The apostle Paul, who wrote many books of the New Testament, often found himself breaking off into prayer during his writing. During these times, he became so overwhelmed by the truth of what he was writing that he could not help but pray. His prayers are some of the most magnificent moments of his letters.
One of the places that Paul broke off into prayer in his letters was in Ephesians chapter 3. In this chapter, he wrote about the incredible truth that Jesus came for all people, both Jews and Gentiles, and that God had appointed him to spread this good news (verses 1-7). He continued explaining that because of Jesus, "we can now come boldly and confidently into God's presence" (verse 12). As he was writing these things, he became overwhelmed and erupted into prayer, saying, "When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth" (verses 14-15). The good news of Christ so overcame him that Paul fell before God the Father in prayer.
The first thing Paul prayed for in Ephesians 3 was for believers to be empowered and strengthened. He wrote, "I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit" (verse 16). Paul prayed that believers would receive the strength of the Holy Spirit. Indeed, the Holy Spirit does empower and strengthen believers. One of the things that the Holy Spirit does is embolden us to share our faith with the people around us. Jesus Himself said to His disciples right before He returned to Heaven in Acts 1:8, "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." When the Holy Spirit came, that is precisely what happened. The Holy Spirit emboldened believers to spread the good news of Christ all over the world, even when they faced hardships and persecution. Because of the Holy Spirit's boldness in believers, we know about the good news of Jesus Christ today.
The Holy Spirit still gives us boldness today, especially when we take steps to share our faith. We can step out boldly and confidently, knowing that the Holy Spirit will empower us as we make Christ known all around us. Let's be people who lean on the Holy Spirit's power as we take steps to share the hope of Christ with a lost and hurting world around us.
Take a moment now to follow Paul’s example and ask for the Holy Spirit’s boldness. Ask for boldness to live a life that brings honor to God and to share your faith with the people around you. As you go throughout your day, look for opportunities to share your faith with those in need of the hope of Christ and boldly take those opportunities when they come up.
In my first book I told you, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began to do and teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit. 3 During the forty days after he suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God.
4 Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. 5 John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
6 So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?”
7 He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
9 After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. 10 As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”
