When I came across this scripture, it changed everything for me.
Sweater: Zara (sold out) ;Skirt: Walmart ; Shoes: here ; Bag: here
Imagine for a second you were adopted at a few weeks old. Your adopted parents are from the United States- true Americans and raise you as a true American. Whenever anyone asks you where you’re from, you mention some random state like Idaho because that has been your conviction all of your life. Then several years later, someone informs you that you’re actually Tanzanian. They tell you that you were born in Tanzania and that you’re actually from the Kiziba kingdom. Your real mother is the queen of Kiziba and your real father is the king of Kiziba.
Now all along you’ve been telling folks you’re a regular American from Idaho, when really you are an heir to the throne of the Kiziba kingdom. While you were eating McDonald’s and Outback, your siblings have been enjoying the delicacies of Tanzanian dishes made by one of their chefs; and getting chauffeured around their kingdom. If you knew you were really royal and had access to the benefits associated with a royal life, you would probably find out all you need to know about your birth parents, and get immersed in their life of fortune and privilege. That’s literally how uninformed Christians are. Uninformed christians have no idea of their royal lineage, and as a result they have no idea what they are afforded and what they have access to. But an informed Christian knows; and desires to know more and more! May we become knowledge craving christians…
For a long time, many people have asked me on tips to be more bold and confident as a black woman, and as a believer in Jesus Christ. And for a long time, I never liked answering the question because I wasn’t sure why I was so bold. I just was. I’m not necessarily a shy person, but I am pretty introverted in nature. So when it comes to networking and being around large groups of people, the first thing I want to do is hide behind a wall. But that is not to say that I’m not bold. My personality has always been very bold. I have never shied away from attention, or from giving speeches in front of large bodies of people. It’s just a bit cringing for me to be around a lot of people often.
But when the Lord called me into ministry and commissioned me to proclaim the Good News and teach the Gospel, I accepted the challenge quite confidently. I knew that with God’s backing, with much studying and praying, and with the passion I had for spiritual things- there would be no stopping me. This is why I found it difficult to give tips on how to be bold. Bold was simply who I was… or so I thought…
I’ve been studying the book of 2 Corinthians for a few months now. The 3rd chapter of this book finally gave me the answer to this popular question about my boldness. I’ve learned that boldness and confidence is as a result of God dwelling within me.
“Such confidence we have through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” 2 Corinthians 3: 4 NIV
The first thing we must understand about being confident and bold is that those are characteristics, when in effective operation, that come from God. Any characteristic in an unbeliever that looks like confidence and boldness is really arrogance, boastfulness, or pride. When God is in you and sends you, He empowers you by His Spirit to walk and act in boldness and confidence. Think about the story of Moses. When God told Moses to go to Pharaoah, this was his response…
“But Moses said to the Lord, “Since I speak with faltering lips, why would Pharaoh listen to me?” Then the Lord said to Moses, “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet.” Exodus 6: 7
When God calls and then sends you, He goes with you. And if He goes with you (or is in you), so is His nature. Nothing about God is timid or fearful. So nothing about you should be timid and fearful! There is a glory of God that dwells within believers that makes us bold! And that boldness cannot be hidden or veiled. Because that glory remains within us forever.
The difference between Moses and believers today is that Moses did not have the glory of God permanently. It was always fading away. Because it faded, the Bible tells us that he veiled his face, so that the children of Israel would not be able to tell that the glory was passing.
“We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away.” 2 Corinthians 3: 4 NIV
Upon hearing and believing in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, God sent His Holy Spirit as a deposit and guarantee of your salvation and inheritance. And His Spirt resides in you forever. His Spirit enables you to do many great things in boldness and confidence. So if you’re having a difficult time being bold and confident, ask yourself if you realize how Great the God that lives in you is? Because Greatness lives in you…so you should operate in that greatness too!
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Jesus.