Be Bold

 

Hebrews 4:14-16 (KJV)

14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

 

Prayer is vital to the life of a Christian. No one begins the life of faith without prayer, nor can they continue without a life of prayer.

 

Our vigor, happiness, growth, and usefulness all depends on prayer.

 

It’s likely we will still depend on prayer in heaven, for the souls under the altar prayed to Christ there.

 

Revelation 6:10 (KJV) And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

 

I probably don’t have to remind you that there is power in prayer and when we pray it activates our faith.

 

Our faith is partly based upon our text “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities;”

 

Our prayers touch God; they move Him. That is why the writer said come boldly unto the throne of Grace.

 

Throne = Mercy Seat

 

This “throne” is the heavenly fulfillment of the earthy Mercy Seat/ Ark of the Covenant, which resided in the Holy of Holies, and over which God’s presence manifested.

 

Under the law of Moses, there was to be an ark overlaid inside and outside with pure gold. And above the ark was to be the mercy seat (atonement cover) of pure gold with the golden cherubim extending their wings up and over.

 

No one ever saw this mysterious emblem, except the high priest; and he saw it only once a year, and then but dimly, for he saw it through the smoke of the incense which he presented before the Lord.

 

The High Priest had to go through extensive preparations to enter this area. (The legend of the rope around the ankle is not true; it’s a myth). The Holiest was a forbidding place; No priest felt worthy to enter it.

 

That’s why the Bible says:

 

Romans 3:10 (KJV) As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

 

Romans 3:23 (KJV) For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

 

The mercy seat is where the high priest came once a year.

 

Hebrews 9:12 (KJV) Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

 

He tore down the separating veil and threw the holiest of all open to all who believe in Him!

 

And He’s made us kings and priests unto God, so that where the high priest stood, that’s where we may stand in Jesus!

 

2 Corinthians 5:21 (KJV) For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

 

Our mercy seat is called “a throne” because we come to God as our King.

 

He’s our Father and our friend, but He’s also “the King eternal,

immortal, invisible.”

So, we approach even the throne of grace with the deepest awe and reverence.

 

We’re coming to the throne of grace where God’s purpose is to dispense divine grace!

 

Matthew 11:28 (KJV) Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

 

There’s a call from the throne tonight. It’s a message of grace, mercy, victory, and revival.

 

It’s the throne of God where pardons, regeneration, adoption, preservation, and sanctification are freely given.

 

When we come to the altar, were not coming to a carpeted cover wood structure.

 

We’re coming by faith to the throne of the Lord. And when you come to the throne of God, mercy flows.

 

Ezekiel had the vision where he saw water flowing from God’s house.

 

That same water flows today in this house.

 

Rivers of Restoration

Rivers of Revival

Rivers of Redemption

 

Because our God is on the throne.

 

Don’t let the enemy make you feel unworthy. God has made you worthy to come.

 

Look at who wrote the invitation to come boldly to the throne.

 

It was Paul? Yes, his name was Saul of Tarsus. He was the man who persecuted the saints of God, putting them to death and trying to get them to blaspheme Christ!

 

How could this man dare approach the throne of grace, where Jesus Himself sits?

 

Because, “there is a fountain filled with blood, drawn from Immanuel’s veins, and sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains!”

 

IF Paul can, WE ALL CAN.

 

If that man can come to that throne, then you and I can come.

 

If He can feel safe there, then you too can! If he can come boldly, then you too can come boldly.

 

Paul, who had been forgiven so much guilt, shows us the way to our healing; “Let US therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace!”

 

So, prodigal sons and daughters who’ve left their God and soiled their garments with sin don’t have to feel unwelcome.

 

We don’t have to be like the tax collector who couldn’t lift his eyes to heaven.

 

You can be washed whiter than snow and be as if you’d never sinned at all!

 

Come “boldly” to the Throne

 

Let’s not mistake the meaning of this word, “boldly.”

 

Not Proudly

 

Paul doesn’t say, “Let us come proudly unto the throne of grace.” God forbid that we should do that!

 

Abraham’s prayer for Sodom and Gomorrah is an admirable model of how we are to come boldly unto the throne of grace, for although he pleaded again and again for the guilty cities of the plain, he said, “Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes.”

 

The greatest boldness in prayer is perfectly consistent with the lowest self-humiliation.

 

Not Presumptuously

 

Neither must we ever think of coming before the Lord arrogantly or presumptuously, for it is to a “Throne” that we are bid to come, although that throne is “the throne of grace.”

 

I have heard prayers that have seemed to me like dictating to God rather than the humble, reverent petitions which should be presented by the creature to the Creator, or by the children of God to their loving Father in heaven.

 

We are to come boldly to the throne of grace, yet always with submission in our hearts, even as our Lord, Himself, prayed, “Nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”

 

What does “boldly” mean? Constantly, always.

 

The path to the throne of grace is always open, there are no set times for prayer. Whenever the Spirit of God inclines the heart to pray, the ear of God is open to hear our supplications—and the mouth of God is open to grant us gracious answers of peace!

 

Unreservedly.

 

Every sort of petition is welcome by God.

 

Do you need some great thing? Then come and ask for it!

Or do you need some small thing? Then come and ask for it!

 

Do you have some care that is crushing you? Come and leave it at the mercy seat!

 

Do you have some little worry plaguing you, some thorn in the flesh, some temptation, some dark emotion or unclean thoughts? Come and tell your God all about it!

 

Trust be He won’t be shocked; He knows it already.

 

But He’s there to unburden you and give you a new heart & a new spirit!

 

Cast all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

 

Boldly = Informally

 

Don’t say, “My words aren’t good enough to come to God. I don’t know how to pray good enough for God to listen to me.”

 

Your Father in heaven doesn’t want you to come to Him in a stiff, formal way, but to tell Him, as simply and naturally as possible, the desires of your heart.

 

Parents, when your children first learn to talk, they say their words very imperfectly. They break all the rules of grammar and their prattle is often so hard to understand that other people don’t know what they’re saying. But you know, Mother; You know, Dads!

 

To you, it’s the natural speech for little children. You love the sound of it; it’s endearing to you. That’s the same way God sees your simple prayers.

 

So never mind about your words; use the language of your heart. And when you find that you cannot pray, say to Him, “Lord, I don’t know how to say what I’m needing, but You know my heart. Please help me in this situation!”

 

Boldly = Confidently

 

Psalm 65:2 (KJV) O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.

 

Matthew 7:7 (KJV) Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

 

James 1:6 (KJV) But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

 

We must believe that God hears us and will answer, and it will be ours.

And it will. If it’s His will, it will be done.

 

Boldly = Persistently

 

God wants us to come respectfully, but firmly, with determination that we will not be denied our request. We will persevere until we receive it.

 

Like Elijah who knew that it was time for God to send rain. He prayed 7 times, each time expecting it to begin to rain. When it didn’t, he wasn’t daunted, but with faith and expectancy prayed again.

 

That was praying boldly. He wouldn’t take no for an answer because he was praying in God’s will!

 

That’s how we should boldly approach the throne of grace, holding on to God until our petition is met.

 

Prayer Is God’s Idea, Not Ours

 

First, we are invited to pray. God would never have invited us to pray if He had not intended to hear and answer us. God doesn’t invite you to dinner and then have no food for you. The invitation implies there’s blessings to receive.

 

Matthew 9:13 (KJV) But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

 

Jesus didn’t come for righteous people, but for us sinners, so we can feel welcome coming to Him.

 

It’s only on terms of God’s grace that we can expect to obtain the blessings that we need. Jesus paid it all!

 

Remember the character of the King who sits upon the throne of grace.

 

He is infinite in mercy and love and He delights to bless His creatures.

He is infinite in power and is, therefore, “able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.”

 

He’s unlimited in His resources, so we can’t exceed His ability to help us. Your requests can be as large as they must be!

 

Remember your relationship to the King who sits upon the throne of grace!

 

You aren’t merely His servant, you’re His child: an heir of God, and joint heir with Jesus Christ!

 

All that you ask for is already yours by right of inheritance and shall be in your possession in due time. Shall a child tremble in his loving Father’s presence? Perfect love casts out all fear.

 

Hebrews 4:15 (KJV) For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

 

Claim God’s Promises to You

 

We have “exceedingly great and precious promises” in the Scriptures. If we were uncertain, we might ask tremblingly. But since there are promises in God’s word, we are bold.

 

God is faithful! The same God who answered your prayers last year will answer them this year! He’s the “same, yesterday, today, and forever!”