BOLDNESS IN PRAYER

PASTOR RYAN LADEN – DEVOTIONALS

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In our continuing study of the message that Jesus Christ gave concerning the meaning and purpose of prayer, we have come to a place where it is now appropriate to talk about the powerful force of this model prayer. In this prayer it is clear that Jesus is calling all who come before the Heavenly Father in a time of purposeful communication to do so with a sense of urgency and passion. In short, we are called to pray with boldness. 

Let’s read this prayer once more:

1 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” 

2 He said to them, “When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread. 4 Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation (or lead us not into the time of trial).”

(Luke 11:1-4 NIV11 – parenthetical translation from Ryan Laden)

Imperative

One of the great things about studying the original languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek) in which the Bible was written is found in this prayer. In Greek, as well as all Latin derivations, the force of a verb is given in a unique form known as the mood of the verb. 

The verbs behind this prayer each carry a sense of urgency and expectation as each of them is given to us in the “imperative mood.” This verbal force does not imply doubt or questioning but instead shows that the person praying this prayer expects that the Lord will hear their requests and take the appropriate action. 

Translation

If we were to translate this prayer into English in a way that helped us to feel the force of these actions we might say the following:

Father, Make your name great!

Make your kingdom a reality… now! 

Give us what we need… today!

Forgive our sins! 

And do not bring us into times of trial or testing!

Fire in Your Belly

This way of praying is not passive or apologetic, instead it is prayed with a sense of need and urgency. This is a prayer that comes from a place of passion, movement, hope, and expectation. 

We are not commanding God to act (that must be stressed) but we are praying in a way that we expect the Lord to hear and act. We do not tell the Lord how to act, but if we are praying like this, we certainly believe that the Lord will act. 

Boldness

There can be no doubt that this call to bold prayer was not an accident. We know this because Jesus goes on to provide an illustration of the kind of force and power that the beliver in Jesus is expected to bring into their times of prayer. 

Listen to what the Lord taught directly following this model prayer:

5 Then he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6 because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.’ 

7 “Then the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ 

8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man’s boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.

(Luke 11:5-8 NIV11)

Point

Please do not read too far into the illustration and so push it beyond the plain meaning given to it by Jesus. The point being made is one that we desperately need to hear and understand. 

Like the bold man who knocked on the door in the middle of the night and asked that his specific need be filled by those inside, so should we come to the Lord with a sense of urgency and expectation. 

•   What is it that you need from the Lord today?
•   What are you boldly asking the Lord to do in you as you seek to walk with him by faith today?
•   Are you willing to bring this need and request to the Lord right now?
•   Do you expect that the Lord will in fact hear you and that he will take action in keeping with his will and your need?

Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, it seems odd for me to address you in the way you have taught us in this model prayer. I hear your call over me and I want to join you in the unfolding of your will. Please provide me with the strength I need to bring you what I really need. Please work mightily in me and through me as I submit to your will and your kingdom today. 

In Christ, 

Ryan Laden

PASTOR RYAN LADEN

Works at MTN. CHURCH

Former Senior pastor at Warnbro Community Church

Studies at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Studied at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Studied at Baylor University

Studied at Texas Tech University

Went to Castle Hills First Baptist

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