Bold Prayers: Seeking Restoration and Mission

Devotional

Day 1: Bold Prayers Acknowledge the Ways We Have Sinned Against God

True boldness in prayer begins with honest confession, recognizing that our sin is not just a mistake or a misstep, but an offense against the God who created us and loves us. David’s prayer in Psalm 51 shows us that before restoration can happen, we must come before God with humility, admitting the specific ways we have turned from Him and acknowledging that our wrongdoing is ultimately against Him. This posture of repentance is uncomfortable, but it is the necessary first step toward healing and wholeness. When we stop making ourselves the standard and instead look to God’s holiness, we see our need for His mercy and forgiveness. [57:05]

Psalm 51:1-5 (ESV)
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Reflection: What is one specific way you have sinned against God that you need to honestly confess to Him today, trusting that He already knows and is ready to forgive?

Day 2: Bold Prayers Cry Out to God for Restoration

After confession, bold prayers move to a desperate plea for God to do what only He can do—restore and renew us from the inside out. David’s words remind us that we cannot fix ourselves, no matter how hard we try; only God can create a clean heart and renew a right spirit within us. Restoration is not just about feeling better, but about being made new by God’s power, experiencing the joy of His salvation, and being upheld by His Spirit. When we ask God to restore us, we are admitting our dependence on Him and opening ourselves to the transformation He alone can bring. [01:03:04]

Psalm 51:6-12 (ESV)
Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

Reflection: Where in your life do you most need God’s restoration right now, and how can you ask Him today to create a clean heart and renew your spirit?

Day 3: Bold Prayers Lead to Action—Helping Others Find Restoration

Bold prayers do not end with our own forgiveness and restoration; they overflow into a desire to see others experience God’s grace as well. David’s response to God’s mercy is a commitment to teach others about God’s ways, to praise Him publicly, and to seek the restoration of his community. When God restores us, He calls us to share that hope with others, to become agents of reconciliation and discipleship in our families, workplaces, and neighborhoods. Our prayers should move us to action, seeking the good of others and inviting them into the same restoration we have received. [01:07:53]

Psalm 51:13-19 (ESV)
Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem; then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Reflection: Who is one person God is putting on your heart to pray for and reach out to, so they too can experience God’s restoration?

Day 4: Only God Can Truly Fix What Is Broken

No matter how hard we try to fix the brokenness in our lives—whether it’s relationships, habits, or our own hearts—our efforts will always fall short without God’s intervention. Like David, we often attempt to cover up or repair our mistakes, only to find that we cannot make ourselves whole. God alone has the power to restore what is shattered, to bring beauty from brokenness, and to make us new. When we surrender our failed attempts and invite God to do what we cannot, we discover His grace is sufficient and His restoration is complete. [44:21]

2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you have tried to fix things on your own, and how can you surrender it to God today, trusting Him to make you new?

Day 5: Bold Prayers Ask God for Help in Fulfilling the Great Commission

The ultimate purpose of God’s restoration in our lives is not just for our own benefit, but so that we can join Him in His mission to reach the world. Jesus calls every believer to make disciples, teaching others to obey all that He has commanded. This is a task far too great for us to accomplish in our own strength, but God promises to be with us and empower us as we go. Bold prayers ask God to use us, to give us courage and wisdom, and to multiply His work through us so that many more can experience His love and salvation. [01:10:24]

Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV)
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Reflection: What is one step you can take this week to help someone else grow as a disciple of Jesus, trusting God to work through you?

Sermon Summary

Today, we explored the power and necessity of bold prayers, especially in seasons of transition and uncertainty. As a church that has experienced change—new spaces, new faces, and new challenges—we are reminded of our deep dependence on God. Our journey through Psalm 51 led us to consider what it means to pray prayers so audacious that, if God does not intervene, we would be left helpless. These are not safe, routine prayers, but ones that lay bare our need for God’s mercy, restoration, and guidance.

We began by reflecting on the story behind Psalm 51: King David’s grievous sins of adultery and murder, his failed attempts to cover them up, and his eventual confrontation by the prophet Nathan. David’s response was not to justify or minimize his actions, but to acknowledge that his sin was ultimately against God Himself. This recognition is the first step in any bold prayer—honestly confessing our brokenness and the ways we have fallen short, not by our own standards, but by God’s.

Yet, David’s prayer does not end in despair. He cries out for restoration, knowing that only God can cleanse and renew a heart that is truly contrite. David’s plea, “Create in me a clean heart, O God,” is a model for us: we cannot fix ourselves, no matter how hard we try. Only God, through His mercy and the work of Jesus, can make us whole again. This restoration is not a one-time event but an ongoing need, as we continually fall short and require God’s grace daily.

Finally, David’s restored heart leads him outward. He commits to teaching others about God’s ways, longing for the restoration he has received to spread to all people. This is the heartbeat of the Great Commission: that those who have been forgiven and restored by God would become agents of that same restoration in the world. Our bold prayers, then, must not only seek personal forgiveness and renewal but also empower us to disciple others, sharing the hope and transformation we have found in Christ.

Key Takeaways

1. True boldness in prayer begins with honest confession. It is not enough to acknowledge that we have made mistakes; we must recognize that our sin is ultimately against God, the Creator and Sustainer of all. This humility is the foundation for any genuine encounter with God’s grace. [55:20]
2. We are often tempted to fix our own brokenness, but self-repair only deepens the cracks. Like David, we must come to the end of ourselves and cry out for God’s restoration, trusting that only He can make us whole and renew the joy of our salvation. [63:04]
3. Restoration is not a one-time transaction but a daily dependence. Even after experiencing God’s forgiveness, we continually need His renewing work in our hearts. The Christian life is marked by ongoing repentance and a persistent longing for God’s transforming presence. [75:27]
4. God’s forgiveness is not meant to be hoarded. A restored heart naturally overflows into a desire to see others experience the same grace. Our prayers should move us to action, compelling us to teach, disciple, and invite others into the story of redemption. [67:53]
5. The Great Commission is not reserved for a select few; it is the calling of every believer. Bold prayers ask God for the courage, wisdom, and compassion to make disciples in our everyday lives, trusting that He will work through our weakness to bring restoration to the world. [70:24]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[34:51] - What Is a Bold Prayer?
[39:25] - Broken Things and Failed Fixes
[42:03] - The Plate Story: Our Attempts to Repair
[44:21] - When Our Fixes Make Things Worse
[46:09] - Introducing Psalm 51
[47:05] - David’s Heart Posture and Context
[48:35] - The Story of David, Bathsheba, and Uriah
[50:12] - David’s Cover-Up and Consequences
[52:23] - The Confrontation by Nathan
[54:37] - David’s Confession and Recognition of Sin
[57:05] - Sin Against God: The True Standard
[59:38] - The Hope of Restoration
[63:04] - Crying Out for a Clean Heart
[66:17] - Restoration Leads to Mission
[70:24] - Bold Prayers and the Great Commission
[74:11] - How to Pray Boldly: Repentance, Restoration, Mission
[77:53] - Responding to God’s Call

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Psalm 51 (ESV) — (Read the whole chapter together as a group.)

Observation Questions

What specific sins does David confess in Psalm 51, and how does he describe the seriousness of his actions?
According to the sermon, what was David’s initial response after his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah, and how did God confront him? [[48:35]]
In verses 10-12, what does David ask God to do for him, and why is this significant?
How does David’s prayer shift in verses 13-15, and what does he commit to do after being restored?

Interpretation Questions

Why does David say, “Against you, you only, have I sinned,” even though his actions hurt other people? What does this reveal about the nature of sin? [[55:20]]
The sermon says, “We are often tempted to fix our own brokenness, but self-repair only deepens the cracks.” Why do people try to fix themselves, and what are the results? [[44:21]]
What does it mean that restoration is not a one-time event but a daily dependence on God? How does this shape the way a Christian should pray? [[01:15:27]]
How does David’s restored heart lead him to care about others? What connection does the sermon make between personal restoration and the Great Commission? [[01:07:53]]

Application Questions

The sermon challenges us to pray “bold prayers”—prayers that, if God doesn’t answer, we would be helpless. When was the last time you prayed a prayer like that? What holds you back from praying boldly? [[34:51]]
David’s confession is honest and specific. Are there areas in your life where you tend to minimize, justify, or hide your sin instead of bringing it honestly before God? What would it look like to confess specifically this week? [[01:14:11]]
The story of the broken plate was used to illustrate our failed attempts to fix ourselves. Can you think of a time when you tried to “fix” your own mistakes or brokenness without God? What happened, and what did you learn? [[44:21]]
The sermon says restoration is a daily need, not a one-time event. What is one practical way you can ask God for renewal and restoration each day this week? [[01:15:27]]
After being restored, David commits to teaching others and leading them to God. Who in your life needs to hear about God’s restoration? What is one step you can take to share your story or invite them into a conversation about faith? [[01:07:53]]
The Great Commission is for every believer, not just pastors or leaders. What fears or obstacles keep you from making disciples in your everyday life? How can you ask God for boldness, wisdom, or compassion to overcome them? [[01:10:24]]
The sermon says, “Our prayers should move us to action.” What is one action step you feel God is prompting you to take after hearing this message—whether it’s confession, seeking restoration, or reaching out to someone else? [[01:17:53]]

Sermon Clips

When is the last time that you prayed a prayer so big that only God could accomplish it? But even more so, when is a prayer, what is a prayer that you prayed that if God didn't show up, you would look utterly foolish? What is a prayer that if God didn't do it, it's not going to happen? [00:35:43] (22 seconds) #OnlyGodCanDoIt

We all like to sometimes believe that we are ultimately good people, that as long as our good outweighs our bad, that it will kind of balance out. Or if we have hurt someone else, that we can make it up with another good. If you go out and you talk among the people here, especially in our Northern Virginia culture, I've heard so many people say, Well, I'm really just a good person. I'm not Hitler. I've never murdered anyone. I've never committed adultery. But ultimately, that puts us at the center of our standard. I'll say that one more time. That puts us at the center of the standard. When Scripture time and time again says, You don't get to be the one that determines what is good and bad. The person that gets to determine what is good and bad is not us as humans, because we are the created people. We are not the creator. [00:57:56] (57 seconds) #GodDefinesGoodAndBad

Not only do bold prayers understand and recognize ways that we have sinned against God, but bold prayers also cry out to God for restoration. Bold prayers cry out to God for restoration. Because David understood something that we also understand here over 3 ,000 years later that we get to read about over 3 ,000 years later, that we get to experience over 3 ,000 years later, that the same God that David was praying to is the same God that we get to worship. [01:03:07] (41 seconds) #CryForRestoration

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, in other words, he gets to be in charge of your life and not you. He gets to be the standard that you follow. He gets to be the one that directs your path. And then you also, you believe that God has raised him from the dead. You'll be saved. You'll be restored. You'll be brought and made new because of what David was crying out for was this restoration. [01:04:48] (29 seconds) #ConfessBelieveBeSaved

After God restores him, he now says, it's not just enough that I want to see my life restored. It is now my goal to be able to look at all the people around me and say, I don't want restoration all to myself. I want restoration for everyone. I want restoration for all of Israel. I want restoration for all the people I come into contact with because I know that my God is a big enough God. If he can save me, he can save every single person on the planet. [01:07:39] (32 seconds) #SacrificesOfTheBroken

Not only do bold prayers, ask God for his forgiveness. recognize how they have hurt him. Not only do bold prayers recognize their need for God's restoration, but bold prayers, write this down, ask God for help in fulfilling the Great Commission. Bold prayers ask God for help in fulfilling the Great Commission. [01:10:19] (26 seconds) #DependOnJesusAlone

See, that's why this whole, this whole series of bold prayers, it leads us back to recognizing that as we're trying to do this whole church thing, we recognize that we can't do this whole church thing by ourself. As we recognize that we are here to reach a world that is so broken and so lost, we can't reach this world on our own. As we're trying to fight our own issues and our own sins and our own problems, we recognize that we acknowledge that they are too big for us to be able to overcome. And we have to have someone to come and restore us. And then we recognize that we can't keep that to ourselves. We have to have a mindset of teaching others. [01:12:54] (47 seconds) #DailyNeedForRestoration

Well, we pray. But how do we pray boldly? Well, first thing we do is we pray specific prayers of repentance. Hear that word specific? David knew what he had done. He didn't have to guess. David knew why it was wrong because God told him through a prophet. He didn't have to guess. We don't have to guess either in our lives today. If we really think down inside of our souls, if we really think about how our anger and our jealousy and the evil that can live in every single one of us bubbles up, we don't have to think too hard about the ways that we're bad people at our core because, well, we just know we can look around and we can see the hurt in this world and we can ultimately look around and see. the ways that we break things, and the way that we cause hurt. God says to get specific with those things. Cry out to him and say, God, I am so sorry, not just for the bad things that I've done, but for this thing that I've done, and that thing that I've done, X, Y, and Z, all of the specific things. We have to get real with God. We have to be honest with him about who we are, but then we don't stop there. [01:14:05] (81 seconds) #DiscipleshipIsForAll

See, if you haven't done it for the first time, that means that you haven't asked God to restore you. You're still living in that darkness. You're still living in that sin. You have to ask God to restore you, but the thing is, for those people who have done that, you recognize that just after you become a Christian, that doesn't mean you stop needing God's restoration. That doesn't mean that you stop sinning. That means that you need his restoration daily. You need to ask him every single day, God, please come and fix me because I still don't have it figured out even after Jesus comes. We won't have it figured out until he takes us home to be with him. [01:16:05] (33 seconds)

The job of discipleship is not just for those that preach on a Sunday morning or for our serve team leaders or for our elders. The Great Commission says that our job as Christians is to make disciples. Every single person in this room, if you're a Christian, is called to go out and help bring others to God's restoration, to teach them how to observe what God has called us to do. Our prayers must reflect, God, what specific ways can you call me to go to my neighbor, my classmate, a coworker, a family member that I maybe don't get along with so well, and call them to repentance and restoration because we have that same repentance and restoration and we want the whole world to have it too. Every single person is called to this. Whose job is it? It's ours because we recognize that we didn't do it first. God did it in our hearts. [01:16:51] (64 seconds)

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