Pray BOLD Prayers

God wants us to pray BOLD prayers. “That we may come boldly and obtain mercy and find grace in times of need.” (Heb 4:15) That’s so cool that we’re given this privilege, but how and why?

Even in the Old Testament, God honored BOLD prayers. Look at Nehemiah (Neh 1:5-11) and Moses (Ex 32:11-14) who both changed God’s mind by praying BOLDLY.

But in the New Testament, in the new covenant given by Jesus, it’s even MORE so. We can ALL pray BOLD prayers. Here’s why:

Have you ever had to open a safe, or a door that needs a few different keys before you can open it?  I used to live in France, and most apartments have many locks on the door, and you can’t go in unless you use two or three keys. (Too bad if you have to run to the bathroom. Ha!)

Check out the verses in Hebrews 4 before that “enter boldly” verse, it explains why. It says that we  have a High Priest interceding for us. “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have One Who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin.”  He’s the main key and the reason why we can pray boldly. It’s because God sees what all Jesus did to pay our debt. And therefore we come with His redemption ticket in hand, His credit card.

And then the verse says, “Let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.” (Heb 4:14) That means we MUST come holding firmly to our NEW IDENTITY. If we go a bit further back (still in Heb 4), it explains the new identity…the Sabbath rest. It says that since we’ve “received the promise and have mixed it with our FAITH”, we’ve entered into the eternal REST, “For whoever enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from His.”

And right after that verse, it goes into this POWERFUL scripture which we all know: “For the Word of God is alive and powerful. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing if soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

Okay, let’s put all this together. The reason we can come boldly to God is because we have three AWESOME keys:

  1. We’ve entered the REST by putting our FAITH in Christ.
  2. We have the WORD of God (alive and powerful).
  3. We have a HIGH PRIEST, in this case, the One Redeemer.

Let’s not forget that middle key. It’s not all to have FAITH, and look to Jesus. But God loves for us to quote the Word in prayer. Why? The Word completes the two other keys. It reaffirms our FAITH in Jesus, (the Word), and with it, Jesus is able to represent us. That’s how Jesus can tell God, “See, he’s on My team!”

God loves for you to remind Him of His Word. It shows you have FAITH in it. It confirms that you depend on Jesus. Plus, It shows you believe in His great integrity and authority. So if you’re in a “hurry” at the door, quote the Word. It’s the BOLD KEY.

Paul told Timothy that if you use the Word, you’re complete and fully equipped.  “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be COMPLETE, fully EQUIPPED for every good work.” (2 Tim 3:17)

So quote the Word in prayer. It makes your prayers “ALIVE and POWERful”.