by Lonnie Mattingly
I am convinced that many people who do not witness for the Lord Jesus are paralyzed with fear. It is not that they don’t love the Lord. It is not that they don’t care about the lost. It is simply that they have allowed the devil to intimidate them. What most of us need is an infusion of boldness. Boldness that only the Lord can give us. I want to give you a few thoughts that have helped me to begin growing in boldness. If you have time to meditate on them and take action by faith, I believe God could help you too.
GOD HAS TOLD US WE DON’T HAVE TO BE CONTROLLED BY FEAR… I’VE BEEN TOLD THAT THERE ARE 365 FEAR NOTS IN THE BIBLE. ONE FOR EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR.
I trust that the seven points below will help you like they helped me when someone shared them with me. Develop some thoughts for each point. Preach it. Teach it. Practice it.
1. BOLDNESS THROUGH RIGHTEOUSNESS
(Proverbs 28:1) “The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.”
2. BOLDNESS THROUGH SPENDING TIME WITH JESUS
(Acts 4:13) “Now 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.”
3. BOLDNESS THROUGH PRAYER
(Acts 4:29) “And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,”
(Ephesians 6:18-20) “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; {19} And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, {20} For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”
4. BOLDNESS THROUGH SPIRIT FULLNESS
(Acts 4:31) “And 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.”
5. BOLDNESS THROUGH PURPOSE
(Acts 13:45-47) “But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. {46} Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. {47} For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.”
THESE MEN KNEW THEY WERE DOING GOD’S WILL. GETTING GOD’S WORD OUT WAS NOT AN OPTION WITH THEM… “IT WAS NECESSARY”
6. BOLDNESS THROUGH THE BIBLE
(Acts 14:3) “Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands.”
7. BOLDNESS BY FAITH
(2 Timothy 1:7) “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
(1 John 4:17) “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.”
(2 Timothy 1:7) “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
by Lonnie mattingly
Original article can be found at http://lonniemattingly.com/2012/09/15/building-boldness-in-your-life/