We know that we live in a world devoid of peace, equity and godliness. And the Christian faith happens to be one of the most persecuted on earth. Needless to ask why a Christian needs boldness in this present age.
The Bible lets us understand that from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence, and only the violent takes it by force (Matthew 11:12).
We live in a world where light exists alongside darkness; a world where day after day, darkness strives to expand its influence in its attempt to overcome and rule over light. As the offsprings of the Most High, we are placed in this world to push back darkness by shinning our light brightly.
Philippians 2:15 ESVThat you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.
You must have noticed that darkness never allows itself to get pushed back without resistance and opposition. The assignment of pushing back darkness does not just require the power of God, but also a type of boldness that only comes from God.
Sermon On Boldness
What is boldness? Simply put, boldness is an audacity or willingness to take risks. Spiritual boldness is the audacity to do things for God which many consider as too risky. The opposite of boldness is timidity.
The Bible tells us that the righteous are to be as bold as a lion.
Proverbs 28:1 KJVThe wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.
Jesus Christ is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah and we are His offsprings. Jesus Christ is not timid, why then should a Christian be?
We know that our weapons of warfare are not carnal, but they are mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). We also know that employing these weapons in warfare to clamp down on the works of darkness will require boldness.
Since we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12); a Christian doesn't need just any kind of boldness but spiritual boldness.
It might interest you to know that every ministry work for the kingdom of God on earth is treated by the kingdom of darkness as a form of battle against them. Prayer is warfare; evangelism is a form of spiritual warfare; preaching the truth is spiritual warfare. Everything a Christian accurately does for God on earth strikes hard on the works of the enemy and for this reason, agents of darkness will always rise to confront and attempt preventing us from going further with the works of God.
In order for us to continue with the assignment which Heaven committed to us, we need spiritual boldness. I believe that the spirit of boldness is needed now in the end time Church more than ever.
Boldness In Prayer
The kingdom of God advances by violence through spiritual warfare. But it takes boldness to confront the enemy through spiritual warfare prayers.
2 Timothy 1:7 KJVFor God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
For instance, a good number of Christians are currently going through a lot spiritually. They know that there are shackles to break off from their lives, but a good number of them also are too fearful to confront the enemy via midnight prayers.
See Also: Prayer Against Fear And Anxiety
Luke 10:19 KJVBehold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
A Christian is expected to know that they have God's backing whenever they pray. Jesus Christ is not timid and He lives in you; a King lives in you. Pray confidently knowing that greater is the One in you than the one in the world (1 John 4:4).
Boldness In Preaching The Gospel
Understand that the kingdom of darkness never allows the Gospel to go out without opposition. Facing persecution for preaching the Gospel is a thing that has been happening, even right from the time when Jesus walked the earth. If they persecuted Him, they will persecute us also (John 15:29).
So then, when you are threatened for sharing the Gospel, what do you do? Do you cower at the knees rather than take a stand for Jesus? A Christian needs to have boldness in order to stand tall and share the Gospel despite persecution and every form of opposition.
Acts 4:13 KJVNow 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.
Prayer For Boldness To Share The Gospel
After the event of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, we are told that the early Church went forth in the power of the Holy Ghost to turn the world upside down, but this did not please the Roman government. The enemy immediately worked through them to begin persecuting the Church severely.
The Apostles were threatened to stop preaching in the Name of Jesus Christ. But what was their response to these threats? Instead of cowering in fear and retiring back into hiding, they resorted to prayer—asking the Lord to give them boldness to spread the Gospel even in the heat of the persecution.
Acts 4:29-30 KJVAnd now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, [30] By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.
What followed after was that the Lord answered this prayer swiftly. The Bible says that they were filled with the Holy Spirit once more, and they spoke the Word with boldness.
Acts 4:31 KJVAnd when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
The early Church left us a two important lessons to learn:
- That if we are timid towards sharing preaching and telling others about Jesus, we can always ask God for boldness and He will give that to us.
- If we are threatened for doing what God sent us to do, we cannot cower in fear like a coward. We must ask the Lord for boldness to continue even in the midst of these threats.
Prayers For Boldness
- Thank You Father for the Holy Spirit which You have given me to enable me carryout the assignment on earth.
- Thank You Lord for the Spirit of boldness which You have given me through Your Spirit. For You have not given me a spirit of fear.
- Father, I ask that You fill me with Your Holy Spirit once again and fill me with greater amount of boldness to confront and destroy the works of darkness.
- Lord Jesus I ask that You give me boldness for midnight prayers. Enable me to rise and confront the kingdom of darkness even in the middle of the night. Amen.
- Lord Jesus I ask that You fill me with boldness to share Your Word. Enable me to reach the unreachable, even in places where others are afraid to reach. Amen.
- I receive the spirit of boldness to step out and fulfil my God-given destiny and assignment, in the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ!
- I decree and declare that I shall neither be afraid of threats from man nor from the enemy. For if God be for me, who can stand against me?
- Greater is He that is in me. My Lord Jesus is not timid and I cannot be either. I receive supernatural boldness to walk in the fullness of whom He destined me to be. Amen.
The articles and dream interpretations on our blog are gotten through revelation. We don't go about stealing other people's content. If we did, this website wouldn't have survived till today. DESIST from copying or lifting any part of our content to your website, books or videos. God is against plagiarism (Jer. 23:30). All content are protected by DMCA with fast response rate. Don't say you were not warned !!