I believe that many of us are prone to fear and insecurity when it comes to sharing our faith in Jesus Christ. Whether we avoid talking about Christian convictions, inviting someone to church or your small group, or actually sharing the testimony of our personal salvation, many — probably most — of us struggle.

Why is it such a struggle?

There are probably dozens of reasons why we are insecure about sharing our faith, but I believe it typically boils down to one issue that the Bible calls “fear of man” (Psalm 118:6; Proverbs 29:25; Hebrews 13:6). Let’s call it what it really is: fear of man is nothing more or less than idolatry. Why? Because when we consider the perceptions of people to be more important than the greatness of God, our behavior is motivated by what others think and say about us, not the glory and enjoyment of God.

When this happens, we have allowed someone other than Jesus to sit upon the throne of our hearts. We want to please and appease particular people, which means we end up worshiping them instead of Jesus.

God to the Rescue

Thankfully, God hasn’t left us on our own. Did he simply give us a pep talk in the Bible? No. Did he offer us a 12-step program for how to be better witnesses for Jesus? No. He did something much better, much deeper than that: He gave us his Spirit, the Spirit who transforms us from cowardly bystanders to courageous witnesses for Jesus.

Becoming a courageous witness is not based upon our natural strength or abilities; it is based on faith in the absolute power of the Holy Spirit. The Bible often speaks of our being united with Christ by his resurrection (Romans 6:5) and enjoying the same powerful Holy Spirit that raised him from death (1 Corinthians 6:14). As the power of Jesus’ resurrection works itself out in our life, we grow in holiness, learning to live in victory over sin, and are empowered to be witnesses.

Through faith in Jesus we are forgiven of our sin, empowered by the Holy Spirit to put sin to death (Romans 8:4-13), and empowered to be courageous witnesses (Acts 1:8).

Be a Courageous Witness

Within your circle of influence you have family, friends, classmates, coworkers, and acquaintances that are in need of hearing about Jesus. Step outside of your comfort zone, acknowledge your insecurity, believe again the truth that God wants to save people, and trust God’s promise that you will be empowered by the Holy Spirit to witness for Jesus.

Would you pray every day for courage to step out of your comfort, share the good news that Jesus transforms sinners for the glory of God with those in your sphere of influence, and invite them to your small group or worship service on Sunday?