Our Boldness is Not an Option
Bold means – daring, courageous. And just look at what the Lord Yahweh said
to Joshua after the death of Moses (Joshua 1:2-9) “Moses My servant is dead,
now therefore arise, go over the Jordan, you and all this people, to the land
which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. Every place that the sole
of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given to you, as I said to Moses. From
the wilderness and this Lebanon even to the great river, the river Euphrates, all
the land of the Hitties, and to the great sea toward the going down of the sun,
shall be your coast. There shall not any man be able to stand before you all
the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you, I will not fail you,
nor forsake you. Be strong and of a good courage; for to this people shall you
divide for an inheritance the land, which I swear to their fathers to give them.
Only be you strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do
according to all the law, which Moses My servant commanded you; turn not from
it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This
book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate
therein day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written
therein; for then you shall make your way prosperous and then you shall have
good success. Have not I commanded you? Be strong and of a good courage;
be not afraid, neither be you dismayed for the Lord Yahweh your God is with
you wherever you go”.
Being bold and courage is the opposite of fear and the Bible tells us over and
over to “fear not”. In Isaiah 41:10 it tell us how we can be bold; it says “fear you
not, for I am with you; be not dismayed; for I am your God, I will strengthen you,
yea, I will help you, yea, I will uphold you with the right hand of My
righteousness”.
David says in Psalms 56:1-4 “be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow
me up; he fighting daily oppresses me. My enemies would daily swallow me up;
for they be many that fight against me, O You Most High. What time I am afraid,
I will trust in You. In God I will praise His word, in God I have put my trust; I will
not fear what flesh can do to me”. Also in Psalms 138:3 he says “in the day
when I cried out, You answered me, and made me bold with strength in my
soul”. We too like David can cry out to God, Jesus said “they have not because
they ask not”.
Proverbs 28:1 says “the wicked flee when no man pursues; but the righteous
are bold as a lion”. And who are we but “the righteousness of God in Christ” (II
Corinthians 5:21).
Our boldness comes from Jesus (Ephesians 3:12), says “in whom we have
boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him”. And again in
Hebrews 10:19-20 it says “having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into
the holiest by the blood of Jesus. By a new and living way which He has
consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh”. Remember that
when Jesus died on the cross, the veil was rent in two from the top to the
bottom. The old way of us coming to God was opened and we can come to
God, in fact in Hebrews 4:16 the Bible says “let us therefore come boldly to the
throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of
need”.
Jesus spoke boldly, when the rulers sent men to bring Him, they returned and
were asked why they did not bring Him, and they said that they had never heard
anyone speak like He did; and in Mark 1:22 it says “and they were astonished
at His doctrine; for He taught them as one that had authority, and not as the
scribes”.
The early disciples spoke boldly; the rulers of the synagogue could see their
boldness (Acts 4:13) “now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and
perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled, and they
took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus”. Peter and John was
threatened after they used the authority of Jesus’ name and the man lame from
birth was healed. And in verses 19-24 it says “but Peter and John answered
and said to them, whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken to you more
than to God, judge you. For we cannot but speak the things which we have
seen and heard. So when they had further threatened them, they let them go,
finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people; for all men
glorified God for that which was done. For the man was above forty years old,
on whom this miracle of healing was showed. And being let go, they went to
their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said
to them. And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one
accord, and said, Lord, You are God which has made heaven, and earth, and
the sea, and all that in them is”. They prayed for boldness in verses 29-31
“and now Lord, behold their threatening; and grant to Your servants, that with
all boldness they may speak Your word. By stretching forth Your hand to heal,
and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of Your hold child
Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were
assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke
the word of God with boldness”.
Peter and the other disciples might have been afraid before the crucifixion, but
after the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus they became bold. The Bible
says that “they turned the world upside down”.
Paul became bold to speak the gospel after his Damascus road experience
(Acts 9:20-22) “and immediately he preached Christ in the synagogues, that He
is the Son of God. But all that heard him were amazed, and said, is not this he
that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came here for
that intent, that he might bring them bound to the chief priests? But Saul
increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelled at
Damascus, proving that this is very Christ”. And when Saul went to Jerusalem,
he wanted to join himself with the other disciples, but they were all afraid of him.
But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared to them
how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that He had spoken to him, and how
he had preached boldly in Damascus in the name of Jesus. And he spoke
boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians; but
they went about to slay him”.
Now when the Jews refused to hear him Acts 13:46-49 says “then Paul and
Barnabas waxed bold, and said, it was necessary that they word of God should
first have been spoken to you; but seeing you put it from you, and judge
yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so has
the Lord commanded us saying, I have set you to be a light of the Gentiles, that
you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth. And when the Gentiles
heard this they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord, and as many as
were ordained to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was published
throughout all the region”.
Paul also prayed for boldness (Ephesians 6:19-20) “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. For which I am an ambassador in bonds, that therein I
may speak boldly as I ought to speak”.
Paul spoke boldly to the churches in Romans (Romans 15:15-16)
“nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly to you in some sort, as
putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God. That I
should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of
God that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified
by the Holy Spirit”.
To the churches of Philippi (Philippians 1:20-27) “according to my earnest
expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all
boldness, as always, so not also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether
it be by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But
If I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor; yet what I shall choose I know
not. For I am in a strait between two, having a desire to depart, and to be with
Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful to
you. And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you
all for your furtherance and joy of faith. That your rejoicing may be more
abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again. Only let your
conversation be as it becomes the gospel of Christ, that whether I come and
see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one
spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel”.
To the churches of Thessalonians, he writes in (I Thessalonians 2:1-5) “for
yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in to you, that it was not in vain. But
even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as you
know at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God
with much contention. For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of
uncleanness, nor in guild. But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with
the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God which tries our
hearts. For neither at any time used we flattering words, as you know, nor a
cloke of covetousness; God is witness”.
The apostle John writes in I John 4:16-18 “and we have known and believed the
love that God has to us. God is love; and he that dwells in love dwells in God,
and God in him. 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. There is no fear
in love; but perfect love casts our fear, because fear has torment. He that fears
is not made perfect in love”.
Hebrews 13:5-6 tells us why we should be courageous; it says “let your
conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as you
have; for He has said, I will never leave you, nor forsake you. So that we may
boldly say, the Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do to me”.
Just knowing that God is with us, should strengthen us.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: August 3, 2010
Bold means – daring, courageous. And just look at what the Lord Yahweh said
to Joshua after the death of Moses (Joshua 1:2-9) “Moses My servant is dead,
now therefore arise, go over the Jordan, you and all this people, to the land
which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. Every place that the sole
of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given to you, as I said to Moses. From
the wilderness and this Lebanon even to the great river, the river Euphrates, all
the land of the Hitties, and to the great sea toward the going down of the sun,
shall be your coast. There shall not any man be able to stand before you all
the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you, I will not fail you,
nor forsake you. Be strong and of a good courage; for to this people shall you
divide for an inheritance the land, which I swear to their fathers to give them.
Only be you strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do
according to all the law, which Moses My servant commanded you; turn not from
it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This
book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate
therein day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written
therein; for then you shall make your way prosperous and then you shall have
good success. Have not I commanded you? Be strong and of a good courage;
be not afraid, neither be you dismayed for the Lord Yahweh your God is with
you wherever you go”.
Being bold and courage is the opposite of fear and the Bible tells us over and
over to “fear not”. In Isaiah 41:10 it tell us how we can be bold; it says “fear you
not, for I am with you; be not dismayed; for I am your God, I will strengthen you,
yea, I will help you, yea, I will uphold you with the right hand of My
righteousness”.
David says in Psalms 56:1-4 “be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow
me up; he fighting daily oppresses me. My enemies would daily swallow me up;
for they be many that fight against me, O You Most High. What time I am afraid,
I will trust in You. In God I will praise His word, in God I have put my trust; I will
not fear what flesh can do to me”. Also in Psalms 138:3 he says “in the day
when I cried out, You answered me, and made me bold with strength in my
soul”. We too like David can cry out to God, Jesus said “they have not because
they ask not”.
Proverbs 28:1 says “the wicked flee when no man pursues; but the righteous
are bold as a lion”. And who are we but “the righteousness of God in Christ” (II
Corinthians 5:21).
Our boldness comes from Jesus (Ephesians 3:12), says “in whom we have
boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him”. And again in
Hebrews 10:19-20 it says “having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into
the holiest by the blood of Jesus. By a new and living way which He has
consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh”. Remember that
when Jesus died on the cross, the veil was rent in two from the top to the
bottom. The old way of us coming to God was opened and we can come to
God, in fact in Hebrews 4:16 the Bible says “let us therefore come boldly to the
throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of
need”.
Jesus spoke boldly, when the rulers sent men to bring Him, they returned and
were asked why they did not bring Him, and they said that they had never heard
anyone speak like He did; and in Mark 1:22 it says “and they were astonished
at His doctrine; for He taught them as one that had authority, and not as the
scribes”.
The early disciples spoke boldly; the rulers of the synagogue could see their
boldness (Acts 4:13) “now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and
perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled, and they
took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus”. Peter and John was
threatened after they used the authority of Jesus’ name and the man lame from
birth was healed. And in verses 19-24 it says “but Peter and John answered
and said to them, whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken to you more
than to God, judge you. For we cannot but speak the things which we have
seen and heard. So when they had further threatened them, they let them go,
finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people; for all men
glorified God for that which was done. For the man was above forty years old,
on whom this miracle of healing was showed. And being let go, they went to
their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said
to them. And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one
accord, and said, Lord, You are God which has made heaven, and earth, and
the sea, and all that in them is”. They prayed for boldness in verses 29-31
“and now Lord, behold their threatening; and grant to Your servants, that with
all boldness they may speak Your word. By stretching forth Your hand to heal,
and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of Your hold child
Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were
assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke
the word of God with boldness”.
Peter and the other disciples might have been afraid before the crucifixion, but
after the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus they became bold. The Bible
says that “they turned the world upside down”.
Paul became bold to speak the gospel after his Damascus road experience
(Acts 9:20-22) “and immediately he preached Christ in the synagogues, that He
is the Son of God. But all that heard him were amazed, and said, is not this he
that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came here for
that intent, that he might bring them bound to the chief priests? But Saul
increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelled at
Damascus, proving that this is very Christ”. And when Saul went to Jerusalem,
he wanted to join himself with the other disciples, but they were all afraid of him.
But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared to them
how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that He had spoken to him, and how
he had preached boldly in Damascus in the name of Jesus. And he spoke
boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians; but
they went about to slay him”.
Now when the Jews refused to hear him Acts 13:46-49 says “then Paul and
Barnabas waxed bold, and said, it was necessary that they word of God should
first have been spoken to you; but seeing you put it from you, and judge
yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so has
the Lord commanded us saying, I have set you to be a light of the Gentiles, that
you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth. And when the Gentiles
heard this they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord, and as many as
were ordained to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was published
throughout all the region”.
Paul also prayed for boldness (Ephesians 6:19-20) “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. For which I am an ambassador in bonds, that therein I
may speak boldly as I ought to speak”.
Paul spoke boldly to the churches in Romans (Romans 15:15-16)
“nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly to you in some sort, as
putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God. That I
should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of
God that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified
by the Holy Spirit”.
To the churches of Philippi (Philippians 1:20-27) “according to my earnest
expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all
boldness, as always, so not also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether
it be by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But
If I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor; yet what I shall choose I know
not. For I am in a strait between two, having a desire to depart, and to be with
Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful to
you. And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you
all for your furtherance and joy of faith. That your rejoicing may be more
abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again. Only let your
conversation be as it becomes the gospel of Christ, that whether I come and
see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one
spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel”.
To the churches of Thessalonians, he writes in (I Thessalonians 2:1-5) “for
yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in to you, that it was not in vain. But
even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as you
know at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God
with much contention. For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of
uncleanness, nor in guild. But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with
the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God which tries our
hearts. For neither at any time used we flattering words, as you know, nor a
cloke of covetousness; God is witness”.
The apostle John writes in I John 4:16-18 “and we have known and believed the
love that God has to us. God is love; and he that dwells in love dwells in God,
and God in him. 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. There is no fear
in love; but perfect love casts our fear, because fear has torment. He that fears
is not made perfect in love”.
Hebrews 13:5-6 tells us why we should be courageous; it says “let your
conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as you
have; for He has said, I will never leave you, nor forsake you. So that we may
boldly say, the Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do to me”.
Just knowing that God is with us, should strengthen us.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: August 3, 2010
