A Prayer for Boldness
By: Emily Rose Massey
The wicked flee when no one is pursuing, but the righteous are bold as a lion” - Proverbs 28:1
The last few years it seems there has been constant brutal violence and restlessness among people in our nation that has been ever-increasing and ever before our eyes and in our social media newsfeeds.
So much hatred and violence toward fellow man, so much strife and division in our land, stone cold and bitter hearts towards anyone who may look different than us or think differently than us.
Most definitely, when we see injustice, it should cause us to want to rise up and say something, yet our message as believers proclaiming the solution to such hatred and violence should be vastly different than what the world offers. The imagery in Proverbs 28:1 reveals such a contrast between the world and God’s people:
“The wicked flee when no one is pursuing,
But the righteous are [a]bold as a lion” (Proverbs 28:1, NASB).
As believers, we must be bold as lions and not shy away from speaking truth when the world may want to flee from truth.
The problem is sin.
The answer is the Gospel.
It all begins and ends in the heart.
Deceit and the growth of sin abounds in our day. Church, we must take a stand against both for the sake of the Gospel! We must declare that the supreme demonstration of God’s provision for sinful humanity is seen in the death and resurrection of Jesus.
We must proclaim that the only way a person can see a change of heart is to become born again (John 3:3)! Such internal transformation through the work of the Holy Spirit results in a new life conforming to Christ’s character. Once a person believes the Gospel and trusts in Christ for their righteousness, the Spirit is given by God to indwell and empower the Christian to reflect more closely the character of our Savior (Galatians 5:22–23).
Human effort will not transform the heart of the sinner. Only God can change a hard heart of stone and make it a heart of flesh and that, my friends, is only done through the power found in acknowledging their need of a Savior from their wretched sin and believing the gospel that truly saves souls and changes hearts! Jesus, give us the boldness to proclaim it!
Father,
We are living in a day unlike anything we have ever seen before. Chaos, confusion, and turmoil has been stirring in the hearts of so many people.
We trust that justice belongs in Your hand, but we also trust that You have a great plan for us to see hearts transformed and lives changed.
Jesus, thank You for Your mercy that was displayed upon the cross that has given those who call upon Your name and trust in you for forgiveness and new life. We want to be a part of Your great redemptive plan in the earth.
Help us fix our eyes on Christ when we are tempted to only look at the problems around us. We are asking that You would give us the boldness to proclaim the only solution to what our world is experiencing and that is Your glorious Gospel!
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
Emily Massey began writing short stories and poetry as a little girl, entered the blogging world in her early 20s, and published her first book in 2015. She enjoys being a stay-at-home momma while still being able to pursue her passion as a writer. Believing she has been forgiven much, she loves much, and desires to point others to Christ and His redemptive and transforming power, especially by sharing truth found in God’s written word. If you would like to connect with Emily, you can visit www.emilyrosemassey.com.
Editor's Note: We're proud to announce we've just launched a new nighttime companion to Your Daily Prayer: the Your Nightly Prayer devotional. You'll soon be able to subscribe to receive Your Nightly Prayer via email, or as a podcast, but for now you can find it on the website at crosswalk.com/devotionals/your-nightly-prayer. We hope it's a relaxing and soothing way to wind down your day with rich meditations on who God is.
Related Resource: Jesus Calling - Stories of Faith
Kerry Washington. Andrea Bocelli. Reba McEntire. Mark Wahlberg. Tony Dungy. Matthew McConaughey, What do all of these people have in common? They are all people of faith who have leaned on God in both the good and challenging times—and they’ve shown up to tell their story of faith on The Jesus Calling Podcast. The Jesus Calling Podcast provides a place for people from all walks of life to share the heartaches, joys, and divine moments that keep them going.
Inspired by Sarah Young's classic devotional book, the Jesus Calling podcast has brought encouragement and peace to millions. New episodes drop every Thursday! Listen today on LifeAudio.com or wherever you find your podcasts.
Now that you've prayed, are you in need of someone to pray for YOU? Click the button below!
