Day 19 — Pray with Boldness

“Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”— James 5:16

(NIV)

Prayer is not only something we do privately with God. As disciples of Jesus, prayer is also one of the ways we minister to people. Someone tells you they are afraid or they share that their marriage is struggling. Someone receives a difficult diagnosis. Someone is grieving. Someone needs wisdom. Someone is carrying a burden they do not know how to handle. In those moments, we often say: “I’ll pray for you.” And we should, but sometimes there is another step we can take: “Can I pray for you right now?”

You don’t need to be a pastor or a ministry title. You don’t need impressive words. You simply need to know the One you are praying to. Prayer brings the needs of people before our Father and invites His Kingdom into the situation.

When Jesus taught His disciples about prayer, He did not leave them without direction. He gave them a pattern: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” — Matthew 6:9–13 (NIV) The Lord’s Prayer is more than something we can recite. Jesus said: “This, then, is how you should pray…” — Matthew 6:9

He was showing His disciples a pattern for approaching the Father. When we understand that pattern, prayer becomes much less intimidating.

Prayer begins with relationship. Our Father. Jesus taught us to approach God knowing who He is. We aren’t speaking into the air. We aren’t trying to convince a distant God to notice us. Through Jesus Christ, we have access to our Father. We come knowing that He loves us, hears us, and invites us near. Before we worry about finding the perfect words, we remember I am talking to my Father.

Prayer turns our attention toward God. Before becoming consumed with the size of the problem, we remember the greatness of our God. He is holy. He is faithful. He is good. He is powerful. He is merciful. He is our Provider, our Healer, our Deliverer and our Peace. Worship changes our perspective. The situation may be difficult, but God has not changed.

Prayer begins with God at the center.

Jesus taught us to pray: “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Prayer is not about convincing God to accomplish our agenda. It aligns our hearts with His. We can pray boldly while remaining surrendered.

“Father, let Your Kingdom come into this situation.” “Let Your will be done.” “Let what You desire be established here.”

Surrender does not make prayer weak. It puts our confidence in the right place. We are not trusting our ability to control an outcome. We trust the King.

Jesus taught us to ask. God cares about our needs. He gives us provision, wisdom, strength, peace and direction. He is Healing, He is in our relationships. We do not need to pretend our needs do not matter.

Philippians 4:6 tells us: “In every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present (NIV) your requests to God.”

When someone asks us for prayer, we can listen to what they actually need and bring that need specifically before the Father. If they need healing, ask for healing. If they need wisdom, ask for wisdom. If they need provision, ask for provision. If they need peace, ask for peace. We do not have to pray vaguely when someone has shared a specific need. Listen, and then ask.

Jesus included forgiveness in His pattern for prayer. We come before God with humble hearts. We receive His forgiveness, and we extend forgiveness to others. We don’t want bitterness, offense, pride, or unforgiveness taking root in us. Prayer is not merely about asking God to change everything around us. Sometimes God wants to deal with something within us. A surrendered disciple remains willing to say: “Father, search my heart.” Forgive me and help me forgive others.”

We need God’s leadership. We ask Him to direct our steps, guard our decisions, and help us recognize temptation. Sometimes the greatest answer to prayer is not God immediately changing the situation. Sometimes He shows us how to walk through it.

He gives wisdom and redirects us. He closes a door and exposes something we could not see. He gives us courage to make a difficult but obedient choice. Prayer includes asking: “Father, lead me.”

Jesus also taught His disciples to pray for deliverance from the evil one. There is a spiritual battle, but believers do not need to live afraid of the enemy. Our confidence is in Jesus, and we belong to the King. We live under His authority, and we can ask God for protection and deliverance and stand firmly in the victory of Christ. Prayer does not magnify the enemy. Prayer magnifies God.

The pattern Jesus gave us can help shape our prayer life:

RELATIONSHIP → WORSHIP → SURRENDER → ASK → FORGIVENESS → GUIDANCE → PROTECTION

This does not mean every prayer must include every part in exactly this order. Sometimes prayer may last an hour, or it may last thirty seconds. Sometimes all you have time to say is: “Jesus, help me.”

God is not grading our prayers. The pattern here teaches us how Jesus-centered prayer flows. We come to our Father, we honor Him, surrender to His Kingdom and will. We bring our needs and keep our hearts clean through forgiveness. We seek His guidance and trust Him for protection.

Now imagine someone standing in front of you and saying: “My mom just found out she has cancer.” You do not need to panic: What am I supposed to say? You already know where to begin. Your Father, His Kingdom, their need, His power and His will.

You can simply say: “I’m so sorry. Would it be okay if I prayed with you right now?” If they say yes, pray.

A simple prayer might sound like: “Father, thank You that You love her. We ask for Your Kingdom to come and Your will to be done in this situation. We ask You to touch her body and bring healing. Give her doctors wisdom, strengthen her body, and fill her and her family with Your peace. We trust You and ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.” It does not need to be complicated. You are talking to God on behalf of someone you care about.

Scripture also gives us a physical expression of prayer for healing: laying hands on the sick. Jesus laid His hands on people and healed them. His followers did the same. When Paul was on the island of Malta, the father of Publius was sick.

Acts 28:8 says: “Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and (NIV) healed him.”

Laying hands on someone is not a magical act, there is no power in our hands by themselves. The power comes from God through the Holy Spirit.

We are simply obedient disciples ministering in the name and authority of Jesus. When appropriate, ask: “Would it be okay if I placed my hand on your shoulder and prayed for you?”

Always ask permission before touching someone and then pray with faith. You may place a hand appropriately on their shoulder, arm, or another non-sensitive area they are comfortable with. If they are of the opposite sex and you need to lay hands on an area, have them place their hand on the area first and simply place your hand on top of theirs. The laying on of hands is not about us. It is an act of faith and obedience as we look to Jesus to do what only He can do.

Jesus was moved with compassion toward people who were sick and suffering. Throughout the Gospels, He healed many and His disciples continued ministering healing in His name.

We should not be afraid to ask God for healing. If someone is sick, we can pray specifically: “Father, we ask You to bring healing.” We pray believing God is powerful. We pray knowing nothing is impossible for Him and when you pray expect God to move, but bold faith does not mean pretending we control the outcome. We don’t make promises about what God must do in a particular situation and don’t blame someone if healing doesn’t happen the way or when we hoped. We don’t tell a hurting person that they simply did not have enough faith. We pray boldly and we love deeply and trust God with the outcome.

As we learned in Day 15, all authority belongs to Jesus. When we pray for someone, we are not depending upon our own power, confidence, or ability. We minister under His authority and through the power of the Holy Spirit.

At the temple gate, Peter said to a man who had been unable to walk:

“In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” — Acts 3:6 (NIV)

Peter understood that the authority did not come from him. It belonged to Jesus.

When praying for healing, we can ask the Father to heal and, when led by the Holy Spirit, speak directly to the condition in Jesus’ name. We might pray:

“Father, thank You for loving this person. We ask You to bring healing and complete restoration. In the name of Jesus, I speak healing over this body and command this pain to leave. Let this body come into alignment and function as You created it to function.”

We are not commanding God or trying to create an outcome through our words. We are praying in agreement with His character, His Word, and the authority of Jesus.

Our confidence is not found in a formula, the volume of our voice, or how forcefully we pray.

Our confidence is in Jesus.

The authority belongs to Him, the power comes from the Holy Spirit, and the glory belongs to God.

After praying for someone, it may be appropriate to ask: “How are you feeling?” If they were experiencing pain or limited movement, and it is safe for them to check, allow them to tell you honestly whether anything has changed and if they experience improvement, thank Jesus.

For example: There have been times that when praying for somebody who is experiencing pain and they don’t get relief, simply pray again, and again and most times, the pain subsides. If nothing changes, don’t become embarrassed and don’t blame the person as if their faith or doubt has prevented their healing. Don’t exaggerate and claim something happened when it didn’t and don’t feel that you must manufacture a testimony. Simply continue loving them.

Our faith is not demonstrated by pretending but by continuing to trust Jesus. We can pray boldly without exaggerating the result and expect God to move without pressuring someone to say that He did and whether healing is immediate, gradual, comes alongside medical care, or is not something we see in that moment, Jesus remains worthy of our trust.

When someone shares a need, remember this simple pattern:

LISTEN → ASK → PRAY → TRUST

LISTEN - Hear what the person is actually saying. Don’t assume you know what they need.

ASK — Ask permission: “Can I pray for you right now?” You can also ask: “What would you like me to pray for?” If you would like to lay hands on them, ask permission before doing so.

PRAY — Pray simply, specifically, and with faith. Bring their need before the Father. Ask His Kingdom to come and His will to be done. When appropriate, lay hands on them. Ask boldly for healing. When led, speak to the condition with the authority Jesus has given His disciples. Pray in Jesus’ name and depend upon the Holy Spirit rather than your own ability.

TRUST — Leave the outcome with God. You are responsible for loving the person, obeying Jesus, and praying faithfully. God is responsible for the result.

Today, when someone shares a need with you, resist automatically saying only: “I’ll pray for you.” When it is appropriate, take one more step: “Can I pray for you right now?”

Then remember: LISTEN → ASK → PRAY → TRUST

Keep the prayer simple. If they are asking for healing, ask whether they are comfortable with you laying a hand on their shoulder or arm while you pray. Pray boldly and ask the Father to heal.

When led, speak with the authority of Jesus against the sickness, pain, or affliction. Then trust God with the result.

If no opportunity arises today, then just practice praying aloud for someone you already know needs prayer.

Use the pattern Jesus gave us: RELATIONSHIP → WORSHIP → SURRENDER → ASK → FORGIVENESS → GUIDANCE → PROTECTION

You are learning to pray, not perform. You are learning to minister from relationship with the Father, under the authority of Jesus, and through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Do I think of prayer only as something I do privately, or am I willing to pray with others?

What does the pattern Jesus gave us in the Lord’s Prayer teach me about approaching the Father?

Am I comfortable asking someone, “Can I pray for you right now?”

Do I believe Jesus has given His disciples authority to minister in His name?

Am I willing to lay hands on someone and pray for healing when it is appropriate and they have given permission?

Can I pray and speak with authority while remembering that the power belongs to Jesus and not to me?

Can I pray boldly without feeling responsible for producing the outcome?

If nothing changes immediately, can I remain honest, loving, and confident in Jesus?

Who can I pray for today?

I am a child of God and an ambassador of King Jesus. I will pray boldly in His name and depend upon the power of the Holy Spirit. I will listen, ask, pray, and trust. When appropriate, I will lay hands on the sick, ask God for healing, and speak with the authority Jesus has given His disciples. I will not perform, exaggerate, or take credit for what only God can do. My confidence is in Jesus, the authority belongs to Jesus, the power comes from God, and the outcome belongs to Him.