Holy Spirit Is In Charge

Don't use boldness as an excuse to be offensive.

When the church of Acts prayed for boldness, they had been told by ungodly religious leaders and politicians to stop talking about Jesus. (See Acts 4:17) They prayed for boldness to speak up anyway. They DID NOT suddenly choose to be loud for the sake of drawing attention. Nor were they rude and interjecting themselves out-of-turn.

They were asked how the man at the temple gate had been healed, a notable miracle. They replied, “It was Jesus.” What made their boldness noticeable was that they were known to be “unlearned and ignorant,” or uneducated men, and they had been seen with Jesus, who was supposed to be dead.

We are exhorted to be kind, gentle, meek, humble, longsuffering, and peaceful. These fruits of the Spirit seem to be anti-boldness. Except what most people call boldness is simply an excuse to say whatever you want in whatever way you want to say it. (See Galatians 5:22-23)

This goes against Scripture.

“Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, or rude. Love isn't selfish or quick tempered.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-5 CEV)

Boldness is not a personality type either. You are not ONLY bold because you are outgoing and extroverted.

Look at Jesus, who was bold and in-your-face with the Pharisees, then when standing falsely accused in front of Pilate, said nothing at all. That was as bold, if not bolder, than letting everything fly. He gave no defense, but not because He was weak. He knew who He was and what His Father would do for Him. He also knew His obedience to the Father’s plan was paramount. (See Matthew 23, John 19:9, Matthew 26:53)

Self-control is one of the most powerful behaviors you can hold, especially when it comes to words. Lack of self-control of your tongue, saying anything you want to say, is compared to a fire lit by hell and a “deadly poison.” (See James 3:6, 8)

Consider the apostle Paul, who had warned the shipmaster there would be a storm if they tried to cross over the sea. They ignored him. Yet when the storm hit and he was proven right, he didn’t speak up for three days. I don’t know about you, but I would have been tempted to sing out, “I told you so!” Instead, when he finally spoke, he gave them cheer and encouragement. (See Acts 27:10, 21-22)

Was that not bold? Would lambasting them for their stupidity have been bolder?

I tell you what that would have done. It would have turned them against him, and the ship would have been lost. He was the reason they would survive. God had told him, long before this, that he would speak before kings. His work was not done yet. (See Acts 9:15)

Boldness is coupled with wisdom, and wisdom understands WHEN to speak and HOW to speak and WHAT to say for the benefit of the listeners. Sometimes that is a word of kindness. Sometimes that is letting people remain ignorant. And, yes, sometimes, that is saying what the Holy Spirit directs you to say.

Which is my point. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS IN CHARGE. It’s His words you are speaking, under His anointing, and not your own. Your own opinions and thoughts do not matter. How you feel about someone makes no difference at all. Nor should you consider what attention it brings you. The glory for the results of boldness is God’s alone.

Think of the church at Corinth. They were exceedingly blessed with manifestations of spiritual gifts, so much so that Paul had to instruct them on how to keep order during services. There were rules on when to speak and how many were to speak so that things didn’t dissolve into chaos.

“If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. 28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.” (1 Corinthians 14:27-28)

Here’s what we often miss in our desire for boldness—It is the Holy Spirit's job to convict the heart and bring correction. Not ours. And He can do it so much better than us. Even greater, we can stand in His way by saying or doing what He has not directed us to say or do. Instead of encouraging someone in their faith, we alienate them. They become discouraged because they can’t possibly “be like us.”

Jesus never turned anyone away based on their personality type. He did not refuse to talk to a Samaritan woman because she’d had five husbands and was living with boyfriend #6. He didn’t look away from a woman caught in adultery when she was cast before Him. He defended her. He didn’t turn His back on a crowd of lepers because they were considered unclean.

He met people where they were, and the Holy Spirit in Him brought change. He was the LIGHT of the world, who come to save that which was lost. He did not use the LIGHT in Him to scald someone and bring embarrassment. Condemnation is the world’s idea not God’s.

“For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” (John 3:17)

It is God who makes the increase. These were the apostle Paul’s words. He described ministry as growing a garden. He said he planted the seeds in people’s hearts. Apollos watered the seeds with the Word and the Spirit. But what made them grow was all God’s doing. (See 1 Corinthians 3:6-7)

We would do well to remember this.

The next time you feel led to speak, let God direct you and stop striving in the name of "boldness" to cram your opinions down someone else's throat. Or using it to force someone who isn’t like you to be someone they are not.

Imitate Christ. Be like Jesus, who was the meekest and lowliest of us all, obedient even unto death, and consumed by love for men and women who didn’t deserve it. That was His motive. What is yours?


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.feelgoodromance.com
www.suzannedwililams.com