Divine Boldness
Hey guys - happy Wednesday!
I don't know why, but it feels like it's been forever since I've really written something of substance for this blog.
The past couple of weeks have been a bit lighter than my usual posts. I've had a lot going on, and honestly just haven't been in the headspace to wrestle with anything too philosophical.
Thankfully, I left church on Sunday with a lot to reflect on.
So without further ado, let’s talk about boldness.
When you hear the word "boldness," you probably picture someone who's loud. Someone who's outspoken. Maybe even someone who's a little intimidating.
Until this past Sunday, I probably would have said the same thing.
But as we’ve all gathered by now, nothing is ever so simple - especially when it comes to God.
Sunday’s sermon was focused on courage and boldness, centered around Acts 4:23-31. Peter and John had just been released after being warned not to speak about Jesus anymore. Instead of praying for safety or an easier path, they prayed for something unexpected:
“And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
Acts 4:29-30 (ESV)
As all good sermons do, it left me with so much to think about.
Samuel and I recently started attending a BFG (Bible Fellowship Group) at our church, and we’ve learned so much so far. So right after the service ends, we get to discuss the passage with other church members - searching for additional context, exploring cross-references, and answering questions we might not have considered on our own.
The big question was a seemingly simple one:
What is boldness?
More importantly:
What is biblical boldness?
Once the question was structured in a faith-based way, my answer changed. I thought more about being able to fearlessly proclaim the truth of Christ in the face of persecution - much like Jesus did, and all of His disciples sought to do afterward.
After deciding what boldness is in a biblical sense, we had to uncover how one can achieve such boldness. Surely, something like that must come from God? It does.
We noted the importance of the power of prayer in the situation they were in. After they were freed, they got back to their people, and immediately fell down in solemn prayer, begging God to grant them His boldness, so that they can further pursue their heavenly task: to spread the gospel and make disciples of nations.
That kind of strength and fearlessness are gifts only God can give.
As Christians, we know the absolute power of prayer, and understand that it changes things - changes you.
Think of Peter:
He denied Jesus three times on the day he was crucified. The difference between the fearful Peter we meet in the Gospels and the bold Peter we encounter in Acts is undeniable.
So is the power of prayer.
Much like strength and wisdom, boldness is a divine biblical attribute.
We must pray to receive and be blessed with the likeness of God in those ways; even, and especially in the face of persecution.
When we faithfully follow Christ, opposition shouldn't surprise us. Jesus promised us as much.
Because the task that we’ve all been given as believers is such an important one, we’d be foolish to assume that it would be easy.
Like I mentioned earlier, they could have chosen to pray for a more straight-forward path of deliverance - like merely asking God to just do the heavy-lifting for them:
“Hey God,
Any chance you want to just instantly change the minds of the entire Sanhedrin so none of us get hurt or arrested again? That’d be pretty cool!”
But after walking with Jesus for a few years, they knew that God doesn’t roll like that.
Coming to Christ and deciding to follow Him begins with faith, but it doesn't end there.
After that is when the real work begins - it’s so much bigger than just us individually.
We can’t always ask God to just remove the danger we’re facing. Sometimes we have to buckle down and petition for His grace to make us all faithful and strong despite it.
We have to be relentlessly devoted to the work He's called us to do.
I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t feel like I’m as devoted to this as I should be. It’s so easy to get caught up in our day to day life, and forget the bigger picture.
In theory, it would be so easy for us to bring up Christ in conversations with our family and friends, or even people we’d just met.
But oftentimes, we don’t even try.
Because it requires boldness.
It requires us to step out in faith.
It requires us to take risks - to potentially upset someone with the very thing that could save their soul.
So I'd like to encourage you, and myself, to take a moment today, and just pray.
Pray that God would grant you His divine boldness, so that you can faithfully proclaim the gospel with confidence - no matter where He places you.
Until next week,
— E. Byers, author of The Grassy Laine
