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The following excerpt is taken from The Art of Intercession by Kenneth E. Hagin:
Boldness
Let us therefore come BOLDLY unto the
throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy,
and find grace to help in time of need.
– Hebrews 4:16
Effective intercession involves boldness.
We come before God’s throne with boldness.
Where do we get boldness? In Jesus!
EPHESIANS 3:11,12
11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.
There are many things you do not need to pray for, but it is all right to pray for boldness. You should, in fact.
For example, you do not need to pray for faith. The Bible says, “. . . faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17).
So you know how to get faith. Faith is increased by feeding it on God’s Word and by exercising it. We do not need to pray for faith.
But the Bible does show us that we can pray for boldness.
Peter and John were bold when they used the Name of Jesus to minister to the lame man at the gate called Beautiful. They were bold when they proclaimed the Name of Jesus to the crowd that gathered.
The Jewish authorities noticed their boldness and took them in for questioning (Acts 4:13). They commanded them to preach and teach no more in the Name of Jesus.
Being let go, they went to their own company and reported all the chief priests and elders had said to them. Then the whole company of believers lifted up their voice with one accord in prayer unto God.
ACTS 4:29,30
29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that WITH ALL BOLDNESS they may speak thy word,
30 By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.
That prayer was answered!
ACTS 4:31
31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with BOLDNESS.
Paul asked the church at Ephesus to pray for him. This great man of God, this apostle of faith, this man who wrote half the New Testament, said, Praying always … for all the saints; and for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth BOLDLY, to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak BOLDLY, as I ought to speak (Eph. 6:18–21).
The Ephesians’ prayer for Paul would have been an intercessory prayer.
Boldness to Act
We need boldness to act. Sometimes during intercession the Holy Spirit may bid us to go to the one we are interceding for. I now refer to an incident in the life of a great intercessor, Charlie Hollandsworth of Spokane. One day he entered into intercession for someone. He did not know for whom he was interceding. After a time of agonizing in the Spirit he was bidden of the Spirit to go to the Monroe Street Bridge. He hurried to the bridge without delay. As he arrived, in the middle of the bridge the Holy Spirit pointed out a man with one leg over the railing ready to jump to his death. Charlie stopped the car quickly and grabbed the man. He persuaded the man to get into his car.
He drove the man out into the country where they could be alone. It took between two and three hours to get the man to accept the Lord Jesus as His Saviour.
—Reidt
Prayed…
Father, it is Your purpose and plan for Your pray-ers to be bold and declare Your authority
We come to You, Lord, with a clean slate
We seek to receive Your boldness
Our ears MUST be open to hear what Your Spirit is saying
We MUST be led by You!
Jesus, we exalt Your name!
New and great days are ahead
We lift up all of the new—plans, jobs, ways, and days!
There are new steps to walk out
Right steps at the right times!
Taking that place and declaring Your Word
Grant us boldness to enter new realms and take new ground
Staying steady now!
Lord, stretch out Your arm in all of those ways
Thank You that supernatural provision has already been given to carry out the vision!
It is time to step out!