Privilege Of Boldness
14 “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, 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 the petitions that we have asked of Him.” 1 John 5:14-15 NKJV
The words that the Holy Spirit chooses to speak to us, as He speaks the truth individuals just like John, are so relevant. I love the fact that the Holy Spirit tells us to have “confidence” in our approach to the Father. He chose that particular word so that we would we know that we do not approach our Heavenly Father with cautious uncertainty or any form of hesitancy. We approach our Father God with confidence. It is a confidence that we have to stir up or manufacture ourselves. It is the confidence of Jesus that has been instilled within us by the person of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. How are you approaching the Lord in your prayer time? Is it with this Holy Spirit confidence?
Many believers in Jesus do not approach the Lord with any show of confidence and that is unfortunate. We should be walking in the confidence of who we are in Jesus. If we know we are made the righteousness of Jesus that confidence should be a natural by-product of that awareness. It is not self-righteousness; it is His righteousness that is in us. We did nothing to earn it, but we became the righteousness of Jesus when we accepted Hi blood sacrifice on our behalf. Too often believers are “sin” aware instead of “righteous in Jesus” aware. If we are sin aware, self-focused, the result is that we are hesitant to approach the Father in the Throne room because we are aware of our faults rather than aware of His mercy and grace.
When you read this verse in the Amplified Bible it says that we have the “privilege of boldness”. Think about that for a moment. This is a privilege that He has given to you, the privilege of boldness in your approach to the Father. Are you taking advantage of this privilege that He has bestowed upon you? It is your privilege in Jesus.
If you can learn to see yourself in Jesus, you can begin to develop that boldness and confidence in your approach to Father God. That boldness is already in you whether you feel it or not because the Holy Spirit is in you. Act in that boldness because look at what awaits you when you come before Him in this privilege of boldness. Verse 15 says we have the petitions that we have asked for. The reality is that He knew your need before you presented yourself and He provided for that need through Jesus. It is already done in Him so come boldly and with confidence, not self-righteousness, but in the righteousness of Jesus and lay hold of what is already set aside for you in Him.
J Todd Hostetler