We need courage to speak the truth boldly.

 

We gain courage to serve the Lord and boldness to serve others in his Name when we are not manipulated or intimidated by an unbelieving society, but draw our power from King Jesus, our risen Lord.

 

Jesus is the source of power by which we become confident and bold. When the first church in Jerusalem needed boldness, they knew that they needed to pray. And so they prayed:

"Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus." (Acts 4:29-30)

 

They never thought that they should have to bear their challenge to live for Christ alone. They laid that problem at his feet. God would do something about it. The mission of the early Church was to be able to confidently speak and live according to the Good News about Jesus Christ.

This is what we too should seek to do today.  

 

“Enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness”. They lived with boldness and had mercy on others, with courage. They prayed, and fear turned into power, in the Name of Jesus Christ.

You better be careful when you pray this kind of prayer. This is the kind of prayer that God answers. The Scripture says, after they prayed they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. (Acts 4:31)

 

Courage is a consequence of our prayerful relationship with Jesus.

 

When you are bruised, you should pray. "Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray." (James 5:13)

When you are broken, you should pray. "Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him...." (5: 14-15)

When you are backslidden, you should pray. “Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins." (5: 19-20)

 

"The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." (James  5:16c.)

Everyone who had a life-changing experience with God truly believe in our hearts that God is real and that he answers prayer. And we all have the desire and the courage to be able to pray in such a way that something important may happen - or change.

 

When you need the courage to be bold in your calling to work for God – you should pray, because courage is a consequence of our prayerful relationship with Jesus.