Are You Bold to Speak Out for Christ?

PRAY OVER THIS

“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.” Acts 4:13

 

PONDER THIS

These men were bold because they had been with Jesus. They had seen Christ alive and resurrected, and He lived in them. All the forces of Hell could not intimidate them, shut them up, or hold them back. What would happen if a group of people, filled with holy boldness, were turned loose on your city tomorrow? It is the strategy of the devil to keep God’s people silent in an evil time.

Let me tell you what holy boldness is not. Holy boldness is not human courage. There are some people who naturally have an extraordinary amount of courage. That’s not holy boldness; it may be self-confidence. Holy boldness is also not arrogance. Some people say, “Well, I just speak my mind. I’m bold for Jesus.” But they are just arrogant people determined to tell people off. Jesus never did that.

Boldness is saying, “Lord Jesus, if You be for me, who can be against me? Lord Jesus, if You want to use me, I trust You to take care of me. And, Lord, if You choose to let me be put in jail, then I’ll rejoice that I’m counted worthy to suffer shame for Your name. If you choose, Lord Jesus, that I suffer bodily harm, then, Lord, nothing will come to me than what it comes through You first. Lord, I submit myself to you, and I will speak at Your command.” This is holy boldness.

How have you defined boldness in the past? How might that be different from Scripture’s definition?

What is the danger of living according to our definition of boldness instead of God’s?

PRACTICE THIS

Pray the prayer above for boldness, making it your own.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers