The secret to a different kind of boldness
When we are strengthened in the Lord’s Spirit, God gives us an outpouring of boldness to help fulfill our purpose. When we’re confident in our abilities during a sporting event, we play a little differently. We run faster, we take the harder shot, we boldly face the top-ranked team. We are fearless because we believe we have what it takes to succeed.
Don’t you want to live boldly both inside and outside of sports?
When it comes to declaring our faith to our teammates or standing up for what we believe in (even if no one else supports us), we often shrink back and stay small. But God does not intend for you to live small. He is making you strong, resilient, and bold.
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But perhaps not in the way you would normally imagine.
When we are strengthened in the Lord’s Spirit, God gives us an outpouring of boldness to help fulfill our purpose. We can face the things that make us tremble, like telling a teammate about Jesus or standing up for what we believe on social media despite the backlash.
What truly matters? What others think of us, or what God thinks?
He is always for us and knows what makes us nervous. But He’s promised never to leave us alone. God equips us to face our fears with His strength and comforting presence. The Lord will never bring us to a hurdle in life and then abandon us. He is our refuge and strong tower, our firm foundation and ever-present help in times of trouble. We can take these truths into our seemingly impossible situations and breathe boldness into them.
With God, we can be bold.
2 Corinthians 3:12 tells us “Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness.”
In faith
When we are firm in our knowledge of Christ, nothing can come between our faith and our Creator. Once we accept Jesus as our Savior, it’s only the beginning of a vibrant, ever-growing relationship that shapes us into His image. The more we delve into His Word and let it nourish our minds and spirit, the more we can fall back on the verses we need in the moments we need them. As we spend time with God in prayer, listening to Him, and presenting our needs, the closer we get to His heart. The more we serve the world as the hands and feet of Jesus, the more hope we offer people who desperately crave it.
Acts 4:13 says, “The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.”
In life
It’s a rough world. Temptations abound, cultural norms stand opposite to what God says, and we are constantly distracted by temporal things like status, influence, and power that all clamor for our attention. As the world spins seemingly out of control, we can stand firm, fixed on God’s unchanging truth. We can be a voice of truth and love, boldly proclaiming the better way in Christ. Our teammates, neighbors, and friends need someone to stand up for what’s right, and the more we’re infused with the eternal ways of God, the more confident we can proclaim what truly matters.
2 Timothy 1:7 says “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”
In relationships
Jesus placed a high value on relationships. He took great care in conversing with those who society saw as outcasts, and He was drawn to those who knew their need for saving. We have the incredible opportunity to follow in His footsteps and strengthen our relationships with those God put in our sphere of influence. Strengthening our faith includes discipleship, which is walking alongside a teammate or peer and pointing them to Jesus in every area of life. It is God's design that we grow together. When we can sharpen one another in faith and remind each other of our identity in Christ, we encourage each other to live boldly for the Kingdom.
2 Corinthians 7:4 reads, “I have the highest confidence in you, and I take great pride in you. You have greatly encouraged me and made me happy despite all our troubles.”
As we walk with God, we will be shaped into the image of His Son. Our eternity is sealed; we have great confidence that God has us in His hands and we will one day be with Him forever. Until then, we can live out this truth with boldness and courage.
We are God’s beloved. We have His Spirit within us. We have boldness and strength.
Joshua 1:9 tells us, “This is my command — be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
God is with you, wherever you go. Go out for Him today, into a world that is waiting to be transformed. He will give you what you need. You are loved, you are valued, and you are bold.
Sarah Freymuth is the Communications Manager for Fellowship of Christian Athletes and writes content for blogs, articles, Bible reading plans and devotionals that share God's heart with coaches and athletes. She played softball for Concordia University Wisconsin, is in their Hall of Fame, and has led FCA Huddles since high school.
