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."
The Pharisee had a long, elaborate prayer full of religious language and self-congratulation. The tax collector had seven words: "God, be merciful to me a sinner!" Guess which prayer God answered? Yeah, the humble sinner, not the self-righteous and self-declared saint.
Here's the second key: The tax collector's humility positioned him to receive what he asked for. His honest assessment of his condition opened the door to God's grace. He didn't try to impress God with his goodness—he simply acknowledged his need. Now, I want you to notice something here that’s real important that many people miss—the tax collector wasn't lacking confidence. He was both humble and confident because was there, praying, and making his request to God. He was absolutely confident that God would show mercy to a repentant sinner. Remember, he said, “God be merciful to me, a sinner.” His humility about his own condition led to bold confidence in God's mercy.
Friends, when we come to God with honest hearts, admitting our need, confessing our dependence on Him, we position ourselves to receive His blessing. Humility doesn't make our prayers weak—it makes them effective. Some of you have been hesitant to pray for big things because you feel unworthy. But that's exactly why you should pray! Your unworthiness is not a barrier to God's blessing—because folks, we’re all unworthy. So, our unworthiness is the very reason He delights to bless us. As the black velvet highlights the brilliance of the diamond, God’s grace shines brightest against the backdrop of our need.
Now, the last thing I want to point out is…
3. John's Confident Assurance - 1 John 5:14-15
1Jn 5:14-15 This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. [15] And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.
This has got to be one of the most encouraging promises about prayer in all of Scripture: “This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. [15] And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.”
Did you catch that word "confidence"? John is talking about bold, assured prayer. But notice the condition of our confidence: "according to His will." Here's the third key: When we pray humbly, seeking God's will rather than demanding our own way, we can pray with complete confidence. Humble hearts don't fight against God's will—they align with it. And when our prayers align with God's will, we can be absolutely certain He hears us and will answer us.
This is where humility and confidence meet perfectly. We're humble enough to seek His will, and confident enough to believe He'll answer when we find it. But how do we know God's will? Through His Word, through His Spirit, through the counsel of mature believers, and through circumstances He orchestrates. When our prayers are shaped by Scripture and guided by the Holy Spirit, we can pray with the assurance that we're asking for things that align with God's heart.
Think about Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. He prayed, "Not My will, but Yours be done." That's the perfect example of humble confidence—humble enough to submit to the Father's plan even when we might not like what His plan has for us, but we’re confident enough to believe that plan is perfect and will glorify Him.
So, Now, Let’s Bring It All Together
Church family, do you see the pattern? Abraham was humble about himself but confident in God's character. The tax collector was humble about his condition but confident in God's mercy. John teaches us to be humble about our desires but confident in God's will. In each case, humility didn't weaken their prayers—it strengthened them. Humility didn't make them timid—it made them bold.
Here's what I want you to understand: False humility says, "I shouldn't bother God with my problems." True humility says, "God cares about everything that concerns me." False humility says, "I don't deserve to ask for big things." True humility says, "I don't deserve anything, but God loves to give good gifts to His children." False humility says, "I should just accept whatever happens." True humility says, "I should pray earnestly, then trust God's wisdom in His answer."
The enemy wants to keep you from praying boldly by convincing you that humility means being passive or apologetic in prayer. But that's not biblical humility—that's false humility that robs you of the confidence God wants you to have. Biblical humility recognizes our position before God while simultaneously recognizing His invitation to come boldly to His throne of grace.
We are dust and ashes, but we are dust and ashes that He loves. We are sinners, but we are sinners He died to save. We are weak, but we serve a God who is strong and so when we are weak, we are actually at our strongest because we are relying on Him and not ourselves.
Conclusion and Call to Action
So, here's my challenge to you this morning: Stop letting false humility keep you from bold prayer. Your Heavenly Father wants to hear from you. He wants you to bring Him your concerns, your dreams, your fears, your hopes. He wants you to ask Him for healing, for provision, for wisdom, for salvation for your loved ones. Come to Him humbly—acknowledging who He is and who you are. But come to Him boldly—trusting in His love, His power, and His promises.
This week, I want you to approach God's throne with humble confidence. Pray like Abraham—bold in your requests because you know God's character. Pray like the tax collector—honest about your need and confident in God's mercy. Pray like John teaches us—aligned with God's will and so therefore assured of His answer.
Maybe you've been holding back from praying for that prodigal child to come home. Maybe you've been hesitant to ask God for healing for yourself or a loved one. It could be that you've been afraid to pray for your church, your community, your nation. Today, I'm calling you to humble confidence. Humble enough to acknowledge that apart from God, you can do nothing. Confident enough to believe that with God, all things are possible.
Let's pray together right now, and let's pray with humble confidence. Father, we come to You this morning with humble hearts, acknowledging that we are dust and ashes, sinners in need of Your mercy. But we also come boldly, because we know You are our loving Father who delights to give good gifts to Your children. Help us this week to pray with humble confidence—humble about ourselves, but confident in You. In Jesus' name, Amen.
