21 Days of Fasting and Prayer - Here as in Heaven预览

Boldness to Witness

Have you ever found yourself in this place? You want to tell a friend about Jesus. You know they don't have a relationship with God, but you have never dared to bring it up. Every time you start to work up the confidence, your thoughts are flooded with "What if they think I'm weird?", "What if I don't know what to say?" or "What if they stop being my friend?" Ultimately, you decide it's better not to say anything. You're frustrated with yourself because you know what you need to do, but you don't have the boldness to do it.

If you resonate with that scenario, know you're not alone. When we come to Acts 4, we find the early church in a situation where they need boldness. Except for them, the stakes are higher. If they share Christ, they wouldn't just be losing a friend; they could lose their lives. The Jewish ruling council gave the order that Peter, John, and the church could no longer speak in the name of Jesus. If they broke this charge, it could result in a beating, imprisonment, or even death.

Most people would pray for God to remove the opposition if they heard a similar threat. What the church did was completely different. They did not pray for God to remove their problem; instead, they prayed for boldness. The incredible reality about this account is that God immediately answered their prayer. What was God's answer to their prayer for boldness? The baptism of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit filled every person in that meeting, enabling them to speak God's word boldly.

So what will give you the boldness to share Christ with that friend, neighbor, or worker at the grocery store? The baptism of the Holy Spirit. God desires that we will share Christ with anyone, at any time, and in any place. If you cannot do that, you need the Holy Spirit!

As we're in this season of prayer and fasting, it's the perfect opportunity to be filled with the Holy Spirit. If you've never been filled, start to make it a focus in your prayer time. If you have been filled but don't have the boldness to witness, God wants to refill you full to overflowing. As we are filled with the Holy Spirit, God will give us the boldness to go out and share the Gospel. As we do, we will see revival in our cities, nation, and world!