When is the LAST time you prayed for BOLDNESS?

I don't know about YOU but I know that I need to be more BOLD in my walk with Jesus.

This past Wednesday our youth ministries wrapped up our 'Missing' series by talking about a missing component within most Christian teenagers: SOLD OUT/BOLD for Jesus!

Boldness takes on many forms within the Christian walk:
- Boldness in seeking God
- Boldness in repenting of our sins (especially if we need to do it publically)
- Boldness in sharing our faith with the lost
- Boldness to do our best each day (even though we don't know what lies ahead)

I have the opportunity to visit teenagers within their local high-schools. It's an awesome opportunity to rub shoulders with teenagers that come from all walks of life. I've been visiting teenagers like this for seven years now and I still get nervous and anxious. (Just think: It's 500 teenagers against ME). Before I go into the schools I pray to God to give me boldness to show the love of Jesus to others in a bustling cafeteria. My God allows comes through in those prayers!

 I pray this prayer every time: "The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?" (Psalm 118:6) No matter if teenagers throw food at me, curse at me, or are impolite, my God is with me.....what's the worst that people can do to you?

When is the last time YOU prayed for boldness?

In the book of Acts the disciples prayed for boldness and looked what happened (Acts 4:31):

"After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly."

It's ironic that we need to go to God in our weakness and brokenness as we pray for boldness. We MUST do that so that others know that our boldness comes from God and not from us! Just like the disciples God wants to shake the world through passionate Christ followers if they pray to him for boldness.

My favorite analogy on being bold is found in the book of Proverbs (28:1)

"The wicked flee though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion."

Lion's do NOT live in FEAR. Lions do not LOOK OVER their shoulder as if being chased, they STAND their ground!

What our world needs are Christians to be BOLD!

God wants to make you a BOLDER......have you prayed for it?