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that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,

(20)  For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Ephesians 6:19b-20

Explanation:

The second thing he prayed for in verses 19 and 20 is closely connect to utterance. Paul prayed for boldness.

It is critical to know what to say at the moment of opportunity.  This is utterance. It is just as important to have the courage to say it at the moment of opportunity.  This is boldness. Boldness includes exactly what he is making request for to them- “that I may open my mouth…”. Speaking up instead of remaining silent takes boldness.

The content Paul was giving was the “mystery of the gospel”.  He saw himself as “an ambassador” of the Gospel “in bonds”.  Do not miss that He was in jail as he wrote this letter.  Do you think that if you were in jail for the gospel’s sake that you might be tempted to be silent?  Do you think that boldness would be elusive?

Paul saw boldness as a duty- as a part of being an ambassador.  Look at that the last phrase:  “…that therein (in bonds) I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Application

Do you see utterance of the Gospel and boldness to declare the Gospel as duty? Do you see the importance of praying for boldness? In my mind, Paul is quite bold.  Yet, there is something in him that makes him that keeps him from speaking up for Christ.  It’s for that reason he asks the Ephesians to pray for hm to be bold. If that is the case for Paul, it must be the case for us.

Response

God, give me boldness to speak the Gospel for you today!