🎙️ 25-325 — Bold Faith in a Fearful World

Faith was never meant to blend in. It was designed to stand out.We live in a world that rewards silence about truth and punishes conviction. A world that bows to comfort, compromise, and convenience. But God didn’t save us to survive the times — He called us to shape them.When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stood before the fiery furnace, they weren’t trying to make headlines. They were simply obeying God. Nebuchadnezzar said, “Bow or burn.” They replied, “We will not bow.” That’s what bold faith looks like — calm, steady defiance against evil, rooted in trust, not arrogance.And that same spirit is what we need today.Michelle and I have felt this pressure too. When you stand for biblical truth — whether it’s about marriage, life, or morality — you’ll be called intolerant, outdated, or even hateful. But the real hate is staying silent while people walk blindly toward destruction. Love tells the truth even when it costs you.I’ll never forget when we decided to start speaking boldly about Israel, about truth in Scripture, about the deception in modern culture. Some people applauded. Others walked away. But the peace that came from obedience was worth every uncomfortable goodbye.See, bold faith doesn’t mean being loud; it means being loyal. It means your confidence is in God, not the crowd.Daniel didn’t close his window to pray in secret. He opened it — knowing full well what the cost would be. The lions didn’t scare him because he had already decided: I’d rather die in faith than live in fear.Faith like that isn’t born in comfort; it’s forged in conviction.Too many believers want to be liked by a world that crucified their Savior. Jesus said in John 15:18, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before it hated you.” If your faith never offends darkness, it’s probably not shining bright enough.Fear says, “Stay quiet.”Faith says, “Stand firm.”You can’t follow Jesus and keep your reputation safe at the same time. You’ll either carry your cross or protect your image — but you can’t do both.Bold faith doesn’t wait for perfect circumstances; it thrives in pressure. It’s standing in the boardroom, the classroom, or your own living room and saying, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”And here’s the key — bold faith doesn’t mean reckless arrogance. It means Spirit-led courage. It’s knowing when to speak, how to speak, and when to simply stand and let your presence declare your allegiance.Michelle often reminds me, “Courage is contagious.” And she’s right. When one believer stands up, it strengthens the knees of another. That’s how revival starts — one act of obedience at a time.📖 SCRIPTURE ANCHORJoshua 1:9 (ESV) — “Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”💡 LIVING PRINCIPLEBold faith doesn’t come from personality; it comes from proximity to God. The closer you are to Him, the less you’ll fear them.⚔️ DAILY ACTIONAsk God to reveal one area of your life where fear still dictates your obedience. Then replace that fear with faith — act on His Word even if your knees shake.✅ PRACTICE (Do This...)* Read Daniel 3 aloud this week.* Pray for courage to speak truth in love.* Encourage someone else who’s standing strong — tell them you see their faith.💥 CHALLENGE OF THE DAYDon’t wait until it’s popular to be faithful. By the time the crowd applauds, it’s no longer boldness — it’s bandwagon.🙏 PRAYERFather, make me strong where fear tries to rule. Let my faith roar louder than my anxiety. Give me courage to stand when it’s costly and peace to endure when I’m misunderstood. Help me live unashamed of the Gospel — because You were never ashamed of me. In Jesus’ name, amen.🔥 IN CLOSINGThis world doesn’t need quiet Christians. It needs courageous ones.When others bow, stand tall. When they whisper, declare. When they run, remain.You don’t represent fear — you represent the King.Let’s Get To Work!🛡️ Every mission needs supply lines.If this battle cry resonated, help us keep the line strong and the truth loud.Thanks for reading My Reasons To Believe! This post is public so feel free to share it.My Reasons To Believe is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myr2b.substack.com/subscribe