Really Pray that We Would Speak Boldly
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
Ephesians 6:18–20 NIV Read More
Not to sound like the old commercials for Time-Life Books, but when you are doing something and somebody pops into your head, don’t assume it’s meaningless. The Holy Spirit is with that person and is in you, and God loves to involve His kids in His activities. God regularly gives us a chance to take part in His work by praying. He set up the cosmos so that while He is sovereign and doesn’t need anybody, He will willingly be influenced by our prayers.
Some Christian circles think that ‘praying in the Spirit’ means praying in tongues. That isn’t any truer than praying in the Spirit means you have to be on your knees, holding your hands in the air, facing Jerusalem, or have your eyes closed. It’s not about how you pray as much as it is with whom you are praying. Praying in the Spirit is listening and knowing what the Lord wants you to pray about right now. Praying in the Spirit is to abide in Christ, and be led by Him in your thoughts and motives so that you are asking God for things that Jesus Himself is asking for.
One way to always keep on praying is to view everything that you take in as a prompt for prayer. Watching Avengers? Let that move you to pray that your kids would be bold and courageous, even when they lose. Watching the news? Pray for racial reconciliation and peace between those warring groups.
We live in the most amazing time in history, where we can see details and learn results to move us to pray. We can pray for the church in Hawaii as homes are destroyed and we can pray for Christians on the US/Mexico border as they struggle for discernment. That is how we can be alert. That is how God invites us to be involved in His work and shape His work all over the world.
Eventually, I think this kind of prayer relationship moves us either away from the TV news any media machine and into worlds where we can pray and act. I can’t do anything about the Mexican border, but I can befriend the Latino family down the street that is struggling.
We now have greater opportunity than the Apostle Paul to proclaim the Gospel fearlessly. Not only are we free from chains (literally) to give us the advantage over Paul, but we have all kinds of luxury freedoms to use for the sake of the Gospel.
Let us pray for each other, that whenever we speak, words would be given to us so that we would fearlessly make known the mystery of the Gospel. God loves it and He’s worth it.
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