Connect Paul's boldness in Acts 9:28 to Ephesians 6:19-20 on speaking fearlessly. Setting the Scene • Acts 9 records Saul’s conversion from persecutor to preacher. • Immediately, “Saul stayed with them, moving about freely in Jerusalem and speaking boldly in the name of the Lord” (Acts 9:28). • This dramatic turnaround shows the transforming power of the risen Christ and the Spirit’s enabling. Boldness on Display in Acts 9:28 • “Speaking boldly” (Greek: parrēsiazomai) means to speak openly, candidly, fearlessly. • Saul’s audience in Jerusalem included the very leaders he once served (Acts 9:1–2). • The boldness was not self-generated; Luke has already declared Saul “filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 9:17). • The same word describes Peter and John earlier: “When they saw the boldness of Peter and John…” (Acts 4:13). One Spirit, one kind of courage. The Ongoing Need for Courage — Ephesians 6:19–20 “Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will boldly proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it fearlessly, as I should”. • Decades after Acts 9, Paul is still asking for boldness. • Circumstances have changed: he is “in chains,” yet the mandate remains. • Even an apostle depends on prayer and the Spirit for continual courage. Linking the Two Passages 1. Same Greek term, same divine source. ‒ Acts 9:28: boldness granted at the outset. ‒ Ephesians 6:19–20: boldness requested for ongoing ministry. 2. Growth, not stagnation. Early boldness did not eliminate future challenges; it prepared Paul to seek fresh grace. 3. Boldness is both gift and discipline. God supplies it (Acts 4:31), yet believers actively seek it (Ephesians 6:19). Sources of Paul’s Boldness • The indwelling Spirit (Acts 1:8; 2 Timothy 1:7). • Assurance of a risen Lord who promised protection and purpose (Acts 9:15–16; 18:9–10). • Unshakeable conviction in the gospel’s truth (Romans 1:16). • Eternal perspective—“to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). Practical Takeaways • Boldness flows from abiding in Christ, not personality traits. • Past victories encourage future faith but never replace daily dependence on God. • Prayer is the God-ordained channel for fresh courage (Ephesians 6:18–20). • Scripture’s consistent pattern: God equips ordinary believers to speak extraordinary truth (Jeremiah 1:7–9; 2 Corinthians 3:12). The same Spirit who emboldened Saul in Jerusalem and sustained Paul in prison stands ready to enable every follower of Christ to speak fearlessly today. |
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