How Bold Are My Prayers?

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.  Hebrews 4:16

In him and through faith in him, we may approach God with freedom and confidence.  Ephesians 3:12

"Parresia (confidence, boldness) is possible as the result of guilt being removed by the blood of Jesus Christ and manifests itself in confident praying and witnessing."

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 11:8

The word (boldness) describes brazen persistence displayed in the pursuit if something.

As I told the story of Rebekah to the children at church last night, I was struck at the boldness and directness of Abraham servant's prayer:

O Lord, God of my master Abraham, give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.....May it be that when I say to a girl, "Please let down you jar that I may have a drink", and she says, "Drink, and I'll water you camels too"-let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac."  By this I will know that you have shown kindess to my master.  Genesis 24:14

And earlier in the week, I read the story of Elijah on Mt. Carmel-talk about bold and confident-even brazen, as he taunted the prophets of Baal!

O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command.  Answer me, O Lord, answer me , so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.  1 Kings 17:36-37

Yesterday, God confirmed, once again, that He has given me the gift of Faith as one of my spiritual gifts. 

"The divine ability to recognize what God wants done and to act when others fall back in doubt.  Even in the face of barriers that overwhem others, people with this gift simply know that God will see it done.  Believing deeply in the power of prayer, they also know that God is both present and active in their lives.  People with this gift, by their works and by the words, show others that God is faithful to God's promises."  Serving from the Heart

Knowing that I have been given this gift, how bold and confident am I in my conversations with God?  Honestly, many of my prayers sound more like a parent begging a child to be obedient to their requests, "Pretty please". 

God has given us the Holy Spirit that intercedes on our behalf when we pray...we've been set free of guilt by the blood of Jesus....the victory has been won.....that calls for boldness, confidence, hutzpa as we approach God's throne in prayer! 

That makes me want to shout out the words, FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM, AND THE POWER AND THE GLORY FOREVER!

Lord, please help me to listen to your direction as I pray.  Help me to exercise my gift of Faith and come to you with boldness and confidence, knowing that you hear our prayers and are faithful to answer.  Amen