Recently, I shared about the importance of leading with the boldness of a lion, and I’ll continue today.  Remember, “The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion” (Proverbs 28:1). The truth in this proverb has ministered to me so much over the last few years.  I really feel that boldness is one of the most important qualities we need in order to be the kind of leaders God desires us to be.

It seems that God is always calling us to do things that stretch us outside of our comfort zones.  I think He does that, because it forces us to be in a position where we cannot depend on our own strength or ability, but we have to depend on God’s grace.  That’s really the best position we can be in anyway.

You see, if we were always just doing things that fit within our skill set and comfort level, we probably wouldn’t feel the need for the supernatural power of God.  But when we step beyond our natural capabilities, that’s when we allow God’s supernatural ability to take over.

That’s why you must be bold enough to follow the Lord even when doing so causes you to feel afraid, nervous, or uncomfortable.  You move forward anyway though, because you know it’s what God wants you to do.  I like to use the acronym, B-O-L-D, to describe the types of steps we should take with God’s grace.  

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 those individuals would have naturally taken, but with God’s supernatural help, they moved forward.  We should do the same!

O – Ordered. 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.  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.

So, I encourage you to be bold today!  Don’t let fear keep you from experiencing God’s best.  Even if you don’t feel bold, ask God to make you bold by His grace.  David declared, “In the day when I cried out You answered me, and made me bold with strength in my soul” (Psalm 138:3).  God will do the same for you!  Cry out for His boldness today and take actions that are Big, Ordered, Loud, and Deliberate.