Pursuing Holiness- Part 20

Will you boldly walk in Holiness?

John recorded by The Holy Spirit in Revelation chapter 21:

1  Now I saw a new Heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.

2 Then I, John, saw the Holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of Heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

3 And I heard a loud voice from Heaven saying, “Behold, the Tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.

4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

5 Then He who sat on the Throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these Words are true and faithful.”

6 And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of Life freely to him who thirsts.

7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.

8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

Jesus differentiates the overcomer from the coward and unbelieving person.  The coward is the first one listed being sent to the lake of fire.  A coward is a person who lacks the courage to do or endure dangerous or unpleasant things brought on by the world who are opposed to the Word of GOD.

Boldness is a mark of Spirit-empowerment and is granted in response to prayer amidst persecution.  Paul prays to increase in boldness as a specific grace for proclaiming the Word.

Paul speaks of Holy boldness as he wrote by The Holy Spirit in Ephesians chapter 6:

10  Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with Truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the Gospel of peace;

16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;

18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints-

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.

What caused a transformation in the disciples?  The Resurrection and Pentecost.  The resurrection caused the early church to have faith and be willing to publicly act.  When the power of Pentecost came upon the disciples, they began to proclaim The Word of GOD fearlessly into the whole world.

Where is that Holy boldness among us? 

We are to proclaim The Gospel with boldness for we have been persuaded of the resurrection of Christ, of the defeat of death… that we may have the same change in us that was in these men, who, from the moment they celebrated the Last Supper with Jesus, went into infidelity in fearfulness, but the Christ who fed them that night was raised from the dead and raised them from their fears and turned them into courageous, brave, bold, valiant, and victorious saints.

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