Mind the boldness gap

Why is there such a gap between our experience and the life of the disciples in the book of Acts?

You may be surprised to learn where their boldness came from.

In Acts the typical response by Jesus’ disciples to hostility and opposition was boldness. Boldness is the freedom to proclaim the good news of salvation through Jesus without fear, openly, confidently, holding nothing back.

Where does this boldness come from? In the case of the disciples who fled and Peter who denied his Lord, boldness was not natural. Yet when Peter stood before the Sanhedrin, filled with the Holy Spirit, they note his boldness (Acts 4:8, 13). When the believers cried out to God in the face of persecution, the Spirit filled them and they all spoke the word of God boldly showing boldness was a work of the Holy Spirit as much as miracles were (Acts 4:29-31).

Boldness came to the apostles because the risen Lord has shown them from the scriptures, how his suffering and victory and how their mission fulfils the Father’s plan of salvation (Luke 24:44-49). They knew that the forgiveness of sins comes only through repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus (Acts 4:12). They knew their message was the difference between eternal life and death.

So the disciple’s newfound boldness came from experiencing forgiveness in the face of their failure; boldness came through the teaching of the scriptures concerning God’s plan and the part they play; boldness came through the presence of God, the Holy Spirit; boldness came from a conviction that salvation is found in no other name than Jesus; lastly, boldness came because Jesus’ disciples put themselves in situations where it was required.

Why not do the same and see what happens? You might just bridge the gap between Acts and your experience.