Bold. The word crackles with electricity, doesn’t it?
For some, the word brings to mind children with cardboard swords and fire in their eyes, transforming a living room into a battlefield where imaginations conquer fears. For others, the word is defined by a woman standing at a podium, her voice steady and sure, dismantling decades of doubt with each carefully chosen word. Or it might conjure the quiet rebellion of a young adult refusing to be silenced, looking systemic injustice in the eye and declaring, “Not today.”
However, boldness is not a costume. It is not a performance. And it is not about being fearless.
Boldness in the Bible isn’t about having zero doubts or never feeling scared.
It’s about stepping into challenging spaces with conviction, even with shaking hands and racing hearts. It’s choosing courage when comfort beckons, and choosing faith when fear whispers.
Boldness is the raw, unfiltered moment when your trembling heart is compelled to move forward anyway.
Boldness in the Bible
The Bible isn’t a collection of highlight reels of perfectly confident people. It’s a narrative of ordinary humans doing extraordinary things through an extraordinary God.
Let’s break down what biblical boldness teaches us:
- Courage isn’t the absence of fear. Boldness acknowledges fear but doesn’t let it dictate action. It’s about saying, “I’m terrified, but I’m going to do this anyway.”
- Boldness requires vulnerability. Contrary to popular belief, being bold isn’t about being tough. It’s about being authentic, admitting weakness, and still showing up.
- Bold faith is messy. The most courageous biblical figures weren’t perfect. They doubted, they questioned, they stumbled—and that’s exactly what made their boldness powerful.
Throughout biblical history, women have demonstrated remarkable boldness that continues to inspire us today. These timeless examples empower modern women to confidently walk the path God has created for us.
Three Bold Women Who Rewrote the Narrative
The Bible is rich with remarkable women whose lives reveal extraordinary courage and divine purpose.
If you’re seeking inspiration or validation to embrace your God-given calling, explore the stories of these women through the references provided below.
Their accounts demonstrate how God works powerfully through ordinary individuals, and the same transformative potential resides within you today. Each narrative is a testament to the incredible ways God’s purpose can unfold through willing hearts.
1. Deborah: The Unexpected Commander
Deborah was a judge and a strategic leader in a time when women were rarely given leadership roles. Imagine leading an entire nation’s military while challenging every societal expectation. Her boldness wasn’t about aggression—it was about clarity of purpose and unwavering conviction.
Judges 4:4–9 reveals Deborah’s remarkable boldness: “Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. She used to sit under the Palm of Deborah… and the people of Israel came up to her for judgment.”
Deborah’s story shows that your calling isn’t limited by societal expectations. Bold faith means listening to the Holy Spirit’s guidance over external noise.
You can read more of Deborah’s story here.
2. Mary: Radical Surrender
Mary’s boldness wasn’t a grand public display. It was a profound, quiet yes to a life-altering call. A teenage girl accepting that she was chosen to carry the Messiah? That’s not just courage—that’s revolutionary trust.
Luke 1:38 captures Mary’s extraordinary boldness: “I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”
Mary’s story shows that boldness often looks like subdued, transformative surrender, not just loud declarations. Her yes is more often how God’s call comes to us: in our quiet moments with Him where He leads us to obedience and radical faith in what He can do.
You can read more about the courage of Mary here.
3. Ruth: Advocacy Through Love and Courage
Ruth wasn’t just surviving; she was rewriting the script of her own life. In a culture that ostracized foreign women, she chose radical advocacy through love and unwavering commitment. When her husband died and she could have returned to her own people, she instead chose to stay with her mother-in-law, Naomi—a vulnerable widow with no social standing.
Her bold declaration is recorded in Ruth 1:16: “where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.”
This was more than a personal promise. It was a revolutionary act of solidarity. Ruth advocated not just for herself, but for someone else’s survival. She risked everything—her cultural identity, her potential remarriage prospects, her economic security—to ensure Naomi would be cared for and not be alone.
Ruth’s story of boldness in the Bible shows that a courageous faith isn’t always about grand gestures. Sometimes it’s about showing up for someone when the world says you don’t have to. Making a difference can look like choosing compassion over convenience, or relationship over personal comfort. Your voice matters, and sometimes that voice speaks loudest through actions of radical, sacrificial love.
You can read more of Ruth’s story here.
How to Embrace Biblical Boldness Today
1. Embrace Imperfect Action
Stop waiting to be perfectly prepared. Bold faith means moving forward with what you have, learning, and adjusting as you go. There is never a “right time” or “right place.” If God has prompted you to go or speak or do something, act immediately. He will fill in all that needs to be filled in as you obey.
2. Cultivate Honest Community
Boldness grows in spaces where vulnerability is welcomed. Find people who challenge you lovingly and support your growth. Surround yourself with people who push you to be better and draw you into spaces where you can live fully in who God has called you to be.
3. Reframe “Failure”
In biblical boldness, there’s no such thing as failure—only redirected paths and learning opportunities. There are no wasted moments or actions when you’re living obediently to God’s commands. He always has a way of directing your next steps when you follow His lead in your life.
Remember, boldness isn’t a personality type—it’s a muscle. The more you exercise it, the stronger it becomes.
Ask yourself:
- Where am I playing it safe?
- What small step could I take today that feels slightly uncomfortable?
- How can I use my unique voice and story?
Boldness isn’t being fearless. It’s being fear-full and moving forward anyway.
If we learn anything from the boldness of these three women in the Bible, let it be their example of showing up, speaking up, and standing firm.
Your story isn’t over. And your boldest chapter? It might just be beginning.
Krystal Ribble is an author, producer, and CEO of Told You So Media, where she serves as voice talent and writer across multiple podcasts, including “Deposit Your Doubt,” which explores questions of faith. A three-time author with an Independent Publisher Association award for Best Gift Book, her writing and voice have been featured on TBN’s “Better Together.” Krystal brings fresh perspectives to timeless biblical narratives while raising five boys with her husband, Jared, in Nashville.
