Spirit-Empowered Boldness (Exodus 5:1)

Afterward Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’”
—Exodus 5:1

Think about this verse in light of what we prayed through in the last episode of Pray the Word, in Exodus 4:13, when God told Moses, “Go and speak to Pharaoh.” Moses responded, “Send somebody else, because I can’t speak. There’s no way I can do this.”

Now, one chapter later, in Exodus 5:1, we see Moses and Aaron going to Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt, and saying, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’” These thousands upon thousands of Israelites—Pharaoh’s slaves—are commanded to be released.

How bold is that? Feel the weight of Exodus 5:1. Put yourself in Moses and Aaron’s place: standing before the most powerful ruler in the world, securing a meeting, and declaring, “Let all these people go.” What a statement.

Exodus 5:1 shows God using his Word to work through ordinary people.

As I read this, I think about everything we prayed through in Exodus 4 and see that God is doing exactly what he said he would do. God is giving Moses—and Aaron with him—what they need to speak to Pharaoh. This is where the text presses into your life and mine today. Yes, our circumstances are different in many ways, but God has called you and me to speak in a remarkably similar way.

Acts 1:8 makes clear that followers of Jesus have received the power of the Holy Spirit to be witnesses—to speak on behalf of Jesus, to speak on behalf of God, and to say, in effect, “Thus says the Lord,” the great I Am. You and I have been entrusted by God to speak on his behalf. Think about this in light of Exodus 3: the great I Am has entrusted us to speak to the people around us today.

Where we work, where we live, where we play—whatever sphere of influence God has given us—we have been entrusted by God and empowered by God to speak on his behalf. We are called to proclaim, “Thus says the Lord,” and to share the good news of his love for sinners: that people can be saved from sin by the grace of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, who died on the cross and rose from the dead. You and I have been entrusted to speak this way.

Exodus 5:1 calls us to be bold and faithful witnesses.

So God, help us to be faithful—to speak your Word today, tomorrow, and the days to come.

We pray that you would help us to be faithful witnesses according to your design and your plan. God, help us not to remain silent when we have been entrusted to speak on your behalf. Give us courage to speak.

We pray for opportunities in each of our lives. I pray this for my own life, and I pray it over every person listening right now who knows you, Jesus, and has been filled with your Holy Spirit. We ask for opportunities to share the gospel today, and for boldness to speak on your behalf when those opportunities come.

God, help us not to go day by day, week by week, month by month—even year by year—without speaking to others about the good news of your grace that you have called us to proclaim. Help us to be active in sharing the gospel—the good news of your love.

A Prayer for the Raddi People

We pray for our witness right around us, and we pray for the sake of your witness around the world. We pray today for the Raddi people of India, among whom there are no known followers of Jesus. God, we pray that someone—any one of us included—would go to them, that your Word would be spoken more and more in India, that they would hear it, and that the Raddi people would respond in faith.

So God, we pray for the spread of your Word through our lives and through our churches. Help us to speak boldly, humbly, compassionately, and faithfully on your behalf—proclaiming the good news of your grace, your love, and your salvation.

We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.