Boldness

“Praying always with all prayer and supplication

in the Spirit. . .for me, that utterance may be

given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly

to make known the mystery of the gospel,

for which I am an ambassador in chains; that

in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”

     Ephesians 6:18-19 (NKJV)

“But I want you to know, brethren, that the

things which happened to me have actually

turned out for the furtherance of the gospel,

. . .and most of the brethren in the Lord, having

become more confident by my chains, are much

more bold to speak the word without fear.”

     Philippians 1:12, 14 (NKJV)

God really seems to be shaking things up! (Not that God created this pandemic, but He has allowed it and is using it for His purposes.) The world has shut down in many ways, our routines are disrupted and we now live in very restricted circumstances. Yet despite those restrictions, this crisis is a unique opportunity for believers. "Stay at home" does not mean we should just hunker down and wait it out. Instead, we should be bold to make the most of these unusual days. Paul asked for prayer to continue speaking the gospel boldly.  Paul also noted the importance of being a strong witness for Christ in difficult circumstances and said that by doing so, the brethren will be more bold to speak God’s truth without fear.  That applies to us today too.  

Boldness to speak.  Social distancing does not mean that conversations are cancelled or that relationships are on hold; instead, they have taken on new importance.  Paul says he "ought to" speak with boldness and so should we. With the blurring of lines in this limbo state we're in, I feel a new freedom to speak of God and my faith to people and in venues that did not seem open before.  I’m out of my comfort zone, yet I feel God’s strong presence with me. There are many different ways we can bring words of hope and encouragement to those within our sphere of influence. And that sphere may be enlarging during this window of crisis.  

Boldness to give. These are desperate times for many, and many in the world are stepping up to meet physical needs with kindness and generosity. As Christ followers, we should be helping to meet such needs as well, giving with compassionate and cheerful hearts. There are many ways we can give of our time, talent and treasure, to minister to others. But ultimately, people's greatest need is spiritual and in that respect, we have something to give that the world cannot offer: salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.  

Boldness in prayer.  These days there seem to be more opportunities to pray for people and more people to pray for. My intercessory prayer list seems to grow longer each day, but it is a blessing to have additional fellowship with God during my prayer times. This crisis should motivate us to spend more time on our knees before the throne of God fervently praying for the lost, the needy, our leaders, etc., praying that the Holy Spirit will work in their hearts and lives. For our words and actions can only do so much; it is He who does the real work.

Pray for boldness; pray for opportunities.  Then step out as the Lord leads you, without fear, trusting in His guidance.