quietly watching on the sidelines, to waiting for God to prompt you, to boldly seeking for ways to share God’s love with people around you!

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