Boldness is the key to experiencing God’s power in the present (#023)

Acts 4:31 tells us that the disciples moved with boldness: “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.”

That’s the place we must go— to that space where we “put ourselves out there,” knowing that the results all rest on God, not us. 

One day, I stood beside Pastor Benny in a prayer line. He ministered to hundreds that evening. The prayers were all short— and strong.

“The power of the Holy Ghost goes through you!” he repeated, snapping his fingers with each declaration to each individual person who approached him for ministry.

“The power of the Holy Ghost goes through you!” he said again, snapping. 

And yet again— a snap and then the declaration: “The power of the Holy Ghost goes through you!”

With each statement, something visible happened. The Spirit manifested upon the person in a tangible way we could all see.

After this occurred a few times, he looked back at me. “I’m going to teach you something,” he said. “Watch closely…”

When the next person in line approached him, he quietly whispered, “Holy Spirit, please touch this person.”

Nothing. 

No change. 

No manifestation. 

Doc-- that's wha I call Pastor Benny (he actually has a doctorate degree)-- asked, “Do you know what happened?”

I replied, “No, I can’t tell… because that’s the way most people pray— very calmly, in an easy voice.”

“That’s right,” he said. Then— “The Holy Ghost is never released through timidity. Only through boldness.”

I didn’t understand. He could tell. 

“Watch,” he continued. Then, he prayed again in that calm voice, “Holy Spirit, please touch this person.”

Again, nothing.

Then, a third time, he prayed very gently, “Holy Spirit, touch this kind person…”

No change. 

He repeated the revelation, “Mattox, the Holy Ghost is only released through boldness.” He turned toward the person and declared— in the strong voice, “The power of the Holy Ghost goes through you!”

This time, the Spirit responded and touched the person!

This was a powerful, memorable moment. I learned— rather, it was revealed to me— that boldness is the key to unlock God’s power. The enemy would love for us to tip-toe through life, wondering if and when God might want to touch someone— or if it’s even His will that we minister to a person. 

We don’t see that happen in the Bible, though:

•  Jesus declared that the leper was healed (Matthew 8:3)
•  Jesus verified that the centurion’s servant was well (Matthew 8:13)
•  Jesus told the paralytic to take up his mat (Matthew 9:6)
•  Jesus prayed and then shouted for Lazarus to come forth (John 11:43)
•  Peter commanded the lame beggar to walk (Acts 3:6)

Moreover, a quick read through the New Testament reveals many more examples of this same type of boldness. Whereas we tend to pause, step back, and wonder if God wants to touch someone, the default pattern of Scripture is that He desperately wants to reveal Himself in miraculous ways— He simply needs a willing vessel to step forth, someone who realizes that the spiritual powers is “on Him” yet the physical presence is all “on them.”

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