Shameless Audacity

How then should we pray? 

Luke 11:5-11, [5] Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; [6] a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ [7] And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ [8] I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need. [9]  “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. [10] For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. [11]  “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 

[13] If you then, though you are unrighteous, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

God does not want us to be timid children who are afraid to ask him for anything. This scripture makes it so clear that he wants us to have a shameless audacity when we come to him.  It also says in Hebrews 4:16, believers are encouraged to approach God's throne of grace with confidence and without fear to receive mercy and find timely help. 

God loves bold faith!!! 

Another attribute that he loves is tenacity. Which is told in the story of the widow and the Judge. The Parable of the Persistent Widow (Luke 18:1-8) is a story told by Jesus to encourage believers to pray consistently without giving up. A persistent widow repeatedly asks an unjust, godless judge for justice against her adversary, eventually forcing him to grant her request to avoid being worn out by her. (I love that🤣)

Boldness, faithfulness, persistence, unrelentlessness, audaciousness, expectance, pure childlike belief... When we pray, the Lord expects us to come before him and have a heart that sees him as our loving and generous Father, who lavishes upon us the good things his heart desires for us. 

I have learned to come boldly before my Father in the name of Jesus, filled with the trust that the Holy Spirit gives me to lay my request before him. I joyfully expect him to answer My requests in his way and in his timing as he knows what is best for me. I do end every prayer with, "If it be your will my Lord.", because there are things that I may ask for, but, he has a better answer to give me than what I even expected. Knowing that he may alter my request because he knows what is best doesn't stop me from boldly going before the throne of God with my requests. Also, as we mature in our faith our prayers begin to align with his will, so we can pray more boldly.

I know this topic can be confusing but like I said above, don't let anything stop you from the shameless audacity of going boldly before the throne of your Father with your requests. After leaving them there, we have to trust that he knows what's best, that he cares deeply about our feelings and our requests and that he hears us and will act according to our best interest. 

Remember that it is God's invitation to you through the word to come to him with shameless audacity, boldness, relentlessness, tenacity etc. 

James 1:6, describes a person who lacks faith as unstable, double-minded, and easily tossed by circumstances. Just as wind-driven waves are constantly changing direction and unsettled, a doubting person lacks firm conviction and should not expect to receive answers to prayer. 

God loves you and cares about you more than you will ever understand. So take your request to him like a bold little child with a believing heart, and trust him that he will do what's best for you.

Faith is something that will give you the strength to keep going when everything else tells you to stop. 

Philippians 4:6 (NIV) Do not be anxious about anything, but instead, use prayer, petition, and thanksgiving to present your requests to God in every situation. 

You are a child of the most high King, not a beggar and it would serve you well to remember that.