"So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, 'Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?' He replied, 'The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be witnesses, telling people about me everywhere-in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria and to the ends of the earth.'" -Acts 1:6-8 (NLT)
When our confidence to speak about Jesus is challenged, we have a remedy to hesitation. Prayer creates immunity to intimidation and deeply connects us to God's great mission. When tempted toward restraint, the power of the Spirit is expansive, opening our mouths to speak, moving our feet to go. The prayers of the early church pivoted them from uncertainty to unstoppable boldness. Scripture-informed prayer quiets confusion, provokes courage and initiates fresh infillings of God's Spirit.