Courage Invokes Conviction
Php 1:14 Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.
Courage is essential in communicating the gospel with conviction. It takes courage just to speak the gospel to others. But also courage itself communicates. In Acts 4, in asking God to help them preach, the Christians prayed thusly:
- "Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus." 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. Acts 4:29-31
- "Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ." Acts 28:31
- "But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars -- their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death." Rev 21:8
Now if you would like your fellow Christians to boldly speak the Word of God, the best encouragement for them is by doing so yourself.