+DEV+ Praying for Boldness

Date: July 31, 2011
Topic: +DEV+ Praying for Boldness

Praying for Boldness

"Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. After they prayed they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly." (ACTS 4:29, 31)
Scripture Focus: Acts 4:1-31

I invited my friend to church, praying my pastor or someone else would lead him to salvation through Jesus. Church didn't seem to do much for him. The next time we talked he said, "I know I need Jesus in my life. I should have accepted Him last Sunday."

At first I was too timid to say anything, afraid of rejection. I prayed, "Lord, overcome my fears. Give me courage to speak boldly." Then I told him to ask Jesus to come into his life right then. He prayed, "Jesus, forgive my sins. Please do come into my life. I open my heart to you. Thank You for dying on the cross for me and forgiving all my sins. Help me to follow Your plan for my life."

We often lack the courage to tell people about Jesus. We fear rejection and ridicule. Or we're afraid we won't say the right thing and goof it all up. We may not have all the answers to the questions they might ask. We need to pray the same prayer the early believers did and be assured that our confidence in who Jesus is and what He has done in our lives will spur us on.

Insight: When we ask God to help us talk to people about Jesus, we receive boldness and blessings, some will even open their hearts to him.