Prayer, the Holy Spiirt and Boldness and David Platt — Francis Chan

You and I wrestle with this. I don't think we're alone in wrestling with this. I think this is. Yeah, pretty commonplace. So how do we how do we get out of this? Like how do we? How do we really as? Disciples of Jesus.

Supernatural Courage for Making Disciples

Wow, I make disciples just like share the gospel. See. I don't. I don't want to be too.

Simplistic but I really believe it's gonna be a supernatural thing as people gather together and pray for that courage like what I see in Scripture is. And this is what has given me more of a piece about it because at first I'm like, what is wrong with me?

The Early Church Prayed for Boldness

Like I shouldn't be afraid but then I don't know the last couple years the Lord shown me like how. You know Peter and John how people were astonished by you know their boldness. But then you see later on in that chapter how the believers were gathered together with them and praying for their courage.

And I go, well, we don't really do that. I see the Apostle Paul even saying pray for me that I may speak that you know. Preach this message boldly like I should and so Paul is asking The church pray for me and I don't think we really do that.

Praying for One Another's Love and Courage

And and again, I mean, I believe this is gonna be. You know, like if you and I I Don't have this discussion very often with people and admit that and then have them admit it to me. And then you know a lot of times it just ends right there because we don't believe in prayer enough.

That I really believe something supernaturally would happen if we started praying for each other's boldness and courage. Like it would just it's a fruit of the Spirit. It's not something we're we're trying to.

I don't want to be the cheerleader. It's like come on. You can do it. You can do it. It's like no, let's let's pray about this. Let's pray and ask the Holy Spirit. I mean Paul had to tell Timothy Come on, this isn't the spirit that was given you you're given one that that has that has a courage that has a power that has A love and as a self-control, you know, like when you're saying why maybe I don't love that person.

Maybe you don't. See most people who would say oh no David. You know and it's like Oh Francis come on, of course you love people. No, it's like no, I don't think I love them like I should hmm and pray for that.

Yeah, and I think Christians are too quick to just try to comfort. Rather than saying yeah, maybe you don't love enough. Let's pray about that. Or maybe you're not bold enough. Let's pray for that.

See and that's that's it. Because we are quick to comfort way. Go back in the coasting and nothing changes. Yeah, and we just continue in that and you're not helping that person.

I mean, it's like a fake comfort. Yeah. Okay. Thanks. Sure. You know what you read in Scripture. You see the way the people were in Scripture. And so the only comfort is let me pray for you and let me Encourage you to change that to repent.

Peace Through Obedient Gospel Witness

And then once you do then the peace comes. It's like I mean the peace when I do share, you know. My faith, it's like yes. I feel so much better now. Yes, you know way more than someone patting me on the back.

Oh, no, you're okay. It's it's I'm actually doing it's like oh, this is it. This is good. You get the experience God.

Experiencing the Spirit's Power in Gospel Conversations

I was about to say then I think about the other day. Was it was a Sikh man that I was talking with at a coffee shop and. Man, as we got we started talking about the gospel and just had this wonderful gospel conversation.

And yes, you experience the power of the Holy Spirit. It's it's supernatural, you know in a Otherworldly kind of way and then it's like yes, why don't I do this more? Oh, yeah, and then you go home and you're all happy.

Yeah, yeah, that's where the people and and that's that's key even when we think about having a gathering or material like apart from Just a real desperation for the Spirit of God and a focus on prayer.

Depending on the Spirit Rather Than Gospel Resources

It's not that we don't have we have tons of resources for how to share the gospel in the church today. Yeah, we got tons of reason. I mean good. It's not like we're the only people talking about disciple maintenance, I mean we're all talking about it but are we doing it and and really how we need the Spirit of God to Empower us.

Yeah old in us and we need to Call out for him to do that. We need a supernatural.

Awakening in that sense. Yeah, and I'm trying to think how many times in my whole Christian life, you know 30 years now. How many times have I had other believers pray for my courage my boldness? To go out and share with other people.

Corporate Prayer and Evangelism in San Francisco

Mm-hmm up until this last year. I Think I could count on one hand and then we wonder why am I so insecure? Why am I so afraid? Well, do I really believe in prayer and gathering believers together to pray over me that that's actually going to change.

Something and so right now in San Francisco, I mean, yeah, you are gathering the other guys Every single morning to do exactly that and then you're going out. Yes and showing the gospel. Yes door-to-door.

Yeah, it's been awesome because.

Encouraging One Another Through Scripture and Worship

Just have like-minded people in the room and and to encourage one another. Come on. Let's do this. Let's do this. Don't get afraid don't. Okay I know this happened and to share our discouragements from the day before.

Pray worship my god. No, we're gonna do this. Give us give us new, you know, remind me I need to be reminded to love and to be reminded to be bold. I got reminded of who I am. I got to be reminded that I'm forgiven you know, and so I even say guys you guys like the other morning just Read some verses to me about the cross.

I just need to know that I'm really forgiven. You know. Okay, good good good because I don't want to walk out like this. Okay, let me Earn my forgiveness somehow or and you know, we just need people to do that.

But as we pray for each other in the boldness area, I do see it. I see it happen. There's just days where it's like Let's talk to anyone and that's not normal for me. That's not I can't muster that up.

You.