Humble Confidence In Prayer

Humble Confidence in Prayer

Gen 18:25-27; Luk 18:9-14; 1Joh 5:14-15

Introduction

Good morning, church family! Let me ask you a question that might seem contradictory at first: How can we be both humble AND bold when we pray? Some of you might be thinking, "Pastor, those two things don't go together. If I'm humble, shouldn't I approach God quietly, almost apologetically? And if I'm bold, doesn't that mean I'm being presumptuous?" Isn’t the concept of being both humble and bold contradictory?

Well, this morning, I want to show you from God's Word that true humility doesn't make us weak in prayer—it actually makes us stronger. True humility doesn't silence our prayers—it amplifies them. And true humility doesn't make God distant—it draws us closer to His heart.

So, we're going to look at three powerful examples from Scripture that I hope will revolutionize how you approach the throne of grace. Let's dive in and begin by taking a look at…

1. Abraham's Bold Intercession

Gen 18:25-27 "Far be it from You to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?" [26] So the LORD said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place on their account." [27] And Abraham replied, "Now behold, I have ventured to speak to the Lord, although I am but dust and ashes.

Abraham’s intercession for the cities of the Plain has to be one of the most remarkable prayer conversations in all of Scripture. God had revealed to Abraham His plan to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, and what Abraham did might seem shocking to us—he started to negotiate or to bargain with the Almighty. He began by saying, Gen 18:25 "Far be it from You to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?"

Now friends, there’s bold and then there’s BOLD! In this prayer, Abraham was BOLD! He essentially said, "God, this doesn't sound like You. This doesn't match Your character." So, he's challenging God's decision to destroy the cities of the Plain!

But notice what happens in verses 26 and 27. After making his bold request, and then God granting His request in verse 26, in verse 27 Abraham said, Gen 18:27 …Now behold, I have ventured to speak to the Lord, although I am but dust and ashes. Here's the beautiful paradox: Abraham is bold enough to negotiate with God, yet humble enough to remember and admit that he's just "dust and ashes."

What made this possible? Abraham's humility wasn't about himself—it was about God. He was humble about his own position but confident in God's character. He knew God was just, merciful, and righteous. His boldness came from his trust in who God is, not from any confidence in who he (Abraham) was.

Church, this is the first key to humble confidence in prayer: We can pray boldly because we know who God is. When we're humble about ourselves but confident in God's character, we can approach Him with requests that might seem impossible. Requests like moving mountains, healing the sick, or saving the lost.

Think about it—Abraham didn't stop at asking God to spare the city if fifty righteous people were found. He kept going: he bargained for forty-five, then forty, then thirty, then twenty, and then finally ten! Surely, with Lot and his family in that city there would be at least 10 righteous. Each time, he acknowledged his lowly position, but each time, he pressed forward because he trusted God's heart.

Friends, God wants you to bring Him your biggest concerns, your deepest needs, your most impossible situations. Not because you deserve His attention, but because He is worthy of your trust.

And now let’s take a look at…

2. The Tax Collector's Effective Prayer - Luke 18:9-14

Luk 18:9-14 And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: [10] "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. [11] "The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: 'God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. [12] 'I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.' [13] "But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, the sinner!' [14] "I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted."