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diff --git a/29296-8.txt b/29296-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..58f6789 --- /dev/null +++ b/29296-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6524 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Ministry of Intercession, by Andrew Murray + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Ministry of Intercession + A Plea for More Prayer + +Author: Andrew Murray + +Release Date: July 2, 2009 [EBook #29296] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MINISTRY OF INTERCESSION *** + + + + +Produced by Heiko Evermann, Nigel Blower and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries) + + + + + + + + + + THE + MINISTRY OF INTERCESSION + + A PLEA FOR MORE PRAYER + + BY THE + + REV. ANDREW MURRAY + + WELLINGTON, S. AFRICA + + AUTHOR OF + "THE HOLIEST OF ALL" "ABIDE IN CHRIST" + "WAITING ON GOD" "THE LORD'S TABLE" + ETC. ETC. + + "I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, + which shall never hold their peace day nor night: + ye that are the Lord's remembrancers, keep not + silence, and give Him no rest, till He establish, + and till He make Jerusalem a praise in the earth." + ISA. lxii. 6, 7. + + _THIRD EDITION_ + + London + JAMES NISBET & CO. LIMITED + 21 BERNERS STREET, W. + 1898 + + + PRINTED BY + MORRISON AND GIBB LIMITED + EDINBURGH + + + + + TO + MY BRETHREN IN THE MINISTRY + AND + OTHER FELLOW-LABOURERS IN THE GOSPEL + + WHOM IT WAS MY PRIVILEGE TO MEET + IN THE CONVENTIONS AT + LANGLAAGTE, JOHANNESBURG, AND HEILBRON + DURBAN AND PIETERMARITZBURG + KING WILLIAM'S TOWN, PORT ELIZABETH + AND STELLENBOSCH + + THIS VOLUME + IS AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED + + + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAP. PAGE + + I. THE LACK OF PRAYER 9 + + II. THE MINISTRATION OF THE SPIRIT AND PRAYER 20 + + III. A MODEL OF INTERCESSION 31 + + IV. BECAUSE OF HIS IMPORTUNITY 43 + + V. THE LIFE THAT CAN PRAY 55 + + VI. RESTRAINING PRAYER--IS IT SIN? 67 + + VII. WHO SHALL DELIVER? 78 + +VIII. WILT THOU BE MADE WHOLE? 91 + + IX. THE SECRET OF EFFECTUAL PRAYER 104 + + X. THE SPIRIT OF SUPPLICATION 116 + + XI. IN THE NAME OF CHRIST 129 + + XII. MY GOD WILL HEAR ME 143 + +XIII. PAUL A PATTERN OF PRAYER 155 + + XIV. GOD SEEKS INTERCESSORS 169 + + XV. THE COMING REVIVAL 180 + + NOTE A 193 + + NOTE B 194 + + NOTE C 195 + + NOTE D 196 + + NOTE E 198 + + NOTE F 199 + + PRAY WITHOUT CEASING: HELPS TO INTERCESSION 201 + + + + +THE MINISTRY OF INTERCESSION + + + There is no holy service + But hath its secret bliss: + Yet, of all blessèd ministries, + Is one so dear as this? + The ministry that cannot be + A wondering seraph's dower, + Enduing mortal weakness + With more than angel-power; + The ministry of purest love + Uncrossed by any fear, + That bids us meet At the Master's feet + And keeps us very near. + + God's ministers are many, + For this His gracious will, + Remembrancers that day and night + This holy office fill. + While some are hushed in slumber, + Some to fresh service wake, + And thus the saintly number + No change or chance can break. + And thus the sacred courses + Are evermore fulfilled, + The tide of grace By time or place + Is never stayed or stilled. + + Oh, if our ears were opened + To hear as angels do + The Intercession-chorus + Arising full and true, + We should hear it soft up-welling + In morning's pearly light; + Through evening's shadows swelling + In grandly gathering might; + The sultry silence filling + Of noontide's thunderous glow, + And the solemn starlight thrilling + With ever-deepening flow. + + We should hear it through the rushing + Of the city's restless roar, + And trace its gentle gushing + O'er ocean's crystal floor: + We should hear it far up-floating + Beneath the Orient moon, + And catch the golden noting + From the busy Western noon; + And pine-robed heights would echo + As the mystic chant up-floats, + And the sunny plain Resound again + With the myriad-mingling notes. + + Who are the blessèd ministers + Of this world-gathering band? + All who have learnt one language, + Through each far-parted land; + All who have learnt the story + Of Jesu's love and grace, + And are longing for His glory + To shine in every face. + All who have known the Father + In Jesus Christ our Lord, + And know the might And love the light + Of the Spirit in the Word. + + Yet there are some who see not + Their calling high and grand, + Who seldom pass the portals, + And never boldly stand + Before the golden altar + On the crimson-stainèd floor, + Who wait afar and falter, + And dare not hope for more. + Will ye not join the blessèd ranks + In their beautiful array? + Let intercession blend with thanks + As ye minister to-day! + + There are little ones among them + Child-ministers of prayer, + White robes of intercession + Those tiny servants wear. + First for the near and dear ones + Is that fair ministry, + Then for the poor black children, + So far beyond the sea. + The busy hands are folded, + As the little heart uplifts + In simple love, To God above, + Its prayer for all good gifts. + + There are hands too often weary + With the business of the day, + With God-entrusted duties, + Who are toiling while they pray. + They bear the golden vials, + And the golden harps of praise + Through all the daily trials, + Through all the dusty ways, + These hands, so tired, so faithful, + With odours sweet are filled, + And in the ministry of prayer + Are wonderfully skilled. + + There are ministers unlettered, + Not of Earth's great and wise, + Yet mighty and unfettered + Their eagle-prayers arise. + Free of the heavenly storehouse! + For they hold the master-key + That opens all the fulness + Of God's great treasury. + They bring the needs of others, + And all things are their own, + For their one grand claim Is Jesu's name + Before their Father's throne. + + There are noble Christian workers, + The men of faith and power, + The overcoming wrestlers + Of many a midnight hour; + Prevailing princes with their God, + Who will not be denied, + Who bring down showers of blessing + To swell the rising tide. + The Prince of Darkness quaileth + At their triumphant way, + Their fervent prayer availeth + To sap his subtle sway. + + But in this temple service + Are sealed and set apart + Arch-priests of intercession, + Of undivided heart. + The fulness of anointing + On these is doubly shed, + The consecration of their God + Is on each low-bowed head. + They bear the golden vials + With white and trembling hand; + In quiet room Or wakeful gloom + These ministers must stand,-- + + To the Intercession-Priesthood + Mysteriously ordained, + When the strange dark gift of suffering + This added gift hath gained. + For the holy hands uplifted + In suffering's longest hour + Are truly Spirit-gifted + With intercession-power. + The Lord of Blessing fills them + With His uncounted gold, + An unseen store, Still more and more, + Those trembling hands shall hold. + + Not always with rejoicing + This ministry is wrought, + For many a sigh is mingled + With the sweet odours brought. + Yet every tear bedewing + The faith-fed altar fire + May be its bright renewing + To purer flame, and higher. + But when the oil of gladness + God graciously outpours, + The heavenward blaze, With blended praise, + More mightily upsoars. + + So the incense-cloud ascendeth + As through calm, crystal air, + A pillar reaching unto heaven + Of wreathèd faith and prayer. + For evermore the Angel + Of Intercession stands + In His Divine High Priesthood + With fragrance-fillèd hands, + To wave the golden censer + Before His Father's throne, + With Spirit-fire intenser, + And incense all His own. + + And evermore the Father + Sends radiantly down + All-marvellous responses, + His ministers to crown; + The incense-cloud returning + As golden blessing-showers, + We in each drop discerning + Some feeble prayer of ours, + Transmuted into wealth unpriced, + By Him who giveth thus + The glory all to Jesus Christ, + The gladness all to us! + +F. R. HAVERGAL. + +_September_ 1877. + + + + +INTRODUCTION + + +I have been asked by a friend, who heard of this book being published, +what the difference would be between it and the previous one on the same +subject, WITH CHRIST IN THE SCHOOL OF PRAYER. An answer to that question +may be the best introduction I can give to the present volume. + +Any acceptance the former work has had must be attributed, as far as the +contents go, to the prominence given to two great truths. The one was, +the certainty that prayer will be answered. There is with some an idea +that to ask and expect an answer is not the highest form of prayer. +Fellowship with God, apart from any request, is more than supplication. +About the petition there is something of selfishness and bargaining--to +worship is more than to beg. With others the thought that prayer is so +often unanswered is so prominent, that they think more of the spiritual +benefit derived from the exercise of prayer than the actual gifts to be +obtained by it. While admitting the measure of truth in these views, +when kept in their true place, THE SCHOOL OF PRAYER points out how our +Lord continually spoke of prayer as a means of obtaining what we desire, +and how He seeks in every possible way to waken in us the confident +expectation of an answer. I was led to show how prayer, in which a man +could enter into the mind of God, could assert the royal power of a +renewed will, and bring down to earth what without prayer would not have +been given, is the highest proof of his having been made in the likeness +of God's Son. He is found worthy of entering into fellowship with Him, +not only in adoration and worship, but in having his will actually taken +up into the rule of the world, and becoming the intelligent channel +through which God can fulfil his eternal purpose. The book sought to +reiterate and enforce the precious truths Christ preaches so +continually: the blessing of prayer is that you can ask and receive what +you will: the highest exercise and the glory of prayer is that +persevering importunity can prevail and obtain what God at first could +not and would not give. + +With this truth there was a second one that came out very strongly as we +studied the Master's words. In answer to the question, But why, if the +answer to prayer is so positively promised, why are there such +numberless unanswered prayers? we found that Christ taught us that the +answer depended upon certain conditions. He spoke of faith, of +perseverance, of praying in His Name, of praying in the will of God. But +all these conditions were summed up in the one central one: "_If ye +abide in Me_, ask whatsoever ye will and it shall be done unto you." It +became clear that the power to pray the effectual prayer of faith +depended _upon the life_. It is only to a man given up to live as +entirely in Christ and for Christ as the branch in the vine and for the +vine, that these promises can come true. "_In that day_," Christ said, +the day of Pentecost, "ye shall ask in My Name." It is only in a life +full of the Holy Spirit that the true power to ask in Christ's Name can +be known. This led to the emphasising the truth that the ordinary +Christian life cannot appropriate these promises. It needs a spiritual +life, altogether sound and vigorous, to pray in power. The teaching +naturally led to press the need of a life of entire consecration. More +than one has told me how it was in the reading of the book that he first +saw what the better life was that could be lived, and must be lived, if +Christ's wonderful promises are to come true to us. + +In regard to these two truths there is no change in the present volume. +One only wishes that one could put them with such clearness and force as +to help every beloved fellow-Christian to some right impression of the +reality and the glory of our privilege as God's children: "Ask +whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done unto you." The present volume +owes its existence to the desire to enforce two truths, of which +formerly I had no such impression as now. + +The one is--that Christ actually meant prayer to be the great power by +which His Church should do its work, and that the neglect of prayer is +the great reason the Church has not greater power over the masses in +Christian and in heathen countries. In the first chapter I have stated +how my convictions in regard to this have been strengthened, and what +gave occasion to the writing of the book. It is meant to be, on behalf +of myself and my brethren in the ministry and all God's people, a +confession of shortcoming and of sin, and, at the same time, a call to +believe that things can be different, and that Christ waits to fit us by +His Spirit to pray as He would have us. This call, of course, brings me +back to what I spoke of in connection with the former volume: that there +is a life in the Spirit, a life of abiding in Christ, within our reach, +in which the power of prayer--both the power to pray and the power to +obtain the answer--can be realised in a measure which we could not have +thought possible before. Any failure in the prayer-life, any desire or +hope really to take the place Christ has prepared for us, brings us to +the very root of the doctrine of grace as manifested in the Christian +life. It is only by a full surrender to the life of abiding, by the +yielding to the fulness of the Spirit's leading and quickening, that the +prayer-life can be restored to a truly healthy state. I feel deeply how +little I have been able to put this in the volume as I could wish. I +have prayed and am trusting that God, who chooses the weak things, will +use it for His own glory. + +The second truth which I have sought to enforce is that we have far too +little conception of the place that intercession, as distinguished from +prayer for ourselves, ought to have in the Church and the Christian +life. In intercession our King upon the throne finds His highest glory; +in it we shall find our highest glory too. Through it He continues His +saving work, and can do nothing without it; through it alone we can do +our work, and nothing avails without it. In it He ever receives from the +Father the Holy Spirit and all spiritual blessings to impart; in it we +too are called to receive in ourselves the fulness of God's Spirit, with +the power to impart spiritual blessing to others. The power of the +Church truly to bless rests on intercession--asking and receiving +heavenly gifts to carry to men. Because this is so, it is no wonder that +where, owing to lack of teaching or spiritual insight, we trust in +our own diligence and effort, to the influence of the world and the +flesh, and work more than we pray, the presence and power of God are not +seen in our work as we would wish. + +Such thoughts have led me to wonder what could be done to rouse +believers to a sense of their high calling in this, and to help and +train them to take part in it. And so this book differs from the former +one in the attempt to open a practising school, and to invite all who +have never taken systematic part in the great work of intercession to +begin and give themselves to it. There are tens of thousands of workers +who have known and are proving wonderfully what prayer can do. But there +are tens of thousands who work with but little prayer, and as many more +who do not work because they do not know how or where, who might all be +won to swell the host of intercessors who are to bring down the +blessings of heaven to earth. For their sakes, and the sake of all who +feel the need of help, I have prepared helps and hints for a school of +intercession for a month (see the Appendix). I have asked those who +would join, to begin by giving at least ten minutes a day definitely to +this work. It is in doing that we learn to do; it is as we take hold and +begin that the help of God's Spirit will come. It is as we daily hear +God's call, and at once put it into practice, that the consciousness +will begin to live in us, I too am an intercessor; and that we shall +feel the need of living in Christ and being full of the Spirit if we are +to do this work aright. Nothing will so test and stimulate the Christian +life as the honest attempt to be an intercessor. It is difficult to +conceive how much we ourselves and the Church will be the gainers, if +with our whole heart we accept the post of honour God is offering us. +With regard to the school of intercession, I am confident that the +result of the first month's course will be to awake the feeling of how +little we know how to intercede. And a second and a third month may only +deepen the sense of ignorance and unfitness. This will be an unspeakable +blessing. The confession, "We know not how to pray as we ought," is the +introduction to the experience, "The Spirit maketh intercession for +us"--our sense of ignorance will lead us to depend upon the Spirit +praying in us, to feel the need of living in the Spirit. + +We have heard a great deal of systematic Bible study, and we praise God +for thousands on thousands of Bible classes and Bible readings. Let all +the leaders of such classes see whether they could not open prayer +classes--helping their students to pray in secret, and training them to +be, above everything, men of prayer. Let ministers ask what they can do +in this. The faith in God's word can nowhere be so exercised and +perfected as in the intercession that asks and expects and looks out +for the answer. Throughout Scripture, in the life of every saint, of +God's own Son, throughout the history of God's Church, God is, first of +all, a prayer-hearing God. Let us try and help God's children to know +their God, and encourage all God's servants to labour with the +assurance: the chief and most blessed part of my work is to ask and +receive from my Father what I can bring to others. + +It will now easily be understood how what this book contains will be +nothing but the confirmation and the call to put into practice the two +great lessons of the former one. "_Ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall +be done to you_"; "_Whatever ye ask, believe that ye have received_": +these great prayer-promises, as part of the Church's enduement of power +for her work, are to be taken as literally and actually true. "_If ye +abide in Me, and My words abide in you_"; "_In that day ye shall ask in +My Name_": these great prayer-conditions are universal and unchangeable. +A life abiding in Christ and filled with the Spirit, a life entirely +given up as a branch for the work of the vine, has the power to claim +these promises and to pray the effectual prayer that availeth much. +Lord, teach us to pray. + +ANDREW MURRAY. + +WELLINGTON, _1st September 1897_. + + + + +A PLEA FOR MORE PRAYER + + + + +CHAPTER I + +The Lack of Prayer + + "Ye have not, because ye ask not."--JAS. iv. 2. + + "And He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no + intercessor."--ISA. lix. 16. + + "There is none that calleth upon Thy name, that stirreth up himself + to take hold of Thee."--ISA. lxiv. 7. + + +At our last Wellington Convention for the Deepening of the Spiritual +Life, in April, the forenoon meetings were devoted to prayer and +intercession. Great blessing was found, both in listening to what the +Word teaches of their need and power, and in joining in continued united +supplication. Many felt that we know too little of persevering +importunate prayer, and that it is indeed one of the greatest needs of +the Church. + +During the past two months I have been attending a number of +Conventions. At the first, a Dutch Missionary Conference at Langlaagte, +Prayer had been chosen as the subject of the addresses. At the next, at +Johannesburg, a brother in business gave expression to his deep +conviction that the great want of the Church of our day was, more of the +spirit and practice of intercession. A week later we had a Dutch +Ministerial Conference in the Free State, where three days were spent, +after two days' services in the congregation on the work of the Holy +Spirit, in considering the relation of the Spirit to prayer. At the +ministerial meetings held at most of the succeeding conventions, we were +led to take up the subject, and everywhere there was the confession: We +pray too little! And with this there appeared to be a fear that, with +the pressure of duty and the force of habit, it was almost impossible to +hope for any great change. + +I cannot say what a deep impression was made upon me by these +conversations. Most of all, by the thought that there should be anything +like hopelessness on the part of God's servants as to the prospect of an +entire change being effected, and real deliverance found from a failure +which cannot but hinder our own joy in God, and our power in His +service. And I prayed God to give me words that might not only help to +direct attention to the evil, but, specially, that might stir up faith, +and waken the assurance that God by His Spirit will enable us to pray as +we ought. + +Let me begin, for the sake of those who have never had their attention +directed to the matter, by stating some of the facts that prove how +universal is the sense of shortcoming in this respect. + +Last year there appeared a report of an address to ministers by Dr. +Whyte, of Free St. George's, Edinburgh. In that he said that, as a young +minister, he had thought that, of the time he had over from pastoral +visitation, he ought to spend as much as possible with his books in his +study. He wanted to feed his people with the very best he could prepare +for them. But he had now learned that prayer was of more importance than +study. He reminded his brethren of the election of deacons to take +charge of the collections, that the twelve might "give themselves to +prayer and the ministry of the word," and said that at times, when the +deacons brought him his salary, he had to ask himself whether he had +been as faithful in his engagement as the deacons had been to theirs. +He felt as if it were almost too late to regain what he had lost, and +urged his brethren to pray more. What a solemn confession and warning +from one of the high places: We pray too little! + +During the Regent Square Convention two years ago the subject came up in +conversation with a well-known London minister. He urged that if so much +time must be given to prayer, it would involve the neglect of the +imperative calls of duty "There is the morning post, before breakfast, +with ten or twelve letters which _must_ be answered. Then there are +committee meetings waiting, with numberless other engagements, more than +enough to fill up the day. It is difficult to see how it can be done." + +My answer was, in substance, that it was simply a question of whether +the call of God for our time and attention was of more importance than +that of man. If God was waiting to meet us, and to give us blessing and +power from heaven for His work, it was a short-sighted policy to put +other work in the place which God and waiting on Him should have. + +At one of our ministerial meetings, the superintendent of a large +district put the case thus: "I rise in the morning and have half an +hour with God, in the Word and prayer, in my room before breakfast. I go +out, and am occupied all day with a multiplicity of engagements. I do +not think many minutes elapse without my breathing a prayer for guidance +or help. After my day's work, I return in my evening devotions and speak +to God of the day's work. But of the intense, definite, importunate +prayer of which Scripture speaks one knows little." What, he asked, must +I think of such a life? + +We all know the difference between a man whose profits are just enough +to maintain his family and keep up his business, and another whose +income enables him to extend the business and to help others. There may +be an earnest Christian life in which there is prayer enough to keep us +from going back, and just maintain the position we have attained to, +without much of growth in spirituality or Christlikeness. The attitude +is more defensive, seeking to ward off temptation, than aggressive, +reaching out after higher attainment. If there is indeed to be a going +from strength to strength, with some large experience of God's power to +sanctify ourselves and to bring down real blessing on others, there must +be more definite and persevering prayer. The Scripture teaching about +crying day and night, continuing steadfastly in prayer, watching unto +prayer, being heard for his importunity, must in some degree become our +experience if we are really to be intercessors. + +At the very next Convention the same question was put in somewhat +different form. "I am at the head of a station, with a large outlying +district to care for. I see the importance of much prayer, and yet my +life hardly leaves room for it. Are we to submit? Or tell us how we can +attain to what we desire?" I admitted that the difficulty was universal. +I recalled the words of one of our most honoured South African +missionaries, now gone to his rest: he had the same complaint. "In the +morning at five the sick people are at the door waiting for medicine. At +six the printers come, and I have to set them to work and teach them. At +nine the school calls me, and till late at night I am kept busy with a +large correspondence." In my answer I quoted a Dutch proverb: 'What _is_ +heaviest must _weigh_ heaviest,'--must have the first place. The law of +God is unchangeable: as on earth, so in our traffic with heaven, we only +get as we give. Unless we are willing to pay the price, and sacrifice +time and attention and what appear legitimate or necessary duties, for +the sake of the heavenly gifts, we need not look for a large experience +of the power of the heavenly world in our work. The whole company +present joined in the sad confession; it had been thought over, and +mourned over, times without number; and yet, somehow, there they were, +all these pressing claims, and all the ineffectual resolves to pray +more, barring the way. I need not now say to what further thoughts our +conversation led; the substance of them will be found in some of the +later chapters in this volume. + +Let me call just one more witness. In the course of my journey I met +with one of the Cowley Fathers, who had just been holding Retreats for +clergy of the English Church. I was interested to hear from him the line +of teaching he follows. In the course of conversation he used the +expression--"the distraction of business," and it came out that he found +it one of the great difficulties he had to deal with in himself and +others. Of himself, he said that by the vows of his Order he was bound +to give himself specially to prayer. But he found it exceedingly +difficult. Every day he had to be at four different points of the town +he lived in; his predecessor had left him the charge of a number of +committees where he was expected to do all the work; it was as if +everything conspired to keep him from prayer. + +All this testimony surely suffices to make clear that prayer has not the +place it ought to have in our ministerial and Christian life; that the +shortcoming is one of which all are willing to make confession; and that +the difficulties in the way of deliverance are such as to make a return +to a true and full prayer-life almost impossible. Blessed be God--"The +things that are impossible with men are possible with God"! "God is able +to make all grace abound toward you, that ye, always having all +sufficiency in all things, may abound to all good work." Do let us +believe that God's call to much prayer need not be a burden and cause of +continual self-condemnation. He means it to be a joy. He can make it an +inspiration, giving us strength for all our work, and bringing down His +power to work through us in our fellowmen. Let us not fear to admit to +the full the sin that shames us, and then to face it in the name of our +Mighty Redeemer. _The light that shows us our sin and condemns us for +it, will show us the way out of it, into the life of liberty that is +well-pleasing to God._ If we allow this one matter, unfaithfulness in +prayer, to convict us of the lack in our Christian life which lies at +the root of it, God will use the discovery to bring us not only the +power to pray that we long for, but the joy of a new and healthy life, +of which prayer is the spontaneous expression. + +And what is now the way by which our sense of the lack of prayer can be +made the means of blessing, the entrance on a path in which the evil may +be conquered? How can our intercourse with the Father, in continual +prayer and intercession, become what it ought to be, if we and the world +around us are to be blessed? As it appears to me, we must begin by going +back to God's Word, to study what _the place is God means prayer to +have_ in the life of His child and His Church. A fresh sight of what +prayer is _according to the will of God_, of what our prayers can be, +_through the grace of God_, will free us from those feeble defective +views, in regard to the absolute necessity of continual prayer, which +lie at the root of our failure. As we get an insight into the +reasonableness and rightness of this divine appointment, and come under +the full conviction of how wonderfully it fits in with God's love and +our own happiness, we shall be freed from the false impression of its +being an arbitrary demand. We shall with our whole heart and soul +consent to it and rejoice in it, as the one only possible way for the +blessing of heaven to come to earth. All thought of task and burden, of +self-effort and strain, will pass away in the blessed faith that as +simple as breathing is in the healthy natural life, will praying be in +the Christian life that is led and filled by the Spirit of God. + +As we occupy ourselves with and accept this teaching of God's Word on +prayer, we shall be led to see how our failure in the prayer-life was +owing to failure in the Spirit-life. Prayer is one of the most heavenly +and spiritual of the functions of the Spirit-life. How could we try or +expect to fulfil it so as to please God, except as our soul is in +perfect health, and our life truly possessed and moved by God's Spirit? +The insight into the place God means prayer to take, and which it only +can take, in a full Christian life, will show us that we have not been +living the true, the abundant life, and that any thought of praying more +and effectually will be vain, except as we are brought into a closer +relation to our Blessed Lord Jesus. Christ is our life, Christ liveth in +us, in such reality that His life of prayer on earth, and of +intercession in heaven, is breathed into us in just such measure as our +surrender and our faith allow and accept it. Jesus Christ is the Healer +of all diseases, the Conqueror of all enemies, the Deliverer from all +sin; if our failure teaches us to turn afresh to Him, and find in Him +the grace He gives to pray as we ought, this humiliation may become our +greatest blessing. Let us all unite in praying God that He would visit +our souls and fit us for that work of intercession, which is at this +moment the greatest need of the Church and the world. It is only by +intercession that that power can be brought down from Heaven which will +enable the Church to conquer the world. Let us stir up the slumbering +gift that is lying unused, and seek to gather and train and band +together as many as we can, to be God's remembrancers, and to give Him +no rest till He makes His Church a joy in the earth. Nothing but intense +believing prayer can meet the intense spirit of worldliness, of which +complaint is everywhere made. + + + + +A PLEA FOR MORE PRAYER + +CHAPTER II + +The Ministration of the Spirit and Prayer + + "If ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children; + how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to + them that ask Him?"--LUKE xi. 13. + + +Christ had just said (v. 9), "Ask, and it shall be given": God's giving +is inseparably connected with our asking. He applies this especially to +the Holy Spirit. As surely as a father on earth gives bread to his +child, so God gives the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him. The whole +ministration of the Spirit is ruled by the one great law: God must give, +we must ask. When the Holy Spirit was poured out at Pentecost with a +flow that never ceases, it was in answer to prayer. The inflow into the +believer's heart, and His outflow in the rivers of living water, ever +still depend upon the law: "Ask, and it shall be given." In connection +with our confession of the lack of prayer, we have said that what we +need is some due apprehension of the place it occupies in God's plan of +redemption; we shall perhaps nowhere see this more clearly than in the +first half of the Acts of the Apostles. The story of the birth of the +Church in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and of the first freshness +of its heavenly life in the power of that Spirit, will teach us how +_prayer on earth_, whether as cause or effect, _is the true measure of +the presence of the Spirit of heaven_. + +We begin with the well-known words (i. 13), "These all continued with +one accord in prayer and supplication." And then there follows: "And +when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord +in one place. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost. And the same +day there were added to them about three thousand souls." The great work +of redemption had been accomplished. The Holy Spirit had been promised +by Christ "not many days hence." He had sat down on His throne and +received the Spirit from the Father. But all this was not enough. One +thing more was needed: the ten days' united continued supplication of +the disciples. It was intense, continued prayer that prepared the +disciples' hearts, that opened the windows of heaven, that brought down +the promised gift. As little as the power of the Spirit could be given +without Christ sitting on the throne, _could it descend without the +disciples on the footstool of the throne_. For all the ages the law is +laid down here, at the birth of the Church, that whatever else may be +found on earth, the power of the Spirit must be prayed down from heaven. +The measure of believing, continued prayer will be the measure of the +Spirit's working in the Church. Direct, definite, determined prayer is +what we need. + +See how this is confirmed in chapter iv. Peter and John had been brought +before the Council and threatened with punishment. When they returned to +their brethren, and reported what had been said to them, "all lifted up +their voice to God with one accord," and prayed for boldness to speak +the word. "And when they had prayed, the place was shaken, and they were +all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with +boldness. And the multitude of them that believed were one heart and one +soul. And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection +of the Lord Jesus; and great grace was upon them all." It is as if the +story of Pentecost is repeated a second time over, with the prayer, the +shaking of the house, the filling with the Spirit, the speaking God's +word with boldness and power, the great grace upon all, the +manifestation of unity and love--to imprint it ineffaceably on the heart +of the Church: it is prayer that lies at the root of the spiritual life +and power of the Church. The measure of God's giving the Spirit is our +asking. He gives as a father to him who asks as a child. + +Go on to the sixth chapter. There we find that, when murmurings arose as +to the neglect of the Grecian Jews in the distribution of alms, the +apostles proposed the appointment of deacons to serve the tables. "We," +they said, "will give ourselves to prayer and the ministry of the word." +It is often said, and rightly said, that there is nothing in honest +business, when it is kept in its place as entirely subordinate to the +kingdom, which must ever be first, that need prevent fellowship with +God. Least of all ought a work like ministering to the poor hinder the +spiritual life. And yet the apostles felt it would hinder them in their +giving themselves to the ministry of prayer and the word. What does +this teach? That the maintenance of the spirit of prayer, such as is +consistent with the claims of much work, is not enough for those who are +the leaders of the Church. To keep up the communication with the King on +the throne and the heavenly world clear and fresh; to draw down the +power and blessing of that world, not only for the maintenance of our +own spiritual life, but for those around us; continually to receive +instruction and empowerment for the great work to be done--the apostles, +as the ministers of the word, felt the need of being free from other +duties, that they might give themselves to much prayer. James writes: +"Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit +the fatherless and widows in their affliction." If ever any work were a +sacred one, it was that of caring for these Grecian widows. And yet, +even such duties might interfere with the special calling to give +themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word. As on earth, so in +the kingdom of heaven, there is power in the division of labour; and +while some, like the deacons, had specially to care for serving the +tables and ministering the alms of the Church here on earth, others had +to be set free for that steadfast continuance in prayer which would +uninterruptedly secure the downflow of the powers of the heavenly world. +The minister of Christ is set apart to give himself as much to prayer as +to the ministry of the word. In faithful obedience to this law is the +secret of the Church's power and success. As before, so _after +Pentecost_, the apostles were men given up to prayer. + +In chapter viii. we have the intimate connection between the Pentecostal +gift and prayer, from another point of view. At Samaria, Philip had +preached with great blessing, and many had believed. But the Holy Ghost +was, as yet, fallen on none of them. The apostles sent down Peter and +John to pray for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost. The power +for such prayer was a higher gift than preaching--the work of the men +who had been in closest contact with the Lord in glory, the work that +was essential to the perfection of the life that preaching and baptism, +faith and conversion had only begun. Surely of all the gifts of the +early Church for which we should long there is none more needed than the +gift of prayer--prayer that brings down the Holy Ghost on believers. +This power is given to the men who say: "We will give ourselves to +prayer." + +In the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, in the house of Cornelius at +Cæsarea, we have another testimony to the wondrous interdependence of +the action of prayer and the Spirit, and another proof of what will come +to a man who has given himself to prayer. Peter went up at midday to +pray on the housetop. And what happened? He saw heaven opened, and there +came the vision that revealed to him the cleansing of the Gentiles; with +that came the message of the three men from Cornelius, a man who "prayed +alway," and had heard from an angel, "Thy prayers are come up before +God"; and then the voice of the Spirit was heard saying, "Go with them." +It is Peter praying, to whom the will of God is revealed, to whom +guidance is given as to going to Cæsarea, and who is brought into +contact with a praying and prepared company of hearers. No wonder that +in answer to all this prayer a blessing comes beyond all expectation, +and the Holy Ghost is poured out upon the Gentiles. A much-praying +minister will receive an entrance into God's will he would otherwise +know nothing of; will be brought to praying people where he does not +expect them; will receive blessing above all he asks or thinks. The +teaching and the power of the Holy Ghost are alike unalterably linked to +prayer. + +Our next reference will show us faith in the power that the Church's +prayer has with its glorified King, as it is found, not only in the +apostles, but in the Christian community. In chapter xii. we have the +story of Peter in prison on the eve of execution. The death of James had +aroused the Church to a sense of real danger, and the thought of losing +Peter too, wakened up all its energies. It betook itself to prayer. +"Prayer was made of the Church without ceasing to God for him." That +prayer availed much; Peter was delivered. When he came to the house of +Mary, he found "many gathered together praying." Stone walls and double +chains, soldiers and keepers, and the iron gate, all gave way before the +power from heaven that prayer brought down to his rescue. The whole +power of the Roman Empire, as represented by Herod, was impotent in +presence of the power the Church of the Holy Spirit wielded in prayer. +They stood in such close and living communication with their Lord in +heaven; they knew so well that the words, "all power is given unto Me," +and "Lo I am with you alway," were absolutely true; they had such faith +in His promise to hear them whatever they asked--that they prayed in the +assurance that the powers of heaven could work on earth, and would work +at their request and on their behalf. The Pentecostal Church believed in +prayer, and practised it. + +Just one more illustration of the place and the blessing of prayer among +men filled with the Holy Spirit. In chapter xiii. we have the names of +five men at Antioch who had given themselves specially to ministering to +the Lord with prayer and fasting. Their giving themselves to prayer was +not in vain: as they ministered to the Lord, the Holy Spirit met them, +and gave them new insight into God's plans. He called them to be +fellow-workers with Himself; there was a work to which He had called +Barnabas and Saul; their part and privilege would be to separate these +men with renewed fasting and prayer, and to let them go, "sent forth of +the Holy Ghost." God in heaven would not send forth His chosen servants +without the co-operation of His Church; men on earth were to have a real +partnership in the work of God. It was prayer that fitted and prepared +them for this; it was to praying men the Holy Ghost gave authority to +do His work and use His name. It was to prayer the Holy Ghost was given. +It is still prayer that is the only secret of true Church extension, +that is guided from heaven to find and send forth God-called and +God-empowered men. To prayer the Holy Spirit will show the men He has +selected; to prayer that sets them apart under His guidance He will give +the honour of knowing that they are men, "sent forth by the Holy Ghost." +It is prayer which is the link between the King on the throne and the +Church at His footstool--the human link that has its divine strength in +the power of the Holy Ghost, who comes in answer to it. + +As one looks back upon these chapters in the history of the Pentecostal +Church, how clear the two great truths stand out: where there is much +prayer there will be much of the Spirit; where there is much of the +Spirit there will be ever-increasing prayer. So clear is the living +connection between the two, that when the Spirit is given in answer to +prayer it ever wakens more prayer to prepare for the fuller revelation +and communication of His Divine power and grace. If prayer was thus the +power by which the Primitive Church flourished and triumphed, is it not +the one need of the Church of our days? Let us learn what ought to be +counted axioms in our Church work:-- + +Heaven is still as full of stores of spiritual blessing as it was then. +God still delights to give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him. Our +life and work are still as dependent on the direct impartation of Divine +power as they were in Pentecostal times. Prayer is still the appointed +means for drawing down these heavenly blessings in power on ourselves +and those around us. God still seeks for men and women who will, with +all their other work of ministering, specially give themselves to +persevering prayer. + +And we--you, my reader, and I--may have the privilege of offering +ourselves to God to labour in prayer, and bring down these blessings to +this earth. Shall we not beseech God to make all this truth so living in +us that we may not rest till it has mastered us, and our whole heart be +so filled with it, that the practice of intercession shall be counted by +us our highest privilege, and we find in it the sure and only measure +for blessing on ourselves, on the Church, and on the world? + + + + +A PLEA FOR MORE PRAYER + +CHAPTER III + +A Model of Intercession + + "And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall + go unto him at midnight, and shall say unto him, Friend, lend me + three loaves; for a friend of mine is come unto me from a journey, + and I have nothing to set before him; and he from within shall + answer and say, Trouble me not: I cannot rise and give thee? I say + unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his + friend, yet, because of his importunity, he will arise and give him + as many as he needeth."--LUKE xi. 5-8. + + "I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never + hold their peace day nor night: ye that are the Lord's + remembrancers, keep not silence, and give Him no rest."--ISA. lxii. + 6, 7. + + +We have seen in our previous chapter what power prayer has. It is the +one power on earth that commands the power of heaven. The story of the +early days of the Church is God's great object-lesson, to teach His +Church what prayer can do, how it alone, but it most surely, can draw +down the treasures and powers of heaven into the life of earth. + +Just remember the lessons we learnt of how prayer is at once +indispensable and irresistible. Did we not see how unknown and untold +power and blessing is stored up for us in heaven?--how that power will +make us a blessing to men, and fit us to do any work or face any danger? +how it is to be sought in prayer continually and persistently? how they +who have the heavenly power can pray it down upon others? how in all the +intercourse of ministers and people, in all the ministrations of +Christ's Church, it is the one secret of success? how it can defy all +the power of the world, and fit men to conquer that world for Christ? It +is the power of the heavenly life, the power of God's own Spirit, the +power of Omnipotence, that waits for prayer to bring it down. + +In all this prayer there was little thought of personal need or +happiness. It was the desire to witness for Christ and bring Him and His +salvation to others, it was the thought of God's kingdom and glory, that +possessed these disciples. If we would be delivered from the sin of +restraining prayer, we must enlarge our hearts for the work of +intercession. The attempt to pray constantly for ourselves must be a +failure; it is in intercession for others that our faith and love and +perseverance will be aroused, and that power of the Spirit be found +which can fit us for saving men. We are asking how we may become more +faithful and successful in prayer; let us see how the Master teaches us, +in the parable of the Friend at Midnight, that intercession for the +needy calls forth the highest exercise of our power of believing and +prevailing prayer. Intercession is the most perfect form of prayer: it +is the prayer Christ ever liveth to pray on His throne. Let us learn +what the elements of true intercession are. + +1. Notice _the urgent need_: here intercession has its origin. The +friend came at midnight--an untimely hour. He was hungry, and could not +buy bread. If we are to learn to pray aright we must open eye and heart +to the need around us. + +We hear continually of the thousand millions of heathen and Mohammedans +living in midnight darkness, perishing for lack of the bread of life. +We hear of five hundred millions of nominal Christians, the great +majority of them almost as ignorant and indifferent as the heathen. We +see millions in the Christian Church, not ignorant or indifferent, and +yet knowing little of a walk in the light of God or in the power of a +life fed by bread from heaven. We have each of us our own +circles--congregations, schools, friends, missions--in which the great +complaint is that the light and life of God are too little known. +Surely, if we believe what we profess, that God alone is able to help, +that God certainly will help in answer to prayer,--all this need ought +to make intercessors of us, people who give their lives to prayer for +those around them. + +Let us take time to consider and realise the need. Each Christless soul +going down into outer darkness, perishing of hunger, with bread enough +and to spare! Thirty millions a year dying without the knowledge of +Christ! Our own neighbours and friends, souls intrusted to us, dying +without hope! Christians around us living a sickly, feeble, fruitless +life! Surely there is need for prayer. Nothing, nothing but prayer to +God for help, will avail. + +2. Note _the willing love_.--The friend took his weary, hungry friend +into his house, and into his heart too. He did not excuse himself by +saying he had no bread: he gave himself at midnight to seek it for him. +He sacrificed his night's rest, his comfort, to find the needed bread. +"Love seeketh not its own." It is the very nature of love to give up and +forget itself for the sake of others. It takes their needs and makes +them its own, it finds its real joy in living and dying for others as +Christ did. + +It is the love of a mother to her prodigal son that makes her pray for +him. True love to souls will become in us the spirit of intercession. It +is possible to do a great deal of faithful, earnest work for our +fellowmen without true love to them. Just as a lawyer or a physician, +from a love of his profession and a high sense of faithfulness to duty, +may interest himself most thoroughly in clients or patients without any +special love to each, so servants of Christ may give themselves to their +work with devotion and even self-sacrificing enthusiasm without the +Christlike love to souls being strong. It is this lack of love that +causes so much shortcoming in prayer. It is as love of our profession +and work, delight in thoroughness and diligence, sink away in the tender +compassion of Christ, that love will compel us to prayer, because we +cannot rest in our work if souls are not saved. True love must pray. + +3. Note _the sense of impotence_.--We often speak of the power of love. +In one sense this is true; and yet the truth has its limitations, which +must not be forgotten. The strongest love may be utterly impotent. A +mother might be willing to give her life for her dying child, and yet +not be able to save it. The friend at midnight was most willing to give +his friend bread, but he had none. It was this sense of impotence, of +his inability to help, that sent him a-begging: "My friend is come to +me, and _I have nothing_ to set before him." It is this sense of +impotence with God's servants that is the very strength of the life of +intercession. + +"I have nothing to set before them": as this consciousness takes +possession of the minister or missionary, the teacher or worker, +intercession will become their only hope and refuge. I may have +knowledge and truth, a loving heart, and the readiness to give myself +for those under my charge; but the bread of heaven I cannot give them. +With all my love and zeal, "I have nothing to set before them." Blessed +the man who has made that "I have nothing," the motto of his ministry. +As he thinks of the judgment day and the danger of souls, as he sees +what a supernatural power and life is needed to save men from sin, as he +feels how utterly insufficient all he can ever do is to give them life, +that "_I have nothing_" urges him to pray. Intercession appears to him, +as he thinks of the midnight darkness and the hungry souls, as his only +hope, the one thing in which his love can take refuge. + +Let us take the lesson to heart, for a warning to all who are strong and +wise to work, for the encouragement of all who are feeble. The sense of +our impotence is the soul of intercession. The simplest, feeblest +Christian can pray down blessing from an Almighty God. + +4. Note _the faith in prayer_.--What he has not himself, another can +supply. He has a rich friend near, who will be both able and willing to +give the bread. He is sure that if he only asks, he will receive. This +faith makes him leave his home at midnight: if he has not the bread +himself to give, he can ask another. + +It is this simple, confident faith that God will give, that we need: +where it really exists, there will surely be no mistake about our not +praying. And in God's word we have everything that can stir and +strengthen such faith in us. Just as the heaven our natural eye can see +is one great ocean of sunshine, with its light and heat, giving beauty +and fruitfulness to earth, Scripture shows us God's true heaven, filled +with all spiritual blessings,--divine light and love and life, heavenly +joy and peace and power, all shining down upon us. It reveals to us God +waiting, delighting to bestow these blessings _in answer to prayer_. By +a thousand promises and testimonies it calls and urges us to believe +that prayer will be heard, that what we cannot possibly do ourselves for +those whom we want to help, _can be got by prayer_. Surely there can be +no question as to our believing that prayer will be heard, that through +prayer the poorest and feeblest can dispense blessings to the needy, and +each of us, though poor, may yet be making many rich. + +5. Note _the importunity that prevails_.--The faith of the friend met a +sudden and unexpected check: the rich friend refuses to hear--"I cannot +rise and give thee." How little the loving heart had counted on this +disappointment; it cannot consent to accept it. The supplicant presses +his threefold plea: here is my needy friend, you have abundance, I am +your friend; and refuses to accept a denial. The love that opened his +house at midnight, and then left it to seek help, must win. + +This is the central lesson of the parable. In our intercession we may +find that there is difficulty and delay with the answer. It may be as if +God says, "I cannot give thee." It is not easy, against all appearances, +to hold fast our confidence that He will hear, and to persevere in full +assurance that we shall have what we ask. And yet this is what God looks +for from us. He so highly prizes our confidence in Him, it is so +essentially the highest honour the creature can render the Creator, that +He will do anything to train us in the exercise of this trust in Him. +Blessed the man who is not staggered by God's delay, or silence, or +apparent refusal, but is strong in faith, giving glory to God. Such +faith perseveres, importunately, if need be, and cannot fail to inherit +the blessing. + +6. Note, last, _the certainty of a rich reward_.--"I say unto you, +because of his importunity, he will give him as many as he needeth." Oh +that we might learn to believe in the certainty of an abundant answer. A +prophet said of old: "Let not your hands be weak; _your work shall be +rewarded_." Would that all who feel it difficult to pray much, would fix +their eye on the recompense of the reward, and in faith learn to count +upon the Divine assurance that their prayer cannot be vain. If we will +but believe in God and His faithfulness, intercession will become to us +the very first thing we take refuge in when we seek blessing for others, +and the very last thing for which we cannot find time. And it will +become a thing of joy and hope, because, all the time we pray, we know +that we are sowing seed that will bring forth fruit an hundredfold. +Disappointment is impossible: "I say unto you, He will rise and give him +as many as he needeth." + +Let all lovers of souls, and all workers in the service of the gospel, +take courage. Time spent in prayer will yield more than that given to +work. Prayer alone gives work its worth and its success. Prayer opens +the way for God Himself to do His work in us and through us. Let our +chief work, as God's messengers, be intercession: in it we secure the +presence and power of God to go with us. + +"Which of you shall have a friend at midnight, and shall say to him, +Friend, lend me three loaves?" This friend is none other but our God. Do +let us learn that in the darkness of midnight, at the most unlikely +time, and in the greatest need, when we have to say of those we love and +care for, "I have nothing to set before them," we have a rich Friend in +heaven, the Everlasting God and Father, who only waits to be asked +aright. Let us confess before Him our lack of prayer. Let us admit that +the lack of faith, of which it is the proof, is the symptom of a life +that is not spiritual, that is yet all too much under the power of self +and the flesh and the world. Let us in the faith of the Lord Jesus, who +spake this parable, and Himself waits to make every trait of it true in +us, give ourselves to be intercessors. Let every sight of souls needing +help, let every stirring of the spirit of compassion, let every sense of +our own impotence to bless, let every difficulty in the way of our +getting an answer, just combine to urge us to do this one thing: with +importunity to cry to the God who alone can help, who, in answer to our +prayer, will help. And let us, if we indeed feel that we have failed, do +our utmost to train a young generation of Christians, who profit by our +mistake and avoid it. Moses could not enter the land of Canaan, but +there was one thing he could do: he could at God's bidding "charge +Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him" (Deut. iii. 28). If it is +too late for us to make good our failure, let us at least encourage +those who come after us to enter into the good land, the blessed life of +unceasing prayer. + +The Model Intercessor is the Model Christian Worker. First to get from +God, and then to give to men what we ourselves secure from day to day, +is the secret of successful work. Between our Impotence and God's +Omnipotence intercession is the blessed link. + + + + +A PLEA FOR MORE PRAYER + +CHAPTER IV + +Because of His Importunity + + "I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is + his friend, yet _because of his importunity_ he will arise and give + him as many as he needeth."--LUKE xi. 8. + + "And He spake a parable unto them, to the end, they ought always to + pray and not to faint.... Hear what the unrighteous judge saith. And + shall not God avenge His own elect, which _cry to Him day and + night_, and _He is long-suffering with them_? I tell you that He + will avenge them speedily."--LUKE xviii. 1-8. + + +Our Lord Jesus thought it of such importance that we should know the +need of perseverance and importunity in prayer, that He spake two +parables to teach us this. This is proof sufficient that in this aspect +of prayer we have at once its greatest difficulty and its highest power. +He would have us know that in prayer all will not be easy and smooth; we +must expect difficulties, which can only be conquered by persistent, +determined perseverance. + +In the parables our Lord represents the difficulty as existing on the +side of the persons to whom the petition was addressed, and the +importunity as needed to overcome their reluctance to hear. In our +intercourse with God the difficulty is not on His side, but on ours. In +connection with the first parable He tells us that our Father is more +willing to give good things to those who ask Him than any earthly father +to give his child bread. In the second, He assures us that God longs to +avenge His elect speedily. The need of urgent prayer cannot be because +God must be made willing or disposed to bless: the need lies altogether +in ourselves. But because it was not possible to find any earthly +illustration of a loving father or a willing friend from whom the needed +lesson of importunity could be taught, He takes the unwilling friend and +the unjust judge to encourage in us the faith, that perseverance can +overcome every obstacle. + +The difficulty is not in God's love or power, but in ourselves and our +own incapacity to receive the blessing. And yet, because there is this +difficulty with us, this lack of spiritual preparedness, there is a +difficulty with God too. His wisdom, His righteousness, yea His love, +dare not give us what would do us harm, if we received it too soon or +too easily. The sin, or the consequence of sin, that makes it impossible +for God to give at once, is a barrier on God's side as well as ours; to +break through this power of sin in ourselves, or those for whom we pray, +is what makes the striving and the conflict of prayer such a reality. +And so in all ages men have prayed, and that rightly too, under a sense +that there were difficulties in the heavenly world to overcome. As they +pleaded with God for the removal of the unknown obstacles, and in that +persevering supplication were brought into a state of utter brokenness +and helplessness, of entire resignation to Him, of union with His will, +and of faith that could take hold of Him, the hindrances in themselves +and in heaven were together overcome. As God conquered them, they +conquered God. As God prevails over us, we prevail with God. + +God has so constituted us that the clearer our insight is into the +reasonableness of a demand, the more hearty will be our surrender to it. +One great cause of our remissness in prayer is that there appears to be +something arbitrary, or at least something incomprehensible, in the call +to such continued prayer. If we could be brought to see that this +apparent difficulty is a Divine necessity, and in the very nature of +things the source of unspeakable blessing, we should be more ready with +gladness of heart to give ourselves to continue in prayer. Let us see if +we cannot understand how the difficulty that the call to importunity +throws in our way is one of our greatest privileges. + +I do not know whether you have ever noticed what a part difficulties +play in our natural life. They call out man's powers as nothing else +can. They strengthen and ennoble character. We are told that one reason +of the superiority of the Northern nations, like Holland and Scotland, +in strength of will and purpose, over those of the sunny South, as Italy +and Spain, is that the climate of the latter has been too beautiful, and +the life it encourages too easy and relaxing--the difficulties the +former had to contend with have been their greatest boon; how all nature +has been so arranged by God that in sowing and reaping, as in seeking +coal or gold, nothing is found without labour and effort. What is +education but a daily developing and disciplining of the mind by new +difficulties presented to the pupil to overcome? The moment a lesson has +become easy, the pupil is moved on to one that is higher and more +difficult. With the race and the individual, it is in the meeting and +the mastering of difficulties that our highest attainments are found. + +It is even so in our intercourse with God. Just imagine what the result +would be if the child of God had only to kneel down and ask, and get, +and go away. What unspeakable loss to the spiritual life would ensue. It +is in the difficulty and delay that calls for persevering prayer, that +the true blessing and blessedness of the heavenly life will be found. We +there learn how little we delight in fellowship with God, and how little +we have of living faith in Him. We discover how earthly and unspiritual +our heart still is, how little we have of God's Holy Spirit. We there +are brought to know our own weakness and unworthiness, and to yield to +God's Spirit to pray in us, to take our place in Christ Jesus, and abide +in Him as our only plea with the Father. There our own will and strength +and goodness are crucified. There we rise in Christ to newness of life, +with our whole will dependent on God and set upon His glory. Do let us +begin to praise God for the need and the difficulty of importunate +prayer, as one of His choicest means of grace. + +Just think what our Lord Jesus owed to the difficulties in His path. In +Gethsemane it was as if the Father would not hear: He prayed yet more +earnestly, until "He was heard." In the way He opened up for us, He +learned obedience by the things He suffered, and so was made perfect; +His will was given up to God; His faith in God was proved and +strengthened; the prince of this world, with all his temptation, was +overcome. This is the new and living way He consecrated for us; it is in +persevering prayer we walk with and are made partakers of His very +Spirit. Prayer is one form of crucifixion, of our fellowship with +Christ's Cross, of our giving up our flesh to the death. O Christians! +shall we not be ashamed of our reluctance to sacrifice the flesh and our +own will and the world, as it is seen in our reluctance to pray much? +Shall we not learn the lesson which nature and Christ alike teach? The +difficulty of importunate prayer is our highest privilege; the +difficulties to be overcome in it bring us our richest blessings. + +In importunity there are various elements. Of these the chief are +perseverance, determination, intensity. It begins with the refusal to at +once accept a denial. It grows to the determination to persevere, to +spare no time or trouble, till an answer comes. It rises to the +intensity in which the whole being is given to God in supplication, and +the boldness comes to lay hold of God's strength. At one time it is +quiet and restful; at another passionate and bold. Now it takes time and +is patient; then again it claims at once what it desires. In whatever +different shape, it always means and knows--God hears prayer: I must be +heard. + +Remember the wonderful instances we have of it in the Old Testament +saints. Think of Abraham, as he pleads for Sodom. Time after time he +renews his prayer until the sixth time he has to say, "Let not my Lord +be angry." He does not cease until he has learnt to know God's +condescension in each time consenting to his petition, until he has +learnt how far he can go, has entered into God's mind, and now rests in +God's will. And for his sake Lot was saved. "God remembered Abraham, +and delivered Lot out of the midst of the overthrow." And shall not we, +who have a redemption and promises for the heathen which Abraham never +knew, begin to plead more with God on their behalf. + +Think of Jacob, when he feared to meet Esau. The angel of the Lord met +him in the dark, and wrestled with him. And when the angel saw that he +prevailed not, he said, "Let me go." And Jacob said, "I will not let +thee go." And he blessed him there. And that boldness that said, "I will +not," and forced from the reluctant angel the blessing, was so pleasing +in God's sight, that a new name was there given to him: "Israel, he who +striveth with God, for thou hast striven with God and with men, and hast +prevailed." And through all the ages God's children have understood, +what Christ's two parables teach, that God holds Himself back, and seeks +to get away from us, until what is of flesh and self and sloth in us is +overcome, and we so prevail with Him that He can and must bless us. Oh! +why is it that so many of God's children have no desire for this +honour--being princes of God, strivers with God, and prevailing? What +our Lord taught us, "What things soever ye desire, _believe that ye +have received_," is nothing but His putting of Jacob's words, "I will +not let Thee go except thou bless me." This is the importunity He +teaches, and we must learn: to claim and take the blessing. + +Think of Moses when Israel had made the golden calf. Moses returned to +the Lord and said, "Oh, this people have sinned a great sin. Yet now, if +Thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray Thee, out of +Thy book which Thou hast written." That was importunity, that would +rather die than not have his people given him. Then, when God had heard +him, and said He would send His angel with the people, Moses came again, +and would not be content until, in answer to his prayer that God Himself +should go with them (xxxiii. 12, 17, 18), He had said, "I will do this +thing also that thou hast spoken." After that, when in answer to his +prayer, "Show me Thy glory," God made His goodness pass before him, he +at once again began pleading, "Let my Lord, I pray Thee, go among us." +And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights (Ex. xxxiv. +28). Of these days he says, "I fell down before the Lord, as at the +first, forty days and forty nights, I did neither eat bread, nor drink +water, because of all your sin which ye sinned." As an intercessor Moses +used importunity with God, and prevailed. He proves that the man who +truly lives near to God, and with whom God speaks face to face, becomes +partaker of that same power of intercession which there is in Him who is +at God's right hand and ever lives to pray. + +Think of Elijah in his prayer, first for fire, and then for rain. In the +former you have the importunity that claims and receives an immediate +answer. In the latter, bowing himself down to the earth, his face +between his knees, his answer to the servant who had gone to look toward +the sea, and come with the message, "There is nothing," was "Go again +seven times." Here was the importunity of perseverance. He had told Ahab +there would be rain; he knew it was coming; and yet he prayed till the +seven times were fulfilled. And it is of this Elijah and this prayer we +are taught, "Pray for one another. Elijah was a man of like passions +with ourselves. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth +much." Will there not be some who feel constrained to cry out, "Where is +the Lord God of Elijah?"--this God who draws forth such effectual +prayer, and hears it so wonderfully. His name be praised: He is still +the same. Let His people but believe that He still waits to be inquired +of! Faith in a prayer-hearing God will make a prayer-loving Christian. + +We remember the marks of the true intercessor as the parable taught us +them. A sense of the need of souls; a Christlike love in the heart; a +consciousness of personal impotence; faith in the power of prayer; +courage to persevere in spite of refusal; and the assurance of an +abundant reward;--these are the dispositions that constitute a Christian +an intercessor, and call forth the power of prevailing prayer. These are +the dispositions that constitute the beauty and the health of the +Christian life, that fit a man for being a blessing in the world, that +make him a true Christian worker, who does indeed get from God the bread +of heaven to dispense to the hungry. These are the dispositions that +call forth the highest, the heroic virtues of the life of faith. There +is nothing to which the nobility of natural character owes so much as +the spirit of enterprise and daring which in travel or war, in politics +or science, battles with difficulties and conquers. No labour or expense +is grudged for the sake of victory. And shall we who are Christians not +be able to face the difficulties that we meet in prayer? It is as we +"labour" and "strive" in prayer that the renewed will asserts its royal +right to claim in the name of Christ what it will, and wields its +God-given power to influence the destinies of men. Shall men of the +world sacrifice ease and pleasure in their pursuits, and shall we be +such cowards and sluggards as not to fight our way through to the place +where we can find liberty for the captive and salvation for the +perishing? Let each servant of Christ learn to know his calling. His +King ever lives to pray. The Spirit of the King ever lives in us to +pray. It is from heaven the blessings, which the world needs, must be +called down in persevering, importunate, believing prayer. It is from +heaven, in answer to prayer, the Holy Spirit will take complete +possession of us to do His work through us. Let us acknowledge how vain +our much work has been owing to our little prayer. Let us change our +method, and let henceforth more prayer, much prayer, unceasing prayer, +be the proof that we look for all to God, and that we believe that He +heareth us. + + + + +A PLEA FOR MORE PRAYER + +CHAPTER V + +The Life that can Pray + + "_If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you_, ask whatsoever ye + will, and it shall be done unto you."--JOHN xv. 7. + + "The supplication of _a righteous man_ availeth much in its + working."--JAMES v. 16. + + "Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness toward God; + and whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, _because_ we keep His + commandments, and do the things that are pleasing in His sight."--1 + JOHN iii. 21, 22. + + +Here on earth the influence of one who asks a favour for others depends +entirely on his character, and the relationship he bears to him with +whom he is interceding. It is what he is that gives weight to what he +asks. It is no otherwise with God. Our power in prayer depends upon our +life. Where our life is right we shall know how to pray so as to please +God, and prayer will secure the answer. The texts quoted above all point +in this direction. "_If ye abide in Me_," our Lord says, ye shall ask, +and it shall be done unto you. It is the prayer of _a righteous man_, +according to James, that availeth much. We receive whatsoever we ask, +John says, _because_ we obey and please God. All lack of power to pray +aright and perseveringly, all lack of power in prayer with God, points +to some lack in the Christian life. It is as we learn to live the life +that pleases God, that God will give what we ask. Let us learn from our +Lord Jesus, in the parable of the vine, what the healthy, vigorous life +is that may ask and receive what it will. Hear His voice, "If ye abide +in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it +shall be done unto you." And again at the close of the parable: "Ye did +not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go +and bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide: that _whatsoever ye +shall ask_ the Father in My name, _He may give it you_." + +And what is now, according to the parable, the life that one must lead +to bear fruit, and then ask and receive what we will? What is it we are +to be or do, that will enable us to pray as we should, and to receive +what we ask? The answer is in one word: it is the branch-life that gives +power for prayer. We are branches of Christ, the Living Vine. We must +simply live like branches, and abide in Christ, then we shall ask what +we will, and it shall be done unto us. + +We all know what a branch is, and what its essential characteristic. It +is simply a growth of the vine, produced by it and appointed to bear +fruit. It has only one reason of existence; it is there at the bidding +of the vine, that through it the vine may bear and ripen its precious +fruit. Just as the vine only and solely and wholly lives to produce the +sap that makes the grape, so the branch has no other aim and object but +this alone, to receive that sap and bear the grape. Its only work is to +serve the vine, that through it the vine may do its work. + +And the believer, the branch of Christ the Heavenly Vine, is it to be +understood that he is as literally, as exclusively, to live only that +Christ may bear fruit through him? Is it meant that a true Christian as +a branch is to be just as absorbed in and devoted to the work of bearing +fruit to the glory of God as Christ the Vine was on earth, and is now in +heaven? This, and nothing less, is indeed what is meant. It is to such +that the unlimited prayer promises of the parable are given. It is the +branch-life, existing solely for the Vine, that will have the power to +pray aright. With our life abiding in Him, and His words abiding, kept +and obeyed, in our heart and life, transmuted into our very being, there +will be the grace to pray aright, and the faith to receive the +whatsoever we will. + +Do let us connect the two things, and take them both in their simple, +literal truth, and their infinite, divine grandeur. The promises of our +Lord's farewell discourse, with their wonderful six-fold repetition of +the unlimited, _anything, whatsoever_ (John xiv. 13, 14; xv. 7, 16; xvi. +23, 24), appear to us altogether too large to be taken literally, and +they are qualified down to meet our human ideas of what appears seemly. +It is because we separate them from that life of absolute and unlimited +devotion to Christ's service to which they were given. God's covenant +is ever: Give all and take all. He that is willing to be wholly branch, +and nothing but branch, who is ready to place himself absolutely at the +disposal of Jesus the Vine of God, to bear His fruit through him, and to +live every moment only for Him, will receive a Divine liberty to claim +Christ's _whatsoever_ in all its fulness, and a Divine wisdom and +humility to use it aright. He will live and pray, and claim the Father's +promises, even as Christ did, only for God's glory in the salvation of +men. He will use his boldness in prayer only with a view to power in +intercession, and getting men blessed. The unlimited devotion of the +branch-life to fruitbearing, and the unlimited access to the treasures +of the Vine life, are inseparable. It is the life abiding wholly in +Christ that can pray the effectual prayer in the name of Christ. + +Just think for a moment of the men of prayer in Scripture, and see in +them what the life was that could pray in such power. We spoke of +Abraham as intercessor. What gave Him such boldness? He knew that God +had chosen and called him away from his home and people to walk before +Him, that all nations might be blessed in him. He knew that he had +obeyed, and forsaken all for God. Implicit obedience, to the very +sacrifice of his son, was the law of his life. He did what God asked: he +dared trust God to do what he asked. We spoke of Moses as intercessor. +He too had forsaken all for God, "counting the reproach of Christ +greater riches than all the treasures of Egypt." He lived at God's +disposal: "as a servant he was faithful in all His house." How often it +is written of him, "According to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so +did he." No wonder that he was very bold: his heart was right with God: +he knew God would hear him. No less true is this of Elijah, the man who +stood up to plead for the Lord God of Israel. The man who is ready to +risk all for God can count upon God to do all for him. + +It is as men live that they pray. It is the life that prays. It is the +life that, with whole-hearted devotion, gives up all for God and to God, +that can claim all from God. Our God longs exceedingly to prove Himself +the Faithful God and Mighty Helper of His people. He only waits for +hearts wholly turned from the world to Himself, and open to receive His +gifts. The man who loses all will find all; he dare ask and take it. +The branch that only and truly lives abiding in Christ, the Heavenly +Vine, entirely given up, like Christ, to bear fruit in the salvation of +men, and has His words taken up into and abiding in its life, may and +dare ask what it will--it shall be done. And where we have not yet +attained to that full devotion to which our Lord had trained His +disciples, and cannot equal them in their power of prayer, we may, +nevertheless, take courage in remembering that, even in the lower stages +of the Christian life, every new onward step in the striving after the +perfect branch-life, and every surrender to live for others in +intercession, will be met from above by a corresponding liberty to draw +nigh with greater boldness, and expect larger answers. The more we pray, +and the more conscious we become of our unfitness to pray in power, the +more we shall be urged and helped to press on towards the secret of +power in prayer--a life abiding in Christ entirely at His disposal. + +And if any are asking, with somewhat of a despair of attainment, what +the reason may be of the failure in this blessed branch-life, so simple +and yet so mighty, and how they can come to it, let me point them to +one of the most precious lessons of the parable of the Vine. It is one +that is all too little noticed. Jesus spake, "I am the true Vine, _and +my Father is the Husbandman_." We have not only Himself, the glorified +Son of God, in His divine fulness, out of whose fulness of life and +grace we can draw,--this is very wonderful,--but there is something more +blessed still. We have the Father, as the Husbandman, watching over our +abiding in the Vine, over our growth and fruitbearing. It is not left to +our faith or our faithfulness to maintain our union with Christ: the +God, who is the Father of Christ, and who united us with Him,--God +Himself will see to it that the branch is what it should be, will enable +us to bring forth just the fruit we were appointed to bear. Hear what +Christ said of this, "Every branch that beareth fruit, He cleanseth it, +that it may bear more fruit." More fruit is what the Father seeks; more +fruit is what the Father will Himself provide. It is for this that He, +as the Vinedresser, cleanses the branches. + +Just think a moment what this means. It is said that of all fruitbearing +plants on earth there is none that produces fruit so full of spirit, +from which spirit can be so abundantly distilled, as the vine. And of +all fruitbearing plants there is none that is so ready to run into wild +wood, and for which pruning and cleansing are so indispensable. The one +great work that a vinedresser has to do for the branch every year is to +prune it. Other plants can for a time dispense with it, and yet bear +fruit: the vine _must_ have it. And so the one thing the branch that +desires to abide in Christ and bring forth much fruit, and to be able to +ask whatsoever it will, must do, is to trust in and yield itself to this +Divine cleansing. What is it that the vinedresser cuts away with his +pruning-knife? Nothing but the wood that the branch has produced--true, +honest wood, with the true vine nature in it. This must be cut away. And +why? Because it draws away the strength and life of the vine, and +hinders the flow of the juice to the grape. The more it is cut down, the +less wood there is in the branch, the more all the sap can go to the +grape. The wood of the branch must decrease, that the fruit for the vine +may increase; in obedience to the law of all nature, that death is the +way to life, that gain comes through sacrifice, the rich and luxuriant +growth of wood must be cut off and cast away, that the life more +abundant may be seen in the cluster. + +Even so, child of God, branch of the Heavenly Vine, there is in thee +that which appears perfectly innocent and legitimate, and which yet so +draws out thy interest and thy strength, that it must be pruned and +cleansed away. We saw what power in prayer men like Abraham and Moses +and Elijah had, and we know what fruit they bore. But we also know what +it cost them; how God had to separate them from their surroundings, and +ever again to draw them from any trust in themselves, to seek their life +in Him alone. It is only as our own will, and strength and effort and +pleasure, even where these appear perfectly natural and sinless, are cut +down, so that the whole energies of our being are free and open to +receive the sap of the Heavenly Vine, the Holy Spirit, that we shall +bear much fruit. It is in the surrender of what nature holds fast, it is +in the full and willing submission to God's holy pruning-knife, that we +shall come to what Christ chose and appointed us for--to bear fruit, +that whatsoever we ask the Father in Christ's name, He may give to us. + +What the pruning-knife is, Christ tells us in the next verse. "Ye are +_clean through the word_ which I have spoken to you." As He says later, +"Sanctify them through Thy truth; Thy word is truth." "The word of God +is sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of +soul and spirit." What heart-searching words Christ had spoken to His +disciples on love and humility, on being the least, and, like Himself, +the servant of all, on denying self, and taking the cross, and losing +the life. Through His word the Father had cleansed them, cut away all +confidence in themselves or the world, and prepared them for the +inflowing and filling of the Spirit of the Heavenly Vine. It is not we +who can cleanse ourselves: God is the Vinedresser: we may confidently +intrust ourselves to His care. + +Beloved brethren,--ministers, missionaries, teachers, workers, believers +old and young,--are you mourning your lack of prayer, and, as a +consequence, your lack of power in prayer? Oh! come and listen to your +beloved Lord as He tells you, "only be a branch, united to, identified +with, the Heavenly Vine, and your prayers will be effectual and much +availing." Are you mourning that just this is your trouble--you do not, +cannot, live this branch-life, abiding in Him? Oh! come and listen +again. "_More fruit_" is not only your desire, but the Father's too. He +is the Husbandman who cleanseth the fruitful branch, that it may bear +more fruit. Cast yourself upon God, to do in you what is impossible to +man. Count upon a Divine cleansing, to cut down and take away all that +self-confidence and self-effort, that has been the cause of your +failure. The God who gave you His beloved Son to be your Vine, who made +you His branch, will He not do His work of cleansing to make you +fruitful in every good work, in the work of prayer and intercession too? + +Here is the life that can pray. A branch entirely given up to the Vine +and its aims, with all responsibility for its cleansing cast on the +Vinedresser; a branch abiding in Christ, trusting and yielding to God +for His cleansing, can bear much fruit. In the power of such a life we +shall love prayer, we shall know how to pray, we shall pray, and receive +whatsoever we ask. + + + + +A PLEA FOR MORE PRAYER + +CHAPTER VI + +Restraining Prayer: is it Sin? + + "Thou restrainest prayer before God."--JOB xv. 4. + + "What profit should we have, if we pray unto Him?"--JOB xxi. 15. + + "God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray + for you."--1 SAM. xii. 23. + + "Neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed + from among you."--JOSH. vii. 12. + + +Any deep quickening of the spiritual life of the Church will always be +accompanied by a deeper sense of sin. This will not begin with theology; +that can only give expression to what God works in the life of His +people. Nor does it mean that that deeper sense of sin will only be seen +in stronger expressions of self-reproach or penitence: that is sometimes +found to consist with a harbouring of sin, and unbelief as to +deliverance. But the true sense of the hatefulness of sin, the hatred +of it, will be proved by the intensity of desire for deliverance, and +the struggle to know to the very utmost what God can do in saving from +it--a holy jealousy, in nothing to sin against God. + +If we are to deal effectually with the lack of prayer we must look at it +from this point of view and ask, Restraining prayer, is it sin? And if +it be, how is it to be dealt with, to be discovered, and confessed, and +cast out by man, and cleansed away by God? Jesus is a Saviour from sin. +It is only as we know sin truly that we can truly know the power that +saves from sin. The life that can pray effectually is the life of the +cleansed branch--the life that knows deliverance from the power of self. +To see that our prayer-sins are indeed sins, is the first step to a true +and Divine deliverance from them. + +In the story of Achan we have one of the strongest proofs in Scripture +that it is sin that robs God's people of His blessing, and that God will +not tolerate it; and at the same time the clearest indication of the +principles under which God deals with it, and removes it. Let us see in +the light of the story if we can learn how to look at the sin of +prayerlessness, and at the sinfulness that lies at the root of it. The +words I have quoted above, "Neither will I be with you any more, except +ye put away the accursed thing from among you," take us into the very +heart of the story, and suggest a series of the most precious lessons +around the truth they express, that the presence of sin makes the +presence of God impossible. + +1. _The presence of God is the great privilege of God's people, and +their only power against the enemy._--God had promised to Moses, _I will +bring you in_ unto the land. Moses proved that he understood this when +God, after the sin of the golden calf, spoke of withdrawing His presence +and sending an angel. He refused to accept anything less than God's +presence. "For whereby shall it be known that I and Thy people have +found grace in Thy sight? Is it not that _Thou goest with us_?" It was +this gave Caleb and Joshua their confidence: The Lord is with us. It was +this gave Israel their victory over Jericho: the presence of God. This +is throughout Scripture the great central promise: I am with thee. This +marks off the whole-hearted believer from the worldling and worldly +Christians around him: he lives consciously hidden in the secret of +God's presence. + +2. _Defeat and failure are always owing to the loss of God's +presence._--It was thus at Ai. God had brought His people into Canaan +with the promise to give them the land. When the defeat at Ai took place +Joshua felt at once that the cause must be in the withdrawal of God's +power. He had not fought for them. His presence had been withheld. + +In the Christian life and the work of the Church, defeat is ever a sign +of the loss of God's presence. If we apply this to our failure in the +prayer-life, and as a result of that to our failure in work for God, we +are led to see that all is simply owing to our not standing in clear and +full fellowship with God. His nearness, His immediate presence, has not +been the chief thing sought after and trusted in. He could not work in +us as He would. Loss of blessing and power is ever caused by the loss of +God's presence. + +3. _The loss of God's presence is always owing to some hidden +sin._--Just as pain is ordered in nature to warn of some hidden evil in +the system, defeat is God's voice telling us there is something wrong. +He has given Himself so wholly to His people, He delights so in being +with them, and would so fain reveal in them His love and power, that He +never withdraws Himself unless they compel Him by sin. + +Throughout the Church there is a complaint of defeat. The Church has so +little power over the masses, or the educated classes. Powerful +conversions are comparatively rare. The fewness of holy, consecrated, +spiritual Christians, devoted to the service of God and their fellowmen, +is felt everywhere. The power of the Church for the preaching of the +gospel to the heathen is paralysed by the scarcity of money and men; and +all owing to the lack of the effectual prayer which brings the Holy +Spirit in power, first on ministers and believers, then on missionaries +and the heathen. Can we deny it that the lack of prayer is the sin on +account of which God's presence and power are not more manifestly seen +among us? + +4. _God Himself will discover the hidden sin._--We may think we know +what the sin is: it is only God who can discover its real deep meaning. +When He spoke to Joshua, before naming the sin of Achan, God first said, +"They have transgressed My covenant which I commanded them." God had +commanded (vi. 19) that all the booty of Jericho, gold and silver and +all that was in it, was to be a devoted thing, consecrated unto the +Lord, and to come into His treasury. And Israel had broken this +consecration vow: it had not given God His due; it had robbed God. + +It is this we need: God must discover to us how the lack of prayer is +the indication of unfaithfulness to our consecration vow, that God +should have all our heart and life. We must see that this restraining +prayer, with the excuses we make for it, is greater sin than we have +thought; for what does it mean? That we have little taste or relish for +fellowship with God; that our faith rests more on our own work and +efforts than on the power of God; that we have little sense of the +heavenly blessing God waits to shower down; that we are not ready to +sacrifice the ease and confidence of the flesh for persevering waiting +on God; that the spirituality of our life, and our abiding in Christ, is +altogether too feeble to make us prevail in prayer. When the pressure of +work for Christ is allowed to be the excuse for our not finding time to +seek and secure His own presence and power in it, as our chief need, it +surely proves that there is no right sense of our absolute dependence +upon God; no deep apprehension of the Divine and supernatural work of +God in which we are only His instruments, no true entrance into the +heavenly, altogether other-worldly, character of our mission and aims, +no full surrender to and delight in Christ Jesus Himself. + +If we were to yield to God's Spirit to show us that all this is in very +deed the meaning of remissness in prayer, and of our allowing other +things to crowd it out, all our excuses would fall away, and we should +fall down and cry, "We have sinned! we have sinned!" Samuel once said, +"As for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to +pray for you." Ceasing from prayer is sin against God. May God discover +this to us. (Note A.) + +5. _When God discovers sin, it must be confessed and cast out._--When +the defeat at Ai came, Joshua and Israel were ignorant of the cause. God +dealt with Israel as a nation, as one body, and the sin of one member +was visited on all. Israel as a whole was ignorant of the sin, and yet +suffered for it. The Church may be ignorant of the greatness of this sin +of restraining prayer, individual ministers or believers may never have +looked upon it as actual transgression, none the less does it bring its +punishment. But when the sin is no more hidden, when the Holy Spirit +begins to convince of it, then comes the time of heart-searching. In our +story the combination of individual and united responsibility is very +solemn. The individual: as we find it in the expression, "man for man"; +each man felt himself under the eye of God, to be dealt with. And when +Achan had been taken, he had to make confession. The united: as we see +it in all Israel first suffering and dealt with by God, then taking +Achan, and his family, and the accursed thing, and destroying them out +of their midst. + +If we have reason to think this is the sin that is in the camp, let us +begin with personal and united confession. And then let us come before +God to put away and destroy the sin. Here stands at the very threshold +of Israel's history in Canaan the heap of stones in the valley of Achor, +to tell us that God cannot bear sin, that God will not dwell with sin, +and that if _we really want God's presence in power, sin must be put +away_. Let us look the solemn fact in the face. There may be other sins, +but here is certainly one that causes the loss of God's presence--we do +not pray as Christ and Scripture teach us. Let us bring it out before +God, and give up this sin to the death. Let us yield ourselves to God +to obey His voice. Let no fear of past failure, let no threatening array +of temptations, or duties, or excuses, keep us back. It is a simple +question of obedience. Are we going to give up ourselves to God and His +Spirit to live a life in prayer, well-pleasing to Him? Surely, if it is +God who has been withholding His presence, who has been discovering the +sin, who is calling for its destruction, and a return to obedience, +surely we can count upon His grace to accept and strengthen for the life +He asks of us. It is not a question of what you can do; it is the +question of whether you now, with your whole heart, turn to give God His +due, and give yourself to let His will and grace have their way with +you. + +6. _With sin cast out God's presence is restored._--From this day +onwards there is not a word in Joshua of defeat in battle. The story +shows them going on from victory to victory. God's presence secured +gives power to overcome every enemy. + +This truth is so simple that the very ease with which we acquiesce in it +robs it of its power. Let us pause and think what it implies. God's +presence restored means victory secured. Then, we are responsible for +defeat. Then, there must be sin somewhere causing it. Then, we ought at +once to find out and put away the sin. We may confidently expect God's +presence the moment the sin is put away. Surely each one is under the +solemn obligation to search his life and see what part he may have in +this evil. + +God never speaks to His people of sin except with a view to saving them +from it. _The same light that shows the sin will show the way out of +it._ The same power that breaks down and condemns will, if humbly +yielded to and waited on in confession and faith, give the power to rise +up and conquer. It is GOD who is speaking to His Church and to us about +this sin: "HE WONDERED that there was no intercessor." "I WONDERED that +there was none to uphold." "I SOUGHT for a man that should stand in the +gap before Me, and found none." The God who speaks thus is He who will +work the change for His children who seek His face. He will make the +valley of Achor, of trouble and shame, of sin confessed and cast out, a +door of hope. Let us not fear, let us not cling to the excuses and +explanations which circumstances suggest, but simply confess, "We have +sinned; we are sinning; we dare not sin longer." In this matter of +prayer we are sure God does not demand of us impossibilities. He does +not weary us with an impracticable ideal. He asks us to pray no more +than He gives grace to enable us to. He will give the grace to do what +He asks, and so to pray that our intercessions shall, day by day, be a +pleasure to Him and to us, a source of strength to our conscience and +our work, and a channel of blessing to those for whom we labour. + +God dealt personally with Joshua, with Israel, with Achan. Let each of +us allow Him to deal personally with us concerning this sin, of +restraining prayer, and its consequences in our life and work; +concerning the deliverance from sin, its certainty and blessedness. Just +bow in stillness and wait before God, until, as God, He overshadow you +with His presence, lead you out of that region of argument as to human +possibilities, where conviction of sin can never be deep, and full +deliverance can never come. Take quiet time, and be still before God, +that He may take this matter in hand. "Sit still, for He will not be in +rest until He have finished this thing this day." Leave yourself in +God's hands. + + + + +A PLEA FOR MORE PRAYER + +CHAPTER VII + +Who shall Deliver? + + "Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then + is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?"--JER. + viii. 22. + + "Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. + Behold, we come unto Thee; for Thou art the Lord our God."-JER. iii. + 22. + + "Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed."-JER. xii. 14. + + "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me out of the body of + this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. The law of + the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin + and death."-ROM. vii. 24, viii. 2. + + +During one of our conventions a gentleman called upon me to ask advice +and help. He was evidently an earnest and well-instructed Christian man. +He had for some years been in most difficult surroundings, trying to +witness for Christ. The result was a sense of failure and unhappiness. +His complaint was that he had no relish for the Word, and that though he +prayed, it was as if his heart was not in it. If he spoke to others, or +gave a tract, it was under a sense of duty: the love and the joy were +not present. He longed to be filled with God's Spirit, but the more he +sought it, the farther off it appeared to be. What was he to think of +his state, and was there any way out of it? + +My answer was, that the whole matter appeared to me very simple; he was +living under the law and not under grace. As long as he did so, there +could be no change. He listened attentively, but could not exactly see +what I meant. + +I reminded him of the difference, the utter contrariety, between law and +grace. Law demands; grace bestows. Law commands, but gives no strength +to obey; grace promises, and performs, does all we need to do. Law +burdens, and casts down and condemns; grace comforts, and makes strong +and glad. Law appeals to self, to do its utmost; grace points to Christ +to do all. Law calls to effort and strain, and urges us towards a goal +we never can reach; grace works in us all God's blessed will. I pointed +out to him how his first step should be, instead of striving against +all this failure, fully to accept of it, and the lesson of his own +impotence, as God had been seeking to teach it him, and, with this +confession, to sink down before God in utter helplessness. There would +be the place where he would learn that, unless grace gave him +deliverance and strength, he never could do better than he had done, and +that grace would indeed work all for him. He must come out from under +law and self and effort, and take his place under grace, allowing God to +do all. + +In later conversations he told me the diagnosis of the disease had been +correct. He admitted grace must do all. And yet, so deep was the thought +that we must do something, that we must at least bring our faithfulness +to secure the work of grace, he feared that his life would not be very +different; he would not be equal to the strain of new difficulties into +which he was now going. There was, amid all the intense earnestness, an +undertone of despair; he could not live as he knew he ought to. I have +already said, in the opening chapter, that in some of our meetings I had +noticed this tone of hopelessness. And no minister who has come into +close contact with souls seeking to live wholly for God, to "walk +worthy of the Lord unto all well pleasing," but knows that this renders +true progress impossible. To speak specially of the lack of prayer, and +the desire of living a fuller prayer-life, how many are the difficulties +to be met! We have so often resolved to pray more and better, and have +failed. We have not the strength of will some have, with one resolve to +turn round and change our habits. The press of duty is as great as ever +it was; it is so difficult to find time for more prayer; real enjoyment +in prayer, which would enable us to persevere, is what we do not feel; +we do not possess the power to supplicate and to plead, as we should; +our prayers, instead of being a joy and a strength, are a source of +continual self-condemnation and doubt. We have at times mourned and +confessed and resolved; but, to tell the honest truth, we do not expect, +for we do not see the way to, any great change. + +It is evident that as long as this spirit prevails, there can be very +little prospect of improvement. Discouragement must bring defeat. One of +the first objects of a physician is ever to waken hope; without this he +knows his medicines will often profit little. No teaching from God's +Word as to the duty, the urgent need, the blessed privilege of more +prayer, of effectual prayer, will avail, while the secret whisper is +heard: There is no hope. Our first care must be to find out the hidden +cause of the failure and despair, and then to show how divinely sure +deliverance is. We must, unless we are to rest content with our state, +listen to and join in the question, "Is there no balm in Gilead; is +there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of +my people restored?" We must listen, and receive into our heart, the +Divine promise with the response it met with: "Return, ye backsliding +children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto Thee, +for Thou art the Lord our God." We must come with the personal prayer, +and the faith that there will be a personal answer. Shall we not even +now begin to claim it in regard to the lack of prayer, and believe that +God will help us: "Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed." + +It is always of consequence to distinguish between the symptoms of a +disease and the disease itself. Feebleness and failure in prayer is a +sign of feebleness in the spiritual life. If a patient were to ask a +physician to give him something to stimulate his feeble pulse, he would +be told that this would do him little good. The pulse is the index of +the state of the heart and the whole system: the physician strives to +have health restored. What everyone who would fain pray more faithfully +and effectually must learn is this, that his whole spiritual life is in +a sickly state, and needs restoration. It is as he comes to look, not +only at his shortcomings in prayer, but at the lack in the life of +faith, of which this is the symptom, that he will become fully alive to +the serious nature of the disease. He will then see the need of a +radical change in his whole life and walk, if his prayer-life, which is +simply the pulse of the spiritual system, is to indicate health and +vigour. God has so created us that the exercise of every healthy +function causes joy. Prayer is meant to be as simple and natural as +breathing or working to a healthy man. The reluctance we feel, and the +failure we confess, are God's own voice calling us to acknowledge our +disease, and to come to Him for the healing He has promised. + +And what is now the disease of which the lack of prayer is the symptom? +We cannot find a better answer than is pointed out in the words, "Ye +are not under the law, but under grace." + +Here we have suggested the possibility of two types of Christian life. +There may be a life partly under the law and partly under grace; or, a +life entirely under grace, in the full liberty from self-effort, and the +full experience of the Divine strength which it can give. A true +believer may still be living partly under the law, in the power of +self-effort, striving to do what he cannot accomplish. The continued +failure in his Christian life to which he confesses is owing to this one +thing: he trusts in himself, and tries to do his best. He does, indeed, +pray and look to God for help, but still it is he in his strength, +helped by God, who is to do the work. In the Epistles to the Romans, and +Corinthians, and Galatians, we know how Paul tells them that they have +not received the spirit of bondage again, that they are free from the +law, that they are no more servants but sons; that they must beware of +nothing so much as to be entangled again with the yoke of bondage. +Everywhere it is the contrast between the law and grace, between the +flesh, which is under the law, and the Spirit, who is the gift of grace, +and through whom grace does all its work. In our days, just as in those +first ages, the great danger is living under the law, and serving God in +the strength of the flesh. With the great majority of Christians it +appears to be the state in which they remain all their lives. Hence the +lack to such a large extent of true holy living and power in prayer. +They do not know that all failure can have but one cause: _Men seek to +do themselves what grace alone can do in them_, what grace most +certainly will do. + +Many will not be prepared to admit that this is their disease, that they +are not living "under grace." Impossible, they say. "From the depth of +my heart," a Christian cries, "I believe and know that there is no good +in me, and that I owe everything to grace alone." "I have spent my +life," a minister says, "and found my glory in preaching and exalting +the doctrines of free grace." "And I," a missionary answers, "how could +I ever have thought of seeing the heathen saved, if my only confidence +had not been in the message I brought, and the power I trusted, of God's +abounding grace." Surely you cannot say that our failures in prayer, and +we sadly confess to them, are owing to our not living "under grace"? +This cannot be our disease. + +We know how often a man may be suffering from a disease without knowing +it. What he counts a slight ailment turns out to be a dangerous +complaint. Do not let us be too sure that we are not, to a large extent, +still living "under the law," while considering ourselves to be living +wholly "under grace." Very frequently the reason of this mistake is the +limited meaning attached to the word "grace." Just as we limit God +Himself, by our little or unbelieving thoughts of Him, so we limit His +grace at the very moment that we are delighting in terms like the +"riches of grace," "grace exceeding abundant." Has not the very term, +"grace abounding," from Bunyan's book downward, been confined to the one +great blessed truth of free justification with ever renewed pardon and +eternal glory for the vilest of sinners, while the other equally blessed +truth of "grace abounding" in sanctification is not fully known. Paul +writes: "Much more shall they which receive the abundance of grace reign +in life through Jesus Christ." That reigning in life, as conqueror over +sin, is even here on earth. "Where sin abounded" in the heart and life, +"grace did abound more exceedingly, that grace might reign through +righteousness" in the whole life and being of the believer. It is of +this reign of grace in the soul that Paul asks, "Shall we sin because we +are under grace?" and answers, "God forbid." Grace is not only pardon +of, but power over, sin; grace takes the place sin had in the life, and +undertakes, as sin had reigned within in the power of death, to reign in +the power of Christ's life. It is of this grace that Christ spoke, "My +grace is sufficient for thee," and Paul answered, "I will glory in my +weakness; for, when I am weak, then am I strong." It is of this grace, +which, when we are willing to confess ourselves utterly impotent and +helpless, comes in to work all in us, that Paul elsewhere teaches, "God +is able to make _all grace_ abound unto you, that ye, _always_ having +_all sufficiency_ in _all things_, may abound unto _all good works_." + +It has often happened that a seeker after God and salvation has read his +Bible long, and yet never seen the truth of a free and full and +immediate justification by faith. When once his eyes were opened, and he +accepted it, he was amazed to find it everywhere. Even so many +believers, who hold the doctrines of free grace as applied to pardon, +have never seen its wondrous meaning as it undertakes to work our whole +life in us, and _actually give us strength every moment_ for whatever +the Father would have us be and do. When God's light shines into our +heart with this blessed truth, we know what Paul means, "Not I, but the +grace of God." There again you have the twofold Christian life. The one, +in which that "Not I"--I am nothing, I can do nothing--has not yet +become a reality. The other, when the wondrous exchange has been made, +and grace has taken the place of our effort, and we say and know, "I +live, yet no longer I, but Christ liveth in me." It may then become a +lifelong experience: "The grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant, with +faith and love which is in Christ Jesus." + +Beloved child of God! what think you, is it not possible that this has +been the want in your life, the cause of your failure in prayer? You +knew not how grace would enable you to pray, if once the whole life were +under its power. You sought by earnest effort to conquer your reluctance +or deadness in prayer, but failed. You strove by every motive of shame +or love you could think of to stir yourself to it, but it would not +help. Is it not worth while asking the Lord whether the message I bring +you as His servant may not be more true for you than you think? Your +lack of prayer is owing to a diseased state of life, and the disease is +nothing but this--you have not accepted, for daily life and every duty, +the full salvation which the word brings: "Ye are not under the law, but +under grace." As universal and deep-reaching as the demand of the law +and the reign of sin, yea, more exceeding abundant, is the provision of +grace and the power by which it makes us reign in life. (Note B.) + +In the chapter that follows that in which Paul wrote, "Ye are not under +the law, but under grace," he gives us a picture of a believer's life +under law, with the bitter experience in which it ends: "O wretched man +that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" His answer +to the question, "I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord," shows that +there is deliverance from a life held captive under evil habits that +have been struggled against in vain. That deliverance is by the Holy +Spirit giving the full experience of what the life of Christ can work in +us: "The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free +from the law of sin and death." The law of God could only deliver us +into the power of the law of sin and death. The grace of God can bring +us into, and keep us in, the liberty of the Spirit. We can be made free +from the sad life under the power that led us captive, so that we did +not what we would. The Spirit of life in Christ can free us from our +continual failure in prayer, and enable us in this, too, to walk worthy +of the Lord unto all well-pleasing. + +Oh! be not hopeless, be not despondent; there is a balm in Gilead; there +is a Physician there; there is healing for our sickness. What is +impossible with man is possible with God. What you see no possibility of +doing, grace will do. Confess the disease; trust the Physician; claim +the healing; pray the prayer of faith, "Heal me, and I shall be healed." +You too can become a man of prayer, and pray the effectual prayer that +availeth much.[1] + +[1] I ought to say, for the encouragement of all, that the gentleman of +whom I spoke, at a Convention a fortnight later, saw and claimed the +rest of faith in trusting God for all, and a letter from England tells +that he has found that His grace is sufficient. + + + + +A PLEA FOR MORE PRAYER + +CHAPTER VIII + +Wilt Thou be made Whole? + + "Jesus saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? The impotent man + answered him, Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool. Jesus + saith unto him, Rise and walk. Immediately the man was made whole, + and walked."--JOHN v. 6-9. + + "Peter said, In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and + walk.... The faith which is by Him hath given this man this perfect + soundness in the presence of you all."--ACTS iii. 6, 16. + + "Peter said, Æneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise. And he + arose immediately."--ACTS ix. 34. + + +Feebleness in prayer is the mark of disease. Impotence to walk is, in +the Christian, as in the natural life, a terrible proof of some evil in +the system that needs a physician. The lack of power to walk joyfully in +the new and living way that leads to the Father and the throne of grace +is specially grievous. Christ is the great Physician, who comes to +every Bethesda where impotent folk are gathered, and speaks out his +loving, searching question, Wilt thou be made whole? For all who are +still clinging to their hope in the pool, or are looking for some man to +put them in, who are hoping, in course of time, somehow to be helped by +just continuing in the use of the ordinary means of grace, His question +points to a better way. He offers them healing in a way of power they +have never understood. And to all who are willing to confess, not only +their own impotence, but their failure to find any man to help them, His +question brings the sure and certain hope of a near deliverance. We have +seen that our weakness in prayer is part of a life smitten with +spiritual impotence. Let us listen to our Lord as He offers to restore +our spiritual strength, to fit us for walking like healthy, strong men +in all the ways of the Lord, and so be fit rightly to fill our place in +the great work of intercession. As we see what the wholeness is He +offers, how He gives it, and what He asks of us, we shall be prepared +for giving a willing answer to His question. + + +WHAT THE HEALTH THAT JESUS OFFERS. + +I might mention many marks of spiritual health. Our text leads us to +take one,--walking. Jesus said to the sick man, Rise and walk, and with +that restored him to his place among men in full health and vigour, able +to take his part in all the work of life. It is a wonderfully suggestive +picture of the restoration of spiritual health. To the healthy, walking +is a pleasure; to the sick, a burden, if not an impossibility. How many +Christians there are to whom, like the maimed and the halt and the lame +and the impotent, movement and progress in God's way is indeed an effort +and a weariness. Christ comes to say, and with the word He gives the +power, Rise and walk. + +Just think of this walk to which He restores and empowers us. It is a +life like that of Enoch and Noah, who "walked with God." A life like +that of Abraham, to whom God said, "Walk before Me," and who himself +spake, "The Lord before whom I walk." A life of which David sings, "They +shall walk in the light of Thy countenance," and Isaiah prophesies, +"They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall run +and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." Even as God the +Creator fainteth not nor is weary, shall they who walk with Him, waiting +on Him, never be exhausted or feeble. It is a life concerning which it +could be said of the last of the Old Testament saints, Zacharias and +Elisabeth, "They were both righteous before God, walking in all the +commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless." This is the walk +Jesus came to make possible and true to His people in greater power than +ever before. + +Hear what the New Testament speaks of it: "That like as Christ was +raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also should walk +in newness of life." It is the Risen One who says to us, Rise and walk: +He gives the power of the resurrection life. It is a walk in Christ. "As +ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye also in Him." It is a +walk like Christ. "He that saith he abideth in Him ought so to walk even +as He walked." It is a walk by the Spirit and after the Spirit. "Walk by +the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh." "Who walk +not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." It is a walk worthy of God +and well pleasing to Him. "That ye would walk worthy of the Lord, unto +all well pleasing, being fruitful in every good work." "I beseech you, +that as ye received of us, how ye should walk and please God, _even as +ye do walk_, that ye would abound more and more." It is a walk in +heavenly love. "Walk in love, even as Christ loved you." It is a "walk +in the light, as He is in the light." It is a walk of faith, all its +power coming simply from God and Christ and the Holy Spirit, to the soul +turned away from the world. "We walk by faith, and not by sight." + +How many believers there are who regard such a walk as an impossible +thing--so impossible that they do not feel it a sin that they "walk +otherwise"; and so they do not long for this walk in newness of life. +They have become so accustomed to the life of impotence, that the life +and walk in God's strength has little attraction. But some there are +with whom it is not thus. They do wonder if these words really mean what +they say, and if the wonderful life each one of them speaks of is simply +an unattainable ideal, or meant to be realised in flesh and blood. The +more they study them, the more they feel that they are spoken as for +daily life. And yet they appear too high. Oh that they would believe +that God sent his Almighty Son, and His Holy Spirit, indeed to bring us +and fit us for a life and walk from heaven beyond all that man could +dare to think or hope for. + + +HOW JESUS MAKES US WHOLE. + +When a physician heals a patient, he acts on him from without, and does +something which is, if possible, ever after to render him independent of +his aid. He restores him to perfect health, and leaves him. With the +work of our Lord Jesus it is in both respects the very opposite. Jesus +works not from without, but from within, by entering Himself in the +power of His Spirit into our very life. And instead of, as in the bodily +healing, being rendered, if possible, independent of a physician for the +future, Christ's one purpose in healing is, as we said, the exact +opposite. His one condition of success, is to bring us into _such +dependence upon Himself as that we shall not be able one single moment +to do without Him_. Christ Jesus Himself is our life, in a sense that +many Christians have no conception of. The prevailing feeble and sickly +life is entirely owing to the lack of the apprehension of the Divine +truth, that as long as we expect Christ continually to do something for +us from heaven, in single acts of grace from time to time, and each time +trust Him to give us what will last a little while, we cannot be +restored to perfect health. But when once we see how there is to be +nothing of our own for a single moment, and it is to be all Christ +moment by moment, and learn to accept it from Him and trust Him for it, +the life of Christ becomes the health of our soul. Health is nothing but +life in its normal, undisturbed action. Christ gives us health by giving +us Himself as our life; so He becomes our strength for our walk. +Isaiah's words find their New Testament fulfilment: They that wait on +the Lord shall walk and not faint, because Christ is now the strength of +their life. + +It is strange how believers sometimes think this life of dependence too +great a strain, and a loss of our personal liberty. They admit a need of +dependence, of much dependence, but with room left for our own will and +energy. They do not see that even a partial dependence makes us debtors, +and leaves us nothing to boast of. They forget that our relationship to +God, and co-operation with Him, is not that He does the larger part and +we the lesser, but that God does all and we do all--God all in us, we +all through God. This dependence upon God secures our true independence; +when our will seeks nothing but the Divine will, we reach a Divine +nobility, the true independence of all that is created. He that has not +seen this must remain a sickly Christian, letting self do part and +Christ part. He that accepts the life of unceasing dependence on Christ, +as life and health and strength, is made whole. As God, Christ can enter +and become the life of His creature. As the Glorified One who received +the Holy Spirit from the Father to bestow, He can renew the heart of the +sinful creature and make it His home, and by His presence maintain it in +full health and strength. + +O ye all who would fain walk and please God, and in your prayer-life not +have your heart condemn you, listen to Christ's words: "Wilt thou be +made whole?" He can give soul-health. He can give a life that can pray, +and know that it is well-pleasing to the Father. If you would have this, +come and hear how you can receive it. + + +WHAT CHRIST ASKS OF US. + +The story invites us to notice three things very specially. Christ's +question first appeals to the will, and asks for the expression of its +consent. He then listens to man's confession of his utter helplessness. +Then comes the ready obedience to Christ's command, that rises up and +walks. + +1. Wilt thou be made whole? About the answer of the impotent man there +could be no doubt. Who would not be willing to have his sickness +removed? But, alas, in the spiritual life what need to press the +question. Some will not admit that they are so sick. And some will not +believe that Christ can make a man whole. And some will believe it for +others, but they are sure it is not for them. At the root of all lies +the fear of the self-denial and the sacrifice which will be needed. They +are not willing to forsake entirely the walk after the course of this +world, to give up all self-will, and self-confidence, and self-pleasing. +The walk in Christ and like Christ is too straight and hard: they do not +will it, they do not will to be made whole. My brother, if thou art +willing, speak it out: "Lord! at any price, I will!" From Christ's side +the act is one of the will: "I will, be thou clean." From your side +equally: "Be it unto thee as thou wilt." If you would be delivered from +your impotence--oh, fear not to say, "I will, I will!" + +Then comes the second step. Christ wants us to look up to him as our +only Helper. "I have no man to put me in," must be our cry. Here on +earth there is no help for me. Weakness may grow into strength in the +ordinary use of means, if all the organs and functions are in a sound +state. Sickness needs special measures. Your soul is sick; your +impotence to walk joyfully the Christian walk in God's way is a sign of +disease; fear not to confess it, and to admit that there is no hope for +restoration unless by an act of Christ's mercy healing you. Give up the +idea of growing out of your sickly into a healthy state, of growing out +from under the law into a life under grace. A few days ago I heard a +student plead the cause of the Volunteer Pledge. "The pledge calls you," +he said, "to a decision. Do not think of growing into a missionary: +unless God forbids you, take the step; the decision will bring joy and +strength, will set you free to grow up in all needed for a missionary, +and will be a help to others." It is even so in the Christian life. +Delay and struggle will equally hinder you; do confess that you cannot +bring yourself to pray as you would, because you cannot give yourself +the healthy, heavenly life that loves to pray, and that knows to count +upon God's Spirit to pray in us. Come to Christ to heal you. He can in +one moment make you whole. Not in the sense of working a sudden change +in your feelings, or in what you are in yourself, but in the heavenly +reality of coming in, in response to your surrender and faith, and +taking charge of your inner life, and filling it with Himself and +Spirit. + +The third thing Christ asks is this, the surrender of faith. When He +spoke to the impotent man His word of command had to be obeyed. The man +believed that there was truth and power in Christ's word; in that faith +he rose and walked. By faith he obeyed. And what Christ said to others +was for him too--"Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole." Of us, +too, Christ asks this faith, that His word changes our impotence into +strength, and fits us for that walk in newness of life for which we have +been quickened in Him. If we do not believe this, if we will not take +courage and say, with Paul, "I can do all things in Christ, which +strengtheneth me," we cannot obey. But if we will listen to the word +that tells us of the walk that is not only possible, but has been proved +and seen in God's saints from of old, if we will fix our eye on the +mighty, living, loving Christ, who speaks in power, "Rise and walk," we +shall take courage and obey. We shall rise and begin to walk in Him and +His strength. In faith, apart from and above all feeling, we shall +accept and trust an unseen Christ as our strength, and go on in the +strength of the Lord God. We shall know Christ as the strength of our +life. We shall know, and tell, and prove that Jesus Christ hath made us +whole. + +Can it indeed be? Yes, it can. He has done it for many: He will do it +for you. Beware of forming wrong conceptions of what must take place. +When the impotent man was made whole he had still all to learn as to the +use of his new-found strength. If he wanted to dig, or build, or learn a +trade, he had to begin at the beginning. Do not expect at once to be a +proficient in prayer or any part of the Christian life. No; but expect +and be confident of this one thing, that, as you have trusted yourself +to Christ to be your health and strength, He will lead and teach you. +Begin to pray in a quiet sense of your ignorance and weakness, but in a +joyful assurance that He will work in you what you need. Rise and walk +each day in a holy confidence that He is with you and in you. Just +accept Jesus Christ the Living One, and trust Him to do His work. + +Will you do it? Have you done it? Even now Jesus speaks, "Rise and +walk." "Amen, Lord! at Thy word I come. I rise to walk with Thee, and in +Thee, and like Thee." + + + + +A PLEA FOR MORE PRAYER + +CHAPTER IX + +The Secret of Effectual Prayer + + "What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye have + received them, and ye shall have them."--MARK xi. 24. + + +Here we have a summary of the teaching of our Lord Jesus on prayer. +Nothing will so much help to convince us of the sin of our remissness in +prayer, to discover its causes, and to give us courage to expect entire +deliverance, as the careful study and then the believing acceptance of +that teaching. The more heartily we enter into the mind of our blessed +Lord, and set ourselves simply just to think about prayer as He thought, +the more surely will His words be as living seeds. They will grow and +produce in us their fruit,--a life and practice exactly corresponding to +the Divine truth they contain. Do let us believe this: Christ, the +living Word of God, gives in His words a Divine quickening power which +brings what they say, which works in us what He asks, which actually +fits and enables for all He demands. Learn to look upon His teaching on +prayer as a definite promise of what He, by His Holy Spirit dwelling in +you, is going to work into your very being and character. + +Our Lord gives us the five marks, or essential elements, of true prayer. +There must be, first, the heart's _desire_; then the expression of that +desire in _prayer_; with that, the _faith_ that carries the prayer to +God; in that faith, the _acceptance of God's answer_; then comes _the +experience_ of the desired blessing. It may help to give definiteness to +our thought, if we each take a definite request in regard to which we +would fain learn to pray believingly. Or, perhaps better still, we might +all unite and take the one thing that has been occupying our attention. +We have been speaking of failure in prayer; why should we not take as +the object of desire and supplication the "grace of supplication," and +say, I want to ask and receive in faith the power to pray just as, and +as much as, my God expects of me? Let us meditate on our Lord's words, +in the confidence that He will teach us how to pray for this blessing. + +1. "What things soever _ye desire_."--Desire is the secret power that +moves the whole world of living men, and directs the course of each. And +so desire is the soul of prayer, and the cause of insufficient or +unsuccessful prayer is very much to be found in the lack or feebleness +of desire. Some may doubt this: they are sure that they have very +earnestly desired what they ask. But if they consider whether their +desire has indeed been as whole-hearted as God would have it, as the +heavenly worth of these blessings demands, they may come to see that it +was indeed the lack of desire that was the cause of failure. What is +true of God is true of each of his blessings, and is the more true the +more spiritual the blessing: "Ye shall seek Me, and shall find, when ye +shall search for Me with all your heart" (Jer. xxix. 13). Of Judah in +the days of Asa it is written, "They sought Him with _their whole +desire_" (2 Chron. xv. 15). A Christian may often have very earnest +desires for spiritual blessings. But alongside of these there are other +desires in his daily life occupying a large place in his interests and +affections. The spiritual desires are not all-absorbing. He wonders +that his prayer is not heard. It is simply that God wants the whole +heart. "The Lord thy God is _one Lord_, therefore thou shalt love the +Lord thy God with _all thy heart_." The law is unchangeable: God offers +Himself, gives Himself away, to the whole-hearted who give themselves +wholly away to Him. He always gives us according to our heart's desire. +But not as we think it, but as He sees it. If there be other desires +which are more at home with us, which have our heart more than Himself +and His presence, He allows these to be fulfilled, and the desires that +engage us at the hour of prayer cannot be granted. + +We desire the gift of intercession, grace and power to pray aright. Our +hearts must be drawn away from other desires: we must give ourselves +wholly to this one. We must be willing to live wholly in intercession +for the kingdom. By fixing our eye on the blessedness and the need of +this grace, by thinking of the certainty that God will give it us, by +giving ourselves up to it, for the sake of the perishing world, desire +may be strengthened, and the first step taken towards the possession of +the coveted blessing. Let us seek the grace of prayer, as we seek the +God with whom it will link us, "with our whole desire"; we may depend +upon the promise, "He will fulfil the desire of them that fear Him." Let +us not fear to say to Him, "I desire it with my whole heart." + +2. "What things soever ye desire when _ye pray_."--The desire of the +heart must become the expression of the lips. Our Lord Jesus more than +once asked those who cried to Him for mercy, "What wilt thou?" He wanted +them to say what they would. To speak it out roused their whole being +into action, brought them into contact with Him, and wakened their +expectation. To pray is to enter into God's presence, to claim and +secure His attention, to have distinct dealing with Him in regard to +some request, to commit our need to His faithfulness and to leave it +there: it is in so doing that we become fully conscious of what we are +seeking. + +There are some who often carry strong desires in their heart, without +bringing them to God in the clear expression of definite and repeated +prayer. There are others who go to the Word and its promises to +strengthen their faith, but do not give sufficient place to that pointed +asking of God which helps the soul to the assurance that the matter has +been put into God's hands. Still others come in prayer with so many +requests and desires, that it is difficult for themselves to say what +they really expect God to do. If you would obtain from God this great +gift of faithfulness in prayer and power to pray aright, begin by +exercising yourself in prayer in regard to it. Say of it to yourself and +to God: "Here is something I have asked, and am continuing to ask till I +receive. As plain and pointed as words can make it, I am saying, 'My +Father! I do desire, I do ask of Thee, and expect of Thee, the grace of +prayer and intercession.'" + +3. "What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, _believe_."--As it is +only by faith that we can know God, or receive Jesus Christ, or live the +Christian life, so faith is the life and power of prayer. If we are to +enter upon a life of intercession, in which there is to be joy and power +and blessing, if we are to have our prayer for the grace of prayer +answered, we must learn anew what faith is, and begin to live and pray +in faith as never before. + +Faith is the opposite of sight, and the two are contrary the one to the +other. "We walk by faith, and not by sight." If the unseen is to get +full possession of us, and heart and life and prayer are to be full of +faith, there must be a withdrawal from, a denial of, the visible. The +spirit that seeks to enjoy as much as possible of what is innocent or +legitimate, that gives the first place to the calls and duties of daily +life, is inconsistent with a strong faith and close intercourse with the +spiritual world. "We _look not_ at the things that are seen"--the +negative side needs to be emphasised if the positive, "but at the things +which are not seen," is to become natural to us. In praying, faith +depends upon our living in the invisible world. + +This faith has specially to do with God. The great reason of our lack of +faith is our lack of knowledge of God and intercourse with Him. "Have +faith in God," Jesus said when He spoke of removing mountains. It is as +a soul knows God, is occupied with His power, love, and faithfulness, +comes away out of self and the world, and allows the light of God to +shine on it, that unbelief will become impossible. All the mysteries and +difficulties connected with answers to prayer will, however little we +may be able to solve them intellectually, be swallowed up in the adoring +assurance: "This God is our God. He will bless us. He does indeed +answer prayer. And the grace to pray I am asking for He will delight to +give." (Note C.) + +4. "What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that _ye have +received_," now as you pray.--_Faith has to accept the answer, as given +by God in heaven, before it is found or felt upon earth._ This point +causes difficulty, and yet it is of the very essence of believing +prayer, its real secret. Try and take it in. Spiritual things can only +be spiritually apprehended or appropriated. The spiritual heavenly +blessing of God's answer to your prayer must be spiritually recognised +and accepted before you feel anything of it. It is faith does this. A +soul that not only seeks an answer, but seeks first the God who gives +the answer, receives the power to know that it has what it has asked of +Him. If it knows that it has asked according to His will and promises, +and that it has come to and found Himself to give it, it does believe +that it has received. "We know that He heareth us." + +There is nothing so heart-searching as this faith, "_Believe that ye +have received._" As we strive to believe, and find we cannot, it leads +us to discover what there is that hinders. Blessed is the man who holds +nothing back, and lets nothing hold him back, but, with his eye and +heart on God alone, refuses to rest till he has believed what our Lord +bids him, "that he has received." Here is the place where Jacob becomes +Israel, and the power of prevailing prayer is born out of human weakness +and despair. Here comes in the real need for persevering and +ever-importunate prayer, that will not rest, or go away, or give up, +till it knows it is heard, and believes that it has received. + +You pray for "the Spirit of grace and supplication"? As you ask for it +in strong desire, and believe in God who hears prayer, do not be afraid +to press on and believe that your life can indeed be changed, that the +world with its press of duties, whether religious or not, hindering +prayer, can be overcome, and that God gives you your heart's desire, +grace to pray both in measure and in spirit, just as the Father would +have His child do. "Believe that you have received." + +5. "What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye have +received, and _ye shall have them_."--The receiving from God in faith, +the believing acceptance of the answer with the perfect, praising +assurance that it has been given, is not necessarily the experience or +subjective possession of the gift we have asked for. At times there may +be a considerable, or even a long, interval. In other cases the +believing supplicant may at once enter upon the actual enjoyment of what +he has received. It is specially in the former case that we have need of +faith and patience: faith to rejoice in the assurance of the answer +bestowed and received, and to begin and act upon that answer though +nothing be felt; patience to wait if there be for the present no +sensible proof of its presence. We can count upon it: _Ye shall have_, +in actual enjoyment. + +If we apply this to the prayer for the power of faithful intercession, +the grace to pray earnestly and perseveringly for souls around us, let +us learn to hold fast the Divine assurance that, as surely as we believe +we receive, and that faith therefore, apart from all failing, may +rejoice in the certainty of an answered prayer. The more we praise God +for it, the sooner will the experience come. We may begin at once to +pray for others, in the confidence that grace will be given us to pray +more perseveringly and more believingly than we have done before. If we +do not find any special enlargement or power in prayer, this must not +hinder or discourage us. We have accepted, apart from feeling, a +spiritual Divine gift by faith; in that faith we are to pray, nothing +doubting. The Holy Spirit may for a little time be hiding Himself within +us; we may count upon Him, even though it be with groanings which cannot +find expression, to pray in us; in due time we shall become conscious of +His presence and power. As sure as there is desire and prayer and faith, +and faith's acceptance of the gift, there will be, too, the +manifestation and experience of the blessing we sought. + +Beloved brother! do you truly desire that God should enable you so to +pray that your life may be free from continual self-condemnation, and +that the power of His Spirit may come down in answer to your petition? +Come and _ask it of God_. Kneel down and pray for it in a single +definite sentence. When you have done so, kneel still in faith, +believing in God who answers. Believe that you do now receive what you +have prayed: believe that you have received. If you find it difficult to +do this, kneel still, and say that you do it on the strength of His own +word. If it cost time, and struggle, and doubt--fear not; at His feet, +looking up into His face, faith will come. "Believe that you have +received": at His bidding you dare claim the answer. Begin in that +faith, even though it be feeble, a new prayer-life, with this one +thought as its strength: "You have asked and received grace in Christ to +prepare you, step by step, to be faithful in prayer and intercession. +The more simply you hold to this, and expect the Holy Spirit to work it +in you, the more surely and fully will the word be made true to you: Ye +shall have it. God Himself who gave the answer will work it in you." + + + + +A PLEA FOR MORE PRAYER + +CHAPTER X + +The Spirit of Supplication + + "I will pour upon the house of David the Spirit of grace and of + supplication."--ZECH. xii. 10. + + "The Spirit also helpeth our infirmity; for we know not how to pray + as we ought: but the Spirit Himself maketh intercession for us with + groanings which cannot be uttered. And He that searcheth the hearts + knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh + intercession for the saints according to God."--ROM. viii. 26, 27. + + "With all prayer and supplication praying at all seasons in the + Spirit, and watching thereunto in all perseverance and supplication + for all the saints."--EPH. vi. 18. + + "Praying in the Holy Spirit."--JUDE 20. + + +The Holy Spirit has been given to every child of God to be his life. He +dwells in him, not as a separate Being in one part of his nature, but as +his very life. He is the Divine power or energy by which his life is +maintained and strengthened. All that a believer is called to be or to +do, the Holy Spirit can and will work in him. If he does not know or +yield to the Holy Guest, the Blessed Spirit cannot work, and his life is +a sickly one, full of failure and of sin. As he yields, and waits, and +obeys the leading of the Spirit, God works in him all that is pleasing +in His sight. + +This Holy Spirit is, in the first place, a Spirit of prayer. He was +promised as a "Spirit of grace and supplication," the grace for +supplication. He was sent forth into our hearts as "the Spirit of +adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." He enables us to say, in true +faith and growing apprehension of its meaning, Our Father which art in +heaven. "He maketh intercession for the saints according to God." And as +we pray in the Spirit, our worship is as God seeks it to be, "in spirit +and in truth." Prayer is just the breathing of the Spirit in us; power +in prayer comes from the power of the Spirit in us, waited on and +trusted in. Failure in prayer comes from feebleness of the Spirit's work +in us. Our prayer is the index of the measure of the Spirit's work in +us. To pray aright, the life of the Spirit must be right in us. For +praying the effectual, much-availing prayer of the righteous man +everything depends on being full of the Spirit. + +There are three very simple lessons that the believer, who would enjoy +the blessing of being taught to pray by the Spirit of prayer, must know. +The first is: _Believe that the Spirit dwells in you_ (Eph. i. 13). Deep +in the inmost recesses of his being, hidden and unfelt, every child of +God has the Holy, Mighty Spirit of God dwelling in him. He knows it by +faith, the faith that, accepting God's word, realises that of which he +sees as yet no sign. "We receive the promise of the Spirit by faith." As +long as we measure our power, for praying aright and perseveringly, by +what we feel, or think we can accomplish, we shall be discouraged when +we hear of how much we ought to pray. But when we quietly believe that, +in the midst of all our conscious weakness, the Holy Spirit as a Spirit +of supplication is dwelling within us, _for the very purpose of enabling +us to pray in such manner and measure as God would have us_, our hearts +will be filled with hope. We shall be strengthened in the assurance +which lies at the very root of a happy and fruitful Christian life, that +_God has made an abundant provision for our being what He wants us to +be_. We shall begin to lose our sense of burden and fear and +discouragement about our ever praying sufficiently, because we see that +the Holy Spirit Himself will pray, is praying, in us. + +The second lesson is: _Beware above everything of grieving the Holy +Spirit_ (Eph. iv. 30). If you do, how can He work in you the quiet, +trustful, and blessed sense of that union with Christ which makes your +prayers well pleasing to the Father? Beware of grieving Him by sin, by +unbelief, by selfishness, by unfaithfulness to His voice in conscience. +Do not think grieving Him a necessity: that cuts away the very sinews of +your strength. Do not consider it impossible to obey the command, +"Grieve not the Holy Spirit." He Himself is the very power of God to +make you obedient. The sin that comes up in you against your will, the +tendency to sloth, or pride, or self-will, or passion that rises in the +flesh, your will can, in the power of the Spirit, at once reject, and +cast upon Christ and His blood, and your communion with God is +immediately restored. Accept each day the Holy Spirit as your Leader and +Life and Strength; you can count upon Him to do in your heart all that +ought to be done there. He, the Unseen and Unfelt One, but known by +faith, gives there, unseen and unfelt, the love and the faith and the +power of obedience you need, because He reveals Christ unseen within +you, as actually your Life and Strength. Grieve not the Holy Spirit by +distrusting Him, because you do not feel His presence in you. + +Especially in the matter of prayer grieve Him not. Do not expect, when +you trust Christ to bring you into a new, healthy prayer-life, that you +will be able all at once to pray as easily and powerfully and joyfully +as you fain would. No; it may not come at once. But just bow quietly +before God in your ignorance and weakness. That is the best and truest +prayer, to put yourself before God just as you are, and to count on the +hidden Spirit praying in you. "We know not what to pray as we ought"; +ignorance, difficulty, struggle, marks our prayer all along. But, "the +Spirit helpeth our infirmities." How? "The Spirit Himself," deeper down +than our thoughts or feelings, "maketh intercession for us with +groanings which cannot be uttered." When you cannot find words, when +your words appear cold and feeble, just believe: The Holy Spirit is +praying in me. Be quiet before God, and give Him time and opportunity; +in due season you will learn to pray. Beware of grieving the Spirit of +prayer, by not honouring Him in patient, trustful surrender to His +intercession in you. + +The third lesson: "_Be filled with the Spirit_" (Eph. v. 18). I think +that we have seen the meaning of the great truth: It is only the healthy +spiritual life that can pray aright. The command comes to each of us: +"Be filled with the Spirit." That implies that while some rest content +with the beginning, with a small measure of the Spirit's working, it is +God's will that we should be filled with the Spirit. That means, from +our side, that our whole being ought to be entirely yielded up to the +Holy Spirit, to be possessed and controlled by Him alone. And, from +God's side, that we may count upon and expect the Holy Spirit to take +possession and fill us. Has not our failure in prayer evidently been +owing to our not having accepted the Spirit of prayer to be our life; to +our not having yielded wholly to Him, whom the Father gave as the Spirit +of His Son, to work the life of the Son in us? Let us, to say the very +least, be willing to receive Him, to yield ourselves to God and trust +Him for it. Let us not again wilfully grieve the Holy Spirit by +declining, by neglecting, by hesitating to seek to have Him as fully as +He is willing to give Himself to us. If we have at all seen that prayer +is the great need of our work and of the Church, if we have at all +desired or resolved to pray more, let us turn to the very source of all +power and blessing--let us believe that the Spirit of prayer, even in +His fulness, is for us. + +We all admit the place the Father and the Son have in our prayer. It is +to the Father we pray, and from whom we expect the answer. It is in the +merit, and name, and life of the Son, abiding in Him and He in us, that +we trust to be heard. But have we understood that in the Holy Trinity +all the Three Persons have an equal place in prayer, and that the faith +in the Holy Spirit of intercession as praying in us is as indispensable +as the faith in the Father and the Son? How clearly we have this in the +words, "Through Christ we have access by one Spirit to the Father." As +much as prayer must be _to_ the Father, and _through_ the Son, it must +be _by_ the Spirit. And the Spirit can pray in no other way in us, than +as He lives in us. It is only as we give ourselves to the Spirit living +and praying in us, that the glory of the prayer-hearing God, and the +ever-blessed and most effectual mediation of the Son, can be known by us +in their power. (Note D.) + +Our last lesson: _Pray in the Spirit for all saints_ (Eph. vi. 18). The +Spirit, who is called "the Spirit of supplication," is also and very +specially the Spirit of intercession. It is said of Him, "the Spirit +Himself maketh intercession for us with groanings that cannot be +uttered." "He maketh intercession for the saints." It is the same word +as is used of Christ, "who also maketh intercession for us." The thought +is essentially that of mediation--one pleading for another. When the +Spirit of intercession takes full possession of us, all selfishness, as +if we wanted Him separate from His intercession for others, and have Him +for ourselves alone, is banished, and we begin to avail ourselves of our +wonderful privilege to plead for men. We long to live the Christ-life of +self-consuming sacrifice for others, as our heart unceasingly yields +itself to God to obtain His blessing for those around us. Intercession +then becomes, not an incident or an occasional part of our prayers, but +their one great object. Prayer for ourselves then takes its true place, +simply as a means for fitting us better for exercising our ministry of +intercession more effectually. + +May I be allowed to speak a very personal word to each of my readers? I +have humbly besought God to give me what I may give them--Divine light +and help truly to forsake the life of failure in prayer, and to enter, +even now, and at once, upon the life of intercession which the Holy +Spirit can enable them to lead. It can be done by a simple act of faith, +claiming the fulness of the Spirit, that is, the full measure of the +Spirit which you are capable in God's sight of receiving, and He is +therefore willing to bestow. Will you not, even now, accept of this by +faith? + +Let me remind you of what takes place at conversion. Most of us, you +probably too, for a time sought peace in efforts and struggles to give +up sin and please God. But you did not find it thus. The peace of God's +pardon came by faith, trusting God's word concerning Christ and His +salvation. You had heard of Christ as the gift of His love, you knew +that He was for you too, you had felt the movings and drawings of His +grace; but never till in faith in God's word you accepted Him as God's +gift to you, did you know the peace and joy that He can give. Believing +in Him and His saving love made all the difference, and changed your +relation from one who had ever grieved Him, to one who loved and served +Him. And yet, after a time, you have a thousand times wondered you love +and serve Him so ill. + +At the time of your conversion you knew little about the Holy Spirit. +Later on you heard of His dwelling in you, and His being the power of +God in you for all the Father intends you to be, and yet His indwelling +and inworking have been something vague and indefinite, and hardly a +source of joy or strength. At conversion you did not yet know your need +of Him, and still less what you might expect of Him. But your failures +have taught it you. And now you begin to see how you have been grieving +Him, by not trusting and not following Him, by not allowing Him to work +in you all God's pleasure. + +All this can be changed. Just as you, after seeking Christ, and praying +to Him, and trying without success to serve Him, found rest in accepting +Him by faith, just so you may even now yield yourself to the full +guidance of the Holy Spirit, and claim and accept Him to work in you +what God would have. Will you not do it? Just accept Him in faith as +Christ's gift, to be the Spirit of your whole life, of your prayer-life +too, and you can count upon Him to take charge. You can then begin, +however feeble you feel, and unable to pray aright, to bow before God in +silence, with the assurance that He will teach you to pray. + +My dear brother, as you consciously by faith accepted Christ, to pardon, +you can consciously now in the like faith accept of Christ who gives the +Holy Spirit to do His work in you. "Christ redeemed us that we might +receive the promise of the Spirit by faith." Kneel down, and simply +believe that the Lord Christ, who baptizeth with the Holy Spirit, does +now, in response to your faith, begin in you the blessed life of a full +experience of the power of the indwelling Spirit. Depend most +confidently upon Him, apart from all feeling or experience, as the +Spirit of supplication and intercession to do His work. Renew that act +of faith each morning, each time you pray; trust Him, against all +appearances, to work in you,--be sure He is working,--and He will give +you to know what the joy of the Holy Spirit is as the power of your +life. + +"I will pour out the Spirit of supplication." Do you not begin to see +that the mystery of prayer is the mystery of the Divine indwelling. God +in heaven gives His Spirit in our hearts to be there the Divine power +praying in us, and drawing us upward to our God. God is a Spirit, and +nothing but a like life and Spirit within us can hold communion with +Him. It was for this man was created, that God might dwell and work in +Him, and be the life of his life. It was this Divine indwelling that sin +lost. It was this that Christ came to exhibit in His life, to win back +for us in His death, and then to impart to us by coming again from +heaven in the Spirit to live in His disciples. It is this, the +indwelling of God through the Spirit, that alone can explain and enable +us to appropriate the wonderful promises given to prayer. God gives the +Spirit as a Spirit of Supplication, too, to maintain His Divine life +within us as a life out of which prayer ever rises upward. + +Without the Holy Spirit no man can call Jesus Lord, or cry, Abba, +Father; no man can worship in spirit and truth, or pray without ceasing. +The Holy Spirit is given the believer to be and do in him all that God +wants him to be or do. He is given him especially as the Spirit of +prayer and supplication. Is it not clear that everything in prayer +depends upon our trusting the Holy Spirit to do His work in us; yielding +ourselves to His leading, depending only and wholly on Him? + +We read, "Stephen was a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit." The two +ever go together, in exact proportion to each other. As our faith sees +and trusts the Spirit in us to pray, and waits on Him, He will do His +work; and it is the longing desire, and the earnest supplication, and +the definite faith the Father seeks. Do let us know Him, and in the +faith of Christ who unceasingly gives Him, cultivate the assured +confidence, we can learn to pray as the Father would have us. + + + + +A PLEA FOR MORE PRAYER + +CHAPTER XI + +In the Name of Christ + + "Whatsoever ye shall ask _in My Name_, that will I do. If ye shall + ask anything _in My Name_, I will do it. I have appointed you, that + whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father _in My Name_, He may give it + you. Verily, verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the + Father _in My Name_, He will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked + nothing _in My Name_; ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may + be full. At that day ye shall ask _in My Name_."--JOHN xiv. 13, 14, + xv. 16, xvi. 23, 24, 26. + + +In my name--repeated six times over. Our Lord knew how slow our hearts +would be to take it in, and He so longed that we should really believe +that His Name is the power in which every knee should bow, and in which +every prayer could be heard, that He did not weary of saying it over and +over: _In My Name!_ Between the wonderful _whatsoever ye shall ask_, and +the Divine _I will do it, the Father will give it_, this one word is +the simple link: _In My Name._ Our asking and the Father's giving are to +be equally in the Name of Christ. Everything in prayer depends upon our +apprehending this--_In My Name._ + +We know what a name is: a word by which we call up to our mind the whole +being and nature of an object. When I speak of a lamb or a lion, the +name at once suggests the different nature peculiar to each. The Name of +God is meant to express His whole Divine nature and glory. And so the +Name of Christ means His whole nature, His person and work, His +disposition and Spirit. To ask in the Name of Christ is to pray in union +with Him. When first a sinner believes in Christ, he only knows and +thinks of His merit and intercession. And to the very end that is the +one foundation of our confidence. And yet, as the believer grows in +grace and enters more deeply and truly into union with Christ--that is, +as he abides in Him--he learns that to pray in the Name of Christ also +means in His Spirit, and in the possession of His nature, as the Holy +Spirit imparts it to us. As we grasp the meaning of the words, "_At that +day_ ye shall ask in My Name"--the day when in the Holy Spirit Christ +came to live in His disciples--we shall no longer be staggered at the +greatness of the promise: "_Whatsoever_ ye shall ask in My Name, I will +do it." We shall get some insight into the unchangeable necessity and +certainty of the law: what is asked in the Name of Christ, in union with +Him, out of His nature and Spirit, must be given. As Christ's +prayer-nature lives in us, His prayer-power becomes ours too. Not that +the measure of our attainment or experience is the ground of our +confidence, but the honesty and whole-heartedness of our surrender to +all that we see that Christ seeks to be in us, will be the measure of +our spiritual fitness and power to pray in His Name. "If ye abide in +Me," He says, "ye shall ask what ye will." As we live in Him, we get the +spiritual power to avail ourselves of His Name. As the branch wholly +given up to the life and service of the Vine can count upon all its sap +and strength for its fruit, so the believer, who in faith has accepted +the fulness of the Spirit to possess his whole life, can indeed avail +himself of all the power of Christ's Name. + +Here on earth Christ as man came to reveal what prayer is. To pray in +the Name of Christ we must pray as He prayed on earth; as He taught us +to pray; in union with Him, as He now prays in heaven. We must in love +study, and in faith accept, Him as our Example, our Teacher, our +Intercessor. + + +CHRIST OUR EXAMPLE. + +Prayer in Christ on earth and in us cannot be two different things. Just +as there is but one God, who is a Spirit, who hears prayer, there is but +one spirit of acceptable prayer. When we realise what time Christ spent +in prayer, and how the great events of His life were all connected with +special prayer, we learn the necessity of absolute dependence on and +unceasing direct communication with the heavenly world, if we are to +live a heavenly life, or to exercise heavenly power around us. We see +how foolish and fruitless the attempt must be to do work for God and +heaven, without in the first place in prayer getting the life and the +power of heaven to possess us. Unless this truth lives in us, we cannot +avail ourselves aright of the mighty power of the Name of Christ. His +example must teach us the meaning of His Name. + +Of His baptism we read, "Jesus having been baptized, _and praying_, the +heaven was opened." It was in prayer heaven was opened to Him, that +heaven came down to Him with the Spirit and the voice of the Father. In +the power of these He was led into the wilderness, in fasting and prayer +to have them tested and fully appropriated. Early in His ministry Mark +records (i. 35), "And in the morning, a great while before day, He rose +and departed into a desert place, _and there prayed_." And somewhat +later Luke tells (v. 16), "Multitudes came together to hear and to be +healed. _But He withdrew Himself into the desert, and prayed._" He knew +how the holiest service, preaching and healing, can exhaust the spirit; +how too much intercourse with men could cloud the fellowship with God; +how time, time, full time, is needed if the spirit is to rest and root +in Him; how no pressure of duty among men can free from the absolute +need of much prayer. If anyone could have been satisfied with always +living and working in the spirit of prayer, it would have been our +Master. But He could not; He needed to have His supplies replenished by +continual and long-continued seasons of prayer. To use Christ's Name in +prayer surely includes this, to follow His example and to pray as He +did. + +Of the night before choosing His apostles we read (Luke vi. 12), "He +went out into the mountain _to pray, and continued all night in prayer +to God_." The first step towards the constitution of the Church, and the +separation of men to be His witnesses and successors, called Him to +special long-continued prayer. All had to be done according to the +pattern on the mount. "The Son can do nothing of Himself: the Father +showeth Him all things that Himself doeth." It was in the night of +prayer it was shown Him. + +In the night between the feeding of the five thousand, when Jesus knew +that they wanted to take Him by force and make Him King, and the walking +on the sea, "He withdrew again into the mountain, Himself alone, _to +pray_" (Matt. xiv. 23; Mark vi. 46; John vi. 15). It was God's will He +was come to do, and God's power He was to show forth. He had it not as a +possession of His own; it had to be prayed for and received from above. +The first announcement of His approaching death, after He had elicited +from Peter the confession that He was the Christ, is introduced by the +words (Luke ix. 15), "And it came to pass that _He was praying alone_." +The introduction to the story of the Transfiguration is (Luke ix. 28), +"He went up into the mountain _to pray_." The request of the disciples, +"Lord, teach us to pray" (Luke xi. 1), follows on, "It came to pass _as +He was praying_ in a certain place." In His own personal life, in His +intercourse with the Father, in all He is and does for men, the Christ +whose name we are to use is a Man of prayer. It is prayer gives Him His +power of blessing, and transfigures His very body with the glory of +heaven. It is His own prayer-life makes Him the teacher of others how to +pray. How much more must it be prayer, prayer alone, much prayer, that +can fit us to share His glory of a transfigured life, or make us the +channel of heavenly blessing and teaching to others. To pray in the Name +of Christ is to pray as He prays. + +As the end approaches, it is still more prayer. When the Greeks asked to +see Him, and He spoke of His approaching death, He prayed. At Lazarus' +grave He prayed. In the last night He prayed His prayer as our +High-Priest, that we might know what His sacrifice would win, and what +His everlasting intercession on the throne would be. In Gethsemane He +prayed His prayer as Victim, the Lamb giving itself to the slaughter. On +the Cross it is still all prayer--the prayer of compassion for His +murderers; the prayer of atoning suffering in the thick darkness; the +prayer in death of confiding resignation of His spirit to the Father. +(Note E.) + +Christ's life and work, His suffering and death--it was all prayer, all +dependence on God, trust in God, receiving from God, surrender to God. +Thy redemption, O believer, is a redemption wrought out by prayer and +intercession: thy Christ is a praying Christ: the life He lived for +thee, the life He lives in thee, is a praying life, that delights to +wait on God and receive all from Him. To pray in His Name is to pray as +He prayed. Christ is only our example because He is our Head, our +Saviour, and our Life. In virtue of His Deity and of His Spirit He can +live in us: we can pray in His Name, because we abide in Him and He in +us. + + +CHRIST OUR TEACHER. + +Christ was what He taught. All His teaching was just the revelation of +how He lived, and--praise God--of the life He was to live in us. His +teaching of the disciples was first to awaken desire, and so prepare +them for what He would by the Holy Spirit be and work in them. Let us +believe very confidently: all He was in prayer, and all He taught, He +Himself will give. He came to fulfil the law; much more will He fulfil +the gospel in all He taught us, as to what to pray, and how. + +_What to pray._--It has sometimes been said that direct petitions, as +compared with the exercise of fellowship with God, are but a subordinate +part of prayer, and that "in the prayer of those who pray best and most, +they occupy but an inconsiderable place." If we carefully study all that +our Lord spoke of prayer, we shall see that this is not His teaching. In +the Lord's Prayer, in the parables on prayer, in the illustration of a +child asking bread, of our seeking and knocking, in the central thought +of the prayer of faith, "Whatsoever ye pray, believe that ye have +received," in the oft-repeated "_whatsoever_" of the last +evening--everywhere our Lord urges and encourages us to offer definite +petitions, and to expect definite answers. It is only because we have +too much confined prayer to our own needs, that it has been thought +needful to free it from the appearance of selfishness, by giving the +petitions a subordinate place. If once believers were to awake to the +glory of the work of intercession, and to see that in it, and the +definite pleading for definite gifts on definite spheres and persons, +lie our highest fellowship with our glorified Lord, and our only real +power to bless men, it would be seen that there can be no truer +fellowship with God than these definite petitions and their answers, by +which we become the channel of His grace and life to men. Then our +fellowship with the Father is even such as the Son has in His +intercession. + +_How to pray._--Our Lord taught us to pray in secret, in simplicity, +with the eye on God alone, in humility, in the spirit of forgiving love. +But the chief truth He reiterated was ever this: to pray in faith. And +He defined that faith, not only as a trust in God's goodness or power, +but as the definite assurance that we have received the very thing we +ask. And then, in view of the delay in the answer, He insisted on +perseverance and urgency. We must be followers of those "who through +faith and patience inherit the promises"--the faith that accepts the +promise, and knows it has what it has asked--the patience that obtains +the promise and inherits the blessing. We shall then learn to understand +why God, who promises to avenge His elect speedily, bears with them in +seeming delay. It is that their faith may be purified from all that is +of the flesh, and tested and strengthened to become that spiritual power +that can do all things--can even cast mountains into the heart of the +sea. + + +CHRIST AS OUR INTERCESSOR. + +We have gazed on Christ in His prayers; we have listened to His teaching +as to how we must pray; to know fully what it is to pray in His Name, we +must know Him too in His heavenly intercession. + +Just think what it means: that all His saving work wrought from heaven +is still carried on, just as on earth, in unceasing communication with, +and direct intercession to the Father, who worketh all in all, who is +All in All. Every act of grace in Christ has been preceded by, and owes +its power to, intercession. God has been honoured and acknowledged as +its Author. On the throne of God, Christ's highest fellowship with the +Father, and His partnership in His rule of the world, is in +intercession. Every blessing that comes down to us from above bears upon +it the stamp from God: through Christ's intercession. His intercession +is nothing but the fruit and the glory of His atonement. When He gave +Himself a sacrifice to God for men, He proved that His whole heart had +the one object: the glory of God, in the salvation of men. In His +intercession this great purpose is realised: He glorifies the Father by +asking and receiving all of Him; He saves men by bestowing what He has +obtained from the Father. Christ's intercession is the Father's glory, +His own glory, our glory. + +And now, this Christ, the Intercessor, is our life; He is our Head, and +we are His body; His Spirit and life breathe in us. As in heaven so on +earth, intercession is God's chosen, God's only channel of blessing. Let +us learn from Christ what glory there is in it; what the way to exercise +this wondrous power; what the part it is to take in work for God. + +_The glory of it._--By it, beyond anything, we glorify God. By it we +glorify Christ. By it we bring blessing to the Church and the world. By +it we obtain our highest nobility--the Godlike power of saving men. + +_The way to it._--Paul writes, "Walk in love, even as Christ loved us, +and gave Himself a sacrifice to God for us." If we live as Christ +lived, we will, as He did, give ourselves, for our whole life, to God, +to be used by Him for men. When once we have done this, given ourselves, +no more to seek anything for ourselves, but for men, and that to God, +for Him to use us, and to impart to us what we can bestow on others, +intercession will become to us, as it is in Christ in heaven, the great +work of our life. And if ever the thought comes that the call is too +high, or the work too great, the faith in Christ, the Interceding +Christ, who lives in us, will give us the victory. We will listen to Him +who said, "The works that I do, shall ye do; and greater works shall ye +do." We shall remember that we are not under the law, with its +impotence, but under grace with its omnipotence, working all in us. We +shall believe again in Him who said to us, Rise and walk, and gave +us--and we received it--His life as our strength. We shall claim afresh +the fulness of God's Spirit as His sufficient provision for our need, +and count Him to be in us the Spirit of Intercession, who makes us one +with Christ in His. Oh! let us only keep our place--giving up ourselves, +like Him, in Him, to God for men. + +Then we shall understand the part intercession is to take in God's work +through us. We shall no longer try to work for God, and ask Him to +follow it with His blessing. We shall do what the friend at midnight +did, what Christ did on earth, and ever does in heaven--we shall first +get from God, and then turn to men to give what He gave us. As with +Christ, we shall make our chief work, we shall count no time or trouble +too great, to receive from the Father; giving to men will then be in +power. + +Servants of Christ! children of God! be of good courage. Let no fear of +feebleness or poverty make you afraid--ask in the Name of Christ. His +Name is Himself, in all His perfection and power. He is the living +Christ, and will Himself make His Name a power in you. Fear not to plead +the Name; His promise is a threefold cord that cannot be broken: +_Whatsoever ye ask--in My Name_--IT SHALL BE DONE UNTO YOU. + + + + +A PLEA FOR MORE PRAYER + +CHAPTER XII + +My God will hear Me + + "Therefore will the Lord wait, that He may be gracious unto you. + Blessed are all they that wait for Him. He will be very gracious + unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when He shall hear it, He will + answer thee."--ISA. xxx. 18, 19. + + "The Lord will hear when _I call_ upon Him."--PS. iv. 3. + + "I have called upon Thee, for Thou _wilt hear me_, O God!"--PS. + xvii. 6. + + "I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation: + my God _will hear me_."--MIC. vii. 7. + + +The power of prayer rests in the faith that God hears it. In more than +one sense this is true. It is this faith that gives a man courage to +pray. It is this faith that gives him power to prevail with God. The +moment I am assured that God hears _me_ too, I feel drawn to pray and to +persevere in prayer. I feel strong to claim and to take in faith the +answer God gives. One great reason of lack of prayer is the want of the +living, joyous assurance: "My God will hear me." If once God's servants +got a vision of the living God waiting to grant their request, and to +bestow all the heavenly gifts of the Spirit they are in need of, for +themselves or those they are serving, how everything would be set aside +to make time and room for this one only power that can ensure heavenly +blessing--the prayer of faith! + +When a man can, and does say, in living faith, "My God will hear me!" +surely nothing can keep him from prayer. He knows that what he cannot do +or get done on earth, can and will be done for him from heaven. Let each +one of us bow in stillness before God, and wait on Him to reveal Himself +as the prayer-hearing God. In His presence the wondrous thoughts +gathering round the central truth will unfold themselves to us. + +1. "_My God will hear me._"--_What a blessed certainty!_--We have God's +word for it in numberless promises. We have thousands of witnesses to +the fact that they have found it true. We have had experience of it in +our lives. We have had the Son of God come from heaven with the message +that if we ask, the Father will give. We have had Himself praying on +earth, and being heard. And we have Him in heaven now, sitting at the +right hand of God and making intercession for us. God hears prayer--God +delights to hear prayer. He has allowed His people a thousand times over +to be tried, that they might be compelled to cry to Him, and learn to +know Him as the Hearer of Prayer. + +Let us confess with shame how little we have believed this wondrous +truth, in the sense of receiving it into our heart, and allowing it to +possess and control our whole being. That we accept a truth is not +enough; the living God, of whom the truth speaks, must in its light so +be revealed, that our whole life is spent in His presence, with the +consciousness as clear as in a little child towards its earthly +parent--I know for certain my father hears me. + +Beloved child of God! you know by experience how little an intellectual +apprehension of truth has profited you. Beseech God to reveal Himself to +you. If you want to live a different prayer-life, bow each time ere you +pray in silence to worship this God; to wait till there rests on you +some right sense of His nearness and readiness to answer. So will you +begin to pray with the words, "My God will hear me!" + +2. "_My God will hear me._" _What a wondrous grace!_--Think of God in +His infinite majesty, His altogether incomprehensible glory, His +unapproachable holiness, sitting on a throne of grace, waiting to be +gracious, inviting, encouraging you to pray with His promise: "Call upon +Me, and I will answer thee." Think of yourself, in your nothingness and +helplessness as a creature; in your wretchedness and transgressions as a +sinner; in your feebleness and unworthiness as a saint; and praise the +glory of that grace which allows you to say boldly of your prayer for +yourself and others, "My God will hear me." Think of how you are not +left to yourself, and what you can accomplish, in this wonderful +intercourse with God. God has united you with Christ; in Him and His +Name you have your confidence; on the throne He prays with you and for +you; on the footstool of the throne you pray with Him and in Him. His +worth, and the Father's delight in hearing Him, are the measure of your +confidence, your assurance of being heard. There is more. Think of the +Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God's own Son, sent into your heart to cry, +Abba, Father, and to be _in you_ a Spirit of Supplication, when you know +not what to pray as you ought. Think, in all your insignificance and +unworthiness, of your being as acceptable as Christ Himself. Think in +all your ignorance and feebleness, of the Spirit making intercession +according to God within you, and cry out, "What wondrous grace! Through +Christ I have access to the Father, by the Spirit. I can, I do believe +it: 'My God will hear me.'" + +3. "_My God will hear me._"--_What a deep mystery!_--There are +difficulties that cannot but at times arise and perplex even the honest +heart. There is the question as to God's sovereign, all-wise, +all-disposing will. How can our wishes, often so foolish, and our will, +often so selfish, overrule or change that perfect will? Were it not +better to leave all to His disposal, who knows what is best, and loves +to give us the very best? Or how can our prayer change what He has +ordained before? Then there is the question as to the need of +persevering prayer, and long waiting for the answer. If God be Infinite +Love, and delighting more to give than we to receive, where the need for +the pleading and wrestling, the urgency, and the long delay of which +Scripture and experience speak? Arising out of this there is still +another question--that of the multitude of apparently vain and +unanswered prayers. How many have pleaded for loved ones, and they die +unsaved. How many cry for years for spiritual blessing, and no answer +comes. To think of all this tries our faith, and makes us hesitate as we +say, "My God will hear me." + +Beloved! prayer, in its power with God, and His faithfulness to His +promise to hear it, is a deep spiritual mystery. To the questions put +above answers can be given that remove some of the difficulty. But, +after all, the first and the last that must be said is this: As little +as we can comprehend God can we comprehend this, one of the most blessed +of His attributes, that He hears prayer. It is a spiritual +mystery--nothing less than the mystery of the Holy Trinity. God hears +because we pray in His Son, because the Holy Spirit prays in us. If we +have believed and claimed the life of Christ as our health, and the +fulness of the Spirit as our strength, let us not hesitate to believe in +the power of our prayer too. The Holy Spirit can enable us to believe +and rejoice in it, even where every question is not yet answered. He +will do this, as we lay our questionings in God's bosom, trust His +faithfulness, and give ourselves humbly to obey His command to pray +without ceasing. Every art unfolds its secrets and its beauty only to +the man who practises it. To the humble soul who prays in the obedience +of faith, who practises prayer and intercession diligently, because God +asks it, the secret of the Lord will be revealed, and the thought of the +deep mystery of prayer, instead of being a weary problem, will be a +source of rejoicing, adoration, and faith, in which the unceasing +refrain is ever heard: "_My God will hear me!_" + +4. "_My God will hear me._" _What a solemn responsibility!_--How often +we complain of darkness, of feebleness, of failure, as if there was no +help for it. And God has promised in answer to our prayer to supply our +every need, and give us His light and strength and peace. Would that we +realised the responsibility of having such a God, and such promises, +with the sin and shame of not availing ourselves of them to the utmost. +How confident we should feel that the grace, which we have accepted and +trusted to enable us to pray as we should, will be given. + +There is more. This access to a prayer-hearing God is specially meant to +make us intercessors for our fellowmen. Even as Christ obtained His +right of prevailing intercession by His giving Himself a sacrifice to +God for men, and through it receives the blessings He dispenses, so, if +we have truly with Christ given ourselves to God for men, we share His +right of intercession, and are able to obtain the powers of the heavenly +world for them too. The power of life and death is in our hands (1 John +v. 16). In answer to prayer the Spirit can be poured out, souls can be +converted, believers can be established. In prayer the kingdom of +darkness can be conquered, souls brought out of prison into the liberty +of Christ, and the glory of God be revealed. Through prayer, the sword +of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, can be wielded in power, and, +in public preaching as in private speaking, the most rebellious made to +bow at Jesus' feet. + +What a responsibility on the Church to give herself to the work of +intercession! What a responsibility on every minister, missionary, +worker, set apart for the saving of souls, to yield himself wholly to +act out and prove his faith: "My God will hear me!" And what a call on +every believer, instead of burying and losing this talent, to seek to +the very utmost to use it in prayer and supplication for all saints and +for all men. My God will hear me: The deeper our entrance into the truth +of this wondrous power God hath given to men, the more whole-hearted +will be our surrender to the work of intercession. + +5. "_My God will hear me._" _What a blessed prospect!_--I see it--all +the failures of my past life have been owing to the lack of this faith. +My failure, especially in the work of intercession, has had its deepest +root in this--I did not live in the full faith of the blessed assurance, +"_My God will hear me!_" Praise God! I begin to see it--I believe it. +All can be different. Or, rather, I see Him, I believe Him. "_My God +will hear me!_" Yes, me, even me! Commonplace and insignificant though I +be, filling but a very little place, so that I will scarce be missed +when I go--even I have access to this Infinite God, with the confidence +that He heareth me. One with Christ, led by the Holy Spirit, I dare to +say: "I will pray for others, for I am sure my God will listen to me: +'_My God will hear me._'" What a blessed prospect before me--every +earthly and spiritual anxiety exchanged for the peace of God, who cares +for all and hears prayer. What a blessed prospect in my work--to know +that even when the answer is long delayed, and there is a call for much +patient, persevering prayer, the truth remains infallibly sure--"_My God +will hear me!_" + +And what a blessed prospect for Christ's Church if we could but all give +prayer its place, give faith in God its place, or, rather, _give the +prayer-hearing God His place_! Is not this the one great thing, those, +who in some little measure begin to see the urgent need of prayer, ought +in the first place to pray for. When God, at the first, time after time, +poured forth the Spirit on His praying people, He laid down the law for +all time: as much of prayer, so much of the Spirit. Let each one who can +say, "_My God will hear me_," join in the fervent supplication, that +throughout the Church that truth may be restored to its true place, and +the blessed prospect will be realised: a praying Church endued with the +power of the Holy Ghost. + +6. "_My God will hear me._" _What a need of Divine teaching!_--We need +this, both to enable us to hold this word in living faith, and to make +full use of it in intercession. It has been said, and it cannot be said +too often or too earnestly, that the one thing needful for the Church of +our day is, the power of the Holy Spirit. It is just because this is +so, from the Divine side, that we may also say as truly that, from the +human side, the one thing needful is, more prayer, more believing, +persevering prayer. In speaking of lack of the Spirit's power, and the +condition for receiving it, someone used the expression--the block is +not on the perpendicular, but on the horizontal line. It is to be feared +that it is on both. There is much to be confessed and taken away in us +if the Spirit is to work freely. But it is specially on the +perpendicular line that the block is--the upward look, and the deep +dependence, and the strong crying to God, and the effectual prayer of +faith that avails--all this is sadly lacking. And just this is the one +thing needful. + +Shall we not all set ourselves to learn the lesson which will make +prevailing prayer possible--the lesson of a faith that always sings, +"_My God will hear me_"? Simple and elementary as it is, it needs +practice and patience, it needs time and heavenly teaching, to learn it +aright. Under the impression of a bright thought, or a blessed +experience, it may look as if we knew the lesson perfectly. But ever +again the need will recur of making this our first prayer--that God who +hears prayer would teach us to believe it, and so to pray aright. If we +desire it we can count upon Him He who delights in hearing prayer and +answering it, He who gave His Son that He might ever pray for us and +with us, and His Holy Spirit to pray in us, we can be sure there is not +a prayer that He will hear more certainly than this: that He so reveal +Himself as the prayer-hearing God, that our whole being may respond, +"_My God will hear me._" + + + + +A PLEA FOR MORE PRAYER + +CHAPTER XIII + +Paul a Pattern of Prayer + + "Go and inquire for one called Saul of Tarsus: for, _behold, he + prayeth_."--ACTS ix. 11. + + "For this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ + might show forth all long-suffering, for a pattern to them which + should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting."--1 TIM. i. 16. + + +God took His own Son, and made Him our Example and our Pattern. It +sometimes is as if the power of Christ's example is lost in the thought +that He, in whom is no sin, is not man as we are. Our Lord took Paul, a +man of like passions with ourselves, and made him a pattern of what he +could do for one who was the chief of sinners. And Paul, the man who, +more than any other, has set his mark on the Church, has ever been +appealed to as a pattern man. In his mastery of Divine truth, and his +teaching of it; in his devotion to his Lord, and his self-consuming zeal +in His service; in his deep experience of the power of the indwelling +Christ and the fellowship of his cross; in the sincerity of his +humility, and the simplicity and boldness of his faith; in his +missionary enthusiasm and endurance--in all this, and so much more, "the +grace of our Lord Jesus was exceeding abundant in him." Christ gave him, +and the Church has accepted him, as a pattern of what Christ would have, +of what Christ would work. Seven times Paul speaks of believers +following him: (1 Cor. iv. 16), "Wherefore I beseech you, be ye +followers of me"; (xi. 1), "Be ye followers of me, even as I am of +Christ"; Phil, iii. 17, iv. 9; 1 Thess. i. 6; 2 Thess. iii. 7-9. + +If Paul, as a pattern of prayer, is not as much studied or appealed to +as he is in other respects, it is not because he is not in this too as +remarkable a proof of what grace can do, or because we do not, in this +respect, as much stand in need of the help of his example. A study of +Paul as a pattern of prayer will bring a rich reward of instruction and +encouragement. The words our Lord used of him at his conversion, "Behold +he prayeth," may be taken as the keynote of his life. The heavenly +vision which brought him to his knees ever after ruled his life. Christ +at the right hand of God, in whom we are blessed with all spiritual +blessings, was everything to him; to pray and expect the heavenly power +in his work and on his work, from heaven direct by prayer, was the +simple outcome of his faith in the Glorified One. In this, too, Christ +meant him to be a pattern, that we might learn that, just in the measure +in which the heavenliness of Christ and His gifts, the unworldliness of +the powers that work for salvation, are known and believed, will prayer +become the spontaneous rising of the heart to the only source of its +life. Let us see what we know of Paul. + + +PAUL'S HABITS OF PRAYER. + +These are revealed almost unconsciously. He writes (Rom. i. 9), "God is +my witness, that without ceasing I make mention of you _always in my +prayers_. For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some +spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established." Rom. x. 1, ix. 2, 3: +"My _heart's desire and prayer to God_ for Israel is, that they may be +saved"; "I have great heaviness and _continual sorrow of heart_; for I +could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren." 1 +Cor. i. 4: "I thank my God _always_ on your behalf, for the grace of God +which is given you by Jesus Christ." 2 Cor. vi. 4, 6: "Approving +ourselves as the ministers of Christ, _in watchings_, _in fastings_." +Gal. iv. 19: "My little children, of whom _I travail in birth again_ +till Christ be formed in you." Eph. i. 16: "_I cease not_ to give thanks +for you, making mention of you _in my prayers_." Eph. iii. 14: "_I bow +my knees_ to the Father, that He would grant you to be strengthened with +might by His Spirit in the inner man." Phil. i. 3, 4, 8, 9: "I thank my +God _upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine_ +making request for you all with joy. For God is my record, how greatly I +long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ. And this _I +pray_"--Col. i. 3, 9: "We give thanks to God, _praying always for you_. +For this cause also, since the day we heard it, we _do not cease to pray +for you_, and to desire"--Col. ii. 1: "I would that ye knew what _great +conflict_ I have for you, and for as many as have not seen my face in +the flesh." 1 Thess. i. 2: "We give thanks to God _always_ for you all, +making mention of you _in our prayers_." iii. 9: "We joy for your sakes +before God; _night and day praying exceedingly_ that we might perfect +that which is lacking in your faith." 2 Thess. i. 3: "We are bound to +thank God _always_ for you. Wherefore also _we always pray_ for you." 2 +Tim. i. 3: "I thank God, that _without ceasing_ I have remembrance of +thee night and day." Philem. 4: "I thank my God, making mention of thee +_always in my prayers_." + +These passages taken together give us the picture of a man whose words, +"Pray without ceasing," were simply the expression of his daily life. He +had such a sense of the insufficiency of simple conversion; of the need +of the grace and the power of heaven being brought down for the young +converts in prayer; of the need of much and unceasing prayer, day and +night, to bring it down; of the certainty that prayer would bring it +down--that his life was continual and most definite prayer. He had such +a sense that everything must come from above, and such a faith that it +would come in answer to prayer, that prayer was neither a duty nor a +burden, but the natural turning of the heart to the only place whence it +could possibly obtain what it sought for others. + + +THE CONTENTS OF PAUL'S PRAYERS. + +It is of as much importance to know _what_ Paul prayed, as how +frequently and earnestly he did so. Intercession is a spiritual work. +Our confidence in it will depend much on our knowing that we ask +according to the will of God. The more distinctly we ask heavenly +things, which we feel at once God alone can bestow, which we are sure He +will bestow, the more direct and urgent will our appeal be to God alone. +The more impossible the things are that we seek, the more we will turn +from all human work to prayer and to God alone. + +In the Epistles, in addition to expressions in which he speaks of his +praying, we have a number of distinct prayers in which Paul gives +utterance to his heart's desire for those to whom he writes. In these we +see that his first desire was always that they might be "established" in +the Christian life. Much as he praised God when he heard of conversion, +he knew how feeble the young converts were, and how for their +establishing nothing would avail without the grace of the Spirit prayed +down. If we notice some of the principal of these prayers we shall see +what he asked and obtained. + +Take the two prayers in Ephesians--the one for light, the other for +strength. In the former (i. 15), he prays for the Spirit of wisdom to +enlighten them to know what their calling was, what their inheritance, +what the mighty power of God working in them. Spiritual enlightenment +and knowledge was their great need, to be obtained for them by prayer. +In the latter (iii. 15) he asks that the power they had been led to see +in Christ might work in them, and they be strengthened with Divine +might, so as to have the indwelling Christ, and the love that passeth +knowledge, and the fulness of God actually come on them. These were +things that could only come direct from heaven; these were things he +asked and expected. If we want to learn Paul's art of intercession, we +must ask nothing less for believers in our days. + +Look at the prayer in Philippians (i. 9-11). There, too, it is first for +spiritual knowledge; then comes a blameless life, and then a fruitful +life to the glory of God. So also in the beautiful prayer in Colossians +(i. 9-11). First, spiritual knowledge and understanding of God's will, +then the strengthening with all might to all patience and joy. + +Or take the two prayers in 1 Thessalonians (iii. 12, 13, and v. 23). The +one: "God so increase your love to one another, that He may stablish +your _hearts unblameable in holiness_." The other: "God _sanctify you +wholly_, and preserve you blameless." The very words are so high that we +hardly understand, still less believe, still less experience what they +mean. Paul so lived in the heavenly world, he was so at home in the +holiness and omnipotence of God and His love, that such prayers were the +natural expression of what he knew God could and would do. "God stablish +your hearts unblameable in holiness," "God sanctify you wholly"--the man +who believes in these things and desires them, will pray for them for +others. The prayers are all a proof that he seeks for them the very life +of heaven upon earth. No wonder that he is not tempted to trust in any +human means, but looks for it from heaven alone. Again, I say, the more +we take Paul's prayers as our pattern, and make his desires our own for +believers for whom we pray, the more will prayer to the God of heaven +become as our daily breath. + + +PAUL'S REQUESTS FOR PRAYER. + +These are no less instructive than his own prayers for the saints. They +prove that he does not count prayer any special prerogative of an +apostle; he calls the humblest and simplest believer to claim his right. +They prove that he does not think that only the new converts or feeble +Christians need prayer; he himself is, as a member of the body, +dependent upon his brethren and their prayers. After he had preached the +gospel for twenty years, he still asks for prayer that he may speak as +he ought to speak. Not once for all, not for a time, but day by day, and +that without ceasing, must grace be sought and brought down from heaven +for his work. United, continued waiting on God is to Paul the only hope +of the Church. With the Holy Spirit a heavenly life, the life of the +Lord in heaven, entered the world; nothing but unbroken communication +with heaven can keep it up. + +Listen how he asks for prayer, and with what earnestness--Rom. xv. 30: +"_I beseech you_, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for +the love of the Spirit, that ye _strive together with me in your +prayers_ to God for me; that I may be delivered from them which do not +believe in Judæa; and may come unto you with joy by the will of God." +How remarkably both prayers were answered: Rom. xv. 5, 6, 13. The +remarkable fact that the Roman world-power, which in Pilate with Christ, +in Herod with Peter, at Philippi, had proved its antagonism to God's +kingdom, all at once becomes Paul's protector, and secures him a safe +convoy to Rome, can only be accounted for by these prayers. + +2 Cor. i. 10, 11: "In whom we trust that He will yet deliver us, _ye +also helping together by prayer_ for us." Eph. vi. 18, 19: "Praying +always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, for all saints; +_and for me_ that I may open my mouth boldly, that therein I may speak +boldly as I ought to speak." Phil. i. 19: "I know that this (trouble) +shall turn to my salvation, _through your prayer_, and the supply of the +Spirit of Jesus Christ." Col. iv. 2, 3, 4: "Continue in prayer; withal +also _praying for us_, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, +to speak the mystery of Christ: that I may make it manifest as I ought +to speak." 1 Thess. v. 25: "Brethren, pray for us." Philem. 22: "I +trust that through your prayers I shall be given to you." + +We saw how Christ prayed, and taught His disciples to pray. We see how +Paul prayed, and taught the churches to pray. As the Master, so the +servant calls us to believe and to prove that prayer is the power alike +of the ministry and the Church. Of his faith we have a summary in these +remarkable words concerning something that caused him grief: "This shall +turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit +of Jesus Christ." As much as he looked to his Lord in heaven did he look +to his brethren on earth, to secure the supply of that Spirit for him. +The Spirit from heaven and prayer on earth were to him, as to the twelve +after Pentecost, inseparably linked. We speak often of apostolic zeal +and devotion and power--may God give us a revival of apostolic prayer. + +Let me once again ask the question: Does the work of intercession take +the place in the Church it ought to have? Is it a thing commonly +understood in the Lord's work, that everything depends upon getting from +God that "supply of the Spirit of Christ" for and in ourselves that can +give our work its real power to bless. This is Christ's Divine order for +all work, His own and that of His servants; this is the order Paul +followed: first come every day, as having nothing, and receive from God +"the supply of the Spirit" in intercession--then go and impart what has +come to thee from heaven. + +In all His instructions, our Lord Jesus spake much oftener to His +disciples about their praying than their preaching. In the farewell +discourse, He said little about preaching, but much about the Holy +Spirit, and their asking whatsoever they would in His Name. If we are to +return to this life of the first apostles and of Paul, and really accept +the truth every day--my first work, my only strength is intercession, to +secure the power of God on the souls entrusted to me--we must have the +courage to confess past sin, and to believe that there is deliverance. +To break through old habits, to resist the clamour of pressing duties +that have always had their way, to make every other call subordinate to +this one, whether others approve or not, will not be easy at first. But +the men or women who are faithful will not only have a reward +themselves, but become benefactors to their brethren. "Thou shalt be +called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of paths to dwell in." + +But is it really possible? Can it indeed be that those who have never +been able to face, much less to overcome the difficulty, can yet become +mighty in prayer? Tell me, was it really possible for Jacob to become +Israel--a prince who prevailed with God? It was. The things that are +impossible with men are possible with God. Have you not in very deed +received from the Father, as the great fruit of Christ's redemption, the +Spirit of supplication, the Spirit of intercession? Just pause and think +what that means. And will you still doubt whether God is able to make +you "strivers with God," princes who prevail with Him? Oh, let us banish +all fear, and in faith claim the grace for which we have the Holy Spirit +dwelling in us, the grace of supplication, the grace of intercession. +Let us quietly, perseveringly believe that He lives in us, and will +enable us to do our work. Let us in faith not fear to accept and yield +to the great truth that intercession, as it is the great work of the +King on the throne, _is the great work of His servants on earth_. We +have the Holy Spirit, who brings the Christ-life into our hearts, to fit +us for this work. Let us at once begin and stir up the gift within us. +As we set aside each day our time for intercession, and count upon the +Spirit's enabling power, the confidence will grow that we can, in our +measure, follow Paul even as he followed Christ. + + + + +A PLEA FOR MORE PRAYER + +CHAPTER XIV + +God seeks Intercessors + + "I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never + hold their peace day nor night. Ye that are the Lord's + remembrancers, keep not silence, and give Him no rest till He make + Jerusalem a praise in the earth."--ISA. lxii. 6, 7. + + "And He saw that there was _no man_, and wondered that there was _no + intercessor_."--ISA. lix. 16. + + "And I looked, and there was _none to help_; and I wondered, and + there was _none to uphold_."--ISA. lxiii. 5. + + "There is _none_ that calleth upon Thy name, that stirreth himself + to take hold of Thee."--ISA. lxiv. 7. + + "And I sought for a man that should stand in the gap before Me for + the land, that I should not destroy it; but _I found none_."--EZEK. + xxii. 30. + + "I chose you, and appointed you, that ye should go and bear fruit: + that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give + it you."--JOHN xv. 16. + + +In the study of the starry heavens, how much depends upon a due +apprehension of magnitudes. Without some sense of the size of the +heavenly bodies, that appear so small to the eye, and yet are so great, +and of the almost illimitable extent of the regions in which they move, +though they appear so near and so familiar, there can be no true +knowledge of the heavenly world or its relation to this earth. It is +even so with the spiritual heavens, and the heavenly life in which we +are called to live. It is specially so in the life of intercession, that +most wondrous intercourse between heaven and earth. Everything depends +upon the due apprehension of magnitudes. + +Just think of the three that come first: There is a world, with its +needs entirely dependent on and waiting to be helped by intercession; +there is a God in heaven, with His all-sufficient supply for all those +needs, waiting to be asked; there is a Church, with its wondrous calling +and its sure promises, waiting to be roused to a sense of its wondrous +responsibility and power. + +_God seeks intercessors._--There is a world with its perishing millions, +with intercession as its only hope. How much of love and work is +comparatively vain, because there is so little intercession. A thousand +millions living as if there never had been a Son of God to die for +them. Thirty millions every year passing into the outer darkness without +hope. Fifty millions bearing the Christian name, and the great majority +living in utter ignorance or indifference. Millions of feeble, sickly +Christians; thousands of wearied workers, who could be blessed by +intercession, could help themselves to become mighty in intercession. +Churches and missions sacrificing life and labour often with little +result, for lack of intercession. Souls, each one worth more than +worlds, worth nothing less than the price paid for them in Christ's +blood, and within reach of the power that can be won by intercession. We +surely have no conception of the magnitude of the work to be done by +God's intercessors, or we should cry to God above everything to give +from heaven the spirit of intercession. + +_God seeks intercessors._--There is a God of glory able to meet all +these needs. We are told that He delights in mercy, that He waits to be +gracious, that He longs to pour out His blessing; that the love that +gave the Son to death is the measure of the love that each moment hovers +over every human being. And yet He does not help. And there they perish, +a million a month in China alone, and it is as if God does not move. If +He does so love and long to bless, there must be some inscrutable reason +for His holding back. What can it be? Scripture says, because of your +unbelief. It is the faithlessness and consequent unfaithfulness of God's +people. He has taken them up into partnership with Himself; He has +honoured them, and bound Himself, by making their prayers one of the +standard measures of the working of His power. Lack of intercession is +one of the chief causes of lack of blessing. Oh, that we would turn eye +and heart from everything else and fix them upon this God who hears +prayer, until the magnificence of His promises, and His power, and His +purpose of love overwhelmed us! How our whole life and heart would +become intercession. + +_God seeks intercessors._--There is a third magnitude to which our eyes +must be opened: the wondrous privilege and power of the intercessors. +There is a false humility, which makes a great virtue of +self-depreciation, because it has never seen its utter nothingness. If +it knew that, it would never apologise for its feebleness, but glory in +its utter weakness, as the one condition of Christ's power resting on +it. It would judge of itself, its power and influence before God in +prayer, as little by what it sees or feels, as we judge of the size of +the sun or stars by what the eye can see. Faith sees man created in +God's image and likeness to be God's representative in this world and +have dominion over it. Faith sees man redeemed and lifted into union +with Christ, abiding in Him, identified with Him, and clothed with His +power in intercession. Faith sees the Holy Spirit dwelling and praying +in the heart, making, in our sighings, intercession according to God. +Faith sees the intercession of the saints to be part of the life of the +Holy Trinity--the believer as God's child asking of the Father, in the +Son, through the Spirit. Faith sees something of the Divine fitness and +beauty of this scheme of salvation through intercession, wakens the soul +to a consciousness of its wondrous destiny, and girds it with strength +for the blessed self-sacrifice it calls to. + +_God seeks intercessors._--When He called His people out of Egypt, He +separated the priestly tribe, to draw nigh to Him, and stand before Him, +and bless the people in His name. From time to time He sought and found +and honoured intercessors, for whose sake He spared or blessed His +people. When our Lord left the earth He said to the inner circle He had +gathered around Him--an inner circle of special devotion to His service, +to which access is still free to every disciple: "I chose you, and +appointed you, that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My Name, He +may give it you." We have already noticed the six times repeated three +wonderful words--_Whatsoever_--_In My Name_--_It shall be done_. In them +Christ placed the powers of the heavenly world at their disposal--not +for their own selfish use, but in the interests of His kingdom. How +wondrously they used it we know. And since that time, down through the +ages, these men have had their successors, men who have proved how +surely God works in answer to prayer. And we may praise God that, in our +days too, there is an ever-increasing number who begin to see and prove +that in church and mission, in large societies and little circles and +individual effort, intercession is the chief thing, the power that moves +God and opens heaven. They are learning, and long to learn better, and +that all may learn, that in all work for souls intercession must take +the first place, and that those who in it have received from heaven, in +the power of the Holy Ghost, what they are to communicate to others, +will be best able to do the Lord's work. + +_God seeks intercessors._--Though God had His appointed servants in +Israel, watchmen set by Himself to cry to Him day and night and give Him +no rest, He often had to wonder and complain that there was no +intercessor, none to stir himself up to take hold of His strength. And +He still waits and wonders in our day, that there are not more +intercessors, that all His children do not give themselves to this +highest and holiest work, that many of them who do so, do not engage in +it more intensely and perseveringly. He wonders to find ministers of His +gospel complaining that their duties do not allow them to find time for +this, which He counts their first, their highest, their most delightful, +their alone effective work. He wonders to find His sons and daughters, +who have forsaken home and friends for His sake and the gospel's, come +so short in what He meant to be their abiding strength--receiving day by +day all they needed to impart to the dark heathen. He wonders to find +multitudes of His children who have hardly any conception of what +intercession is. He wonders to find multitudes more who have learned +that it is their duty, and seek to obey it, but confess that they know +but little of taking hold upon God or prevailing with Him. + +_God seeks intercessors._--He longs to dispense larger blessings. He +longs to reveal His power and glory as God, His saving love, more +abundantly. He seeks intercessors in larger number, in greater power, to +prepare the way of the Lord. He seeks them. Where could He seek them but +in His Church? And how does He expect to find them? He intrusted to His +Church the task of telling of their Lord's need, the task of encouraging +and training, and preparing them for His holy service. And He ever comes +again, seeking fruit, seeking intercessors. In His Word He has spoken of +the "widows indeed, who trust in God, and continue in supplication night +and day." He looks if the Church is training the great army of aged men +and women, whose time of outward work is past, but who can strengthen +the army of the "elect, who cry to Him day and night." He looks to the +great host of the Christian Endeavour, the three or four million of +young lives that have given themselves away in the solemn pledge, "I +promise the Lord Jesus Christ that I will strive to do whatever He +would like to have me do," and wonders how many are being trained to +pass from the brightness of the weekly prayer-meeting and its confession +of loyalty, to swell the secret intercession that is to save souls. He +looks to the thousands of young men and young women in training for the +work of ministry and mission, and gazes longingly to see if the Church +is teaching them that intercession, power with God, must be their first +care, and in seeking to train and help them to it. He looks to see +whether ministers and missionaries are understanding their opportunity, +and labouring to train the believers of their congregation into those +who can "help together" by their prayer, and can "strive with them in +their prayers." As Christ seeks the lost sheep until He find it, Gods +seeks intercessors. (Note F.) + +_God seeks intercessors._--He will not, He cannot, take the work out of +the hands of His Church. And so He comes, calling and pleading in many +ways. Now by a man whom He raises up to live a life of faith in His +service, and to prove how actually and abundantly He answers prayer. +Then by the story of a church which makes prayer for souls its +starting-point, and bears testimony to God's faithfulness. Sometimes in +a mission which proves how special prayer can meet special need, and +bring down the power of the Spirit. And sometimes again by a season of +revival coming in answer to united urgent supplication. In these and +many other ways God is showing us what intercession can do, and +beseeching us to waken up and train His great host to be, every one, a +people of intercessors. + +_God seeks intercessors._--He sends His servants out to call them. Let +ministers make this a part of their duty. Let them make their church a +training school of intercession. Give the people definite objects for +prayer. Encourage them to take a definite time to it, if it were only +ten minutes every day. Help them to understand the boldness they may use +with God. Teach them to expect and look out for answers. Show them what +it is first to pray and get an answer in secret, and then carry the +answer and impart the blessing. Tell everyone who is master of his own +time that he is as the angels, free to tarry before the throne and then +go out and minister to the heirs of salvation. Sound out the blessed +tidings that this honour is for all God's people. There is no +difference. That servant girl, this day labourer, that bedridden +invalid, this daughter in her mother's home, these men and young men in +business--all are called, all, all are needed. God seeks intercessors. + +_God seeks intercessors._--As ministers take up the work of finding and +training them it will urge themselves to pray more. Christ gave Paul to +be a pattern of His grace before He made him a preacher of it. It has +been well said, "The first duty of a clergyman is humbly to beg of God +that all he would have done in his people may be first truly and fully +done in himself." The effort to bring this message of God may cause much +heart-searching and humiliation. All the better. The best practice in +doing a thing is helping others to do it. O ye servants of Christ, set +as watchmen to cry to God day and night, let us awake to our holy +calling. Let us believe in the power of intercession. Let us practise +it. Let us seek on behalf of our people to get from God Himself the +Spirit and the Life we preach. With our spirit and life given up to God +in intercession, the Spirit and Life that God gives them through us +cannot fail to be the Life of Intercession too. + + + + +A PLEA FOR MORE PRAYER + +CHAPTER XV + +The Coming Revival + + "Wilt Thou not revive us again: that Thy people may rejoice in + Thee?"--PS. lxxxv. 6. + + "O Lord, revive Thy work in the midst of the years."--HAB. iii. 2. + + "Though I walk in the midst of trouble, Thou wilt revive me: Thy + right hand shall save me."--PS. cxxxviii. 7. + + "I dwell with him that is of a humble and contrite heart, to revive + the heart of the contrite ones."--ISA. lvii. 15. + + "Come, and let us return to the Lord: for He hath torn, and He will + heal us. He will revive us."--HOS. vi. 1, 2. + + +_The Coming Revival_--one frequently hears the word. There are teachers +not a few who see the tokens of its approach, and confidently herald its +speedy appearance. In the increase of mission interest, in the tidings +of revivals in places where all were dead or cold, in the hosts of our +young gathered into Students' and other Associations or Christian +Endeavour Societies, in doors everywhere opened in the Christian and the +heathen world, in victories already secured in the fields white unto the +harvest, wherever believing, hopeful workers enter, they find the +assurance of a time of power and blessing such as we have not known. The +Church is about to enter on a new era of increasing spirituality and +larger extension. + +There are others who, while admitting the truth of some of these facts, +yet fear that the conclusions drawn from them are one-sided and +premature. They see the interest in missions increased, but point out to +how small a circle it is confined, and how utterly out of proportion it +is to what it ought to be. To the great majority of Church members, to +the greater part of the Church, it is as yet anything but a life +question. They remind us of the power of worldliness and formality, of +the increase of the money-making and pleasure-loving spirit among +professing Christians, to the lack of spirituality in so many, many of +our churches, and the continuing and apparently increasing estrangement +of multitudes from God's Day and Word, as proof that the great revival +has certainly not begun, and is hardly thought of by the most. They say +that they do not see the deep humiliation, the intense desire, the +fervent prayer which appear as the forerunners of every true revival. + +There are right-hand and left-hand errors which are equally dangerous. +We must seek as much to be kept from the superficial Optimism, which +never is able to gauge the extent of the evil, as from the hopeless +Pessimism which can neither praise God for what He has done, nor trust +Him for what He is ready to do. The former will lose itself in a happy +self-gratulation, as it rejoices in its zeal and diligence and apparent +success, and never see the need of confession and great striving in +prayer, ere we are prepared to meet and conquer the hosts of darkness. +The latter virtually gives over the world to Satan, and almost prays and +rejoices to see things get worse, to hasten the coming of Him who is to +put all right. May God keep us from either error, and fulfil the +promise, "Thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the +way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to +the left." Let us listen to the lessons suggested by the passages we +have quoted; they may help us to pray the prayer aright: "Revive Thy +work, O Lord!" + +1. "_Revive Thy work, O Lord!_"--Read again the passages of Scripture, +and see how they all contain the one thought: Revival is God's work; He +alone can give it; it must come from above. We are frequently in danger +of looking to what God has done and is doing, and to count on that as +the pledge that He will at once do more. And all the time it may be true +that He is blessing us up to the measure of our faith or self-sacrifice, +and cannot give larger measure, until there has been a new discovery and +confession of what is hindering Him. Or we may be looking to all the +signs of life and good around us, and congratulating ourselves on all +the organisations and agencies that are being created, while the need of +God's mighty and direct interposition is not rightly felt, and the +entire dependence upon Him not cultivated. Regeneration, the giving of +Divine life, we all acknowledge to be God's act, a miracle of His power. +The restoring or reviving of the Divine life, in a soul or a Church, is +as much a supernatural work. To have the spiritual discernment that can +understand the signs of the heavens, and prognosticate the coming +revival, we need to enter deep into God's mind and will as to its +conditions, and the preparedness of those who pray for it or are to be +used to bring it about. "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but He +revealeth His secret unto his servants the prophets." It is God who is +to give the revival; it is God who reveals His secret; it is the spirit +of absolute dependence upon God, giving Him the honour and the glory, +that will prepare for it. + +2. "_Revive Thy work, O Lord!_"--A second lesson suggested is, that the +revival God is to give will be given in answer to prayer. It must be +asked and received direct from God Himself. Those who know anything of +the history of revivals will remember how often this has been +proved--both larger and more local revivals have been distinctly traced +to special prayer. In our own day there are numbers of congregations and +missions where special or permanent revivals are--all glory be to +God--connected with systematic, believing prayer. The coming revival +will be no exception. An extraordinary spirit of prayer, urging +believers to much secret and united prayer, pressing them to "labour +fervently" in their supplications, will be one of the surest signs of +approaching showers and floods of blessing. + +Let all who are burdened with the lack of spirituality, with the low +state of the life of God in believers, listen to the call that comes to +all. If there is to be revival,--a mighty, Divine revival,--it will +need, on our part, corresponding whole-heartedness in prayer and faith. +Let not one believer think himself too weak to help, or imagine that he +will not be missed. If he first begin, the gift that is in him may be so +stirred that, for his circle or neighbourhood, he shall be God's chosen +intercessor. Let us think of the need of souls, of all the sins and +failings among God's people, of the little power there is in so much of +the preaching, and begin to cry every day, "Wilt Thou not revive us +again, that Thy people may rejoice in Thee?" And let us have the truth +graven deep in our hearts: every revival comes, as Pentecost came, as +the fruit of united, continued prayer. The coming revival must begin +with a great prayer revival. It is in the closet, with the door shut, +that the sound of abundance of rain will be first heard. An increase of +secret prayer with ministers and members, will be the sure harbinger of +blessing. + +3. "_Revive Thy work, O Lord!_"--A third lesson our texts teach is that +it is to the humble and contrite that the revival is promised. We want +the revival to come upon the proud and the self-satisfied, to break them +down and save them. God will give this, but only on the condition that +those who see and feel the sin of others take their burden of confession +and bear it, and that all who pray for and claim in faith God's reviving +power for His Church, shall humble themselves with the confession of its +sins. The need of revival always points to previous decline; and decline +was always caused by sin. Humiliation and contrition have ever been the +conditions of revival. In all intercession confession of man's sin and +God's righteous judgment is ever an essential element. + +Throughout the history of Israel we continually see this. It comes out +in the reformations under the pious Kings of Judah. We hear it in the +prayer of men like Ezra and Nehemiah and Daniel. In Isaiah and Jeremiah +and Ezekiel, as well as in the minor prophets, it is the keynote of all +the warning as of all the promise. If there be no humiliation and +forsaking of sin there can be no revival or deliverance: "These men have +set up their idols in their hearts. Shall I at all be inquired of by +them?" "To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a +contrite spirit, and that trembleth at My word." Amid the most gracious +promises of Divine visitation there is ever this note: "Be ashamed and +confounded for your ways, O House of Israel." + +We find the same in the New Testament. The Sermon on the Mount promises +the kingdom to the poor and them that mourn. In the Epistles to the +Corinthians and Galatians the religion of man, of worldly wisdom and +confidence in the flesh, is exposed and denounced; without its being +confessed and forsaken, all the promises of grace and the Spirit will be +vain. In the Epistles to the seven churches we find five of which He, +out of whose mouth goes the sharp, two-edged sword, says, that He has +something against them. In each of these the keyword of His message +is--not to the unconverted, but to the Church--Repent! All the glorious +promises which each of these Epistles contain, down to the last one, +with its "Open the door and I will come in"; "He that overcometh shall +sit with Me on My throne," are dependent on that one word--Repent! + +And if there is to be a revival, not among the unsaved, but in our +churches, to give a holy, spiritual membership, will not that trumpet +sound need to be heard--Repent? Was it only in Israel, in the ministry +of kings and prophets, that there was so much evil in God's people to be +cleansed away? Was it only in the Church of the first century, that Paul +and James and our Lord Himself had to speak such sharp words? Or is +there not in the Church of our days an idolatry of money and talent and +culture, a worldly spirit, making it unfaithful to its one only Husband +and Lord, a confidence in the flesh which grieves and resists God's Holy +Spirit? Is there not almost everywhere a confession of the lack of +spirituality and spiritual power? Let all who long for the coming +revival, and seek to hasten it by their prayers, pray this above +everything, that the Lord may prepare His prophets to go before Him at +His bidding: "Cry aloud and spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, +and show My people their transgression." Every deep revival among God's +people must have its roots in a deep sense and confession of sin. Until +those who would lead the Church in the path of revival bear faithful +testimony against the sins of the Church, it is to feared that it will +find people unprepared. Men would fain have a revival as the outgrowth +of their agencies and progress. God's way is the opposite: it is out of +death, acknowledged as the desert of sin, confessed as utter +helplessness, that He revives. He revives the heart of the contrite one. + +4. "_Revive Thy work, O Lord!_"--There is a last thought, suggested by +the text from Hosea. It is as we return to _the Lord_ that revival will +come; for if we had not wandered from Him, His life would be among us in +power. "Come and let us return to the Lord: for He hath torn, He will +heal us: He hath smitten; He will bind us up: _He will revive us_, and +we shall live in His sight." As we have said, there can be no return to +the Lord, where there is no sense or confession of wandering. _Let us +return to the Lord_ must be the keynote of the revival. Let us return, +acknowledging and forsaking whatever there has been in the Church that +is not entirely according to His mind and spirit. Let us return, +yielding up and casting out whatever there has been in our religion or +along with it of the power of God's two great enemies--confidence in the +flesh or the spirit of the world. Let us return, in the acknowledgment +of how undividedly God must have us, to fill us with His Spirit, and use +us for the kingdom of His Son. Oh, let us return, in the surrender of a +dependence and a devotion which has no measure but the absolute claim of +Him who is the Lord! Let us return to the Lord with our whole heart, +that He may make and keep us wholly His. He will revive us, and we shall +live in His sight. Let us turn to the God of Pentecost, as Christ led +his disciples to turn to Him, and the God of Pentecost will turn to us. + +It is for this returning to the Lord that the great work of intercession +is needed. It is here the coming revival must find its strength. Let us +begin as individuals in secret to plead with God, confessing whatever we +see of sin or hindrance, in ourselves or others. If there were not one +other sin, surely in the lack of prayer there is matter enough for +repentance and confession and returning to the Lord. Let us seek to +foster the spirit of confession and supplication and intercession in +those around us. Let us help to encourage and to train those who think +themselves too feeble. Let us lift up our voice to proclaim the great +truths. The revival must come from above; the revival must be received +in faith from above and brought down by prayer; the revival comes to the +humble and contrite, for them to carry to others; if we return to the +Lord with our whole heart, He will revive us. On those who see these +truths, rests the solemn responsibility of giving themselves up to +witness for them and to act them out. + +And as each of us pleads for the revival throughout the Church, let us +specially, at the same time, cry to God for our own neighbourhood or +sphere of work. Let, with every minister and worker, there be "great +searchings of heart," as to whether they are ready to give such +proportion of time and strength to prayer as God would have. Let them, +even as in public they are leaders of their larger or smaller circles, +give themselves in secret to take their places in the front rank of the +great intercession host, that must prevail with God, ere the great +revival, the floods of blessing can come. Of all who speak or think of, +or long for, revival, let not one hold back in this great work of +honest, earnest, definite pleading: Revive Thy work, O Lord! Wilt Thou +not revive us again? + +Come and let us return to the Lord: He will revive us! And let us know, +let us follow on to know the Lord. "_His going forth_ is sure as the +morning; and _He shall come unto us_ as the rain, as the latter rain +that watereth the earth." Amen. So be it. + + + + +NOTES + + +NOTE A, Chap. VI. p. 73 + +Just this day I have been meeting a very earnest lady missionary from +India. She confesses and mourns the lack of prayer. But--in India at +least--it can hardly be otherwise. You have only the morning hours, from +six to eleven, for your work. Some have attempted to rise at four, and +get the time they think they need, and have suffered, and had to give it +up. Some have tried to take time after lunch, and been found asleep on +their knees. You are not your own master, and must act with others. No +one who has not been in India can understand the difficulty; sufficient +time for much intercession cannot be secured. + +Were it only in the heat of India the difficulty existed, one might be +silent. But, alas! in the coldest winter in London, and in the moderate +climate of South Africa, there is the same trouble everywhere. If once +we really felt--_intercession is the most important part of our work_, +the securing of God's presence and power in full measure is the +essential thing, this is our first duty--our hours of work would all be +made subordinate to this one thing. + +May God show us all whether there indeed be an insuperable difficulty +for which we are not responsible, whether it be only a mistake we are +making, or a sin by which we are grieving Him and hindering His Spirit! + +If we ask the question George Muller once asked of a Christian, who +complained that he could not find time sufficient for the study of the +Word and prayer, whether an hour less work, say four hours, with the +soul dwelling in the full light of God, would not be more prosperous +and effective than five hours with the depressing consciousness of +unfaithfulness, and the loss of the power that could be obtained in +prayer, the answer will not be difficult. The more we think of it the +more we feel that when earnest, godly workers allow, against their +better will, the spiritual to be crowded out by incessant occupation and +the fatigue it brings, it must be because the spiritual life is not +sufficiently strong in them to bid the lever stand aside till the +presence of God in Christ and the power of the Spirit have been fully +secured. + +Let us listen to Christ saying, "_Render unto Cæsar the things that are +Cæsar's_"--let duty and work have their place--"and unto God the things +that are God's." Let the worship in the Spirit, the entire dependence +and continued waiting upon God for the full experience of His presence +and power every day, and the strength of Christ working in us, ever have +the first place. The whole question is simply this, Is God to have the +place, the love, the trust, the time for personal fellowship He claims, +so that all our working shall be God working in us? + + +NOTE B, Chap. VII. p. 89 + +Let me tell here a story that occurs in one of Dr. Boardman's works. He +had been invited by a lady of good position, well known as a successful +worker among her husband's dependents, to come and address them. "And +then," she added, "I want to speak to you about a bit of bondage of my +own." When he had addressed her meeting, and found many brought to +Christ through her, he wondered what her trouble might be. She soon told +him. God had blessed her work, but, alas, the enjoyment she once had had +in God's word and secret prayer had been lost. And she had tried her +utmost to get it back, and had failed. "Ah! that is just your mistake," +he said. "How that? Ought I not to do my best to have the coldness +removed?" "Tell me," he said, "were you saved by doing your best?" "Oh, +no! I tried long to do that, but only found rest when I ceased trying, +and trusted Christ." "And that is what you need to do now. Enter your +closet at the appointed time, however dull you feel, and place yourself +before your Lord. Do not try to rouse an earnestness you do not feel; +but quietly say to Him that He sees how all is wrong, how helpless you +are, and trust Him to bless you. He will do it; as you trust quietly, +His Spirit will work." + +The simple story may teach many a Christian a most blessed lesson in the +life of prayer. You have accepted of Christ Jesus to make you whole, and +give you strength to walk in newness of life; you have claimed the Holy +Spirit to be in you the Spirit of Supplication and Intercession; but do +not wonder if your feelings are not all at once changed, or if your +power of prayer does not come in the way you would like. It is a life of +faith. By faith we receive the Holy Spirit and all His workings. Faith +regards neither sight nor feeling, but rests, even when there appears to +be no power to pray, in the assurance that the Spirit is praying in us +as we bow quietly before God. He that thus waits in faith, and honours +the Holy Spirit, and yields himself to Him, will soon find that prayer +will begin to come. And he that perseveres in the faith that through +Christ and by the Spirit each prayer, however feeble, is acceptable to +God, will learn the lesson that it is possible to be taught by the +Spirit, and led to walk worthy of the Lord to all well pleasing. + + +NOTE C, Chap. IX. p. 111 + +Just yesterday again--three days after the conversation mentioned in the +note to chap. vii.--I met a devoted young missionary lady from the +interior. As a conversation on prayer was proceeding, she interposed +unasked with the remark, "But it is really impossible to find the time +to pray as we wish to." I could only answer, "Time is a quantity that +accommodates itself to our will; what our hearts really consider of +_first importance_ in the day, we will soon succeed in finding time +for." It must surely be that the ministry of intercession has never been +put before our students in Theological Halls and Missionary Training +Homes as the most important part of their life-work. We have thought of +our work in preaching or visiting as our real duty, and of prayer as a +subordinate means to do this work successfully. Would not the whole +position be changed if we regarded the ministry of intercession as the +chief thing--_getting the blessing and power of God_ for the souls +entrusted to us? Then our work would take its right place, and become +the subordinate one of really dispensing blessings which we had received +from God. It was when the friend at midnight, in answer to his prayer, +had received from Another as much as he needed, that he could supply his +hungry friend. It was the intercession, going out and importuning, that +was the difficult work; returning home with his rich supply to impart +was easy, joyful work. This is Christ's divine order for all thy work, +my brother: First come, in utter poverty, every day, and get from God +the blessing in intercession, go then rejoicingly to impart it. + + +NOTE D, Chap. X. p. 123 + +Let me once again refer my readers to William Law, and repeat what I +have said before, that no book has so helped me to an insight into the +place and work of the Holy Spirit in the economy of redemption as his +ADDRESS TO THE CLERGY.[2] + +The way in which he opens up how God's one object was to dwell in man, +making him partaker of His goodness and glory, other way than by himself +living and working in him, gives one the key to what Pentecost and the +sending forth of the Spirit of God's Son into our hearts really means. +It is Christ in God's name really regaining and retaking possession of +the home He had created for Himself. It is God entering into the secret +depths of our nature there to "work to will and to do," to "work that +which is pleasing in His sight in Christ Jesus." It is as this truth +enters into us, and we see that there is and can be no good in us but +what God works, that we shall see light on the Divine mystery of prayer, +and believe in the Holy Spirit as breathing within us desires which God +will fulfil when we yield to them, and believingly present them in the +name of Christ. We shall then see that just as wonderful and prevailing +as the intercession and prayer passing from the Incarnate Son to the +Father in heaven is our intercourse with God; the Spirit, who is God, +breathing and praying in us amid all our feebleness His heaven-born +Divine petitions: what a heavenly thing prayer becomes. + +The latter part of the above-mentioned book consists of extracts from +Law's letters. These have been published separately as a little shilling +volume.[3] No one who will take the time quietly to read and master the +so simple but deep teaching they contain, without being wonderfully +strengthened in the confidence which is needed, if we are to pray much +and boldly. As we learn that the Holy Spirit is within us to reveal +Christ there, to make us in living reality partakers of His death, His +life, His merit, His disposition, so that He is formed within us, we +will begin to see how Divinely right and sure it is that our +intercessions in His name must be heard; his own Spirit maintains the +living union with Himself, in whom we are brought nigh to God, and gives +us boldness of access; what I have so feebly said in the chapter on the +Spirit of Supplication will get new meaning; and, what is more, the +exercise of prayer a new attractiveness; its solemn Divine mystery will +humble us, its unspeakable privilege lift us up in faith and adoration. + +[2] _The Power of the Spirit: An Address to the Clergy._ By WILLIAM LAW. +With additional Extracts and an Introduction by Rev. A. M. James Nisbet +& Co. 2s. 6d. + +[3] _The Divine Indwelling._ Selections from the Letters of William Law. +With Introduction by A. M. James Nisbet & Co. + + +NOTE E, Chap. XI. p. 136 + +There is a question, the deepest of all, on which I have not entered in +this book. I have spoken of the lack of prayer in the individual +Christian as a symptom of a disease. But what shall we say of it, that +there is such a widespread prevalence of this failure to give a due +proportion of time and strength to prayer? Do we not need to inquire, +How comes it that the Church of Christ, endued with the Holy Ghost, +cannot train its ministers and workers and members to place first what +is first? How comes it that the confession of too little prayer, and the +call for more prayer, is so frequently heard, and yet the evil +continues? The Spirit of God, the Spirit of Supplication and +Intercession, is in the Church and in every believer. There must surely +be some other spirit of great power resisting and hindering this Spirit +of God. It is indeed so. The spirit of the world, which under all its +beautiful and even religious activities is the spirit of the god of this +world, is the great hindrance. Everything that is done on earth, whether +within or without the Church, is done by either of these two spirits. +What is in the individual the flesh, is in mankind as a whole the spirit +of the world; and all the power the flesh has in the individual is owing +to the place given to the spirit of this world in the Church and in +Christian life. It is the spirit of the world is the great hindrance to +the spirit of prayer. All our most earnest calls to men to pray more +will be vain except this evil be acknowledged and combated and overcome. +The believer and the Church must be entirely freed from the spirit of +the world. + +And how is this to be done? There is but one way--the Cross of Christ, +"by which," as Paul says, "the world is crucified unto me, and I unto +the world." It is only through death to the world that we can be freed +from its spirit. The separation must be vital and entire. It is only +through the acceptance of our crucifixion with Christ that we can live +out this confession, and, as crucified to the world, maintain the +position of irreconcilable hostility to whatever is of its spirit and +not of the Spirit of God; and it is only God Himself who, by His Divine +power, can lead us into and keep us daily dead to sin, and alive unto +God in Christ Jesus. The cross, with its shame and its separation from +the world, and its death to all that is of flesh and of self, is the +only power that can conquer the spirit of the world. + +I have felt so strongly that the truth needs to be anew asserted, that I +hope, if it please God, to publish a volume, _The Cross of Christ_, with +the inquiry into what God's word teaches as to our actual participation +with Christ in His crucifixion. Christ prayed on the way to the cross. +He prayed Himself to the cross. He prayed on the cross. He prays ever as +the fruit of the cross. As the Church lives on the cross, and the cross +lives in the Church, the spirit of prayer will be given. In Christ it +was the crucifixion spirit and death that was the source of the +Intercession Spirit and Power. With us it can be no otherwise. + + +NOTE F, Chap. XIV. p. 177 + +I have more than once spoken of the need of training Christians to the +work of intercession. In a previous note I have asked the question +whether, in the teaching of our Theological Halls and Mission Training +Houses, sufficient attention is given to prayer as the most important, +and in some senses the most difficult part of the work for which the +students are being prepared. I have wondered whether it might not be +possible to offer those who are willing, during their student life, to +put themselves under a course of training, some help in the way of hints +and suggestions as to what is needed to give prayer the place and the +power in our ministry it ought to have. + +As a rule, it is in the student life that the character must be formed +for future years, and it is in the present student world that the Church +of the future must be influenced. If God allows me to carry out a plan +that is hardly quite mature yet, I would wish to publish a volume, THE +STUDENT'S PRAYER MANUAL, combining the teaching of Scripture as to what +is most needed to make men of prayer of us, with such practical +directions as may help a young Christian, preparing to devote his life +to God's service successfully, to cultivate such a spirit and habit of +prayer as shall abide with him through all his coming life and labours. + + + + + + PRAY WITHOUT CEASING + + HELPS TO INTERCESSION + + + PRAYING ALWAYS + WITH ALL PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION + IN THE SPIRIT + AND WATCHING THEREUNTO WITH ALL PERSEVERANCE + AND SUPPLICATION FOR ALL SAINTS + AND FOR ME + + I EXHORT THAT FIRST OF ALL + SUPPLICATIONS, PRAYERS, INTERCESSIONS + GIVING OF THANKS + BE MADE FOR ALL MEN + FOR KINGS, AND ALL THAT ARE IN AUTHORITY + + PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER + + + _These "Helps" are issued as a separate Tract by + Messrs. Nisbet &. Co., price 2d._ + + _Anyone is at liberty to have the Tract reprinted, with + such modifications as may be desired._ + + + + +PRAY WITHOUT CEASING + +Helps to Intercession + + +=Pray without Ceasing.=--Who can do this? How can one do it who is +surrounded by the cares of daily life?--How can a mother love her child +without ceasing? How can the eyelid without ceasing hold itself ready to +protect the eye? How can I breathe and feel and hear without ceasing? +Because all these are the functions of a healthy, natural life. And so, +if the spiritual life be healthy, under the full power of the Holy +Spirit, praying without ceasing will be natural. + +=Pray without Ceasing.=--Does it refer to continual acts of prayer, in +which we are to persevere till we obtain, or to the spirit of +prayerfulness that should animate us all the day? It includes both. The +example of our Lord Jesus shows us this. We have to enter our closet for +special seasons of prayer; we are at times to persevere there in +importunate prayer. We are also all the day to walk in God's presence, +with the whole heart set upon heavenly things. Without set times of +prayer the spirit of prayer will be dull and feeble. Without the +continual prayerfulness the set times will not avail. + +=Pray without Ceasing.=--Does that refer to prayer for ourselves or +others? To both. It is because many confine it to themselves that they +fail so in practising it. It is only when the branch gives itself to +bear fruit, more fruit, much fruit, that it can live a healthy life, and +expect a rich inflow of sap. The death of Christ brought Him to the +place of everlasting intercession. Your death with Him to sin and self +sets you free from the care of self, and elevates you to the dignity of +intercessor--one who can get life and blessing from God for others. Know +your calling; begin this your work. Give yourself wholly to it, and ere +you know you will be finding something of this "_Praying always_" within +you. + +=Pray without Ceasing.=--How can I learn it? The best way of learning to +do a thing--in fact the only way--is _to do it_. Begin by setting apart +some time every day, say ten or fifteen minutes, in which you say to +God and to yourself, that you come to Him now as intercessor for others. +Let it be after your morning or evening prayer, or any other time. If +you cannot secure the same time every day, be not troubled. Only see +that you do your work. Christ chose you and appointed you to pray for +others. + +If at first you do not feel any special urgency or faith or power in +your prayers, let not that hinder you. Quietly tell your Lord Jesus of +your feebleness; believe that the Holy Spirit is in you to teach you to +pray, and be assured that if you begin, God will help you. God cannot +help you unless you begin and keep on. + +=Pray without Ceasing.=--How do I know what to pray for? If once you +begin, and think of all the needs around you, you will soon find enough. +But to help you this little tract is issued, with subjects and hints for +prayer for a month. It is meant that we should use it month by month, +until we know more fully to follow the Spirit's leading, and have +learnt, if need be, to make our own list of subjects, and can dispense +with it. In regard to the use of these helps a few words may be needed. + +=1. How to Pray.=--You notice for every day two headings--the one =What +to Pray=; the other, =How to Pray=. If the subjects were only given, one +might fall into the routine of mentioning names and things before God, +and the work become a burden. The hints under the heading =How to Pray= +are meant to remind of the spiritual nature of the work, of the need of +Divine help, and to encourage faith in the certainty that God, through +the Spirit, will give us grace to pray aright, and will also hear our +prayer. One does not at once learn to take his place boldly, and to dare +to believe that he will be heard. Therefore take a few moments each day +to listen to God's voice reminding you of how certainly even you will be +heard, and calling on you to pray in that faith in your Father, to claim +and take the blessing you plead for. And let these words about =How to +Pray= enter your hearts and occupy your thoughts at other times too. The +work of intercession is Christ's great work on earth, intrusted to Him +because He gave Himself a sacrifice to God for men. The work of +intercession is the greatest work a Christian can do. Give yourself a +sacrifice to God for men, and the work will become your glory and your +joy too. + +=2. What to Pray.=--Scripture calls us to pray for many things: for all +saints; for all men; for kings and all rulers; for all who are in +adversity; for the sending forth of labourers; for those who labour in +the gospel; for all converts; for believers who have fallen into sin; +for one another in our own immediate circles. The Church is now so much +larger than when the New Testament was written; the number of forms of +work and workers is so much greater; the needs of the Church and the +world are so much better known, that we need to take time and thought to +see where prayer is needed, and to what our heart is most drawn out. +The Scripture calls to prayer demand a large heart, taking in all +saints, and all men, and all needs. An attempt has been made in these +helps to indicate what the chief subjects are that need prayer, and that +ought to interest every Christian. + +It will be felt difficult by many to pray for such large spheres as are +sometimes mentioned. Let it be understood that in each case we may make +special intercession for our own circle of interest coming under that +heading. And it is hardly needful to say, further, that where one +subject appears of more special interest or urgency than another we are +free for a time day after day to take up that subject. If only time be +really given to intercession, and the spirit of believing intercession +be cultivated, the object is attained. While, on the one hand, the heart +must be enlarged at times to take in all, the more pointed and definite +our prayer can be the better. With this view paper is left blank in +which we can write down special petitions we desire to urge before God. + +=3. Answers to Prayer.=--More than one little book has been published in +which Christians may keep a register of their petitions, and note when +they were answered. Room has been left on every page for this, so that +more definite petitions with regard to individual souls or special +spheres of work may be recorded, and the answer looked for. When we pray +for all saints, or for missions in general, it is difficult to know when +or how our prayer is answered, or whether our prayer has had any part in +bringing the answer. It is of extreme importance that we should prove +that God hears us, and to this end take note of what answers we look +for, and when they come. On the day of praying for all saints, take the +saints in your congregation, or in your prayer-meeting, and ask for a +revival among them. Take, in connection with missions, some special +station or missionary you are interested in, or more than one, and plead +for blessing. And expect and look for its coming, that you may praise +God. + +=4. Prayer Circles.=--There is no desire in publishing this invitation +to intercession to add another to the many existing prayer unions or +praying bands. The first object is to stir the many Christians who +practically, through ignorance of their calling, or unbelief as to their +prayer availing much, take but very little part in the work of +intercession; and then to help those who do pray to some fuller +apprehension of the greatness of the work, and the need of giving their +whole strength to it. There is a circle of prayer which asks for prayer +on the first day of every month for the fuller manifestation of the +power of the Holy Spirit throughout the Church. I have given the words +of that invitation as subject for the first day, and taken the same +thought as keynote all through. The more one thinks of the need and the +promise, and the greatness of the obstacles to be overcome in prayer, +the more one feels it must become our life-work day by day, that to +which every other interest is subordinated. + +But while not forming a large prayer union, it is suggested that it may +be found helpful to have small prayer circles to unite in prayer, either +for one month, with some special object introduced daily along with the +others, or through a year or longer, with the view of strengthening each +other in the grace of intercession. If a minister were to invite some of +his neighbouring brethren to join for some special requests along with +the printed subjects for supplication, or a number of the more earnest +members of his congregation to unite in prayer for revival, some might +be trained to take their place in the great work of intercession, who +now stand idle because no man hath hired them. + +=5. Who is sufficient for these things?=--The more we study and try to +practise this grace of intercession, the more we become overwhelmed by +its greatness and our feebleness. Let every such impression lead us to +listen: =My grace is sufficient for thee=, and to answer truthfully: +=Our sufficiency is of God=. Take courage; it is in the intercession of +Christ you are called to take part. The burden and the agony, the +triumph and the victory are all His. Learn from Him, yield to His Spirit +in you, to know how to pray. He gave Himself a sacrifice to God for men, +that He might have the right and power of intercession. "He bare the sin +of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." Let your faith +rest boldly on His finished work. Let your heart wholly identify itself +with Him in His death and His life. =Like Him=, give yourself =to God= a +sacrifice for men: it is your highest nobility, it is your true and full +union to Him; it will be to you, as to Him, your power of intercession. +Beloved Christian! come and give your whole heart and life to +intercession, and you will know its blessedness and its power. God asks +nothing less; the world needs nothing less; Christ asks nothing less; +let nothing less be what we offer to God. + + + + +FIRST DAY + + +WHAT TO PRAY.--For the Power of the Holy Spirit + + ="I bow my knees unto the Father, that He would grant you that ye + may be strengthened with power through His Spirit."=--EPH. iii. 16. + + ="Wait for the promise of the Father."=--ACTS i. 4. + + +"The fuller manifestation of the grace and energy of the Blessed Spirit +of God, in the removal of all that is contrary to God's revealed will, +so that we grieve not the Holy Spirit, but that He may work in mightier +power in the Church, for the exaltation of Christ and the blessing of +souls." + +God has one promise to and through His exalted Son; our Lord has one +gift to His Church; the Church has one need; all prayer unites in the +one petition--the power of the Holy Spirit. Make it your one prayer. + + +HOW TO PRAY.--As a Child asks a Father + + ="If a son ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give + him a stone? How much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy + Spirit to them that ask Him?"=--LUKE xi. 11, 13. + +Ask as simply and trustfully as a child asks bread. You can do this +because ="God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your heart, +crying, Abba, Father."= This Spirit is in you to give you childlike +confidence. In the faith of His praying in you, ask for the power of +that holy Spirit everywhere. Mention places or circles where you +specially ask it to be seen. + + +SPECIAL PETITIONS + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + + + + +SECOND DAY + + +WHAT TO PRAY.--For the Spirit of Supplication + + ="The Spirit Himself maketh intercession for us."=--ROM. viii. 26. + + ="I will pour out the Spirit of Supplication."=--ZECH. xii. 10. + +"The evangelisation of the world depends first of all upon a revival of +prayer. Deeper than the need for men--ay, deep down at the bottom of our +spiritless life--is the need for the forgotten secret of prevailing, +world-wide prayer." + +Every child of God has the Holy Spirit in him to pray. God waits to give +the Spirit in full measure. Ask for yourself, and all who join, the +outpouring of the Spirit of Supplication. Ask it for your own prayer +circle. + + +HOW TO PRAY.--In the Spirit + + ="With all prayer and supplication, praying at all seasons in the + Spirit."=--EPH. vi. 18. + + ="Praying in the Holy Spirit."=--JUDE 20. + +Our Lord gave His disciples on His resurrection day the Holy Spirit to +enable them to wait for the full outpouring on the day of Pentecost. It +is only in the power of the Spirit already in us, acknowledged and +yielded to, that we can pray for His fuller manifestation. Say to the +Father, it is the Spirit of His Son in you is urging you to plead His +promise. + + +SPECIAL PETITIONS + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + + + + +THIRD DAY + + +WHAT TO PRAY.--For all Saints + + ="With all prayer and supplication praying at all seasons, and + watching thereunto in all perseverance and supplication for all + saints."=--EPH. vi. 18. + +Every member of a body is interested in the welfare of the whole, and +exists to help and complete the others. Believers are one body, and +ought to pray, not so much for the welfare of their own church or +society, but, first of all, for all saints. This large, unselfish love +is the proof that Christ's Spirit and Love is teaching them to pray. +Pray first for all and then for the believers around you. + + +HOW TO PRAY.--In the Love of the Spirit + + ="By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have + love one to another."=--JOHN xiii. 35. + + ="I pray that they all may be one, that the world may believe that + Thou didst send Me."=--JOHN xvii. 21. + + ="I beseech you, brethren, by the love of the Spirit, that ye strive + together with me in your prayers to God for me."=--ROM. xv. 30. + + ="Above all things being fervent in your love among yourselves."=--1 + PET. iv. 8. + +If we are to pray we must love. Let us say to God we do love all His +saints; let us say we love specially every child of His we know. Let us +pray with fervent love, in the love of the Spirit. + + +SPECIAL PETITIONS + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + + + + +FOURTH DAY + + +WHAT TO PRAY,--For the Spirit of Holiness + +God is the Holy One. His people is a holy people. He speaks: I am holy: +I am the Lord which make you holy. Christ prayed: Sanctify them. Make +them holy through =Thy Truth=. Paul prayed: "God establish your hearts +unblamable in holiness." "God sanctify you wholly!" + +Pray for all saints--God's holy ones--throughout the Church, that the +Spirit of holiness may rule them. Specially for new converts. For the +saints in your own neighbourhood or congregation. For any you are +specially interested in. Think of their special need, weakness, or sin, +and pray that God may make them holy. + + +HOW TO PRAY.--Trusting in God's Omnipotence + +The things that are impossible with men are possible with God. When we +think of the great things we ask for, of how little likelihood there is +of their coming, of our own insignificance. Prayer is not only wishing, +or asking, but believing and accepting. Be still before God and ask Him +to give you to know Him as the Almighty One, and leave your petitions +with Him who doeth wonders. + + +SPECIAL PETITIONS + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + + + + +FIFTH DAY + + +WHAT TO PRAY.--That God's People may be kept from the World + +="Holy Father, keep through Thine own name those whom Thou hast given +Me. I pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that +Thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, as I +am not of the world."=--JOHN xvii. 11, 15, 16. + +In the last night Christ asked three things for His disciples: that they +might be kept as those who are not of the world; that they might be +sanctified; that they might be one in love. You cannot do better than +pray as Jesus prayed. Ask for God's people that they may be kept +separate from the world and its spirit; that they, by the Holy Spirit, +may live as those who are not of the world. + + +HOW TO PRAY.--Having Confidence before God + +="Beloved, if our hearts condemn us not, then have we confidence toward +God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His +commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight."=--1 +JOHN iii. 21, 22. + +Learn these words by heart. Get them into your heart. Join the ranks of +those who, with John, draw nigh to God with =an assured heart=, that +=does not condemn= them, =having confidence toward God=. In this spirit +pray for your brother who sins (1 John v. 16). In the quiet confidence +of an obedient child plead for those of your brethren who may be giving +way to sin. Pray for all to be kept from the evil. And say often, ="What +we ask, we receive, because we keep and do."= + + +SPECIAL PETITIONS + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + + + + +SIXTH DAY + + +WHAT TO PRAY.--For the Spirit of Love in the Church + + ="I pray that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them and + Thou in Me; that the world may know that Thou didst send Me, and + hast loved them as Thou hast loved Me ... that the love wherewith + Thou hast loved Me may be in them, and I in them."=--JOHN xvii. 23. + + ="The fruit of the Spirit is love."=--GAL. v. 22. + +Believers are one in Christ, as He is one with the Father. The love of +God rests on them, and can dwell in them. Pray that the power of the +Holy Ghost may so work this love in believers, that the world may see +and know God's love in them. Pray much for this. + + +HOW TO PRAY.--As one of God's Remembrancers + + ="I have set watchmen on thy walls, which shall never hold their + peace day nor night: ye that are the Lord's remembrancers, keep not + silence, and give Him no rest."=--ISA. lxii. 6. + +Study these words until your whole soul be filled with the +consciousness, I am appointed intercessor. Enter God's presence in that +faith. Study the world's need with that thought--it is my work to +intercede; the Holy Spirit will teach me for what and how. Let it be an +abiding consciousness: My great life-work, like Christ's, is +intercession--to pray for believers and those who do not yet know God. + + +SPECIAL PETITIONS + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + + + + +SEVENTH DAY + + +WHAT TO PRAY.--For the Power of the Holy Spirit on Ministers + + ="I beseech you that ye strive together with me in your prayers to + God for me."=--ROM. xv. 30. + + ="He will deliver us; ye also helping together by your supplication + on our behalf."=--2 COR. i. 10, 11. + +What a great host of ministers there are in Christ's Church. What need +they have of prayer. What a power they might be, if they were all +clothed with the power of the Holy Ghost. Pray definitely for this; long +for it. Think of your own minister, and ask it very specially for him. +Connect every thought of the ministry, in your town or neighbourhood or +the world, with the prayer that all may be filled with the Spirit. Plead +for them the promise, ="Tarry till ye be clothed with power from on +high." "Ye shall receive power, when the Holy Ghost is come upon you."= + + +HOW TO PRAY.--In Secret + + ="But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy inner chamber, and + having shut to thy door, pray to the Father which is in + secret."=--MATT. vi. 6. + + ="He withdrew again into the mountain to pray, _Himself + alone_."=--MATT. xiv. 23; JOHN vi. 15. + +Take time and realise, when you are alone with God: Here am I now, face +to face with God, to intercede for His servants. Do not think you have +no influence, or that your prayer will not be missed. Your prayer and +faith will make a difference. Cry in secret to God for His ministers. + + +SPECIAL PETITIONS + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + + + + +EIGHTH DAY + + +WHAT TO PRAY.--For the Spirit on all Christian Workers + + ="Ye also helping together on our behalf; that for the gift bestowed + upon us by means of many, thanks may be given by many on our + behalf."=--2 COR. i. 11. + +What multitudes of workers in connection with our churches and missions, +our railways and postmen, our soldiers and sailors, our young men and +young women, our fallen men and women, our poor and sick. God be praised +for this! What could they accomplish if each were living in the fulness +of the Holy Spirit? Pray for them; it makes you a partner in their work, +and you will praise God each time you hear of blessing anywhere. + + +HOW TO PRAY.--With definite Petitions + + ="What wilt thou that I should do unto thee?"=--LUKE xviii. 41. + +The Lord knew what the man wanted, and yet He asked him. The utterance +of our wish gives point to the transaction in which we are engaged with +God, and so awakens faith and expectation. Be very definite in your +petitions, so as to know what answer you may look for. Just think of the +great host of workers, and ask and expect God definitely to bless them +in answer to the prayers of His people. Then ask still more definitely +for workers around you. Intercession is not the breathing out of pious +wishes; its aim is, in believing, persevering prayer, to receive and +bring down blessing. + + +SPECIAL PETITIONS + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + + + + +NINTH DAY + + +WHAT TO PRAY.--For God's Spirit on our Mission Work + + "The evangelisation of the world depends first of all upon a revival + of prayer. Deeper than the need for men--ay, deep down at the bottom + of our spiritless life, is the need for the forgotten secret of + prevailing, world-wide prayer." + + ="As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, + Separate Me Barnabas and Saul. Then when they had fasted and prayed, + they sent them away. So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, + departed."=--ACTS xiii. 2, 3, 4. + +Pray that our mission work may all be done in this spirit--waiting on +God, hearing the voice of the Spirit, sending forth men with fasting and +prayer. Pray that in our churches our mission interest and mission work +may be in the power of the Holy Spirit and of prayer. It is a +Spirit-filled, praying Church will send out Spirit-filled missionaries, +mighty in prayer. + + +HOW TO PRAY.--Take Time + + ="I give myself unto prayer."=--PS. cix. 4. + + ="We will give ourselves continually to prayer."=--ACTS vi. 4. + + ="Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to + utter anything before God."=--ECCLES. v. 2. + + ="And He continued all night in prayer to God."=--LUKE vi. 12. + +Time is one of the chief standards of value. The time we give is a proof +of the interest we feel. + +We need time with God--to realise His presence; to wait for Him to make +Himself known; to consider and feel the needs we plead for; to take our +place in Christ; to pray till we can believe that we have received. Take +time in prayer, and pray down blessing on the mission work of the +Church. + + +SPECIAL PETITIONS + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + + + + +TENTH DAY + + +WHAT TO PRAY.--For God's Spirit on our Missionaries + + "What the world needs to-day is, not only more missionaries, but the + outpouring of God's Spirit on everyone whom He has sent out to work + for Him in the foreign field." + + ="Ye shall receive power, when the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and + ye shall be My witnesses unto the uttermost parts of the + earth."=--ACTS i. 8. + +God always gives His servants power equal to the work He asks of them. +Think of the greatness and difficulty of this work,--casting out Satan +out of his strongholds,--and pray that everyone who takes part in it may +receive and do all his work in the power of the Holy Ghost. Think of the +difficulties of your missionaries, and pray for them. + + +HOW TO PRAY.--Trusting God's Faithfulness + + ="He is faithful that promised." "She counted Him faithful who + promised."=--HEB. x. 23, xi. 11. + +Just think of God's promises to His Son, concerning His kingdom; to the +Church, concerning the heathen; to His servants, concerning their work; +to yourself, concerning your prayer; and pray in the assurance that He +is faithful, and only waits for prayer and faith to fulfil them. +="Faithful is He that calleth you"= (to pray), "who also will do it" +(what He has promised). + +Take up individual missionaries, make yourself one with them, and pray +till you know that you are heard. Oh, begin to live for Christ's kingdom +as the one thing worth living for! + + +SPECIAL PETITIONS + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + + + + +ELEVENTH DAY + + +WHAT TO PRAY.--For more Labourers + + ="Pray ye the Lord of the harvest, that He send forth labourers into + His harvest."=--MATT. ix. 38. + +What a remarkable call of the =Lord Jesus= for help from His disciples +in getting the need supplied. What an honour put upon prayer. What a +proof that God wants prayer and will hear it. + +Pray for labourers, for all students in theological seminaries, training +homes, Bible institutes, that they may not go, unless He fits them and +sends them forth; that our churches may train their students to seek for +the sending forth of the Holy Spirit; that all believers may hold +themselves ready to be sent forth, or to pray for those who can go. + + +HOW TO PRAY.--In Faith, nothing Doubting + + ="Jesus saith unto them, Have faith in God. Whosoever shall say unto + this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and + shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that what he saith + shall come to pass, he shall have it."=--MARK xi. 22, 23. + +=Have faith in God!= Ask Him to make Himself known to you as the +faithful, mighty God, who worketh all in all; and you will be encouraged +to believe that He can give suitable and sufficient labourers, however +impossible this appears. But, remember, in answer to prayer and faith. + +Apply this to every opening where a good worker is needed. The work is +God's. He can give the right workman. =But He must be asked and waited +on.= + + +SPECIAL PETITIONS + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + + + + +TWELFTH DAY + + +WHAT TO PRAY.--For the Spirit to convince the World of Sin + + ="I will send the Comforter to you. And He, when He is come, will + convict the world in respect of sin."=--JOHN xvi. 7, 8. + +God's one desire, the one object of Christ's being manifested, is to +take away sin. The first work of the Spirit on the world is conviction +of sin. Without that, no deep or abiding revival, no powerful +conversion. Pray for it, that the gospel may be preached in such power +of the Spirit, that men may see that they have rejected and crucified +Christ, and cry out, What shall we do? + +Pray most earnestly for a mighty power of conviction of sin wherever the +gospel is preached. + + +HOW TO PRAY.--Stir up yourself to take hold of God's Strength + + ="Let him take hold of My strength, that he may make peace with + Me."=--ISA. xxvii. 5. + + ="There is none that calleth upon Thy name, that stirreth himself to + take hold of Thee."=--ISA. lxiv. 7. + + ="Stir up the gift of God which is in thee."=--2 TIM. i. 6. + +First, take hold of God's strength. God is a Spirit. I cannot take hold +of Him, and hold Him fast, but by the Spirit. Take hold of God's +strength, and hold on till it has done for you what He has promised. +Pray for the power of the Spirit to convict of sin. + +Second, stir up yourself, the power that is in you by the Holy Spirit, +to take hold. Give your whole heart and will to it, and say, =I will not +let Thee go except Thou bless me=. + + +SPECIAL PETITIONS + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + + + + +THIRTEENTH DAY + + +WHAT TO PRAY.--For the Spirit of Burning + + ="And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion shall be + called holy: when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the + daughters of Zion, by the spirit of judgment and the spirit of + burning."=--ISA. iv. 3, 4. + +A washing by fire! a cleansing by judgment! He that has passed through +this shall be called holy. The power of blessing for the world, the +power of work and intercession that will avail, depends upon the +spiritual state of the Church; and that can only rise higher as sin is +discovered and put away. Judgment must begin at the house of God. There +must be conviction of sin for sanctification. Beseech God to give His +Spirit as a spirit of judgment and a spirit of burning--to discover and +burn out sin in His people. + + +HOW TO PRAY.--In the Name of Christ + + ="Whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do. If ye shall + ask Me anything in My name, that will I do."=--JOHN xiv. 13, 14. + +Ask in the name of your Redeemer God, who sits upon the throne. Ask what +He has promised, what He gave His blood for, that sin may be put away +from among His people. Ask--the prayer is after His own heart--for the +spirit of deep conviction of sin to come among His people. Ask for the +spirit of burning. Ask in the faith of His name--the faith of what He +wills, of what He can do--and look for the answer. Pray that the Church +may be blessed, to be made a blessing in the world. + + +SPECIAL PETITIONS + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + + + + +FOURTEENTH DAY + + +WHAT TO PRAY.--For the Church of the Future + + ="That the children might not be as their fathers, a generation that + set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not steadfast with + God."=--PS. lxxviii. 8. + + ="I will pour My Spirit upon thy seed, and My blessing upon thy + offspring."=--ISA. xliv. 3. + +Pray for the rising generation, who are to come after us. Think of the +young men and young women and children of this age, and pray for all the +agencies at work among them; that in association and societies and +unions, in homes and schools, Christ may be honoured, and the Holy +Spirit get possession of them. Pray for the young of your own +neighbourhood. + + +HOW TO PRAY.--With the Whole Heart + + ="The Lord grant thee according to thine own heart."=--PS. xx. 4. + + ="Thou hast given him his heart's desire."=--PS. xxi. 2. + + ="I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O Lord."=--PS. cxix. 145. + +God lives, and listens to every petition with His whole heart. Each time +we pray the whole Infinite God is there to hear. He asks that in each +prayer the whole man shall be there too; that we shall cry with our +whole heart. Christ gave Himself to God for men; and so He takes up +every need into His intercession. If once we seek God with our whole +heart, the whole heart will be in every prayer with which we come to +this God. Pray with your whole heart for the young. + + +SPECIAL PETITIONS + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + + + + +FIFTEENTH DAY + + +WHAT TO PRAY.--For Schools and Colleges + + ="As for Me, this is My covenant with them, saith the Lord: My + Spirit that is upon thee, and My words which I have put in thy + mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of + thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the Lord, + from henceforth and for ever."=--ISA. lix. 21. + +The future of the Church and the world depends, to an extent we little +conceive, on the education of the day. The Church may be seeking to +evangelise the heathen, and be giving up her own children to secular and +materialistic influences. Pray for schools and colleges, and that the +Church may realise and fulfil its momentous duty of caring for its +children. Pray for godly teachers. + + +HOW TO PRAY.--Not Limiting God + + ="They limited the Holy One of Israel."=--PS. lxxviii. 41. + + ="He did not many mighty works there because of their + unbelief."=--MATT. xiii. 58. + + ="Is anything too hard for the Lord?"=--GEN. xviii. 14. + + ="Ah, Lord God! Thou hast made the heaven and the earth by Thy great + power; there is nothing too hard for Thee. Behold, I am the Lord: is + there anything too hard for Me?"=--JER. xxxii. 17, 27. + +Beware, in your prayer, above everything, of limiting God, not only by +unbelief, but by fancying that you know what He can do. Expect +unexpected things, above all that we ask or think. Each time you +intercede, be quiet first and worship God in his glory. Think of what He +can do, of how He delights to hear Christ, of your place in Christ, and +expect great things. + + +SPECIAL PETITIONS + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + + + + +SIXTEENTH DAY + + +WHAT TO PRAY.--For the Power of the Holy Spirit in our Sabbath Schools + + ="Thus saith the Lord, Even the captives of the mighty shall be + taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I + will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy + children."=--ISA. xlix. 25. + +Every part of the work of God's Church is His work. He must do it. +Prayer is the confession that He will, the surrender of ourselves into +His hands to let Him, work in us and through us. Pray for the hundreds +of thousands of Sunday-school teachers, that those who know God may be +filled with His Spirit. Pray for your own Sunday school. Pray for the +salvation of the children. + + +HOW TO PRAY.--Boldly + + ="We have a great High Priest, Jesus the Son of God. Let us + therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace."=--HEB. iv. 14, 16. + +These hints to help us in our work of intercession--what are they doing +for us? Making us conscious of our feebleness in prayer? Thank God for +this. It is the very first lesson we need on the way to pray the +effectual prayer that availeth much. Let us persevere, taking each +subject boldly to the throne of grace. As we pray we shall learn to +pray, and to believe, and to expect with increasing boldness. Hold fast +your assurance: it is at God's command you come as an intercessor. +Christ will give you grace to pray aright. + + +SPECIAL PETITIONS + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + + + + +SEVENTEENTH DAY + + +WHAT TO PRAY.--For Kings and Rulers + + ="I exhort therefore, first of all, that supplications, prayers, + intercessions, thanksgiving, be made for all men; for kings, and all + that are in high places; that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life + in all godliness and gravity."=--1 TIM. ii. 1, 2. + +What a faith in the power of prayer! A few feeble and despised +Christians are to influence the mighty Roman emperors, and help in +securing peace and quietness. Let us believe that prayer is a power that +is taken up by God in His rule of the world. Let us pray for our country +and its rulers; for all the rulers of the world; for rulers in cities or +districts in which we are interested. When God's people unite in this, +they may count upon their prayer effecting in the unseen world more than +they know. Let faith hold this fast. + + +HOW TO PRAY.--The Prayer before God as Incense + + ="And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden + censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should + add it unto the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar + which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the + prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel's hand. + And the angel taketh the censer; and he filled it with the fire upon + the altar, and cast it upon the earth: and there followed thunder, + and voices, and lightning, and an earthquake."=--REV. viii. 3-5. + +The same censer brings the prayer of the saints before God and casts +fire upon the earth. The prayers that go up to heaven have their share +in the history of this earth. Be sure that thy prayers enter God's +presence. + + +SPECIAL PETITIONS + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + + + + +EIGHTEENTH DAY + + +WHAT TO PRAY.--For Peace + + ="I exhort therefore, first of all, that supplication be made for + kings and all that are in high places; that we may lead a tranquil + and quiet life in all godliness and gravity. For this is good and + acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour."=--1 TIM. ii. 1-3. + + ="He maketh wars to cease to the end of the earth."=--PS. xlvi. 9. + +What a terrible sight!--the military armaments in which the nations find +their pride. What a terrible thought!--the evil passions that may at any +moment bring on war. And what a prospect the suffering and desolation +that must come. God can, in answer to the prayer of His people, give +peace. Let us pray for it, and for the rule of righteousness on which +alone it can be stablished. + + +HOW TO PRAY.--With the Understanding + + ="What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with + the understanding."=--1 COR. xiv. 15. + +We need to pray with the spirit, as the vehicle of the intercession of +God's Spirit, if we are to take hold of God in faith and power. We need +to pray with the understanding, if we are really to enter deeply into +the needs we bring before Him. Take time to apprehend intelligently, in +each subject, the nature, the extent, the urgency of the request, the +ground and way and certainty of God's promise as revealed in His Word. +Let the mind affect the heart. Pray with the understanding and with the +spirit. + + +SPECIAL PETITIONS + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + + + + +NINETEENTH DAY + + +WHAT TO PRAY.--For the Holy Spirit on Christendom + + ="Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof."=--2 + TIM. iii. 5. + + ="Thou hast a name that thou livest, and thou art dead."=--REV. iii. + 1. + +There are five hundred millions of nominal Christians. The state of the +majority is unspeakably awful. Formality, worldliness, ungodliness, +rejection of Christ's service, ignorance, and indifference--to what an +extent does all this prevail. We pray for the heathen--oh! do let us +pray for those bearing Christ's name, many in worse than heathen +darkness. + +Does not one feel as if one ought to begin to give up his life, and to +cry day and night to God for souls! In answer to prayer God gives the +power of the Holy Ghost. + + +HOW TO PRAY.--In deep Stillness of Soul + + ="My soul is silent unto God: from Him cometh my salvation."=--PS. + lxii. 1. + +Prayer has its power in God alone. The nearer a man comes to God +Himself, the deeper he enters into God's will; the more he takes hold of +God, the more power in prayer. + +God must reveal Himself. If it please Him to make Himself known, He can +make the heart conscious of His presence. Our posture must be that of +holy reverence, of quiet waiting and adoration. + +As your month of intercession passes on, and you feel the greatness of +your work, be still before God. Thus you will get power to pray. + + +SPECIAL PETITIONS + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + + + + +TWENTIETH DAY + + +WHAT TO PRAY.--For God's Spirit on the Heathen + + ="Behold, these shall come from far; and these from the land of + Sinim."=--ISA. xlix. 12. + + ="Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall haste to stretch + out her hands to God."=--PS. lxviii. 31. + + ="I the Lord will hasten it in His time."=--ISA. lx. 22. + +Pray for the heathen, who are yet without the word. Think of China, with +her three hundred millions--a million a month dying without Christ. +Think of Dark Africa, with its two hundred millions. Think of thirty +millions a year going down into the thick darkness. If Christ gave His +life for them, will you not do so? You can give yourself up to intercede +for them. Just begin, if you have never yet begun, with this simple +monthly school of intercession. The ten minutes you give will make you +feel this is not enough. God's Spirit will draw you on. Persevere, +however feeble you are. Ask God to give you some country or tribe to +pray for. Can anything be nobler than to do as Christ did? Give your +life for the heathen. + + +HOW TO PRAY.--With Confident Expectation of an Answer + + ="Call unto Me, and I will answer thee, and will shew thee great + things and difficult, which thou knowest not."=--JER. xxxiii. 3. + + ="Thus saith the Lord God: I will yet be inquired of, that I do + it."=--EZEK. xxxvi. 37. + +Both texts refer to promises definitely made, but their fulfilment would +depend upon prayer: God would be inquired of to do it. + +Pray for God's fulfilment of His promises to His Son and His Church, and +expect the answer. Plead for the heathen: plead God's Promises. + + +SPECIAL PETITIONS + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + + + + +TWENTY-FIRST DAY + + +WHAT TO PRAY.--For God's Spirit on the Jews + + ="I will pour out upon the house of David, and the inhabitants of + Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and Supplication; and they shall look + unto Me whom they pierced."=--ZECH. xii. 10. + + ="Brethren, my heart's desire and my supplication to God is for + them, that they may be saved."=--ROM. x. 1. + +Pray for the Jews. Their return to the God of their fathers stands +connected, in a way we cannot tell, with wonderful blessing to the +Church, and with the coming of our Lord Jesus. Let us not think that God +has foreordained all this, and that we cannot hasten it. In a divine and +mysterious way God has connected His fulfilment of His promise with our +prayer. His Spirit's intercession in us is God's forerunner of blessing. +Pray for Israel and the work done among them. And pray too: Amen. Even +so, come, Lord Jesus! + + +HOW TO PRAY.--With the Intercession of the Holy Spirit + + ="We know not how to pray as we ought; but the Spirit Himself maketh + intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."=--ROM. + viii. 26. + +In your ignorance and feebleness believe in the secret indwelling and +intercession of the Holy Spirit within you. Yield yourself to His life +and leading habitually. He will help your infirmities in prayer. Plead +the promises of God even where you do not see how they are to be +fulfilled. God knows the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh +intercession for the saints according to the will of God. Pray with the +simplicity of a little child; pray with the holy awe and reverence of +one in whom God's Spirit dwells and prays. + + +SPECIAL PETITIONS + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + + + + +TWENTY-SECOND DAY + + +WHAT TO PRAY.--For all who are in Suffering + + ="Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; them that are + evil entreated, as being yourselves in the body."=--HEB. xiii. 3. + +What a world of suffering we live in! How Jesus sacrificed all and +identified Himself with it! Let us in our measure do so too. The +persecuted Stundists and Armenians and Jews, the famine-stricken +millions of India, the hidden slavery of Africa, the poverty and +wretchedness of our great cities--and so much more: what suffering among +those who know God and who know Him not. And then in smaller circles, in +ten thousand homes and hearts, what sorrow. In our own neighbourhood, +how many needing help or comfort. Let us have a heart for, let us think +of the suffering. It will stir us to pray, to work, to hope, to love +more. And in a way and time we know not God will hear our prayer. + + +HOW TO PRAY.--Praying always, and not fainting + + ="He spake unto them a parable to the end that they ought always to + pray, and not to faint."=--LUKE xviii. 1. + +Do you not begin to feel prayer is really the help for this sinful +world? What a need there is of unceasing prayer? The very greatness of +the task makes us despair! What can our ten minutes of intercession +avail? It is right we feel this: this is the way in which God is calling +and preparing us to give our life to prayer. Give yourself wholly to God +for men, and amid all your work, your heart will be drawn out to men in +love, and drawn up to God in dependence and expectation. To a heart thus +led by the Holy Spirit, it is possible to pray always and not to faint. + + +SPECIAL PETITIONS + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + + + + +TWENTY-THIRD DAY + + +WHAT TO PRAY.--For the Holy Spirit in your own Work + + ="I labour, striving according to His working, which worketh in me + mightily."=--COL. i. 29. + +You have your own special work; make it a work of intercession. Paul +laboured, striving according to the working of God in him. Remember, God +is not only the Creator, but the Great Workman, who worketh all in all. +You can only do your work in His strength, by Him working in you through +the Spirit. Intercede much for those among whom you work, till God gives +you life for them. + +Let us all intercede too for each other, for every worker throughout +God's Church, however solitary or unknown. + + +HOW TO PRAY.--In God's very Presence + + ="Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you."=--JAS. iv. 8. + +The nearness of God gives rest and power in prayer. The nearness of God +is given to him who makes it his first object. "Draw nigh to God"; seek +the nearness to Him, and He will give it; "He will draw nigh to you." +Then it becomes easy to pray in faith. + +Remember that when first God takes you into the school of intercession +it is almost more for your own sake than that of others. You have to be +trained to love, and wait, and pray, and believe. Only persevere. Learn +to set yourself in His presence, to wait quietly for the assurance that +He draws nigh. Enter His holy presence, tarry there, and spread your +work before Him. Intercede for the souls you are working among. Get a +blessing from God, His Spirit into your own heart, for them. + + +SPECIAL PETITIONS + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + + + + +TWENTY-FOURTH DAY + + +WHAT TO PRAY.--For the Spirit on your own Congregation + + ="Beginning at Jerusalem."=--LUKE xxiv. 47. + +Each one of us is connected with some congregation or circle of +believers, who are to us the part of Christ's body with which we come +into most direct contact. They have a special claim on our intercession. +Let it be a settled matter between God and you that you are to labour in +prayer on its behalf. Pray for the minister and all leaders or workers +in it. Pray for the believers according to their needs. Pray for +conversions. Pray for the power of the Spirit to manifest itself. Band +yourself with others to join in secret in definite petitions. Let +intercession be a definite work, carried on as systematically as +preaching or Sunday school. And pray, expecting an answer. + +HOW TO PRAY.--Continually + + ="Watchmen, that shall never hold their peace day nor night."=--ISA. + lxii. 6. + + ="His own elect, that cry to Him day and night."=--LUKE xviii. 7. + + ="Night and day praying exceedingly, that we may perfect that which + is lacking in your faith."=--1 THESS. iii. 10. + + ="A widow indeed, hath her hope set in God, and continueth in + supplications night and day."=--1 TIM. v. 5. + +When the glory of God, and the love of Christ, and the need of souls are +revealed to us, the fire of this unceasing intercession will begin to +burn in us for those who are near and those who are far off. + + +SPECIAL PETITIONS + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + + + + +TWENTY-FIFTH DAY + + +WHAT TO PRAY.--For more Conversions + + ="He is able to save completely, seeing He ever liveth to make + intercession."=--HEB. vii. 25. + + ="We will give ourselves continually to prayer and the ministry of + the word.... And the word of God increased; and the number of the + disciples multiplied exceedingly."=--ACTS vi. 4, 7. + +Christ's power to save, and save completely, depends on His unceasing +intercession. The apostles withdrawing themselves from other work to +give themselves continually to prayer was followed by the number of the +disciples multiplying exceedingly. As we, in our day, give ourselves to +intercession, we shall have more and mightier conversions. Let us plead +for this. Christ is exalted to give repentance. The Church exists with +the Divine purpose and promise of having conversions. Let us not be +ashamed to confess our sin and feebleness, and cry to God for more +conversions in Christian and heathen lands, of those too whom you know +and love. Plead for the salvation of sinners. + + +HOW TO PRAY.--In deep Humility + + ="Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs.... O woman, great is + thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt."=--MATT. xv. 27, 28. + +You feel unworthy and unable to pray aright. To accept this heartily, +and to be content still to come and be blest in your unworthiness, is +true humility. It proves its integrity by not seeking for anything, but +simply trusting His grace. And so it is the very strength of a great +faith, and gets a full answer. "Yet the dogs"--let that be your plea as +you persevere for someone possibly possessed of the devil. Let not your +littleness hinder you for a moment. + + +SPECIAL PETITIONS + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + + + + +TWENTY-SIXTH DAY + + +WHAT TO PRAY.--For the Holy Spirit on Young Converts + + ="Peter and John prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy + Ghost; for as yet He was fallen upon none of them: only they had + been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus."=--ACTS viii. 15, 16. + + ="Now He which establisheth us with you in Christ, and anointed us, + is God; who also gave us the earnest of the Spirit in our + hearts."=--2 COR. i. 21, 22. + +How many new converts who remain feeble; how many who fall into sin; how +many who backslide entirely. If we pray for the Church, its growth in +holiness and devotion to God's service, pray specially for the young +converts. How many stand alone, surrounded by temptation; how many have +no teaching on the Spirit in them, and the power of God to establish +them; how many in heathen lands, surrounded by Satan's power. If you +pray for the power of the Spirit in the Church, pray specially that +every young convert may know that he may claim and receive the fulness +of the Spirit. + + +HOW TO PRAY.--Without Ceasing + + ="As for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in + ceasing to pray for you."=--1 SAM. xii. 23. + +It is sin against the Lord to cease praying for others. When once we +begin to see how absolutely indispensable intercession is, just as much +a duty as loving God or believing in Christ, and how we are called and +bound to it as believers, we shall feel that to cease intercession is +grievous sin. Let us ask for grace to take up our place as priests with +joy, and give our life to bring down the blessing of heaven. + + +SPECIAL PETITIONS + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + + + + +TWENTY-SEVENTH DAY + + +WHAT TO PRAY.--That God's People may Realise their Calling + + ="I will bless thee; and be thou a blessing: _in thee_ shall _all + the families of the earth_ be blessed."=--GEN. xii. 2, 3. + + ="God be merciful _unto us_, and bless _us_; and cause His face to + shine _upon us_. That Thy way may be known _upon earth_, Thy saving + health _among all nations_."=--PS. lxvii. 1, 2. + +Abraham was only blessed that he might be a blessing to all the earth. +Israel prays for blessing, that God may be known among all nations. +Every believer, just as much as Abraham, is only blessed that he may +carry God's blessing to the world. + +Cry to God that His people may know this, that every believer is only to +live for the interests of God and His kingdom. If this truth were +preached and believed and practised, what a revolution it would bring in +our mission work. What a host of willing intercessors we should have. +Plead with God to work it by the Holy Spirit. + + +HOW TO PRAY.--As One who has Accepted for Himself what he Asks for +Others + + ="Peter said, What I have, I give unto thee.... The Holy Ghost fell + on them, as on us at the beginning.... God gave them the like gift, + as He gave unto us."=--ACTS iii. 6, xi. 15, 17. + +As you pray for this great blessing on God's people, the Holy Spirit +taking entire possession of them for God's service, yield yourself to +God, and claim the gift anew in faith. Let each thought of feebleness or +shortcoming only make you the more urgent in prayer for others; as the +blessing comes to them, you too will be helped. With every prayer for +conversions or mission work, pray that God's people may know how wholly +they belong to Him. + + +SPECIAL PETITIONS + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + + + + +TWENTY-EIGHTH DAY + + +WHAT TO PRAY.--That all God's People may know the Holy Spirit + + ="The Spirit of truth, whom the world knoweth not; but ye know Him; + for He abideth with you, and shall be in you."=--JOHN xiv. 17. + + ="Know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Ghost?"=--1 + COR. vi. 19. + +The Holy Spirit is the power of God for the salvation of men. He only +works as He dwells in the Church. He is given to enable believers to +live wholly as God would have them live, in the full experience and +witness of Him who saves completely. Pray God that every one of His +people may know the Holy Spirit!--That He, in all His fulness, is given +to them! that they cannot expect to live as their Father would have, +without having Him in His fulness, without being filled with Him! Pray +that all God's people, even away in churches gathered out of heathendom, +may learn to say: I believe in the Holy Ghost. + + +HOW TO PRAY.--Labouring fervently in Prayer + + ="Epaphras, who is one of you, saluteth you, always labouring + fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete + in all the will of God."=--COL. iv. 12. + +To a healthy man labour is a delight; in what interests him he labours +fervently. The believer who is in full health, whose heart is filled +with God's Spirit, labours fervently in prayer. For what? That his +brethren may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God; that +they may know what God wills for them, how He calls them to live, and be +led and walk by the Holy Ghost. Labour fervently in prayer that all +God's children may know this, as possible, as divinely sure. + + +SPECIAL PETITIONS + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + + + + +TWENTY-NINTH DAY + + +WHAT TO PRAY.--For the Spirit of Intercession + + ="I chose you, and appointed you, that ye should go and bear fruit; + that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give + it you."=--JOHN xv. 16. + + ="Hitherto ye have asked nothing in My name. In that day ye shall + ask in My name."=--JOHN xvi. 24, 26. + +Has not our school of intercession taught us how little we have prayed +in the name of Jesus? He promised His disciples: In that day, when the +Holy Spirit comes upon you, ye shall ask in My name. Are there not tens +of thousands with us mourning the lack of the power of intercession? Let +our intercession to-day be for them and all God's children, that Christ +may teach us that the Holy Spirit is in us; and what it is to live in +His fulness, and to yield ourselves to His intercession work within us. +The Church and the world need nothing so much as a mighty Spirit of +Intercession to bring down the power of God on earth. Pray for the +descent from heaven of the Spirit of Intercession for a great prayer +revival. + + +HOW TO PRAY.--Abiding in Christ + + ="If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatsoever ye + will, and it shall be done to you."=--JOHN xv. 7. + +Our acceptance with God, our access to Him, is all in Christ. As we +consciously abide in Him we have the liberty, not a liberty to our old +nature or our self-will, but the Divine liberty from all self-will, to +ask what we will, in the power of the new nature, and it shall be done. +Let us keep this place, and believe even now that our intercession is +heard, and that the Spirit of Supplication will be given all around us. + + +SPECIAL PETITIONS + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + + + + +THIRTIETH DAY + + +WHAT TO PRAY.--For the Holy Spirit with the Word of God + + ="Our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and + in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance."=--1 THESS. i. 5. + + ="Those who preached unto you the gospel with the Holy Ghost sent + forth from heaven."=--1 PET. i. 12. + +What numbers of Bibles are being circulated. What numbers of sermons on +the Bible are being preached. What numbers of Bibles are being read in +home and school. How little blessing when it comes "in word" only; what +Divine blessing and power when it comes "in the Holy Ghost," when it is +preached "with the Holy Ghost sent forth from heaven." Pray for Bible +circulation, and preaching and teaching and reading, that it may all be +in the Holy Ghost, with much prayer. Pray for the power of the Spirit +with the word in your own neighbourhood, wherever it is being read or +heard. Let every mention of "The Word of God" waken intercession. + + +HOW TO PRAY.--Watching and Praying + + ="Continue steadfastly in prayer, watching therein with + thanksgiving; withal praying for us also, that God may open for us a + door for the word."=--COL. iv. 2, 3. + +Do you not see how all depends upon God and prayer? As long as He lives +and loves, and hears and works, as long as there are souls with hearts +closed to the word, as long as there is work to be done in carrying the +word--=Pray without ceasing. Continue steadfastly in prayer, watching +therein with thanksgiving. These words are for every Christian.= + + +SPECIAL PETITIONS + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + + + + +THIRTY-FIRST DAY + + +WHAT TO PRAY.--For the Spirit of Christ in His People + + ="I am the Vine, ye are the branches."=--JOHN xv. 5. + + ="That ye should do as I have done to you."=--JOHN xiii. 15. + +As branches we are to be so like the Vine, so entirely identified with +it, that all may see that we have the same nature, and life, and spirit. +When we pray for the Spirit, let us not only think of a Spirit of power, +but the very disposition and temper of Christ Jesus. Ask and expect +nothing less: for yourself, and all God's children, cry for it. + + +HOW TO PRAY.--Striving in Prayer + + ="That ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for + me."=--ROM. xv. 30. + + ="I would ye knew what great conflict I have for you."=--COL. ii. 1. + +All the powers of evil seek to hinder us in prayer. Prayer is a conflict +with opposing forces. It needs the whole heart and all our strength. May +God give us grace to strive in prayer till we prevail. + + +SPECIAL PETITIONS + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ + + + + + +TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES + + +=Bold= and _italic_ words in the original text have been marked in this +version with equals signs and underscores respectively. + +Minor errors and inconsistencies in punctuation and hyphenation have +been silently corrected. + +On page 6, the original text had "we the trust in our own diligence". + +On page 93, "WHAT THE HEALTH THAT JESUS OFFERS." is as in the original. + +As explained in the section on "Answers to Prayer", on each daily page in +the tract "Pray Without Ceasing", several lines are ruled to leave room +for the reader's "SPECIAL PETITIONS". In this version, these are +represented by six lines of underscores. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Ministry of Intercession, by Andrew Murray + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MINISTRY OF INTERCESSION *** + +***** This file should be named 29296-8.txt or 29296-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/9/2/9/29296/ + +Produced by Heiko Evermann, Nigel Blower and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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