Acts 4:23-31

Prayer is such an amazing way of communicating with God. He hears all of our prayers, even when you feel He’s not listening…He is. In Acts 4, there’s a section that is focused on prayer for boldness. It starts off with the people pairing with their companions and sharing the news that was shared to them by the chief priests and elders. Right after they shared the news, they “raised their voice to God with one accord and said; ‘Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them…’” (Verse 24 NKJV). They start off their prayer to God by acknowledging who He is which goes hand in hand with how we start our prayers with “Dear Jesus”, “Jesus…”, or maybe even “Hello God”. We always start our prayers acknowledging Jesus.

Throughout the prayer, they are sharing the news they have heard from the chief priests and elders. Then they mention boldness: “‘Now Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus’” (Verse 29-30 NKJV). When they asked for boldness from the Lord our God, they asked for it so the boldness could be used to speak His word. They didn’t desire boldness for their own selfish desires, but in Jesus’ Name to praise Him and share the good news of Jesus Christ.

Now watch what happens right after they prayed this wonderful prayer: “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” (Verse 31 NKJV). Wow! They prayed to God for boldness in His Name…God heard and answered their prayer in literally the next verse! What a miracle worker God is! This is how we should be when we have a prayer for boldness…we should be bold as believers and share the good news of Jesus Christ with boldness! They were filled with the Holy Spirit which gave them the power and boldness to share His word! What an amazing blessing that was granted to them from God and we have the chance if we choose it to ask God to grant us with boldness in His Name and be filled with the Holy Spirit to share His good news to the world!

“For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die” (Philippians 1:20 NLT).

Live bold in Christ and I pray you will be filled with the Holy Spirit to never be ashamed or fear sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, but to do so boldly in His Name.

Amen.