Bold As A Lion

                              "The [uncompromisingly] righteous are as bold as a lion."
                                                              Proverbs 28:1




Lions are commonly depicted as "king of the jungle" or "king of beasts" throughout cultures around the world. They often depict royalty, power, kingship, and bravery. In Africa, it is one of the greatest compliments you can ever receive to be compared to a lion. In fact, many of their most powerful rulers incorporated the word "lion" into their nicknames.

Both beauty and strength are the attributes of a lion. Grace and power are intertwined and embodied within this exquisite animal that God created. Never do lions doubt what or who they were created to be; neither do they concern themselves with what the other animals think of them.

When God created us, He created us to be as bold as a lion. He created us to know with certainty who He is and who we are in relation to Him. It is our relationship with Him that allows us to walk in boldness and confidence, knowing that our lives are created to be a part of His master plan.

Boldness is behavior born out of belief. When we really understand that God's Word dominates all else and that He has given us authority and dominion in the earth, it will change everything. Our doubts will be conquered and we will see a God within us that is infinitely bolder than we are.

Hiding God's Word in our heart and building our most holy faith is our number one priority if we want to effect change in our world.  If we are really going to make a difference, we must possess total confidence of who God is and what His Word counsels us to do in each circumstance. This requires courage and confidence to rely on God's power and to speak His Word with conviction and compassion.

We possess the hope for which this world is searching. And if we have it, we are definitely called to share it. We are told that, "since we have such a hope, we are very bold" (2 Corinthians 3:12). We need God to strengthen our hearts and minds so that we can boldly share His truths. When God's boldness pours through us that "He crowns the humble with victory " (Psalm 149:4).

Godly boldness is all about God. It is not a personality trait that only some were given- it is an attribute of the Holy Spirit. Granted, our styles and techniques will undoubtedly differ but the end result will not. We will bear a harvest in our lives when God leads and we care more about serving God than pleasing people.

If, however, we misconstrue boldness for rudeness, we have missed the mark. In our own strength, boldness will appear demanding and controlling. It will insist upon its own way, implementing a steamroller approach. It is always our job to lift others up, not to crush their spirits or flatten them.

When things are difficult in our lives and trouble comes knocking, we often begin our prayer strategy by praying for deliverance. However, often God is wanting us to pray for boldness to walk through our difficulties in faithfulness. This is how Christ's power is displayed through our lives so that others can see Him more clearly. This is how we are old in our brokenness!

When God showed Ezekiel the vision of the valley of dry bones, all Ezekiel could see was death, destruction, and decay (Ezekiel, 37). God told Ezekiel to  prophesy to those dead bones and say, "Thus says the Lord God to these bones: 'Behold, I will cause breath and spirit to enter you, and you shall live; And I will lay sinews upon you and bring up flesh upon you and cover you with skin, and I will put breath and spirit in you, and you [dry bones] shall live; and you shall know, understand, and realize that I am the Lord [the Sovereign Ruler, who calls forth loyalty and obedient service]'" (Ezekiel 37:5-6).

Ezekiel spoke what God said as though he were the voice of God. Similarly, we have been given the Bible to show us what God says about our circumstances so that we can prophesy too. We need to call the Spirit of God down into our circumstances by declaring His Word. This is how we are bold in our speech!

Our declarations of faith have to be bolder than we are. David was one of the least likely candidates to take down Goliath, but he overflowed in confidence of who God is and what God would do through him. He said, "Your servant killed both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the Living God!" (1 Samuel 17:36). This is how we are bold in our faith!

The apostle, Peter, was bold in his prayers. When the disciples saw that one of their women, named Tabitha, had died, they sent two men to get Peter to pray. When Peter got there, the widows were crying and grieving her death. Peter sent them out of the room and "knelt down and prayed; then turning to the body, he said, 'Tabitha, get up!' And she opened her eyes; and when she saw Peter, she raised herself and sat upright" (Acts 9:40). This is how we are bold in our prayers!

Peter was also bold in his witnessing. After he and John had been arrested and put in jail for their boldness in witnessing, they prayed to God for more boldness. Despite additional threats, they prayed, "And now, Lord, observe their threats and grant to your bondservants [full freedom] to declare Your message fearlessly, while You stretch out Your hand to cure and to perform signs and wonders through the authority and by the power of the name of Your holy child and Servant, Jesus" (Acts 4:29-30). Peter understood that it is the boldness of the Holy Spirit that does signs and wonders. This is how we are bold in our witnessing!

It is time for the Church to walk in the full power and authority that have been given to us by Jesus. There are soo many people who need to see God and experience His love and mercy in a personal way. Allowing God to be bold through us is the only way the world will catch a glimpse of the majesty and power of our Savior. Like so many who have journeyed the walk of faith with Jesus before us, we can be a people who are bold and strong and do not waver in the face of adversity!


"Do not strive in your own strength; cast yourself at the feet of the Lord Jesus, and wait upon Him in the sure confidence that He is with you, and works in you. Strive in prayer; let faith fill your heart- so you will be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might."
                                                                                                                              Andrew Murray