While both cowardice and boldness in all of us, my goal is to completely eradicate any trace of cowardice. This study is how to overcome is.
My last article stated that I would be dealing with the old man within my soul – the evil part of me that wars against my spirit. Among a list of things, the Holy Spirit led me to deal with being bold for God rather than being a coward. There is a coward in me that I must overcome.
While there exist both cowardice and boldness in all of us, my goal is to completely eradicate any trace of cowardice. So this is a study of how to begin to overcome cowardice. I don’t expect to be changed overnight, but I do expect to grow in this area as I become more like God and less like the devil. I hope this article energizes you as much as it does me.
When I talk about being bold, I’m talking about boldly preaching the gospel, telling the truth, exposing lies, and not backing down from opposition and religious bullies who intimidate or attack you for doing so. I’m talking about speaking and writing the truth without apology.
This article assumes that you know not to speak the truth in pride, or in an attempt to put another person down. This article also assumes that you are led by the Spirit and can understand when you should keep your mouth shut as in the midst of people, as Jesus called, “pigs and dogs” (Matt 7:6).
Jesus commanded us to go and teach people to observe all the things that he commanded (Matt 28:19-20). Jesus commanded us to call people to repentance (Matt 4:17) and to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them (Eph 5:11). The gospel is preached so that people may be saved, and to remove any excuse from those who reject God to claim that they didn’t hear the truth to be saved. I believe everyone will hear the gospel at some point in their life.
Cowardice is defined as:
One who lacks courage in the face of danger, pain, or hardship. Other words: chickenhearted, gutless, unmanly. One who lacks resolute which is: firmness, determination and often loyalty.
Boldness is defined as:
Fearless, daring, courageous, exhibiting bravery. Unduly forward and brazen which is: a loud sound. Clear and distinct to the eye. Therefore, boldness stands out, moves forward and is clearly seen and heard.
Cowardice and its root
When the time comes to speak the truth, this is what we think: “I’m scared. I don’t want to be hated or hurt for going against those people or that person.” We all want to be accepted, therefore there is a people-pleaser in us and it cares more about what people think of us, rather than God. Something in us fears more about what people will say and do, rather than the God we represent.
World and Harlot Church programing. If you know anything about the False Church, you know that they’ll teach you that being “nice” and non-confrontational is considered “Christian”. But confronting sin, being bold and speaking the truth is considered disrespectful, judgmental and even unloving.
These lies are pounded into Christians every time they attend church, and if you have any kind of need to please the people in your church and be accepted by them, (like most of us do) you’ll cower down and fall in line and become a person who seldom speaks-up to rebuke error, or to tell the truth – claiming, “I don’t want to judge.” You’ll believe that offending people with the truth is somehow sinful – which it is not. And when given the microphone to preach, you’ll give heavy, sugar-coated, watered-down messages instead of the bitter truth.
You may think that cowardice is a little thing to God, but just know that he lists cowards among liars, murderers, fornicators, sorcerers and idolaters, all of which will be thrown into the lake of fire (Rev 21:8, Rev 21:8 KJV). Because boldness has no fear but cowardice does, cowardice shows our level of love (1 John 4:18). If we really love people enough, we would tell them the truth because love rejoices in the truth (1 Cor 13:6).
How to be bold
We must understand, if God commands us to boldly say something, he will give us the power to do so if we ask. Just like love, boldness is a characteristic of God (Acts 4:31). We should always pray for its growth in us. After telling the Christians in Ephesus to put on the whole armor of God, Paul asks the saints to pray for his boldness:
19 And for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak (Ephesians 6:19-20).
Boldness is how we ought to speak – never with sugar-coated, soft, timid, watered-down speech. Boldness speaks loud and clearly as we move forward to proclaim the truth. We should never draw back from messages that will “get us into trouble” with this or that people group.
We should never cower down and preach doctrines like Universalism or The Gospel of Inclusion because we have a fear of drawing smaller crowds by telling the truth. We should never teach Eternal Security because we are scared that we will offend the practitioners of sin in our church. No teacher who preaches such doctrines has love. We must be bold and preach the truth, no matter how we feel about what someone will say, do or feel.
Stand up to bullies
Bullies can only operate because of the cowardice in people. Take a lesson from “Life” the comedy movie with Eddie Murphy & Martin Lawrence. In the movie, a bully in jail asks Eddie for his cornbread, he refuses because he knew that the bully would soon take everything else. Eddie fought the bully and got his butt kicked, but he said at the end, “but at least he didn’t get my cornbread.”
Our relationship with God is like that cornbread, and the devil is like that bully. If we cower down by not speaking boldly, the devil will dominate us. So it’s better to take a verbal and/or physical beating for speaking the truth, but at least we keep our relationship with God in tact. Persecution is to be expected (John 15:20) and it is better to fear God who can destroy the body and soul, rather than what the devil and his children can do (Matt 10:28).
Learn to be accepted by God and not people.
The need to be accepted and belong to people groups is ingrained into the very fabric of our being. Going against the grain and being the odd man out is extremely hard to do especially in the mist of two or more people. It seems like every bell and whistle goes off in our minds telling us to “shut-up”, “don’t say that”, “they’re not going to like you for that!”
But here is what I want you to consider, as I did: Why try to please people? People are insatiable. One of the biggest things to consider is: these people hate your God and everything he stands for. Why try to please them? So, its best, out of your love, to tell them the truth in order that their souls might be saved. If they don’t listen, then, at least you obeyed God. Often times the majority will hate you, but the minority is who you were sent to speak to. Finally, there’s no use in being silent because silence is deadly.
Check out this profound poem from P4CM:
Boldly facing the opposition
So let’s go forth and be bold and proclaim the truth of the gospel. Let’s pray for power from above and let’s open our mouths loud and clear. When you begin to speak the truth in boldness, the devil will first attack you, the messenger, and if that doesn’t work, he’ll attack the way you delivered it. Remember, bold truth is a sin in the fantasy world of Satan.
Here are the following types of people who will bring the most, harsh and bold opposition: homosexuals, Jezebel spirits (controlling and manipulative women and men), religious leaders and arrogant people in general. Here are a few accusations you will hear:
“You’re offensive!” Answer: “So. Jesus offended many with his message. It’s not my job to make you feel good. My job is to tell you the truth.”
“You’re angry. Anger is sin.” Answer: “If I’m angry, I am angry at sin. Also, to be angry is not a sin. For the bible says to be angry and sin not (Eph 4:26).”
“You’re too loud, Jesus spoke in love, not all this hell talk.” Answer: “Jesus spoke boldly and so does all of his followers (John 7:26, Acts 4:13). Jesus spoke of hell too (Matt 13:42, John 15:6).”
“This isn’t wise, you’re going to get hurt if you keep preaching this message.” This is true, you are going to get hurt sooner or later. But what this person is trying to do is put fear into you now so that you can draw from obeying God in the future. Answer: “Get behind me Satan! (Matt 16:23) God has not given me a spirit of fear (2 Tim 1:7)!”
“That’s not professional. That’s awkward. This isn’t the place for that.” Because the world doesn’t want to hear the bold truth, this is never a good place or a good time to speak the truth. Answer: “The gospel truth will be preached in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the end of the earth (Acts 1:8).”
Let us not be afraid, God is with us, let us boldly go and speak the truth.
This ministry is no longer in service. I left the Christian faith and no longer agree with some of the content posted here. However, this website will remain available for archive purposes. Read the details in my last post.
Brother, I commend , applaud and admire your zeal and boldness for the truth. I will do likewise. I encourage you in your sojourn in this sin-filled world and the sin-ladened false church and false converts. Gods blessing and will be done.
This series showed me some things that have troubled me. I have been a coward, and while I speak truth on a blog, it is a lot harder to say it to someone’s face. I have listened to the scoffers and the mockers that said I was being judgmental and have compromised and stayed in Babylon. My gosh it is a lonely road and maybe just maybe Jesus meant it when He said few there be shall find the narrow gate. But on the other hand we need to be watchful of being snared by spiritual pride. I have been both places but am beginning to realize why God tells us to come out and be separate. If we stay in the middle of people practicing sin, we ourselves will succumb to sin and even our silence gives hearty approval to others that practice sin. It is like some wise man said one time, we become the average of the people we hang out with.
The gospel must be preached boldly. amen
I am now coming to the realization that I can not be truthful to myself without first being bold. Only the bold can say the truth inwardly and outwardly. Fear has held me captive for far too long but I bless the good Lord for deliverance, and this article is part of the process of my deliverance. Fear is a terrible thing as it clouds your judgement and renders you weak in your mind and soul. The truth, on the other hand, sets you free. Though it is a long transition from a state of fear to truth, the end result of peace is worth the price to be paid. Thanks for a wonderful article.