Boldness

Christians in the first Century prayed for boldness: Acts 4:29-31 …look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus."  Today, Christians pray for safety and freedom. We pray to avoid persecution.

 

Stephen could have remained silent and lived to preach another day. He did not. Luke tells us "…there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Do you suppose Stephen's preaching caused that?

 

There is no bible support for Christians to ask God for help to avoid persecution: to have things easy. There are bible examples of God helping Christians face persecution and death. Luke tells us: "…he, (Stephen) full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."  "as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.' And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, 'Lord, do not hold this sin against them.' And when he had said this, he fell asleep."

 

Christians must take the focus of their prayers from themselves to being the Body of Christ on earth and being about the Father's business at whatever the risk.  

 

Paul was focused on God when he told the church in Ephesus: "In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

 

When Paul wrote this to the church in Rome: "I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your

company for a while. At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem bringing aid to the saints." Notice he did not ask for them to pray for his safety while he traveled. 

 

We live in a world regulated by natural law. This suggests a certain amount of suffering is inevitable. We benefit from the laws of nature and we suffer the consequences when they are violated. Suppose a car crashes and people are killed---is God to be blamed because a driver was careless or perhaps a weather factor was not properly considered?

Imagine a world where God suspended the laws of nature whenever someone "prays."

Praying to avoid suffering is against God's plan.