Be Bold!

Be Bold!

If you hear words in your heart like, “Impossible, Give up, It is useless!” and so on, it is the voice of the devil, because Jesus never spoke like that to anyone.

We had a meeting in a youth hall in which a large sign hung on the wall. It said: “It is impossible!” But next to it there was a picture of a young boy in a boxing stance with his sleeves rolled up. He was pictured hitting the “im” with all his might so that it vanished. What remained was “It is possible!” In Matthew 17:20 Jesus says, “Nothing will be impossible for you!” Everything is possible to him who believes! If the devil should try to prefix it with an “im” let us knock it away immediately in God’s power and with a holy zeal.

Throughout their entire lives, Satan persecutes people with fiery darts of unbelief to destroy any spark of living faith. He speaks to the child’s heart to kill the holy seed that has been sown by God-fearing parents, Sunday school teachers, and others.

When a soul comes into need over his sin and wants to be converted, Satan is there with his “Impossible! It is useless for you!” He shows him everything that he ever did wrong. But Jesus says, “Be bold, son! Your sins are forgiven! Be bold, daughter! Your faith has saved you!” Matt. 9:2, 22. He makes us alive with Him, forgiving us all our trespasses and wiping out the handwriting of requirements that was against us. Col. 2:13-14.

Satan does his utmost to pull souls into the swamp of unbelief and despair, and he is quite successful at it. We must constantly fight the good fight of faith if we want to keep boldness and joy in our hearts.

Satan also came with this “impossible” when it was time to enter the Promised Land. “The difficulties are too great; the enemies are too strong,” etc. He succeeded in persuading several hundred thousand of the children of Israel to become discouraged and give up, with the result that they remained in the sandy desert instead of entering a land that flowed with milk and honey. Satan is a deceiver; he is evil through and through; he does not wish anyone the least good, but only evil. He promised Adam and Eve that they would know good and evil, and people have gotten to know the latter particularly well since that day.

Joshua and Caleb were not afraid of difficulties. They possessed the spirit of faith, through which they reckoned that they would consume their enemies like bread. They did everything to fire the people on to believe in God’s mighty power. They did not permit the least spark of unbelief to gain room in their hearts, but they believed God’s voice which had said several times, “Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” See Joshua, Chapter 1.

Just as the devil appeared as the Israelites were about to enter the Promised Land, so he also appears to each newly converted soul who is to begin life’s journey of battle and victory. He succeeds in getting thousands of new converts to give up by portraying to them all the difficulties that will come their way. Naturally speaking, it really takes something not to lose courage when we think of coming victoriously and unharmed through this evil and dangerous world in which millions of people have drowned in misery during their brief life’s journey. But even in this case, Jesus calls out His words of faith: “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33. Yes, these are most certainly comforting and blessed words. All the difficulties in the world have been overcome! Hallelujah! Let us believe this, lift up our heads, and continue to walk boldly, rejoicing on the way of the Lord. “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith!” 1 John 5:4.