Bold as a Lion

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Bold as a Lion

The other day as I was meditating and in prayer, I felt a prompting in my heart and heard a whisper.  I felt as if the Holy Spirit whispered in my ear the word BOLDNESS.  Immediately, I began to think about the word and what it meant to me.

Was I lacking boldness in my life?  Did I need to apply boldness to different areas in my ministry?  I started to ponder how this word could not only be an adjective in my life, but how it could become an action.  I went to the Bible to search the Scriptures, and I was reminded of this verse:

“The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.” Proverbs 28:1

Renowned for its majesty and known as “the king of the jungle”, a lion walks with such strength and authority. What makes the lion character in the movie The Wizard of Oz such as oxymoron is the fact that he lacks what a lion should naturally possess, which is courage. As a believer, we have not been given a spirit of fear. An invisible by-product of our relationship with Jesus should be an unwavering confidence that He is for us and with us. After all, others noted the boldness of Peter and John in Acts 4, and realized that they had been with Jesus.

The word “bold” is defined as courageous, confident, and fearless.  After I read this verse, it became clear to me what the Holy Spirit was speaking to me personally.  I surmise that with so much uncertainty in the world these days, many people are struggling with a sense of fear.  Some appear confused, while others are looking for hope.  The problem with fear is that it paralyzes people from moving forward and living out their life as God intended.  I submit to you that we need more boldness in our lives.  The courage to be brave.  Mark Batterson, author of In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day, wrote, “One courageous choice may be the only thing between you and your dream becoming a reality.”

Now, when I say boldness, I am not implying that we need to be rude or arrogant.  What I am talking about is being bold about our God.  While many are fretting about the future, we should be the leading examples in showing everyone our confidence in a God who holds the future.  Our confidence is not shaken by temporary earthly circumstances, but it has been shaped by the eternal promises of a God who lives forever and ever!

The enemy would love for the Bride of Christ to retreat and go into hiding.  However, let me remind you of Jesus when He said that the gates of hell would not prevail against the Church!  It was Saul who fled from Goliath, but it was David who was bold enough to believe in his God, and take the giant head on.  To go after God-given dreams, boldness will be required.  To fight with your family and marriage, boldness will be a necessity.  To step out of the boat and walk on the water, boldness will lead the way.  The Apostle Paul, in the face of persecution and trial, stated it like this in Ephesians 6:19, “and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel…”

Paul faced shipwrecks, snakes, and storms. Yet, through it all, he maintained his courage for a cause greater than his own life. Make no doubt about it that we will all have to cross painful thresholds to walk into certain rooms on our way to destiny that require boldness. Noah had to build the ark and remain in the ark. Moses had to walk down the walkway to face the most dangerous man of his time, Pharaoh. Jesus had to pass through the Garden of Gethsemane, where His courage and obedience were tested. In spite of all these things, God proved Himself to be faithful. If God be for you, who can be against you? Remember, the Bible says that the enemy walks around “like a roaring lion”, but it never calls him a lion. Jesus is the LION of the tribe of Judah!

Charge your giant. Climb the mountain. Dare to believe. Blaze new trails. Make a decision to be BOLD today. Your future is counting on it!