PODCAST

Praying With Confidence

September 29th, 2012

RG AUDIO 092912
Hebrews 4:14—5:8

Approaching God are you timid, unsure that he hears and answers, or are you bold, confident that he ably does more than we ask or imagine?

When our son Mark died, we consented for him to become an organ donor. Our decision was confirmed when we heard that Mark and his classmates had discussed donation just a few weeks earlier. Mark said, “If anything happened to me, I’d want them to take anything and everything they could use, because where I’m going, I won’t need it.” His words were a witness from the Holy Spirit that we were doing exactly what Mark would have wanted!

Mark’s testimony inspired confidence. Praying with confidence is based on the experience of Jesus. “[H]e offered up prayers and petitions . . . and he was heard because of his reverent submission. . . . Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered” (Heb. 5:7-8).

After suffering the deaths of his children, criticism from friends and cynicism from his wife, Job learned obedience: “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted” (Job 42:2). Such is our confidence in prayer because of Jesus himself!