Private Genie

How many times have I heard myself or other people of a certain persuasion ‘speaking’ boldly to God? There has become such a conditioning to speak without a holy reverence to the God most high using the scriptures to justify their cockiness. They use the scripture, ‘come boldly to the throne of grace’ to give explanation for being able to ‘speak’ at God instead of entreating him in all his mercies. He has become a private genie of sorts to many.

It has become a popular attitude to claim situations, speak things into being or command angels and demons. This stance doesn’t seem to be the servants attitude Jesus and Paul spoke of but rather a grasp for power in our lives to let somebody think God is gracious and a friend and has given us the right and privilege to command him at will.

Instead of hearing someone say, ‘Oh Lord I am fearful of this situation, please send me an angel for protection?’ we tend to hear things like, ‘Cover me, Lord’, ‘Thank you Lord for your angels’, ‘Protect me Lord’, ‘Guide me, Lord’, or ‘Go before me, Lord’. We are not humbly entreating his kindness and mercy ~ we are commanding him.

In Hebrews 4:16 we are told to come to the throne of grace boldly that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Coming to the throne in the Hebrew is meant to draw near by a ‘reverent approach for worship’. When you come to the throne it is to tell him the whole story of our shortcomings not to sway him.

Sadly this is just one of the scriptures that are taken sorely out of context. It is not about us being able to have boldness before God to thus command him at will but rather it is spoken in context of us not having a fear in our very time when we need him most for our salvation or continued deliverance.

But he gives more grace. Wherefore he says, God resists the proud, but gives grace unto the humble. -- James 4:6

It is remarkable that we will boldly speak to God and of all that he has promised to us but the scriptures also mention speaking boldly to make known the mystery of the Gospel. When folks hear us commanding this God like our private genie it will propagate the very things that happened in Acts 8 where Simon was amazed at the apostles laying hands on folks and them receiving the Holy Ghost. He wanted that kind of power so badly that he offered to purchase it from them. Folks will see us commanding God and also want that ‘power’ versus a loving, intimate relationship with a Savior.

It is a privilege to be able to come to the throne of grace in our greatest times of need…not God’s responsibility to bow before us.