Do you ever read a story in the Bible and find yourself amazed at the choices of the people in the story? That is my reaction each time I read the story of the Peter, John, and their companions in Acts chapter four. Peter and John had been arrested and forced to spend the night in prison. They had been interrogated by the Jewish Sanhedrin and told not to speak the name of Jesus. Acts 4:21 says, “when they had threatened them, they let them go”. Do you know what they did next? They found some friends and had a good, old-fashioned prayer meeting.
The men who had just been threatened and released from prison, found some friends, and started praising God and praying. Now, I’m fairly sure if I were them, I would be praying some “Jesus please help me” “Make them stop” and “Make this better” kind of prayers, but that is not what they did. They asked God to give them boldness to speak His Word. They asked not for relief but boldness to speak His Word in the face of the danger and opposition they were facing! I find that I am both amazed and convicted every time I read the words of their prayer!
They didn’t ask for protection and they didn’t ask for relief; they asked for boldness to keep on sharing Him. And you know what? God heard and answered in a big way. The Bible says in Acts 4:31, “And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.” They prayed and God answered with earth-shaking results! When was the last time you prayed until God literally shook the place where you were praying? Can you imagine such an experience?!
I’ve heard it said many times that when a child of God prays in accordance with His will, He hears and answers and this certainly seems to affirm the truth of that. Imagine a room full of people praying and basically saying, “God, I’m not worried about relief; I’m not worried about comfort. I want the boldness to make You known. I want the boldness to spread Your Word no matter what comes.” My friend, that is the kind of prayer God likes to hear. That is the kind of prayer that causes God to shake some things up in your life. That kind of prayer changes you.
The question is… do we have the courage to pray like that? Hmm, I have to confess I am nervous even typing these words for I know I must always first ask myself any question I plan to ask you. This question cannot be answered quickly. No, it definitely requires some serious thought. It requires some serious soul-searching. I don’t mind admitting this question scares me. I am not by nature, a brave person and the answer I want to give to this question requires no small amount of courage. I have to stop a while and think about this; I cannot just type words if I do not plan to live them out in my own life.
Comfort and relief or courage and boldness, can a Christian truly have both and live a life that changes the world? A million thoughts are racing through my mind as I ponder over this passage, over this challenge. Do I have the courage that these followers had? Do have the courage to pray not for comfort and relief, but for the boldness, the confidence to speak His Word without fear of the consequences? Can I pray that He will give me a desire to further His kingdom that is much stronger than my desire for my own comfort? These questions need an answer.
I sit with my thoughts a while and I confess that relief and comfort are lovely things; they are definitely safer than the path of boldness. A part of me wishes to seek comfort and ease but a greater part of me has decided that comfort and ease do not make a difference in the world. I could choose to ask for a life free from troubles but what if those troubles are part of His plan for furthering His kingdom? How can I change the world if I refuse to pray for the boldness to speak His Word? How can I stand before Him someday and not have done all I could to honor the sacrifice He made by boldly sharing His Word?
I am almost ashamed of myself as I wonder how I could be afraid to pray as boldly as these followers of Christ! How could I possibly hesitate to want Him more than anything? How on earth could I possibly consider a “safe life” an option, in light of what He did for me? How could I want anything less than a holy boldness to speak His Word in hopes of shaking and changing the world around me? If I don’t make a difference in this world, have I really lived? If I don’t speak His Word, have I said anything worth saying? If I don’t make Him known, what have I done that mattered?
O God give me the courage that these followers of Yours had. Give me the courage to pray bold prayers like these men did. Teach me to genuinely want You more than anything. Fill me with a desire to see Your kingdom grow. Where I have grown complacent, shake me and fill me with a new fire. Give me the boldness to speak Your Word. Remind me that the people around me need You more than they need anything else in this world. Teach me to make prayer my first resort, not my last one. Teach me to pray in accordance with Your will and Your Word. Show me how to pray prayers that move Your heart and bring the earth-shaking results we need LORD. You are God Almighty; forgive me for the times I limit You by praying anything less than bold, earth-shaking prayers! Help me to make a difference in this world Lord. Give me the words to say that will draw others to You my beloved Savior. Please help me to live worthy of the calling You have placed on my life Lord (Eph. 4:1). You gave Your life for me; help me to be willing to give my life for You. Use me Lord; use me. May Your perfect will be done! Amen
And also for me, that the words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel. Ephesians 6:19
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes… Romans 1:16
Katrina Douglas
