Bold Faith
We’ve watched movies like Lion King with our children and visited the majestic Lions at the zoo. Their power is only matched by a few. Animals flee in their presence; man stands in awe at their sight. They’ve often been called the “King of the Jungle.”
Lions are symbols of strength and courage, known for their boldness and valor. They’ve been celebrated throughout history as a picture of royalty. Lions even carry Judeo-Christian symbolism, and Scripture refers to them by name.
The wicked run away when no one is chasing them, but the godly are as bold as lions. - Proverbs 28:1 NLT
Bold as lions. Does that describe how we move through our daily lives? It should if we’re filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit brings empowerment, authority, and boldness. We are victorious because of the Spirit of God. While the world flounders around searching for what they believe, why they believe it, and who they are, we can confidently stand bold in our faith because the power of the Holy Spirit inhabits us.
Journal: Scripture tells us to be bold as lions. If you were completely honest, what animal would you compare yourself to during this season of life and why?
So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. - Hebrews 4:16 NLT
Jesus died on the cross so that we could have eternal life with Him in heaven. His sacrifice gave us full access to the throne. We can boldly come before Him, without shame or fear, and receive His unconditional love, grace, and mercy. Never again do we have to try to fix things on our own. We must simply submit to the Holy Spirit within us, and He will do the heavy lifting.
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 NIV
Boldness is contagious. Lions are natural-born leaders in nature. They boldly hunt and take what they need to survive, but they also realize they need each other. Drawing together in groups called prides, they find their strength in numbers. Sometimes they face challenges and may struggle with difficult prey, but they press on, band together, and fight to the very end.
I want to report to you, friends, that my imprisonment here has had the opposite of its intended effect. Instead of being squelched, the Message has actually prospered. All the soldiers here, and everyone else, too, found out that I’m in jail because of this Messiah. That piqued their curiosity, and now they’ve learned all about him. Not only that, but most of the followers of Jesus here have become far more sure of themselves in the faith than ever, speaking out fearlessly about God, about the Messiah. - Philippians 1:14 MSG
Are we boldly sharing our faith without fear of the rejection we may face? Do we find community with those who do the same? Are we using our hardships to propel us forward in spreading the Gospel and encouraging others to do so as well? No matter what our answer may be to these questions, let's determine to live a life of bold faith each day.
Activation: Make a list of people who demonstrate bold faith. Ask one of them to meet you for lunch or coffee and begin building stronger relationships with those who help you live a life of bold faith.
Prayer: God, give me strength when I am weak, wisdom when I’m confused, love when I feel rejected, courage when I’m afraid, and boldness to share my faith in all I do and say. Help me to live a bold faith that is contagious to those around me and draws others closer to You. - Amen
Lions are symbols of strength and courage, known for their boldness and valor. They’ve been celebrated throughout history as a picture of royalty. Lions even carry Judeo-Christian symbolism, and Scripture refers to them by name.
The wicked run away when no one is chasing them, but the godly are as bold as lions. - Proverbs 28:1 NLT
Bold as lions. Does that describe how we move through our daily lives? It should if we’re filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit brings empowerment, authority, and boldness. We are victorious because of the Spirit of God. While the world flounders around searching for what they believe, why they believe it, and who they are, we can confidently stand bold in our faith because the power of the Holy Spirit inhabits us.
Journal: Scripture tells us to be bold as lions. If you were completely honest, what animal would you compare yourself to during this season of life and why?
So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. - Hebrews 4:16 NLT
Jesus died on the cross so that we could have eternal life with Him in heaven. His sacrifice gave us full access to the throne. We can boldly come before Him, without shame or fear, and receive His unconditional love, grace, and mercy. Never again do we have to try to fix things on our own. We must simply submit to the Holy Spirit within us, and He will do the heavy lifting.
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 NIV
Boldness is contagious. Lions are natural-born leaders in nature. They boldly hunt and take what they need to survive, but they also realize they need each other. Drawing together in groups called prides, they find their strength in numbers. Sometimes they face challenges and may struggle with difficult prey, but they press on, band together, and fight to the very end.
I want to report to you, friends, that my imprisonment here has had the opposite of its intended effect. Instead of being squelched, the Message has actually prospered. All the soldiers here, and everyone else, too, found out that I’m in jail because of this Messiah. That piqued their curiosity, and now they’ve learned all about him. Not only that, but most of the followers of Jesus here have become far more sure of themselves in the faith than ever, speaking out fearlessly about God, about the Messiah. - Philippians 1:14 MSG
Are we boldly sharing our faith without fear of the rejection we may face? Do we find community with those who do the same? Are we using our hardships to propel us forward in spreading the Gospel and encouraging others to do so as well? No matter what our answer may be to these questions, let's determine to live a life of bold faith each day.
Activation: Make a list of people who demonstrate bold faith. Ask one of them to meet you for lunch or coffee and begin building stronger relationships with those who help you live a life of bold faith.
Prayer: God, give me strength when I am weak, wisdom when I’m confused, love when I feel rejected, courage when I’m afraid, and boldness to share my faith in all I do and say. Help me to live a bold faith that is contagious to those around me and draws others closer to You. - Amen
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