Ephesians 3:11–13
11This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him. 13Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory.
Focused Thinking:
What was accomplished in Christ?
The inclusion of Jews and Gentiles in one body.
What is our privilege in Christ?
…we have bold and confident access through faith in Him.
The more I know God’s Word, the bolder and more confident I am in my faith.
- Faith isn’t “blind faith.”
- Faith is confident trust that God is who He says He is and that He will do what He says He will do.
What is Paul’s request?
Don’t be discouraged by my sufferings for you.
His suffering was for our gain and glory.
Personal Application:
- The Word of God strengthens my faith in Jesus.
- The Word of God gives me more boldness and confidence to approach Jesus.
- The Word of God creates boldness and confidence in me to be used by Jesus.
- When I am lacking boldness and confidence, it is because I’m not
- approaching Jesus.
- I’m not spending unhurried time with Jesus through His Word and Prayer.
- I’m not spending time with God’s people.
- I’m not spending time serving God by serving God’s people.
When I am lacking boldness and confidence, it is because I’m depending upon my abilities instead of God’s abilities.
2 Timothy 1:7
For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.
- The more I look at the Word, the more bold and confident I am in approaching
- the Lord.
- The more I look at the world, the more timid I am in approaching the Lord.
- The Buying a Lie series is a good example of “boldness and confident access through faith in Him.”
- Why was I more bold and confident teaching on money than ever before?
- I had my priority time in 1 Timothy.
- I focused my thinking on 1 Timothy 6.
- I applied 1 Timothy 6.
- I prayed through 1 Timothy 6.
- I worked through 1 Timothy 6 in my journal.
- I designed the series Buying a Lie from the truths of 1 Timothy 6.
- I studied 1 Timothy 6.
- I wrote four messages from 1 Timothy 6.
- I memorized 1 Timothy 6.
- I taught 1 Timothy 6.
My boldness and confidence came from the clarity and conviction of God’s Word.
Interactive Prayer:
Father, forgive me for being timid when I pray about revival. I know I’m asking for something beyond my comprehension, but it is needed. Give me the boldness and confidence needed to access You through faith. Increase my faith! Give me the confidence and courage to approach and ask unapologetically for Your presence and power to accomplish Your mission.
Father, forgive me for the presence of doubt in my prayers. Father, I pray for the Spirit of God to move in the hearts of our people and give them the gift of repentance. Father, do a work of revival in me. Do a work of revival in my family. Cause my children to have a singular focus on loving You and loving others. Do a work of revival in our staff, our friends and our leaders.
Father, give us the boldness and courage that is needed to teach and preach the revolutionary truths of the Bible. Show me how to present people a “better story”. Show me how to help people flee and pursue. Show me how to build a church that truly “Goes” and truly “Makes Disciples.”
Father, I pray that our people will sow the seeds of love and obedience and reap a harvest of lost souls. I pray that our people will be responsible parents and truly grow their children in Christ. Father, the demands are too great. Give us the resources, staff, leaders and facilities that we need. Father, blow the wind of Your Holy Spirit through our church.
I pray that people will learn, love and live the Word. Father, make us a church that is known as a “Friend of Sinners”. Build a team of prayer warriors for me, the staff and the church. Raise up Jonathans for me and the staff. Raise up Pauls, Barnabases and Timothys for the staff and church. Give us favor reaching all of Memphis, not just white Memphis. Father, since You are the Prodigal God make us the Prodigal Church.
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