3d • General discussion
Kingdom Key - Point 90
I Am a Bold Witness for Christ
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth…” — Romans 1:16 (KJV)
Kingdom Lesson
There are many things that will identify us during our lifetime. Some people will know us by our profession. Others will know us by our accomplishments, our businesses, our ministries, or the positions we have held. But when our lives are finished and we stand before Jesus Christ, none of those things will define our greatest legacy. Heaven will not measure our lives by how much wealth we accumulated, how many followers we gained, how many sermons we preached, or how many awards we received. The question that will matter most is this: Did my life faithfully point people to Jesus Christ?
The Apostle Paul answered that question long before he ever stood before the Lord. Writing to believers living in the heart of the Roman Empire—a culture that mocked the cross and despised Christians—he declared without hesitation, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.” Those were not empty words. Paul had been beaten, imprisoned, rejected, shipwrecked, and falsely accused because of the gospel. Yet every hardship only strengthened his resolve because he understood something the modern Church must never forget: the gospel is not merely good advice for living a better life. It is “the power of God unto salvation.” It is Heaven’s answer for a world lost without Christ, and there is no other message that possesses the power to rescue an eternal soul.
Jesus did not save us simply so we could one day go to Heaven. He saved us so we could become His ambassadors while we remain on earth. Every believer has been entrusted with the greatest privilege imaginable—the opportunity to represent the King of kings before a world desperately searching for hope. Our businesses become platforms for the gospel. Our homes become places where Christ is seen. Our conversations become opportunities for the Holy Spirit to work. Every sphere of influence God entrusts to us becomes a mission field. We are not called merely to admire the gospel; we are called to announce it through both our words and the testimony of our lives.
Yet if we are honest, boldness does not always come naturally. Fear often disguises itself as wisdom. We tell ourselves this is not the right moment. We do not want to offend anyone. We convince ourselves that someone else will say something. Little by little, opportunities quietly pass us by. The enemy rarely needs believers to deny Christ openly. If he can simply persuade us to remain silent, he has already accomplished much of what he desires. But silence has never changed eternity. The gospel has always advanced because ordinary men and women decided they would rather obey God than preserve their own comfort.
Peter understood this transformation better than perhaps anyone else. On the night Jesus was arrested, Peter denied even knowing Him. Fear governed his heart, and the opinion of a servant girl was enough to silence his testimony. Yet only a few weeks later, after encountering the risen Christ and being filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter stood before thousands in Jerusalem and boldly proclaimed the very Jesus he had once denied. The difference was not Peter’s personality. It was the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. The same Spirit who empowered Peter now lives within every believer. Boldness is not reserved for a select few with outgoing personalities. It is the natural fruit of a heart that has encountered the living Christ and surrendered completely to His Lordship.
Throughout history, the greatest witnesses have often been those who demonstrated extraordinary courage during extraordinary suffering. As I have read the accounts preserved in Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, I have often been struck by the same remarkable pattern. Men and women faced imprisonment, torture, and even death with a peace the world could not explain. They prayed for those who persecuted them. They forgave those who condemned them. Some sang hymns while flames surrounded them. Others proclaimed the name of Christ with their final breath. Their persecutors intended to silence the gospel, yet the opposite occurred. Watching such supernatural peace and unwavering faith, countless observers became convinced that Jesus Christ truly was alive. What Rome meant for destruction, God used for revival. The blood of the martyrs became the seed of the Church because the testimony of a life fully surrendered to Christ cannot be extinguished by death.
While few of us will ever be called to face such persecution, every one of us is called to live with the same courage. Our greatest challenge today is seldom imprisonment. More often it is inconvenience. We fear awkward conversations, rejection, criticism, or being misunderstood. Yet when viewed through the lens of eternity, these fears lose much of their power. Every person we meet is an eternal soul created in the image of God. The coworker sitting beside us, the cashier serving our groceries, the neighbor across the street, the client in our office, and the stranger seated beside us on an airplane will all spend eternity somewhere. Once we truly understand that reality, witnessing is no longer an obligation—it becomes an act of love.
Looking back over nearly six decades of following Christ, I can honestly say I have never regretted sharing my faith with someone. I have never regretted praying with a stranger, inviting someone to church, or speaking the name of Jesus when the Holy Spirit prompted my heart. I have never regretted obeying when the Holy Spirit nudged me to step into a conversation. What I do remember are the opportunities I allowed to pass because I was busy, distracted, or concerned about how someone might respond. Those moments have reminded me that eternity is too important to allow fear to silence my testimony. We seldom recognize the eternal significance of an ordinary conversation. One invitation, one testimony, one simple act of obedience may become the moment God uses to change someone’s eternal destiny forever.
The words of missionary C. T. Studd have challenged believers for generations:
Only one life, ’twill soon be past;
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Those words become more meaningful with every passing year. Every business we build will one day belong to someone else. Every sermon we preach will eventually fade into history. Every position we hold will one day be filled by another. Every earthly accomplishment that once seemed so important will eventually pass away. But every soul is eternal. The people we introduce to Jesus Christ will live forever.
One day we will stand before our Savior and give an account of the life He entrusted to us. I do not believe we will regret the conversations we had about Christ, the prayers we offered for others, the invitations we extended, or the moments we courageously obeyed the prompting of the Holy Spirit. I believe our greatest regret would be allowing fear, busyness, or the opinions of others to keep us silent when eternity hung in the balance.
History reminds us that the gospel has always advanced through ordinary believers who simply refused to be ashamed. The Apostle Paul preached Christ from prison. Peter boldly proclaimed the risen Lord after once denying Him. Stephen forgave those who stoned him. Throughout the centuries, countless believers whose stories are preserved in Foxe’s Book of Martyrs chose faithfulness over fear, even at the cost of their lives. Their peace, courage, and unwavering confidence in Christ became a testimony that drew multitudes to the Savior. The world could take their lives, but it could not silence their witness.
Our challenge today may not be imprisonment or persecution, but the temptation to remain silent. Yet the need has never been greater. Every day we encounter people who are searching for hope, purpose, forgiveness, and peace. God has placed them in our path for a reason. Your kindness may open the door. Your testimony may plant the seed. Your invitation may change an eternity.
So live unashamed. Love people deeply. Speak the truth graciously. Let your business honor Christ. Let your family reflect Christ. Let your leadership point to Christ. Let your life become a living testimony that Jesus is alive and that the gospel is still “the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.”
For one day every earthly achievement will come to an end. But somewhere around the throne of God, there may be people rejoicing throughout all eternity because you were not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
There is no greater success. There is no greater legacy. There is no greater life
Kingdom Prayer
Father, thank You for saving me through the power of the gospel and for entrusting me with the incredible privilege of representing Your Son in this world. Forgive me for the times I have allowed fear, busyness, or the opinions of others to silence my witness. Fill me afresh with Your Holy Spirit, and give me the boldness, wisdom, compassion, and discernment to speak the name of Jesus whenever You open the door. Help me to love people enough to tell them the greatest news they will ever hear, and let my life consistently reflect the grace, truth, and character of Christ. Make my home, my business, my ministry, and every sphere of influence You have entrusted to me a light that points others to the Savior. Give me eyes to recognize divine appointments, ears to hear Your promptings, and a heart that values eternal souls above temporary comfort. May I never be ashamed of the gospel, but faithfully proclaim it through both my words and my life until the day I stand before You. And may there be many in Heaven who know You because I chose to obey Your voice and boldly share the hope that is found in Jesus Christ alone. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Pastor Robert E. Hardy
If these Kingdom Key Points have been a blessing to you and you want to see them go across the world in different languages — we invite you to pray about sowing a one time seed and or becoming a monthly ministry partner with us at www.wordoflifehouston.org. Together we can take these Kingdom principles to every nation, every language, and every generation. Thank you for believing in this mission.
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Kingdom Key - Point 90
