Ask the Spirit for Boldness
Month 9: The Spirit's Power for Witness · Walking in the Spirit
Today's Scripture
Read together: Luke 11:9-13
9 So I tell you: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
Memory Verse
“Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.”— 1 Corinthians 12:7 (BSB)
📖 Bible-in-a-Year (optional)
Today's reading: Psalms 112-114
Reading the whole Bible in a year — do this when you have extra time. (Around Day 259 of 365 — the blessed one who fears the Lord, and praise for the God who lifts the lowly.)The Heart of It
Jesus gives a promise so simple a small child can hold it. "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you" (). Then He uses a picture every kid understands. He talks about a father and his children. If your child asks for a fish, you don't hand them a snake. If they ask for an egg, you don't give them a scorpion. Even imperfect parents give good gifts. So Jesus says, "How much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" (11:13). Of all the good things we could ask for, Jesus names the Holy Spirit as the gift the Father loves to give.
This matters so much for living on mission. The disciples weren't brave on their own. They became bold after they were filled with the Spirit. The same is true for us. Maybe you feel too shy to speak about Jesus. Maybe you feel too scared to do the right thing. Maybe you feel too weak to be kind to someone hard to love. You don't have to squeeze it out of yourself. You ask. The Spirit is not a reward for the super-spiritual. He is a gift a good Father delights to give His children. So this week, make it a real prayer. "Father, fill me with Your Spirit. Make me bold to tell others about Jesus." That's a prayer He loves to answer.
Around the Table
A good daddy gives good things when his child asks. Our heavenly Father loves to give us the Holy Spirit when we ask Him!
Let's do it: Have each person ask out loud, "Father, please fill me with Your Holy Spirit."
Jesus says the Father gives even more than the best earthly dad. The Spirit gives us power to be kind and brave.
Let's talk: What is something you're scared to do that you could ask the Spirit to help you do?
Boldness for witness isn't willpower you make up on your own. It is asked for, and it is Spirit-given. And the Father delights even more to fill those who ask.
Let's go deeper: What would change in your week if you actually asked the Spirit for boldness every morning?
💬 Conversation Starter
What is the bravest thing you've ever done? Where do you think that courage came from?
🛡️ Defending the Faith
People sometimes think being a witness means being pushy or loud. But real boldness is two things together. It is Spirit-given courage, and it is the gentleness of . You are confident enough to speak and kind enough to listen. You can ask God for both. Ask for the nerve to open your mouth and the love to do it well.
For Dad · Go Deeper
Jesus deliberately frames the Spirit as the Father's best gift. He climaxes a list of good gifts with "how much more... the Holy Spirit." For your family, this dismantles two errors at once. The first error is the idea that the Spirit must be begged out of a reluctant God. The second is the idea that boldness is just a personality trait some kids have and others don't. The truth is simpler. It is asked for, and it is given. Make Spirit-asking normal in your home. Don't let it be weird or rare. Make it as ordinary as praying for daily bread. And lead by example. Let your kids hear you ask the Father to fill you afresh and make you bold to witness. They will learn that the Spirit-filled life starts on its knees.
Draws on: Robert Menzies, Empowered for Witness.
Let's Pray Together
"Father, You love to give good gifts to Your children. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit. Make us bold to speak of Jesus. Make us gentle in how we say it. We are asking, just like You told us to. In Jesus' name, amen."
I don't have to make up courage on my own. I can ask my Father, and He loves to give the Spirit.