DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT THURSDAY - BOLDNESS.

"Alas! What stirs ordinary men's blood and turns them into heroes, makes most Christians run like a flock of frightened sheep." - C. T. Studd.

After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. - Acts 4:31.

There is no doubt, according to Scripture, that the these believers when they prayed, were all filled with the Holy Spirit, or as we would say, Baptised in The Holy Spirit. But the evidence here was not tongues, but witnessing with BOLDNESS!

"One of the special marks of the Holy Ghost in the Apostolic Church was the spirit of boldness.

One of the most essential qualities of faith that is to attempt great things for God and expect great things from God, is Holy boldness.

Where we are dealing with a supernatural Being, and taking from Him things that are humanly impossible, it is easier to take much than little; it is easier to stand in a place of audacious trust than in a place of cautious, timid clinging to the shore.

Likewise, seamen in the life of faith, let us launch out into the deep, and find that all things are possible with God, and all things are possible unto him that believeth." - A. B. Simpson.

There is always controversy when someone writes about Holy Spirit Baptism, but that is not my intention here today. I only want to share about what happened after the believer’s prayed, they were filled with the Holy Spirit, and continued to speak the word with BOLDNESS! I believe that this is what’s missing in so many Christians today… BOLDNESS!

"Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not whether they be clergymen or laymen, they alone will shake the gates of Hell and set up the kingdom of Heaven upon Earth." - John Wesley

In all my years as a Pastor, I have never encountered so many timid followers of Christ, as I have in the past few years. We need to reverse that weakness, and one of the ways of doing that, is asking the Lord for BOLDNESS…

Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus." - Acts 4:29-30.

Let's quit fiddling with religion and do something to bring the world to Christ. If you want to drive the devil out of the world, hit him with a cradle instead of a crutch.I'm against sin. I'll kick it as long as I've got a foot, and I'll fight it as long as I've got a fist. I'll butt it as long as I've got a head. I'll bite it as long as I've got a tooth. And when I'm old and fistless and footless and toothless, I'll gum it till I go home to Glory and it goes home to eternal damnation! – Billy Sunday.

We are easy intimidated, when someone speaks against us for witnessing for Christ. There are always going to be people who will intimidate us, there are always going to be people who are against Jesus, but this needs to be confronted, and we need to apply God’s word to our lives, so that we can pray and ask the Lord for BOLDNESS!

"While women weep, as they do now, I'll fight; while children go hungry, as they do now I'll fight; while men go to prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now, I'll fight; while there is a drunkard left, while there is a poor lost girl upon the streets, while there remains one dark soul without the light of God, I'll fight - I'll fight to the very end!" - William Booth

He is ready to perform the miracles, the healings, and that will be a sign to the unbeliever of a living God! The only way that we are going to speak God’s word with BOLDNESS, is to believe that the Lord will answer our prayer, as He did for other followers of Jesus!

Loving Father, I ask you right now from the bottom of my heart; fill me with your Holy Spirit, that I may speak the word of God, with boldness. I ask this in the wonderful name of Jesus, amen!

Be encouraged!
GBYAY