Prayer gives us.  That access, that ability, then, to, through familiarity, hear more clearly that still small voice: “This is the way; walk ye in it” (Isaiah 30:21).  Through that familiarity, by reason of use, having your senses exercised to discern good and evil; amen?  That presence that strips away that enticement to think other than we ought to think.  And I’m not just talking about obscene things; we ought not to think any differently than what God has said about us: “We are more than conquerors” (Romans 8:37).  That’s against the will of God for you to think that you’re less than He’s made you.  Hallelujah!  That’s not God’s will for your life.  His will is for you to be able to look into the mirror of God’s Word and glimpse yourself as a great heir and joint heir with Christ Jesus!  Making decisions in our walk of sanctification that we believe to be right with the confidence that if we’re not, God will put us on course.  Amen?  Don’t be afraid to make decisions.  Don’t be afraid to make great decisions for the glory of God and the kingdom of God.

Some of us want to be great in our occupations, and we want to have everybody in the office know that we’re “the man.”  And we want to be—some of us—wealthy, and some of us want to be famous and all of that stuff, that lust that’s in every one of us, the flesh, to be preeminent.  Some of us don’t even know how great we want to be; we just want to be greater than the guy next to us.  But when we humbly approach God and allow His Spirit to begin to rise up in us, and we begin to know Philippians 4:13, that “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me,” then we don’t fear men’s faces.

It’s interesting, after the election, to hear even some of our congressmen be able to say, “I’m not afraid anymore to speak out.”  Can you imagine where we’ve been and are still in this country?  Men afraid to speak because of this one small, tiny segment of society that’s been oppressing people, this one mindset of wokeness that’s caused blindness to come into the hearts of people.  It’s almost like with the devil.  People are starting to—eyes are being opened, just like Isaiah speaks of the devil, and they looked on the devil and said, “This is the guy that’s tormented us, has shaken nations?!” (Isaiah 14:16).  You remember the Holy Spirit revealing that?  How could we have lived in such fear and dread of these people?

I don’t want to talk about politics; I’m talking about us rising up, now, without fear.  “We have not been given the spirit of fear, but of love, of power, and a sound, disciplined mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).  We don’t fear what men can do to us.  We speak the truth in love.  “Well, that’ll cost you your job.”  That’s why these people are all afraid.  “That’ll cost you your job.  People will put bad emojis by you.”  I’m sorry; it doesn’t register!  I’m not afraid of you!  I’m not afraid of what men can do unto me.  If God is for me, nobody can be against me!  And just like the people in this nation had been suppressed, the church was under this same oppression and afraid to speak out, wanting to not offend these woke people with the gospel.  It’s only the truth of God’s Word that’ll set men free!  “And how can they hear,” the Scripture says, “without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14).  And we are that preacher.

We are called to go forth and bring forth fruit, the Scripture says, that remains (John 15:16).  We need a boldness.  And if you’ve lost some of it, prayer will reinstate that.  When you’re in the presence of God, you become as bold as a lion.  So that’s what we’re asking Him to reveal to us now, that great strength that comes from just “hanging out” with God.  Amen?  Just hanging out with God.