Our prayers are too safe!

Hebrews 4:14–16 (NLT)
¹⁴ So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. ¹⁵ This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. ¹⁶ So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

Three Dangerous Prayers

“Make me bold.”

For the gospel
Romans 1:16-17
¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. ¹⁷ For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

Acts 4:1–13, 23–31
¹ And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, ² greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. ³ And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. ⁴ But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand. ⁵ On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, ⁶ with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. ⁷ And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” ⁸ Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, ⁹ if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, ¹⁰ let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead–by him this man is standing before you well. ¹¹ This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. ¹² And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” ¹³ Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.

… ²³ When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. ²⁴ And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, ²⁵ who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, “‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? ²⁶ The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed’— ²⁷ for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, ²⁸ to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. ²⁹ And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, ³⁰ while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” ³¹ And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

Lessons

Boldness is a work of the Spirit of God.
Praying for boldness will lead to spiritual opposition.
You will see the power of God in ways you’ve never seen before.

“Lord speak, your servant is listening.”

1 Samuel 3:10–13 (NLT)
¹⁰ And the LORD came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.” ¹¹ Then the LORD said to Samuel, “I am about to do a shocking thing in Israel. ¹² I am going to carry out all my threats against Eli and his family, from beginning to end. ¹³ I have warned him that judgment is coming upon his family forever, because his sons are blaspheming God and he hasn’t disciplined them.

Lesson

Praying isn’t just talking to God, it’s listening to God.

Be still
Psalm 46:10
“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

Be in the Word
Hebrews 4:12
¹² For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

“God, break me.”

Jeremiah 8:18–22 (NLT)
¹⁸ My grief is beyond healing; my heart is broken. ¹⁹ Listen to the weeping of my people; it can be heard all across the land. “Has the LORD abandoned Jerusalem?” the people ask. “Is her King no longer there?” “Oh, why have they provoked my anger with their carved idols and their worthless foreign gods?” says the LORD. ²⁰ “The harvest is finished, and the summer is gone,” the people cry, “yet we are not saved!” ²¹ I hurt with the hurt of my people. I mourn and am overcome with grief. ²² Is there no medicine in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why is there no healing for the wounds of my people?

Lessons

Snaps us out of our self-centered pursuit of comfort and ease.
Comfort never once has moved me to action.
What if God’s greatest blessings come from his greatest breakings?

Questions for Individual Bible Study and/or Group Discussion

How would praying for more boldness with the gospel change your life? When was the last time you were bold with the gospel? For Jesus? Read Acts 4:1–31. What strikes you about the boldness of Peter and John?
Would you describe yourself as more of a talker or listener? Read 1 Samuel 3:1–21. When was the last time you were completely still before God, listening for his voice? What can you do this week to create this space?
What do you think about asking God to break your heart? What feelings does that stir up? Read Romans 9:1–3. Have you ever experienced this depth of brokenness over someone who doesn’t know Jesus as their Lord and Savior? Would you be willing to pray for this depth of brokenness?
Are you tired of playing it safe with your faith?