Recently, I shared about the importance of having the boldness to follow God, even when it means leaving our comfort zones.  “The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion” (Proverbs 28:1).

Today, I’d like to follow up with further encouragement to be bold for Jesus.  I like to use the acronym   B-O-L-D   to help me remember the types of actions that require Godly boldness.

B – Big.  We should take on “big” challenges that are bigger than we can handle alone.  Think of all the people in the Bible who took on huge challenges.  David stood up to a giant soldier. Esther approached the king though she hadn’t been invited.  Nehemiah led an effort to rebuild the walls that surrounded the city of Jerusalem.  These actions involved higher risks than the individuals would have naturally taken, but with God’s supernatural help, they moved forward.  We should do the same!

O – Ordained. To be bold means to take steps that are “ordained” by God.  The Bible teaches that “the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord” (Psalm 37:23).  We need to listen for God’s voice and pay attention to His leading.  When we follow a plan that’s ordained by the Lord, we can rest assured that He will deliver us through any trial.

L – Loud.  We should be “loud” for God.  I’m not necessarily talking about loudness of volume, but our lives should be loud examples for Jesus.  When you’re really being bold, you won’t be able to hide your faith; it will be obvious to everyone.  Jesus declared, “You are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden” (Mathew 5:14).  Go ahead and shine brightly for Jesus!

D – Deliberate.   If we are to be “bold as a lion,” we must take “deliberate” action to pursue the goals of our faith.  I’ve learned that when lions hunt for food, they stalk their chosen prey.  They don’t just chase everything that comes along, but they go after specific targets.  In the same way, when God places a certain desire in our heart, we should focus on that target and go after it purposefully and intently.  We shouldn’t tell ourselves that we’ll obey God “one of these days” or when we “get around to it.”  We should aggressively pursue those goals to see them fulfilled.

We live in difficult times, and it has never been more important that we listen closely for God’s voice and be diligently to obey!  Be bold for Jesus with actions that are Big, Ordained, Loud, and Deliberate.  That is how He uses us to fulfill His plans on the earth.