MORTGAGING DIVINE BOLDNESS...PART 1 TEXT: 1 TIMOTHY 3:13 "For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus."
A saint that would be effective in the business of influencing men for God, would need boldness to safely deal with men. He needs boldness toward God; toward men; and toward the devil. If he is robbed of his boldness toward any of the above three entities, he would stand disqualified to truly and effectively deals with men. What is boldness within this context?
It is simply that inner freedom that suggests a complete removal of any form of inhibition on the way of a man. It is the freedom of speech and the freeness to place a demand of what is rightfully gained and attained by him before God, man and the devil. To God ward, it is a complete sense of right standing with God that actuates freedom of approach toward God any time. It is a confident constant awareness of One's acceptance with God. This makes for easy access to and from the presence of God. It is that inner power, secured by knowledge, which gives a man assured outspokeness and authority to make an order for heavenly dispatch of that which he needs for life and godliness.
Here God is placed under an obligation to either respond to him or risk the breach of His own character and integrity. On this basis, he does not come to God as a begger but as an owner...he only comes to ask for what is his. He may not be a very fluent and eloquent man, but the ground on which he stands, puts God in a position where He is delighted to come to the aid of this bold man. His boldness springs from his standing with God. He can dare to ask God for anything...such do not have small request...he prays for anything. He can look God in the eye and says, " ...these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment..." To this assertion, God would say, "... Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine..." This man, has boldness toward God.
Furthermore, boldness before his fellow men or toward men, is seen in his disposition with men. He does not lack the temerity to vehemently speak out against any ill around him. His face is not vailed with regrate and shame...no present unsettled score with his fellow men that can make him to bow his face in shame. He has no creditor...neither does he have a goods that belongs to somebody...illegally and carelessly detained. He is above board...blameless and harmless.
He has nothing to hide from himself and from men...he has no being, in heaven or earth to hide from...he is not "yea" and "nay" at the same time! When we should see him, we see a pure river of living water. Men listen to him and hold him as authority. He is amongst them but not like them. He values this fowardness and outspokeness that springs from an inner and external just freedom from the in-place censor of conscience and men.
With the two factors above in place, the devil is normally and justly robbed of anything with which to accuse this man: before the devil, he stands as a terror...he has boldness to order the devil around...cast him out and recover all possessions from his hands. The rule here for him is: "...he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil." To be continued. _________________ Emeka Joe Uzosike
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