“The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion“ -Proverbs 28:1
Many people have different views on being bold. It can be seen as a good thing to stand up for what you believe in, but boldness is also often equated with being pushy or over-assertive.
What does our role of boldness in Christ play?
If you are naturally shy, you may have a hard time being bold. You may fear that if you are bold, you will come off as arrogant. Boldness has negative effects when we use it selfishly to get what we want. But as believers, we will face circumstances that require us to be bold in order to stand with Jesus.
Jesus’s disciples prayed and asked for boldness. They knew that in order to spread their message and make Jesus known. They needed the gift of boldness to complete what they were called to do. Acts 4:31 says,
“After they prayed the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the Word of God with boldness.”
Being bold may simply be as simple as talking to someone you normally do not talk to or stepping out of your comfort zone by praying with a family member, co-worker, or friend.
A few months ago I was visiting a family member’s home. And he was complaining about how his boss every morning would call the employees in and pray for them. And what a senseless waste of time it was. To say the least, he is not a believer. I simply told him I thought that was cool how his boss cared for them enough to pray for their safety.
At the end of the day, true boldness is centered on Jesus. It requires humility rather that pride, because we cannot be bold on our own.
When the Holy Spirit is within us, we can understand what it means to be bold for Jesus. As a result, when opportunities come our way to share God’s love, we can ask for boldness to complete the task and bring honor to His name.
Below are a few scriptures to help you pray for boldness,
From Pity to Praise 