What does the Bible say about boldness?
The Bible has a lot to say about being bold and courageous in living out our faith in God. Here is an overview of some of the key passages in Scripture that address the topic of boldness:
In the Old Testament, God repeatedly commands Joshua to “be strong and courageous” as he prepares to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 31:6-7, Joshua 1:6-9). This showed that boldness would be required for Joshua to carry out the task God had called him to.
David also demonstrated boldness and courage in facing Goliath, saying “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty” (1 Samuel 17:45). David’s faith in God gave him boldness to confront a literal giant.
In the New Testament, Jesus tells his disciples multiple times to not be afraid or worried as they go out to share the gospel, even in the face of persecution. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Jesus overcame the world, so we can have boldness even when facing trouble.
The disciples demonstrated boldness after receiving the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. “With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all” (Acts 4:33). The Holy Spirit empowered them with supernatural boldness.
Peter and John modeled boldness when confronted by the Jewish leaders, saying “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:19-20). They boldly obeyed God rather than men.
Paul frequently encourages believers to be bold in sharing their faith. “Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel” (Ephesians 6:19). He knew bold proclamation of the gospel was essential.
Hebrews encourages us to “approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). Because of Christ’s sacrifice, we can boldly approach God’s throne.
1 John says, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us” (1 John 5:14). We can be bold in prayer because God hears and answers prayer.
So in summary, the Bible makes it clear that with faith in Christ, believers are empowered to courageously share the gospel, lead God’s people, confront evil, obey God over men, pray boldly, and walk in victory. Christ has overcome, so we need not fear any earthly trouble. Through the Holy Spirit at work in us, Christians can live with boldness and confidence in every situation.
Bible Verses about Boldness:
Here are some key Bible verses about boldness (all ESV):
Deuteronomy 31:6 – “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”
Joshua 1:9 – “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Psalm 27:14 – “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!”
Proverbs 28:1 – “The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.”
Acts 4:29 – “And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness.”
Acts 28:31 – “Proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.”
1 Corinthians 16:13 – “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”
Ephesians 3:12 – “In whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.”
Philippians 1:14 – “And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.”
1 Thessalonians 2:2 – “But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict.”
Hebrews 4:16 – “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Hebrews 10:19 – “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus.”
Hebrews 13:6 – “So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?'”
1 John 4:17 – “By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.”
Key Stories of Boldness in the Bible:
In addition to verses about boldness, there are many narrative examples of boldness in Scripture:
– David boldly faced Goliath when all the Israelite soldiers were afraid (1 Samuel 17).
– Esther bravely risked her life by approaching the king unsummoned to plead for her people (Esther 4:16).
– Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to worship King Nebuchadnezzar’s idol, even when threatened with death (Daniel 3).
– Peter boldly preached the gospel on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2).
– Paul confronted Elymas the sorcerer, blinding him with God’s power (Acts 13:9-11).
– Paul appealed to Caesar when facing persecution from the Jews (Acts 25:11).
– Stephen boldly rebuked the Sanhedrin before being martyred (Acts 7:51-60).
So in the lives of many biblical heroes, we see their strong faith in God empowering them to act with boldness, even in frightening or dangerous situations. They trusted God to be with them and work through them.
Keys to Boldness from the Bible:
Based on all these passages encouraging boldness, here are some key principles that emerge about how to walk in boldness according to the Bible:
– Have courage through faith in Christ and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit (Acts 4:29-31)
– Be bold because God is with you as a strong, ever-present help (Deut 31:6, Heb 13:6)
– Fear God rather than men and be willing to obey Him even in tough situations (Acts 5:29)
– Remember that we have the victory through Christ who has overcome the world (John 16:33, 1 John 4:4)
– Approach God with confidence because of Christ’s sacrifice providing direct access to the Father (Eph 3:12, Heb 4:16)
– Act boldly because of the urgency of sharing the gospel while we can (Eph 6:19)
– Be bold in prayer, asking God for what we need to accomplish His will (1 John 5:14)
– Allow boldness to arise from our identity and security in Christ (Proverbs 28:1)
So in summary, biblical boldness ultimately flows out of faith, fearing God more than man, knowing who we are in Christ, relying on the Spirit’s power, and obeying Christ’s call on our lives with urgency. It’s less about temperament and more about trusting who God is.
Conclusion:
The Bible makes it abundantly clear that boldness is to be a defining mark of those who follow Jesus Christ. With the Holy Spirit working within us, believers are able to courageously share the gospel, stand firm in their faith, and do what God has called them to do without fearing people. Jesus set the example by boldly giving his life to redeem mankind. If God is for us, who can stand against us? We can confidently obey Christ and boldly make Him known, knowing God sees us as righteous through Christ and will empower us to complete the work He has given us. By walking in biblical boldness, Christians can leave a courageous legacy for generations to come.