Are You a Bold Christian?
Can people tell you've spent time with Jesus when they spend time with you?
The theme of boldness is repeated in Scripture.
David is commanded to be strong, and in 1 Chronicles 28:20, David passes this admonition along to his son Solomon. Joshua 1:9 says, “Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
In Acts 3-4, Peter and John, filled with the Holy Spirit, were on fire for God, and their boldness was evident as they healed a man who had been lame from birth.
In Acts 3, they encountered this man as they went to the temple to pray. Without hesitation, Peter told him to rise and walk, and immediately, the man was healed. Unsurprisingly, this miraculous healing drew attention and a lot of questions from the religious leaders.
But when Peter and John answer their questions, Acts 4:13 says, “When they observed the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed and recognized that they had been with Jesus.”
Peter and John’s bold act was not done for personal gain or recognition. It was done so that people would glorify God. The miracle wasn’t about making Peter and John famous—it was about drawing attention to Jesus. This is what true boldness is all about.
The Sadducees, part of the group who questioned Peter and John, didn’t even believe in the possibility of resurrection. Peter and John's bold proclamation of Jesus' resurrection directly challenged their authority.
Yet, Peter and John stood their ground and fearlessly declared that there was no salvation apart from Jesus. Peter, the same man who had denied Jesus just days before, now stood boldly proclaiming the gospel before the same types of people who had condemned his Savior to death.
This is what Holy Spirit boldness does. Boldness rooted in the Spirit transcends human qualifications and abilities. It causes people to look past us and see Christ. True boldness isn’t about us—it’s about showing others the power and love of Jesus through our words and actions.
After Peter and John were released by the Sanhedrin, they immediately returned to their fellow believers and lifted their voices in prayer. In Acts 4:29, they prayed, “And now, Lord, consider their threats, and grant that your servants may speak your word with all boldness.”
After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, continuing to speak the word of God with boldness. Their boldness becomes contagious.
The secret to a bold life is to be with Jesus. When we’re with him, we cannot be silent.
Notice that when Peter and John were commanded to stop speaking about Jesus, they replied, in Acts 4:19-20, “19 Whether it’s right in the sight of God for us to listen to you rather than to God, you decide; 20 for we are unable to stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” Boldness was a natural reflex.
A truly bold person doesn’t back down when they’re threatened. They stand firm to the truth of the gospel and refuse to be silent because the love of Christ compels them. Boldness in the name of Christ will often be met with resistance, but opposition can be a sign that we are on the right path.
The primary reason Peter and John healed this lame man was their obedience to the Holy Spirit. They did not wake up one morning and say, “Today is a great day to heal someone!”
Instead, they went up to the temple to pray. But as they were going, the Holy Spirit moved upon them to heal this man—not so they could receive glory and personal accolades but so it would be a sign that would point people to their Savior.
Pastor Jim Halbert says we should follow Jesus so closely that our lives are covered with the dust from his sandals. This is a life that is close to Jesus. A life that can’t help but cause others to pause and take notice.
So what about you? Are you a bold Christian? Do others know you’ve been with Jesus because of your actions? Most Christians today are eager to be used by God in powerful ways, but they are much less eager to walk with him daily. Don’t be this kind of Christian.
Stay close and be Jesus with skin on to others.
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