For Christian Boldness

(by Bill Stevenson)

On March 5, 2005, I received this prayer request: “I am presently too fatigued to write at the moment.
Feeling pretty drained from the visit to the AIDS hospice. I am going to Native Health Society. Another AIDS
organization to play guitar for awhile. They asked if I could get a Worship team together to go there as well.
Please keep me in your prayers Bill. Pray the Lord would guard my mind and heart. That He would give me
boldness and sanctify me for His ministry. I once heard a story about a man who wanted to hire someone. He
wanted the very best. With five prospects it all came down to one question… what is your greatest aspiration?
The first said, ‘I want to be rich.’ The second said, ‘I want to be famous!’ The third said, ‘I want be the
surrounded by people who admire me.’ The fourth said, ‘I want to be rich and have a beautiful wife.’ The fifth
said, ‘I am a Christian, on my way to Heaven, I want to pick up as many hitchhikers as I can and share the
Gospel with them! Number 5 got the job.”
At first I thought, why would Monty ask me to pray for him to have more boldness when he is ministering in
places I have never had courage to go to. Then the story indicated that maybe he needs more courage and
unselfishness to be more bolder than he is currently. The first four job applicants had selfish aspirations
(ambitions, hopes, or goals). I started thinking about boldness and realized that in order to be bold in two main
situations that a committed Christian should be involved in. For each, besides prayer and Biblical preparation,
there are two important key requirements for one’s thinking.
First, to have boldness to witnessing to others, sharing the Gospel or sharing Biblical principles or/and
verses, one must be having so much love for God, His Word, the Gospel, especially the sacrifice that Jesus
Christ did for use. Someone said imagine if the individual you are witnessing to is surrounded by flames. I
would prefer just having so much love for the Gospel that I can’t hold it any longer and I need to share it. Last
year, I thought that I didn’t need to see the “Passion of Christ” movie because of what I knew of Scripture and
having seen a number of Jesus movies, but after seeing it, I received more love for Jesus Christ than I ever had
before and realize more the importance of the ministry I have now. How much do you love the Gospel and all
of the promises of God? Enough to share it with others? What if you discovered the cure for cancer which was
just a small group of statements, would you just keep that group of statements in your mind to use if you cancer
began developing in you? I hope you would say “No!!!” to the last question. If you don’t have such realization
of the true importance of the Gospel and God’s promises, then you need to more about them.
In a multi-church prayer meeting about the Presidential election of 1992 the following came to mind which
relates to this boldness requirement:
C -- commitment to God's truth
O -- obedience to the Holy Spirit
U -- understanding God's desires
R -- revival spiritually
A -- attentiveness for opportunities to minister
G -- gratefulness to God, especially for His protection
E -- enduring in faith of our Lord Jesus Christ

The other key type of situation which demands Christian boldness is when there is injustice or
untruthfulness. This is the main spiritual warfare times and the non-violent Christian soldiers need the righteous
anger that Jesus demonstrated when He was tested by the Pharisees and when He had to exhort and rebuke His
disciples. Later I will share what this righteous anger is. One example of this is to be angry at untruthfulness
spoken by politicians or by news reporters. Then the Holy Spirit will urge you to boldly do intercessory prayer
for them or even boldly communicate with them about the untruthfulness. I pray daily that more and more
Christians will have such boldness.
Ironically, meanwhile my wife was reading a book about anger and shared the following with me:
“Acknowledging to ourselves that we are angry sounds pretty simple. However, some of us have a very hard
time doing it because we have been taught that being angry is wrong. Anger in itself is not a sin. If it were,
God would have to be considered a sinner. In the Old Testament the word ‘anger’ is used 455 times, and of
those times 375 instances refer to God being angry: Psalm 7: 11 says, ‘God is angry with the wicked every day.’
(NKJV) Our ability to be angry demonstrates the thumbprint of our Creator on our lives. We are made in the
image of God, and part of His character is the capability to be angry at wickedness, injustice, and the
molestation of truth.” (from: A Woman’s Answer to Anger by Annie Chapman)
So what is the righteous anger. At a Mexican restaurant in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the following came
to mind:
1.) One is verbal and physical abuse and is usually put-up with as if it were normal.
2.) One is because of very selfish reasons and usually is done to hurt or stop a relationship. It can and
usually has violent results.
3.) One is religious or prejudicial for purposes of influencing others to stop certain relationships with certain
types of people.
4.) One is just childish immaturity (no age limit) because one doesn't get what they want.

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5.) One is due to self discouragement, usually because of too high expectations.
6.) One usually results from frustration due to impatience, misunderstandings, untruthfulness, or lack of
cooperation, usually with a spouse. It will never result in physical violence because of agapè (God's
special love defined in 1 Corinthians 13).
7.) One is the just or righteous reaction against what displeases God.
Note: Anger of any type temporarily stops peace, happiness, fun, and joy. A true Christian should be trying
to eliminate the first six types of anger and only have the seventh one. “Where there is a will, there is a
way.”

Before I decided to write this, my wife went and found another book about anger she recently bought and
wanted to read too. She just happened to open up again to the following chart she had seen she looked at the
book in the bookstore:
“The Bible has much to say about God's anger and human anger. There are major differences between them:

Human Anger God's Anger

Uncontrolled, without patience Controlled, with purpose
With hatred, malice, and resentment Not with hatred, malice, or resentment
Selfish Not selfish
As an expression of indignation As an expression of concern
To destroy the individual To correct or curtail destructive behavior
As an expression of revenge As an expression of care
To break relationships, to hurt Not to break relationships
At violations of self At injustice
At those who oppose me At willful disobedience

God’s anger is different from human anger, because it imposes holy wrath on sin. It is wrong to compare our
Lord's anger toward sin with human anger, for Jesus has a divine nature of holiness that man does not share;
thus Jesus could sustain a holy wrath without sin. His most severe anger involved righteous indignation against
sin; it was never a response to personal rejection, insult, or injury.
Ephesians 4:26 states, “In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.”
Since this is the only Biblical text that seems to condone anger, we ought to examine it carefully. It carries two
serious qualifications. Notice: In your anger (1) do not sin, and (2) do not the sun go down while you are still
angry. The first qualification certainly limits anger: “Do not sin”. It forbids sinful thought or sinful expression
of anger.” (from Anger Is A Choice by Tim LaHaye and Bob Phillips) This is sort of like: In many verses
God’s Word commands us to love, but such love is restricted to certain things. We are not to love sinful habits,
and actions. We are not love Satan or worldly books etc.
Before I had lunch and Dolo had shared with me from the two books about anger, I responded to Monty’s e-
mail. Part of my response was telling him that I felt I should do a Bible study tool about boldness as soon as
possible. I thought that might not be until the end of the next week. But the Holy Spirit urged me to do it right
away. So even while I was eating my lunch, I did the download of Bible verses with “bold”, “boldly”, or
“boldness” in them. I chose the Amplified Version from the Lockman Foundation, because I wanted to find the
verses that implied boldness too.
My first surprise in looking at what downloaded was that there were just 6 verses from the Old Testament
downloaded from the Amplified Bible which had “bold” or “boldness” directly in the verses! Of course the Old
Testament believers of God did not have the Gospel to share. They had boldness to fight in wars that He
commanded. Also some of the laws and ordinances for the Israelites took boldness to do or enforce. Jeremiah
30:21 had to do with the restoration of Israel and Judah. In the second part of the verse, God says about the
governor, “I will cause him to draw near and he will approach Me, for who is he who would have the boldness
{and} would dare [on his own initiative] to approach Me?” In Job 16:3, Job boldly rebuked his three “friends”.
After calling them “miserable comforters” (because they just false accused him of sinning), he said, “Will your
futile words of wind have no end? Or what makes you so bold to answer [me like this]?” But even when they
had the Tabernacle and later the Temple, what could they boldly pronounce to the Gentiles as good news or
salvation from sinning? Genesis 34:25, Proverbs 5:14, Proverbs 21:29, and Ezekiel 16:30 had to do with
boldness of the wicked people. There was only one New Testament verse that related boldness with the wicked
is found in the epistle just before the last book of the Bible (Revelation): Jude 1:12 about “love” feasting
“sumptuously [carousing together…] without scruples providing for themselves”.
The only Old Testament verse that sort of has application to us is in Proverbs 28:1 “The wicked flee when
no man pursues them, but the [uncompromisingly] righteous are bold as a lion.” Also in his epistle to Roman
believers, Apostle Paul mentioned what he thought of the Prophet Isaiah: “Then Isaiah is so bold as to say, ‘I
[God] have been found by those who did not seek Me; I have shown (revealed) Myself to those who did not
[consciously] ask for Me.’” (Romans 10:20)
So I focused on the rest of the New Testament verses downloaded. My second surprise was that this Bible
study did not turn into a Bible study tool and did not result many subject sub-groups about boldness!
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 First remember early in Jesus’ ministry after many of His followers including his brothers disbelieved in His
teachings and many Jews in Judea sought to kill him already? In John 7, I was surprised that it even said that
the brothers told Him to go into Judea and do healings as if they wanted Him killed. Jesus remained in Galilee.
Later He went to the Feast of Tabernacles secretly, probably in disguise (different clothes). And in John 7:11-
19 it is stated:
“Therefore the Jews kept looking for Him at the Feast and asking,
‘Where can He be?’ [‘Where is that Fellow?’]
And there was among the mass of the people
much whispered discussion {and} hot disputing about Him.
Some were saying, ‘He is good!’ [‘He is a good Man!’]
Others said, ‘No, He misleads {and} deceives the people [gives them false ideas]!’
But no one dared speak out boldly about Him for fear of [the leaders of] the Jews.”
During the middle of the Feast, Jesus went up into the temple and taught boldly and the Jews who listened
marveled about what they heard because they didn’t think Jesus had the formal education to speak as He did.
After all, he was just a carpenter. But Jesus claimed that His doctrine was from God. John 7:13 was the only
verse in the four New Testament Gospels that mentioned boldness directly (in the form of “boldness”) and it
was of non-believers. The New King James Version translates boldness as openly. But in this passage, Jesus
Christ was the only one that showed boldness and that was in His traveling and His doctrine. And later, His
main 12 Disciples lived lives of boldness (even Judas did for betrayal expecting Jesus to save Himself). Look at
these verse in Acts 4:13 which followed after the first arrest of the Apostles Peter and John. Peter had spoke
boldly to the Sanhedrin (where the Jewish leaders were) in answering the question, “By what power have you
healed the lame man at the temple gate?”
Now when they saw the boldness {and} unfettered eloquence of Peter and John
and perceived that they were unlearned {and} untrained in the schools
[common men with no educational advantages], they marveled;
and they recognized that they had been with Jesus.
And since they saw the man who had been cured standing there beside them,
they could not contradict the fact {or} say anything in opposition.”
And the Jewish leadership knew Jesus had been killed and that Peter and John were fishermen Could they
same be said of you that was said about Peter and John, at least about having been with Jesus? If not, it is
possible if you would do more prayer and Bible study. Do your church leaders make it apparent that they have a
wonderful relationship with Jesus? Before going on, read Philippians 2-3 in relation to this paragraph.
The next reference of boldness is in Acts 4:31 and the context is the first Pentecost after the death and
resurrection of Jesus Christ:
“And when they had prayed,
the place in which they were assembled was shaken;
and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit,
and they continued to speak the Word of God
with freedom {and} boldness {and} courage.”
So how do you become sensitive to the Holy Spirit? Try thinking as Proverbs 3:5-8 says.
Later Acts 18:24-28 speaks of a bold individual, Apollos, who became a believer because of John the
Baptist. Even before learning more about Jesus, “He began to speak freely (fearlessly and boldly) in the
synagogue; but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him with them and expounded to him the way of
God more definitely {and} accurately. And soon after when he ministered in what is now Greece, he was able
to help many because: “For with great power he refuted the Jews in public [discussions], showing {and}
proving by the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah).” So Apollos became bold not for selfish
reasons, but to share the truths of God with others. Is your boldness for such increasing after ever sermon you
hear and every Bible study you do?
Now think back in your personal childhood history about the adults that you knew. What about the ones that
you highly respected, like parents, grandparents, teachers, pastors, famous sports athletes, coaches, famous
musicians, TV and movie actors and actresses, professional workers, and politicians? Which of them were
proper “role models” (examples) manifesting God-pleasing character traits and had good morals and ethics?
Philippians 4:9 as well all he wrote in his epistles indicate that the Apostle Paul was a good role model. He
became mine in 1974 when I read straight through all of his New Testament writings. Well many of the
boldness verses are related to him. Soon after his miraculous conversion to Christianity, after his first preaching
for Christ in Damascus, and after Barnabas spoke up for him to the other Apostles, “So he went in and out [as
one] among them at Jerusalem, preaching freely {and} confidently {and} boldly in the name of the Lord. (Acts
9:29)

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 Later, in the Antioch synagogue, a great transition in Christianity occurred:
And Paul and Barnabas spoke out plainly {and} boldly, saying,
‘It was necessary that God's message [concerning Salvation through Christ]
should be spoken to you first.
But since you thrust it from you, you pass this judgment on yourselves
that you are unworthy of eternal life
{and} out of your own mouth you will be judged.
[Now] behold, we turn to the Gentiles (the heathen).
For so the Lord has charged us, saying,
‘I have set you to be a light for the Gentiles (the heathen),
that you may bring [eternal] Salvation to the uttermost parts of the Earth.’’
And when the Gentiles heard this,
they rejoiced and glorified (praised and gave thanks for) the Word of God;
and as many as were destined (appointed and ordained) to eternal life
believed (adhered to, trusted in, and relied on Jesus as the Christ and their Savior).
And so the Word of the Lord [concerning eternal Salvation through Christ]
scattered {and} spread throughout the whole region.” (Acts 13:46-49)
And then in Iconium, Paul and Barnabas needed to teach the Gentiles who had been confused by some
unbelieving Jews: “So [Paul and Barnabas] stayed on there for a long time, speaking freely {and} fearlessly
{and} boldly in the Lord, who continued to bear testimony to the Word of His grace, granting signs and
wonders to be performed by their hands. This caused the town to be divided and the lives of Paul and Barnabas
were threatened. They escaped to preach and teach elsewhere. (Acts 14:3) “While Apollos was in Corinth,
Paul went through the upper inland districts and came down to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. And
he asked them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed [on Jesus as the Christ]?’ And they said,
‘No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.’” “There were about twelve of them in all. And he
went into the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, persuading {and} arguing and pleading about the
Kingdom of God.” (Acts 19:1-2 & 7-8) What length of time is the most you have spent teaching or debating
for God’s Word?
Then in Acts 26, it is recorded that Paul, after sharing his testimony with King Agrippa and being rudely
accused by Festus of being mad and insane, ended his defense in his trial before by saying, “‘I am not mad,
most noble Festus, but I am uttering the straight, sound truth. For the king understands about these things well
enough, and [therefore] to him I speak with bold frankness {and} confidence. I am convinced that not one of
these things has escaped his notice, for all this did not take place in a corner [in secret]. King Agrippa, do you
believe the prophets? [Do you give credence to God's messengers and their words?] I perceive {and} know
that you do believe.’” (Acts 26:25-27) Paul was not freed by King Agrippa and later, he was forced to go to
Rome to die for his Christian faith. Acts 28:30-31 says, “Paul lived there for two entire years [at his own
expense] in his own rented lodging, and he welcomed all who came to him, preaching to them the kingdom of
God and teaching them about the Lord Jesus Christ with boldness {and} quite openly, and without being
molested {or} hindered.” Even Paul’s imprisonment caused boldness in others. Philippians 1:14 And [also]
most of the brethren have derived fresh confidence in the Lord because of my chains and are much more bold to
speak {and} publish fearlessly the Word of God [acting with more freedom and indifference to the
consequences].
And you can be just as bold as Paul was!!! All you have to do is love God and His Word more and more,
and be sensitive to the Holy Spirit. And looking at the news, you should be able to easily realize the need for
such boldness about the only thing that can free human beings from sinning (wrong doing).
Also the Apostle Paul and his companions were used by God and He did bold things to show His grace for
His special spokesmen. Colossians 2:15 [God] disarmed the principalities and powers that were ranged
against us and made a bold display {and} public example of them, in triumphing over them in Him {and} in it
[the Cross].”
“Even when we were dead (slain) by [our own] shortcomings {and} trespasses,
He made us alive together in fellowship {and} in union with Christ;
[He gave us the very life of Christ Himself
the same new life with which He quickened Him, for]
it is by grace (His favor and mercy which you did not deserve)
that you are saved
(delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ's salvation).
And He raised us up together with Him
and made us sit down together [giving us joint seating with Him]
in the Heavenly sphere [by virtue of our being]
in Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed One).
He did this that He might clearly demonstrate through the ages to come
the immeasurable (limitless, surpassing) riches of His free grace (His unmerited favor)
in [His] kindness {and} goodness of heart toward us in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:5-7)

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Isn’t that enough to get bold about and for?
Now for the verses about boldness in the Epistles by the Apostle Paul, they may seem to you that he is
bragging about himself. He was not. He wrote them because, as the second half of first page indicated, he grew
spiritually to love Jesus Christ and what He did for the human race. Remember he was a prideful Pharisee who
loved studying the Law of God in the Old Testament and who had an extreme hatred for those who decided to
follow the strange man from Nazareth. He probably had been told that no good came out of that town. Then
suddenly as he was on a horseback trip to persecute Christians, he was blinded and met Jesus Christ Who had
been crucified. He later wrote that we should only boast about the Lord as we get to know Him more and more
via the Scriptures. So his verses about his boldness are not done as boasting. His boldness was not from
knowing so much about God’s rules, but from his understanding and love about his Savior and Lord Whose
truth set him free from sinning! Look at these verses with a desire to have such thankfulness and love for the
Godhead (Trinity) to have boldness to witness for God’s truths. True Christianity is relationship (with the God
the Father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Scriptures, and other people) not religion (rituals, routines, and
legalism).
Romans 15:15 “Still on some points I have written to you the more boldly {and} unreservedly by way of
reminder. [I have done so] because of the grace (the unmerited favor) bestowed on me by God.”
2 Corinthians 7:4 “I have great boldness {and} free {and} fearless confidence {and} cheerful courage toward
you; my pride in you is great. I am filled [brimful] with the comfort [of it]; with all our tribulation {and} in
spite of it, [I am filled with comfort] I am overflowing with joy.”
2 Corinthians 10:1-2 “Now I myself, Paul, beseech you, by the gentleness and consideration of Christ
[Himself; I] who [am] lowly enough [so they say] when among you face to face, but bold (fearless and
outspoken) to you when [I am] absent from you! I entreat you when I do come [to you] that I may not [be
driven to such] boldness as I intend to show toward those few who suspect us of acting according to the flesh
[on the low level of worldly motives and as if invested with only human powers].”
2 Corinthians 11:21 “To my discredit, I must say, we have shown ourselves too weak [for you to show such
tolerance of us and for us to do strong, courageous things like that to you]! But in whatever any person is bold
{and} dares [to boast]-- mind you, I am speaking in this foolish (witless) way--I also am bold {and} dare [to
boast].”
Ephesians 3:12 “In Whom, because of our faith in Him, we dare to have the boldness (courage and
confidence) of free access (an unreserved approach to God with freedom and without fear).”
Colossians 4:4 “That I may proclaim it fully {and} make it clear [speak boldly and unfold that mystery], as is
my duty.”
Ephesians 6:19-20 “And [pray] also for me, that [freedom of] utterance may be given me, that I may open my
mouth to proclaim boldly the mystery of the good news (the Gospel), for which I am an ambassador in a
coupling chain [in prison. Pray] that I may declare it boldly {and} courageously, as I ought to do.”
Philemon 1:7-8 “For I have derived great joy and comfort {and} encouragement from your love, because the
hearts of the saints [who are your fellow Christians] have been cheered {and} refreshed through you, [my]
brother. Therefore, though I have abundant boldness in Christ to charge you to do what is fitting {and}
required {and} your duty to do.”
Philippians 1:20 “This is in keeping with my own eager desire {and} persistent expectation {and} hope, that I
shall not disgrace myself {nor} be put to shame in anything; but that with the utmost freedom of speech {and}
unfailing courage, now as always heretofore, Christ (the Messiah) will be magnified {and} get glory {and}
praise in this body of mine {and} be boldly exalted in my person, whether through (by) life or through (by)
death.”

Did you notice what Paul said he was bold about and why he was able to be bold and what his hopes that
related to boldness were? You should take time and read the contexts of this group of verses.
Now the rest of the boldness verses have to do with us directly--
“Let your character {or} moral disposition be free from love of money
[including greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly possessions]
and be satisfied with your present [circumstances and with what you have],
for He [God] Himself has said,
‘I will not in any way fail you {nor} give you up {nor} leave you without support.
[I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless {nor} forsake
{nor} let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!]’
So we take comfort {and} are encouraged {and} confidently {and} boldly say,
‘The Lord is my Helper; I will not be seized with alarm.
[I will not fear or dread or be terrified].
What can man do to me?’” (Hebrews 13:5-6; also look at Romans 8)
“Inasmuch then as we have a great High Priest
Who has [already] ascended {and} passed through the heavens,
Jesus the Son of God,
let us hold fast our confession [of faith in Him]

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 For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand {and} sympathize
{and} have a shared feeling with our weaknesses {and} infirmities
{and} liability to the assaults of temptation,
but One Who has been tempted in every respect as we are,
yet without sinning.
Let us then fearlessly {and} confidently {and} boldly draw near to the throne of grace
(the throne of God's unmerited favor to us sinners),
that we may receive mercy [for our failures]
and find grace to help in good time for every need
[appropriate help and well-timed help,
coming just when we need it].” (Hebrews 4:14-16)
Also read about implied boldness in Hebrews 10:19-25 in our private times with God and in church.
“And, beloved, if our consciences (our hearts) do not accuse us
[if they do not make us feel guilty and condemn us],
we have confidence (complete assurance and boldness) before God
and we receive from Him whatever we ask,
because we [watchfully] obey His orders
[observe His suggestions and injunctions, follow His plan for us]
{and} [habitually] practice what is pleasing to Him”. (1 John 3:21-22)
“And now, little children,
abide (live, remain permanently) in Him,
so that when He is made visible,
we may have {and} enjoy perfect confidence (boldness, assurance)
and not be ashamed {and} shrink from Him at His coming.” (1 John 2:28)
“And [besides] we ourselves have seen (have deliberately and steadfastly contemplated)
and bear witness that the Father has sent the Son [as the] Savior of the world.
Anyone who confesses (acknowledges, owns) that Jesus is the Son of God,
God abides (lives, makes His home) in him (or her)
and he (or she) [abides, lives, makes his home] in God.
And we know (understand, recognize, are conscious of, by observation and by experience)
and believe (adhere to and put faith in and rely on) the love God cherishes for us.
God is love,
and he (or she) who dwells {and} continues in love dwells {and} continues in God,
and God dwells {and} continues in him (or her).
In this [union and communion with Him] love is brought to completion
{and} attains perfection with us,
that we may have confidence for the Day of Judgment
[with assurance and boldness to face Him]
because as He is, so are we in this world.” 1 John 4:14-17
And finally in regards to official servants of the local Christian churches:
“Let deacons be the husbands of but one wife,
and let them manage [their] children and their own households well.
For those who perform well as deacons
acquire a good standing for themselves and
also gain much confidence {and} freedom {and} boldness in the faith
which is [founded on and centers] in Christ Jesus.” 1 Timothy 3:12-13

Hope this collection will help you have more God-pleasing boldness in your increasing Christian faith
and daily life.