When it comes to sharing your Christian faith, do you ever fear how other people will respond? Well, you’re not alone. Many believers want to tell their family, friends, and coworkers about the Lord, but a lack of confidence stops them in their tracks, along with thoughts of persecution and rejection.
Turning to the stories of the Bible, we see that God can help us overcome a spirit of fear—even in difficult situations. Let’s take a closer look at the story of Daniel, who was thrust into the lions’ den because of his faith:
Daniel served as an administrator to King Darius, and the king wanted to appoint him in a leadership position over the whole kingdom. Feeling threatened, other advisors sought to turn the king against Daniel. Per their advice, the king mandated a new law that punished people if they worshiped anyone other than the king himself.
Daniel, however, put his complete trust in the Lord. Despite the king’s law, he continued to pray to God three times a day. Angered by this boldness, the advisors alerted the king and Daniel was thrown into a den with lions.
Surrounded by apex predators, Daniel continued to trust God; and miraculously, the Lord sent an angel to shut the lions’ mouths. The next morning, King Darius was overjoyed to discover that God had answered Daniel’s prayers. Daniel left the den without a scratch, and King Darius rescinded his law and told entire nations about the living God! (Daniel 6:1-28)
What can we learn from the story of Daniel?
1) God is with us, even in moments of fear.
2) He can use our fearful situations for good, ultimately turning hearts toward Him.
3) Through trust and prayer, we can overcome fear to experience His divine power, peace, and protection, as well as spiritual boldness.
While the battles we face today may not be with lions, modern-day believers can still experience frightening situations from time to time. The key? Fervent prayer. We can ask God for strength and boldness, just as the Apostle Paul did; and, we can ask fellow believers in our community to pray that God would grant our request (Ephesians 6:10-20).
An e3 missionary in South Asia recently shared the story of a new believer named Amani, who came to Christ but was then rejected by her non-believing family members. Amani says that despite this incredible hardship, God is sustaining her with His supernatural peace and joy—and she prays that her family will come to the knowledge of the Lord in due time. The stories of both Daniel and Amani remind us, above all, to remain faithful and prayerful.
If you would like to increase your spiritual boldness in 2023, please consider joining the Made to Multiply initiative! There are a number of ways to get involved, whether you are interested in evangelism training, short-term missions, prayer, church partnerships, career opportunities, or financial giving. We’re excited about equipping one million believers to confidently share their faith, and would love for you to participate. Have a blessed New Year and we look forward to connecting with you soon!
“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him.” — 1 John 5:14-15