BOLDNESS   FACTOR

1. Of the twelve leaders sent by Moses, ten suffered from unbelief and lack of boldness. Their factual but negative reporting demoralized everyone and they became grass hoppers in their own sight. Consequently their dead bodies were scattered in the wilderness. (Num. 13)

2. King Saul said to David, ‘you are but a lad’ and his brothers said, ‘Go back and mind the sheep.’ They were focused on Goliath, while David was focused on God and based on his previous experience of fighting lions and bears, finished the giant with a sling shot. Stay away from factual but negative minded complainers. (1Samuel 17:36)

3. Vast majority of Christians suffer from witnessing phobia of being embarrassed or humiliated or persecuted. This is because the church has not taught them on how to engage in dialogue with non-believers with serious consequences, for themselves and the lost. (Ezekiel 3:18,19)

4. Pharisees tried to frighten Yeshua that Herod is planning to kill him. Yeshua said, “Go tell that fox, that I will preach today, tomorrow and the next day.” (Luke 13:31-33)

5. “Paul spoke boldly in the synagogue for three months, disputing and persuading about the kingdom.” Later Paul disputed with the Gentiles in the Hall of Tyrannus. Paul demonstrated his disciples how to interact boldly with hostile Jews and Gentiles as well as healing and deliverance ministry. Soon there were churches in Asian cities of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodiciea. (Acts 19:8-12; Rev. 1:11)

6. When confronted with threats of imprisonment and persecution, the disciples prayed for boldness, “Lord, behold their threats: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,” (Acts 4:29)

7. It does not require to be a great Bible scholar to be bold, “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. (Acts 4:13)

8. Beware of Mephibosheth syndrome. His name means ‘shameful thing’ and he called himself a ‘dead dog’ instead of the son of Jonathan and the grandson of King Saul. Worse still he lived in Loh Davar meaning ‘no thing’. He was a nobody from nowhere. David in his generosity invited him to eat at the king’s table. (2Samuel 9:4-8)

9. Caleb and Joshua had also been slaves but they had a “different spirit.” “Not by might nor by power but by My Spirit says the Lord.” (Num. 14:24; Zech. 4:6)

10. When hopelessly surrounded by the enemy, Elisha prayed and the young man saw that the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha, ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ (2 Kings 6:16) “If God is with us then who can be against us” (Rom. 8:31; 1John 4:4)

11. Paul prayed for utterance to open his mouth boldly. Pray  and then boldly but wisely share whatever the Lord has laid in your heart and get invited to eat at the King of kings’s banquet table. (Rev. 19:6-9; Eph. 6:19; Col. 4:5,6)