Prayer for Boldness

FOCUS TEXT

Acts 4:23-31 (please read the whole chapter for reference)

After they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. When they heard it, they raised their voices together to God and said, ‘Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth, the sea, and everything in them, it is you who said by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant: “Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples imagine vain things? The kings of the earth took their stand,and the rulers have gathered together against the Lord and against his Messiah.” For in this city, in fact, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. And now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.’ When they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness.

DAILY BYTE

Let us reflect today on the prayer of Jesus’ disciples. Scripture tells us that God used Peter to heal a crippled man who sat at the entrance of the temple. After this took place Peter and John proclaimed God’s Word to those who where standing by. The disciples were arrested for preaching that in Jesus Christ there was resurrection and life. After being questioned, and seeing the support of the people and the evident sign of God’s power in the man who had been healed, the chief priests had to release the disciples. However, they commanded the disciples not to teach at all in the name Jesus.

After sharing what had happened with their friends, the disciples prayed saying: “...grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” The disciples pray for boldness to speak the Word of God effectively. They pray asking God that as they speak God’s Word, God would stretch out God’s hand and heal and allow signs and wonders to be performed through the name of Jesus.

How interesting it is to find that the disciples pray for boldness when Peter and John have already been exceedingly bold. Earlier in this chapter Peter had boldly accused the authorities of crucifying Jesus. Peter spoke God’s Word boldly in the face of death (risking execution). It is also interesting to note that after they prayed they were filled with the Holy Spirit. Yet, we read earlier in this chapter that Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, spoke to the elders and chief priests. Also, a couple of chapters back, we read that the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit at the day of Pentecost. So, why pray for boldness if they had already been bold? Why does Scripture say that they were filled with the Holy Spirit again if they had already been filled on the day of Pentecost?

These questions are relevant to us today. Because those of us who have been redeemed by God through Jesus Christ have already been sealed with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13). We are the temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19).But that does not mean that we do not need to be filled with the Holy Spirit constantly. You and I must pray for God to fill us with the Holy Spirit. The disciples prayed for boldness because the boldness to speak God’s Word comes from the Holy Spirit. They were again filled with the Holy Spirit after praying because they needed to continually be filled with God’s power in order to proclaim God’s Word effectively.

Do you remember the words of Jesus about the Holy Spirit? Jesus tells us that the Holy Spirit is the one who guides us to all truth, the one who will convince our world o f sin, and the one who will glorify Jesus (John 16:7-15), he tells us that the Father gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask (Luke 11:13), and he tells us that we receive power to witness when the Holy Spirit comes upon us (Acts 1:8).

Dear sisters and brothers in Christ, our world needs to hear God’s Word proclaimed. Those around you hunger for God’s Word even if they don’t realize it. You and I have a privilege that has not been given to the angels in heaven. That privilege is to communicate God’s saving message to the world. Do not be afraid to pray for the Holy Spirit to fill your life. Ask the Father for the Holy Spirit to fill you continually. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you to all truth. Ask the Holy Spirit to empower you to speak God’s Word with boldness for the glory of God.

PRAY AS YOU GO

Jesus, our redeemer, we glorify your name for helping us understand who the Holy Spirit is.Father,we praise you and ask you for your Holy Spirit to continually fill our lives. Holy Spirit of God, we worship you and ask that you empower us to speak the Word of God boldly. We pray for your fruit to be so evident in our livesthat those around us will taste and see that the Lord is good. Father, we pray that as we proclaim your Word, you stretch out your right hand to heal those who hear and that through Jesus Christ, you perform sings and wonders that glorify your name. Amen.