Bold Prayer: Trusting God's Character and Surrendering

In Mark 11, Jesus approaches a fig tree looking for fruit, finds none, and curses it. The next day, the tree is withered, and Jesus uses this moment to teach about faith and prayer. He tells his disciples that if they have faith in God and do not doubt, even mountains can be moved. This is not a promise of getting whatever we want, but an invitation to bold, persistent, and surrendered prayer rooted in trust in God’s character. The story of Honi, the circle-drawer, reminds us that bold prayers may look foolish to the world, but God honors the faith that keeps asking, seeking, and knocking, even when answers seem slow or unlikely.

Prayer is not a transaction but a relationship. It’s not about manipulating God or demanding our way, but about aligning our hearts with His will. Jesus models this in Gethsemane, praying boldly for the cup to pass, but ultimately surrendering to the Father’s will. True faith in prayer is not about the strength of our belief, but the strength of the One we believe in. Like sitting in a chair without a second thought, we are invited to rest the full weight of our lives on God, trusting Him to give what is best, not just what we want.

Sometimes, God’s answers are slow, or different than we expect. The first answer is often peace—a supernatural calm that guards our hearts even when circumstances remain unchanged. Paul experienced this, praying for his “thorn” to be removed, but receiving God’s sustaining grace instead. We are called to keep praying, keep believing, and keep surrendering, knowing that God’s timing and ways are perfect. The prayers of ordinary, surrendered people are powerful and effective, not because of eloquence or spiritual status, but because of the extraordinary God who hears and acts.

Ultimately, bold prayer is for God’s glory. When God answers, it’s not so people will marvel at our faith, but so they will see His greatness and be drawn to Jesus. The boldest prayer any of us can pray is the prayer of surrender—trusting Jesus for salvation and new life. Whether we are praying for miracles, for others, or for our own hearts, we are invited to keep coming, keep asking, and keep trusting, knowing that God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Bold Prayer Is Rooted in Relationship, Not Transaction Prayer is not a vending machine where we insert requests and expect instant results. Instead, it is a relational act, where we come to a loving Father who knows our hearts and desires to give us what is truly best. The strength of our prayers is not in our words or intensity, but in the character and heart of the One we are praying to. [16:33]
• 2. Faith in Prayer Is About Trusting God’s Character, Not Certainty of Outcome True faith is not about being certain that God will answer exactly as we wish, but about being certain of God’s goodness and wisdom. We are called to trust God’s heart, even when His answers are slow, different, or seem silent. Our confidence is in who God is, not in our ability to muster up enough belief. [13:10]
• 3. Guardrails for Bold Prayer: Surrender, Patience, and Alignment Bold prayer is not about manipulating heaven or demanding our way; it is about surrendering our desires to God’s will, being patient in the waiting, and seeking alignment with His purposes. Jesus Himself prayed boldly but surrendered to the Father’s will, showing us that the greatest prayers are those that say, “Not my will, but yours be done.” [21:35]
• 4. God’s First Answer Is Often Peace, Not Immediate Change When we pray, God’s initial response is often to give us peace that surpasses understanding, even before circumstances shift. This peace guards our hearts and keeps us praying, trusting, and waiting for God’s perfect timing and answer. Like Paul, we may not always get the change we seek, but we receive the sustaining grace we need. [22:42]
• 5. Ordinary People, Extraordinary God: The Power of Surrendered Prayer The effectiveness of prayer does not depend on spiritual status or eloquence, but on surrender to God. James reminds us that Elijah, though a prophet, was just as human as we are, yet his prayers were powerful because he trusted God. Bold prayer is for every believer who is willing to trust, persist, and surrender, so that God’s glory is revealed and others are drawn to Jesus. [32:29]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [01:11] - Jesus and the Fig Tree: Setting the Scene
• [05:22] - The Legend of Honi and Bold Prayer
• [06:36] - Praying Boldly in a Doubting World
• [09:09] - What Does Unceasing Prayer Look Like?
• [12:05] - Jesus’ Teaching on Faith and Prayer
• [13:10] - Four Words That Shape Our Prayers
• [14:29] - Faith: Trusting the One We Pray To
• [15:56] - Prayer as Relationship, Not Transaction
• [18:01] - Receiving from God with Open Hands
• [19:09] - The Necessity of Forgiveness in Prayer
• [20:04] - Guardrails Against Prosperity Thinking
• [22:42] - God’s Peace in the Waiting
• [26:07] - When God’s Answers Look Different
• [28:31] - Powerful and Effective Prayer: Lessons from James
• [32:29] - Ordinary People, Extraordinary God
• [33:02] - Immeasurably More: God’s Glory Through the Church
• [35:49] - Praying for God’s Name and Glory
• [36:50] - Praying Boldly in Jesus’ Name
• [38:48] - Praying for Surrender and Peace
• [41:35] - The Boldest Prayer: Surrender to Jesus
• [43:06] - Invitation to Keep Praying and Believing

Bible Reading

Mark 11:12-25 (ESV) — > 12 On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. 13 And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it.
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> 20 As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. 21 And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.” 22 And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. 23 Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”

Philippians 4:6-7 (ESV) — > 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

James 5:16-18 (ESV) — > 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.

Observation Questions

1. In Mark 11, what did Jesus do when he found the fig tree with no fruit, and how did the disciples react the next day? ([12:05])
2. According to Philippians 4:6-7, what is God’s first response to our prayers, even before our circumstances change? ([22:42])
3. In James 5, what does James say about Elijah’s nature and the effectiveness of his prayers? ([32:29])
4. What are the four key words Jesus uses in Mark 11 to teach about prayer, as highlighted in the sermon? ([13:10])

Interpretation Questions

1. Why does Jesus use the withered fig tree as a teaching moment about faith and prayer for his disciples? What is he trying to show them about the nature of prayer? ([12:05])
2. The sermon says, “True faith is not about being certain that God will answer exactly as we wish, but about being certain of God’s goodness and wisdom.” How does this change the way we approach prayer? ([13:10])
3. The story of Honi, the circle-drawer, was shared as an example of bold prayer. Why do you think bold prayers can look foolish to others, and why does God honor persistent faith? ([05:22])
4. According to the sermon, what is the difference between praying boldly and trying to manipulate God to get what we want? ([21:35])

Application Questions

1. The sermon says, “Prayer is not a transaction but a relationship.” In your own prayer life, do you tend to treat prayer more like a transaction or a relationship? What is one way you could shift toward a more relational approach this week? ([16:33])
2. Jesus models bold but surrendered prayer in Gethsemane, saying, “Not my will, but yours be done.” Is there something you are praying for right now where you need to add a prayer of surrender? What would that look like for you? ([21:35])
3. The first answer God often gives is peace, not immediate change. Can you share a time when you experienced God’s peace even though your situation didn’t change right away? How did that affect your faith? ([22:42])
4. The sermon mentions that “the effectiveness of prayer does not depend on spiritual status or eloquence, but on surrender to God.” Do you ever feel like your prayers aren’t “good enough”? How does knowing God honors ordinary, surrendered prayers encourage you? ([32:29])
5. Think about a bold prayer you have been hesitant to pray because it seems too big or unlikely. What is holding you back from bringing it to God? How can the group support you in praying boldly and persistently? ([05:22])
6. The boldest prayer is the prayer of surrender—trusting Jesus for salvation and new life. If you have never prayed this, what questions or hesitations do you have? If you have, how can you encourage others to take this step? ([41:35])
7. The sermon challenges us to keep praying, keep believing, and keep surrendering, even when answers are slow or different than we expect. What is one area in your life where you need to persist in prayer this week? ([43:06])