Be bold!

Do you pray as if you expect a “no” answer?

I sometimes do.  I go through the motions, hoping but not really counting on a “yes” answer.

That’s not how Jesus prayed.

Of course, Jesus began by seeking what the Father wanted.  Then, he knew the answer to his prayers would be “yes”.

Yet, I may know from the scriptures that God promises something.  And I will still doubt that he will say “yes”.

The issue may be that I forget who is really praying through me – Jesus.  Knowing that it is Jesus builds my faith.

Bryan Chappell, author of Praying Backwards, writes:

“We can be very bold, not because we deserve to be heard but because the One who speaks to the Father for us provides us the privileges and power of his identity when we pray.”

I like the way Chappell puts it: “The Holy Spirit does not merely supply the fervor and content of our prayers; he gives us the Savior’s voice to make our petitions.”

He notes Jesus’ words to his disciples about the persecutions they would endure.  Jesus said that they need not worry about what to say because the Holy Spirit would give them Jesus’ words to speak (Mark 13:11).

 

He also points out the apostle Paul’s words that the Holy Spirit groans before the Father for us when we pray (Romans 8:26). 

In other words, Chappell says: “Through the Spirit we petition the Father with Christ himself speaking for us.”

“We pray, but another prays for us.  We approach the heavenly Father, but his Son intercedes.”

As believers, Christ lives in us.  He shares his identity with us.

Chappell says we speak to God with the voice of his child “and with fathers we can be even bolder than we are with friends”.

“If I, an imperfect father, so appreciate hearing my child’s voice, it helps me understand how my heavenly Father desires infinitely more to hear my prayers offered in the voice of his Son.”

Of course, praying in Jesus’ name means praying as Jesus would pray.  In his model prayer, Jesus begins by glorifying God and praying that God’s will be done on earth.

We must seek what God wants.  What he wants is for our good.

Then, we can pray boldly, knowing that Jesus is praying for us.