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This is the manuscript of the sermon at Christ Church Los Angeles, Sunday March 2, 2025.
Psalms 51:1-10 NIV[1] Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. [2] Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. [3] For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. [4] Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge. [5] Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. [6] Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place. [7] Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. [8] Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. [9] Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. [10] Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Text
Psalms 51:10 NIV Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Introduction
What do your prayers sound like? Are they whispered requests, hesitant hopes, or bold declarations of faith? Today, we're going to talk about how to move from timid to 'bold prayers.' Prayers that are aligned with God's will, not our own desires. I mean prayer that aligns our hearts with His, so that they really become echoes of His perfect will.
We are going to talk about prayer that seeks a deeper connection with God not that just seeks bigger answers.
Prayer that seeks a connection that transforms our prayers from wishful thinking to powerful expressions of trust and surrender.
We will discover how to lay aside our fears and insecurities, and step into a prayer life that is both courageous and deeply aligned with God’s heart.
I.We often hold back in prayer.
Yes, we pray for safety, for comfort, and small blessings. But are we truly praying with the boldness God wants? The question is why do we hesitate?
Let me give you three possible reasons;
One fear of Rejection: We worry that our requests are too big, too audacious. We’re afraid God will say no.
But remember, God tells us to come boldly. It's right here in
Hebrews 4:14-16 NIV [14] Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. [15] For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. [16] Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Number two. We limit God by our own limited understanding.
Matthew 21:20-22 NIV [20] When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked. [21] Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. [22] If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
Jesus emphasizes that faith, without doubt, can result in the accomplishment of seemingly impossible things. God is capable of extraordinary things, and faith unlocks the potential for those things to manifest.
Matthew 19:26 NIV…with God all things are possible.”
Jeremiah 32:17 NIV “Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.
This underscores the importance of approaching God with confident belief when we pray.
Remember these two things;
Hebrews 11:1-2 NIV [1] Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. [2] This is what the ancients were commended for.
And
Hebrews 11:6 NIV And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
The first reason that we don’t pray bold prayers is the fear of rejection, we’re afraid God will say no. The second reason is that we limit God by our own limited understanding, and the third reason is that we feel unworthy. We feel we don't deserve God's blessings.
This is where we need to understand God's grace.
Like David in Psalm 51, which James read this morning, we must acknowledge our sin, but we must also embrace God's mercy.
II. Psalm 51 is not a timid prayer. It's a raw, honest outpouring of a heart desperate for God.
First of all it is honest Confession
Psalms 51:1-4 NIV [1] Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. [2] Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. [3] For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. [4] Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge.
David doesn't sugarcoat his sin. He lays it bare before God. "Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercies blot out my transgressions." Radical honesty is the foundation of bold prayer. We must acknowledge our need for God's forgiveness.
Next we should ask that God transform our hearts.
Psalms 51:10-12 NIV [10] Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. [11] Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. [12] Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
David's prayer is for deep, internal change. He desires a heart that is aligned with God's heart. The ultimate goal of bold prayer is to be conformed to Jesus’ image.
Romans 8:29 NIV 29] For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
When we pray bold prayers we praying for God's purpose in our lives and in the world
How did Jesus begin the pattern prayer he taught His disciples and the prayer we pray together every Sunday?
Matthew 6:9-10 NIV…“ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, [10] your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
David's prayer isn't just about himself. He wants to be used by God. When our hearts are aligned with God's heart, our prayers will reflect His desires..
Listen to what David prayed.
Psalms 51:13-15 NIV [13] Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you. [14] Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, you who are God my Savior, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. [15] Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise.
III. When we align our hearts with God's heart, our prayers become powerful instruments of His will.
1 John 5:14-15 NIV [14] This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. [15] And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.
Prayers that are aligned with God's heart are not about getting what we want, but about asking for what God wants.
Psalms 37:4 NIV [4] Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart
Asking for what God wants causes us to shift our perspective from self-centered requests. God is ultimately in control. He knows what is best for us, even when we don't. Prayer that is aligned with God’s heart acknowledges His sovereignty and trusts His wisdom.
Prayer is not a transaction where we demand things from God. It's a relationship where we seek to align our hearts with His. Genuine prayer is about transformation, not just getting what we want. God has a purpose for our lives and for the world and prayer that is aligned Him seeks to understand and participate in His purpose.
Instead of praying for specific outcomes, pray for God's guidance and wisdom; “your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
Instead of focusing on our own desires, we focus on God's kingdom and His glory.; “your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
Bold prayers require faith.
We must trust that God is able to do what He promises.
Hebrews 11:1-2 NIV [1] Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
Bold prayers often require persistence.
Don’t give up on praying for God's will to be done. Jesus gave us an example of persistence in a parable. Let’s look at it.
Luke 18:1-8 NIV [1] Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. [2] He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. [3] And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ [4] “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, [5] yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’ ” [6] And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. [7] And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? [8] I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
While the parable emphasizes persistence, it also implies that we must trust in God's timing. God hears our prayers and will respond, though perhaps not always in the way or at the time we expect. Our persistent prayer is an act of faith.
IV. How do we cultivate the kind of prayer life where our prayers become bold prayers?
Spend Time in God's Word: The Bible reveals God's heart and His will.
Practice Honest Self-Reflection: Ask God to reveal any areas of your life that need His transformation.
Step Out in Faith: Don't be afraid to pray for big things. God is able to do more than we can ask or imagine.
Ephesians 3:20 NIV[20] Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
Pray with Others: Praying with fellow believers can strengthen our faith and encourage us to pray boldly.
Practice Humility: Remember that bold prayers are not about our own power, but about God's power.
Zechariah 4:6 NIV [6] So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.
Conclusion
God is calling us to a deeper level of prayer. He wants us to move beyond timid requests and into the realm of bold prayers, prayers that are aligned with His heart. Let us embrace the honesty of Psalm 51, the confidence of
Hebrews 4:16 NIV Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
and the faith of
Hebrews 11:1 NIV Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
Let us pray boldly, knowing that God hears us and is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we ask or think.
Ephesians 3:20-21 NIV [20] Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, [21] to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Heavenly Father,
May your words take root in our hearts and transform us from the inside out. Lord, we long for our hearts to be aligned with yours. Forgive us for the times we've strayed, for the moments we've prioritized our own desires over your will. Help us to follow your commands with joy and conviction. In Jesus' name, Amen.
