,,the ,,ministry ,,of ,,intercession ,a ,,plea ,,for ,,more ,,prayer ,,by ,,the ,,rev4 ,,andrew ,,murray ,,wellington1 ,s4 ,,africa ,,author ,,of ,,the ,,holiest ,,of ,,all ,,abide ,,in ,,christ ,,waiting ,,on ,,god ,,the ,,lord',s ,,table ,,etc4 ,,etc4 ,i have set watchmen upon thy walls1 ,o ,jerusalem1 which shall never hold their peace day nor night3 ye that are the ,lord's remembrancers1 keep not silence1 and give ,him no rest1 till ,he establish1 and till ,he make ,jerusalem a praise in the earth4 ,,isa4 lxii4 #f1 #g4 ,,third ,,edition ,london ,,james ,,nisbet ,,co4 ,,limited #ba ,,berners ,,street1 ,w4 #ahih ,,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 ,,langlaagte1 ,,johannesburg1 ,,and ,,heilbron ,,durban ,,and ,,pietermaritzburg ,,king ,,william',s ,,town1 ,,port ,,elizabeth ,,and ,,stellenbosch ,,this ,,volume ,,is ,,affectionately ,,inscribed ,,contents ,,chap4 ,,page ,i4 ,,the ,,lack ,,of ,,prayer #i ,,ii4 ,,the ,,ministration ,,of ,,the ,,spirit ,,and ,,prayer #bj ,,iii4 ,a ,,model ,,of ,,intercession #ca ,,iv4 ,,because ,,of ,,his ,,importunity #dc ,v4 ,,the ,,life ,,that ,,can ,,pray #ee ,,vi4 ,,restraining ,,prayer--,,is ,,it ,,sin8 #fg ,,vii4 ,,who ,,shall ,,deliver8 #gh ,,viii4 ,,wilt ,,thou ,,be ,,made ,,whole8 #ia ,,ix4 ,,the ,,secret ,,of ,,effectual ,,prayer #ajd ,x4 ,,the ,,spirit ,,of ,,supplication #aaf ,,xi4 ,,in ,,the ,,name ,,of ,,christ #abi ,,xii4 ,,my ,,god ,,will ,,hear ,,me #adc ,,xiii4 ,,paul ,a ,,pattern ,,of ,,prayer #aee ,,xiv4 ,,god ,,seeks ,,intercessors #afi ,,xv4 ,,the ,,coming ,,revival #ahj ,,note ,a #aic ,,note ,b #aid ,,note ,c #aie ,,note ,d #aif ,,note ,e #aih ,,note ,f #aii ,,pray ,,without ,,ceasing3 ,,helps ,,to ,,intercession #bja ,,the ,,ministry ,,of ,,intercession ,there is no holy service ,but hath its secret bliss3 ,yet1 of all blessd ministries1 ,is one so dear as this8 ,the ministry that cannot be ,a wondering seraph's dower1 ,enduing mortal weakness ,with more than angel-power2 ,the ministry of purest love ,uncrossed by any fear1 ,that bids us meet ,at the ,master's feet ,and keeps us very near4 ,god's ministers are many1 ,for this ,his gracious will1 ,remembrancers that day and night ,this holy office fill4 ,while some are hushed in slumber1 ,some to fresh service wake1 ,and thus the saintly number ,no change or chance can break4 ,and thus the sacred courses ,are evermore fulfilled1 ,the tide of grace ,by time or place ,is never stayed or stilled4 ,oh1 if our ears were opened ,to hear as angels do ,the ,intercession-chorus ,arising full and true1 ,we should hear it soft up-welling ,in morning's pearly light2 ,through evening's shadows swelling ,in grandly gathering might2 ,the sultry silence filling ,of noontide's thunderous glow1 ,and the solemn starlight thrilling ,with ever-deepening flow4 ,we should hear it through the rushing ,of the city's restless roar1 ,and trace its gentle gushing ,o'er ocean's crystal floor3 ,we should hear it far up-floating ,beneath the ,orient moon1 ,and catch the golden noting ,from the busy ,western noon2 ,and pine-robed heights would echo ,as the mystic chant up-floats1 ,and the sunny plain ,resound again ,with the myriad-mingling notes4 ,who are the blessd ministers ,of this world-gathering band8 ,all who have learnt one language1 ,through each far-parted land2 ,all who have learnt the story ,of ,jesu's love and grace1 ,and are longing for ,his glory ,to shine in every face4 ,all who have known the ,father ,in ,jesus ,christ our ,lord1 ,and know the might ,and love the light ,of the ,spirit in the ,word4 ,yet there are some who see not ,their calling high and grand1 ,who seldom pass the portals1 ,and never boldly stand ,before the golden altar ,on the crimson-staind floor1 ,who wait afar and falter1 ,and dare not hope for more4 ,will ye not join the blessd ranks ,in their beautiful array8 ,let intercession blend with thanks ,as ye minister to-day6 ,there are little ones among them ,child-ministers of prayer1 ,white robes of intercession ,those tiny servants wear4 ,first for the near and dear ones ,is that fair ministry1 ,then for the poor black children1 ,so far beyond the sea4 ,the busy hands are folded1 ,as the little heart uplifts ,in simple love1 ,to ,god above1 ,its prayer for all good gifts4 ,there are hands too often weary ,with the business of the day1 ,with ,god-entrusted duties1 ,who are toiling while they pray4 ,they bear the golden vials1 ,and the golden harps of praise ,through all the daily trials1 ,through all the dusty ways1 ,these hands1 so tired1 so faithful1 ,with odours sweet are filled1 ,and in the ministry of prayer ,are wonderfully skilled4 ,there are ministers unlettered1 ,not of ,earth's great and wise1 ,yet mighty and unfettered ,their eagle-prayers arise4 ,free of the heavenly storehouse6 ,for they hold the master-key ,that opens all the fulness ,of ,god's great treasury4 ,they bring the needs of others1 ,and all things are their own1 ,for their one grand claim ,is ,jesu's name ,before their ,father's throne4 ,there are noble ,christian workers1 ,the men of faith and power1 ,the overcoming wrestlers ,of many a midnight hour2 ,prevailing princes with their ,god1 ,who will not be denied1 ,who bring down showers of blessing ,to swell the rising tide4 ,the ,prince of ,darkness quaileth ,at their triumphant way1 ,their fervent prayer availeth ,to sap his subtle sway4 ,but in this temple service ,are sealed and set apart ,arch-priests of intercession1 ,of undivided heart4 ,the fulness of anointing ,on these is doubly shed1 ,the consecration of their ,god ,is on each low-bowed head4 ,they bear the golden vials ,with white and trembling hand2 ,in quiet room ,or wakeful gloom ,these ministers must stand1-- ,to the ,intercession-,priesthood ,mysteriously ordained1 ,when the strange dark gift of suffering ,this added gift hath gained4 ,for the holy hands uplifted ,in suffering's longest hour ,are truly ,spirit-gifted ,with intercession-power4 ,the ,lord of ,blessing fills them ,with ,his uncounted gold1 ,an unseen store1 ,still more and more1 ,those trembling hands shall hold4 ,not always with rejoicing ,this ministry is wrought1 ,for many a sigh is mingled ,with the sweet odours brought4 ,yet every tear bedewing ,the faith-fed altar fire ,may be its bright renewing ,to purer flame1 and higher4 ,but when the oil of gladness ,god graciously outpours1 ,the heavenward blaze1 ,with blended praise1 ,more mightily upsoars4 ,so the incense-cloud ascendeth ,as through calm1 crystal air1 ,a pillar reaching unto heaven ,of wreathd faith and prayer4 ,for evermore the ,angel ,of ,intercession stands ,in ,his ,divine ,high ,priesthood ,with fragrance-filld hands1 ,to wave the golden censer ,before ,his ,father's throne1 ,with ,spirit-fire intenser1 ,and incense all ,his own4 ,and evermore the ,father ,sends radiantly down ,all-marvellous responses1 ,his ministers to crown2 ,the incense-cloud returning ,as golden blessing-showers1 ,we in each drop discerning ,some feeble prayer of ours1 ,transmuted into wealth unpriced1 ,by ,him who giveth thus ,the glory all to ,jesus ,christ1 ,the gladness all to us6 ,f4 ,r4 ,,havergal4 ,september #ahgg4 ,,introduction ,i have been asked by a friend1 who heard of this book being published1 what the difference would be between it and the previous one on the same subject1 ,,with ,,christ ,,in ,,the ,,school ,,of ,,prayer4 ,an answer to that question may be the best introduction ,i can give to the present volume4 ,any acceptance the former work has had must be attributed1 as far as the contents go1 to the prominence given to two great truths4 ,the one was1 the certainty that prayer will be answered4 ,there is with some an idea that to ask and expect an answer is not the highest form of prayer4 ,fellowship with ,god1 apart from any request1 is more than supplication4 ,about the petition there is something of selfishness and bargaining--to worship is more than to beg4 ,with others the thought that prayer is so often unanswered is so prominent1 that they think more of the spiritual benefit derived from the exercise of prayer than the actual gifts to be obtained by it4 ,while admitting the measure of truth in these views1 when kept in their true place1 ,,the ,,school ,,of ,,prayer points out how our ,lord continually spoke of prayer as a means of obtaining what we desire1 and how ,he seeks in every possible way to waken in us the confident expectation of an answer4 ,i was led to show how prayer1 in which a man could enter into the mind of ,god1 could assert the royal power of a renewed will1 and bring down to earth what without prayer would not have been given1 is the highest proof of his having been made in the likeness of ,god's ,son4 ,he is found worthy of entering into fellowship with ,him1 not only in adoration and worship1 but in having his will actually taken up into the rule of the world1 and becoming the intelligent channel through which ,god can fulfil his eternal purpose4 ,the book sought to reiterate and enforce the precious truths ,christ preaches so continually3 the blessing of prayer is that you can ask and receive what you will3 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 give4 ,with this truth there was a second one that came out very strongly as we studied the ,master's words4 ,in answer to the question1 ,but why1 if the answer to prayer is so positively promised1 why are there such numberless unanswered prayers8 we found that ,christ taught us that the answer depended upon certain conditions4 ,he spoke of faith1 of perseverance1 of praying in ,his ,name1 of praying in the will of ,god4 ,but all these conditions were summed up in the one central one3 ,if ye abide in ,me1 ask whatsoever ye will and it shall be done unto you4 ,it became clear that the power to pray the effectual prayer of faith depended upon the life4 ,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 vine1 that these promises can come true4 ,in that day1 ,christ said1 the day of ,pentecost1 ye shall ask in ,my ,name4 ,it is only in a life full of the ,holy ,spirit that the true power to ask in ,christ's ,name can be known4 ,this led to the emphasising the truth that the ordinary ,christian life cannot appropriate these promises4 ,it needs a spiritual life1 altogether sound and vigorous1 to pray in power4 ,the teaching naturally led to press the need of a life of entire consecration4 ,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 lived1 and must be lived1 if ,christ's wonderful promises are to come true to us4 ,in regard to these two truths there is no change in the present volume4 ,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 children3 ,ask whatsoever ye will1 and it shall be done unto you4 ,the present volume owes its existence to the desire to enforce two truths1 of which formerly ,i had no such impression as now4 ,the one is--that ,christ actually meant prayer to be the great power by which ,his ,church should do its work1 and that the neglect of prayer is the great reason the ,church has not greater power over the masses in ,christian and in heathen countries4 ,in the first chapter ,i have stated how my convictions in regard to this have been strengthened1 and what gave occasion to the writing of the book4 ,it is meant to be1 on behalf of myself and my brethren in the ministry and all ,god's people1 a confession of shortcoming and of sin1 and1 at the same time1 a call to believe that things can be different1 and that ,christ waits to fit us by ,his ,spirit to pray as ,he would have us4 ,this call1 of course1 brings me back to what ,i spoke of in connection with the former volume3 that there is a life in the ,spirit1 a life of abiding in ,christ1 within our reach1 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 before4 ,any failure in the prayer-life1 any desire or hope really to take the place ,christ has prepared for us1 brings us to the very root of the doctrine of grace as manifested in the ,christian life4 ,it is only by a full surrender to the life of abiding1 by the yielding to the fulness of the ,spirit's leading and quickening1 that the prayer-life can be restored to a truly healthy state4 ,i feel deeply how little ,i have been able to put this in the volume as ,i could wish4 ,i have prayed and am trusting that ,god1 who chooses the weak things1 will use it for ,his own glory4 ,the second truth which ,i have sought to enforce is that we have far too little conception of the place that intercession1 as distinguished from prayer for ourselves1 ought to have in the ,church and the ,christian life4 ,in intercession our ,king upon the throne finds ,his highest glory2 in it we shall find our highest glory too4 ,through it ,he continues ,his saving work1 and can do nothing without it2 through it alone we can do our work1 and nothing avails without it4 ,in it ,he ever receives from the ,father the ,holy ,spirit and all spiritual blessings to impart2 in it we too are called to receive in ourselves the fulness of ,god's ,spirit1 with the power to impart spiritual blessing to others4 ,the power of the ,church truly to bless rests on intercession--asking and receiving heavenly gifts to carry to men4 ,because this is so1 it is no wonder that where1 owing to lack of teaching or spiritual insight1 we trust in our own diligence and effort1 to the influence of the world and the flesh1 and work more than we pray1 the presence and power of ,god are not seen in our work as we would wish4 ,such thoughts have led me to wonder what could be done to rouse believers to a sense of their high calling in this1 and to help and train them to take part in it4 ,and so this book differs from the former one in the attempt to open a practising school1 and to invite all who have never taken systematic part in the great work of intercession to begin and give themselves to it4 ,there are tens of thousands of workers who have known and are proving wonderfully what prayer can do4 ,but there are tens of thousands who work with but little prayer1 and as many more who do not work because they do not know how or where1 who might all be won to swell the host of intercessors who are to bring down the blessings of heaven to earth4 ,for their sakes1 and the sake of all who feel the need of help1 ,i have prepared helps and hints for a school of intercession for a month 7see the ,appendix74 ,i have asked those who would join1 to begin by giving at least ten minutes a day definitely to this work4 ,it is in doing that we learn to do2 it is as we take hold and begin that the help of ,god's ,spirit will come4 ,it is as we daily hear ,god's call1 and at once put it into practice1 that the consciousness will begin to live in us1 ,i too am an intercessor2 and that we shall feel the need of living in ,christ and being full of the ,spirit if we are to do this work aright4 ,nothing will so test and stimulate the ,christian life as the honest attempt to be an intercessor4 ,it is difficult to conceive how much we ourselves and the ,church will be the gainers1 if with our whole heart we accept the post of honour ,god is offering us4 ,with regard to the school of intercession1 ,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 intercede4 ,and a second and a third month may only deepen the sense of ignorance and unfitness4 ,this will be an unspeakable blessing4 ,the confession1 ,we know not how to pray as we ought1 is the introduction to the experience1 ,the ,spirit maketh intercession for us--our sense of ignorance will lead us to depend upon the ,spirit praying in us1 to feel the need of living in the ,spirit4 ,we have heard a great deal of systematic ,bible study1 and we praise ,god for thousands on thousands of ,bible classes and ,bible readings4 ,let all the leaders of such classes see whether they could not open prayer classes--helping their students to pray in secret1 and training them to be1 above everything1 men of prayer4 ,let ministers ask what they can do in this4 ,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 answer4 ,throughout ,scripture1 in the life of every saint1 of ,god's own ,son1 throughout the history of ,god's ,church1 ,god is1 first of all1 a prayer-hearing ,god4 ,let us try and help ,god's children to know their ,god1 and encourage all ,god's servants to labour with the assurance3 the chief and most blessed part of my work is to ask and receive from my ,father what ,i can bring to others4 ,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 one4 ,ask whatsoever ye will1 and it shall be done to you2 ,whatever ye ask1 believe that ye have received3 these great prayer-promises1 as part of the ,church's enduement of power for her work1 are to be taken as literally and actually true4 ,if ye abide in ,me1 and ,my words abide in you2 ,in that day ye shall ask in ,my ,name3 these great prayer-conditions are universal and unchangeable4 ,a life abiding in ,christ and filled with the ,spirit1 a life entirely given up as a branch for the work of the vine1 has the power to claim these promises and to pray the effectual prayer that availeth much4 ,lord1 teach us to pray4 ,,andrew ,,murray4 ,,wellington1 #ast ,september #ahig4 ,a ,,plea ,,for ,,more ,,prayer ,,chapter ,i ,the ,lack of ,prayer ,ye have not1 because ye ask not4--,,jas4 iv4 #b4 ,and ,he saw that there was no man1 and wondered that there was no intercessor4--,,isa4 lix4 #af4 ,there is none that calleth upon ,thy name1 that stirreth up himself to take hold of ,thee4--,,isa4 lxiv4 #g4 ,at our last ,wellington ,convention for the ,deepening of the ,spiritual ,life1 in ,april1 the forenoon meetings were devoted to prayer and intercession4 ,great blessing was found1 both in listening to what the ,word teaches of their need and power1 and in joining in continued united supplication4 ,many felt that we know too little of persevering importunate prayer1 and that it is indeed one of the greatest needs of the ,church4 ,during the past two months ,i have been attending a number of ,conventions4 ,at the first1 a ,dutch ,missionary ,conference at ,langlaagte1 ,prayer had been chosen as the subject of the addresses4 ,at the next1 at ,johannesburg1 a brother in business gave expression to his deep conviction that the great want of the ,church of our day was1 more of the spirit and practice of intercession4 ,a week later we had a ,dutch ,ministerial ,conference in the ,free ,state1 where three days were spent1 after two days' services in the congregation on the work of the ,holy ,spirit1 in considering the relation of the ,spirit to prayer4 ,at the ministerial meetings held at most of the succeeding conventions1 we were led to take up the subject1 and everywhere there was the confession3 ,we pray too little6 ,and with this there appeared to be a fear that1 with the pressure of duty and the force of habit1 it was almost impossible to hope for any great change4 ,i cannot say what a deep impression was made upon me by these conversations4 ,most of all1 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 effected1 and real deliverance found from a failure which cannot but hinder our own joy in ,god1 and our power in ,his service4 ,and ,i prayed ,god to give me words that might not only help to direct attention to the evil1 but1 specially1 that might stir up faith1 and waken the assurance that ,god by ,his ,spirit will enable us to pray as we ought4 ,let me begin1 for the sake of those who have never had their attention directed to the matter1 by stating some of the facts that prove how universal is the sense of shortcoming in this respect4 ,last year there appeared a report of an address to ministers by ,dr4 ,whyte1 of ,free ,st4 ,george's1 ,edinburgh4 ,in that he said that1 as a young minister1 he had thought that1 of the time he had over from pastoral visitation1 he ought to spend as much as possible with his books in his study4 ,he wanted to feed his people with the very best he could prepare for them4 ,but he had now learned that prayer was of more importance than study4 ,he reminded his brethren of the election of deacons to take charge of the collections1 that the twelve might give themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word1 and said that at times1 when the deacons brought him his salary1 he had to ask himself whether he had been as faithful in his engagement as the deacons had been to theirs4 ,he felt as if it were almost too late to regain what he had lost1 and urged his brethren to pray more4 ,what a solemn confession and warning from one of the high places3 ,we pray too little6 ,during the ,regent ,square ,convention two years ago the subject came up in conversation with a well-known ,london minister4 ,he urged that if so much time must be given to prayer1 it would involve the neglect of the imperative calls of duty ,there is the morning post1 before breakfast1 with ten or twelve letters which must be answered4 ,then there are committee meetings waiting1 with numberless other engagements1 more than enough to fill up the day4 ,it is difficult to see how it can be done4 ,my answer was1 in substance1 that it was simply a question of whether the call of ,god for our time and attention was of more importance than that of man4 ,if ,god was waiting to meet us1 and to give us blessing and power from heaven for ,his work1 it was a short-sighted policy to put other work in the place which ,god and waiting on ,him should have4 ,at one of our ministerial meetings1 the superintendent of a large district put the case thus3 ,i rise in the morning and have half an hour with ,god1 in the ,word and prayer1 in my room before breakfast4 ,i go out1 and am occupied all day with a multiplicity of engagements4 ,i do not think many minutes elapse without my breathing a prayer for guidance or help4 ,after my day's work1 ,i return in my evening devotions and speak to ,god of the day's work4 ,but of the intense1 definite1 importunate prayer of which ,scripture speaks one knows little4 ,what1 he asked1 must ,i think of such a life8 ,we all know the difference between a man whose profits are just enough to maintain his family and keep up his business1 and another whose income enables him to extend the business and to help others4 ,there may be an earnest ,christian life in which there is prayer enough to keep us from going back1 and just maintain the position we have attained to1 without much of growth in spirituality or ,christlikeness4 ,the attitude is more defensive1 seeking to ward off temptation1 than aggressive1 reaching out after higher attainment4 ,if there is indeed to be a going from strength to strength1 with some large experience of ,god's power to sanctify ourselves and to bring down real blessing on others1 there must be more definite and persevering prayer4 ,the ,scripture teaching about crying day and night1 continuing steadfastly in prayer1 watching unto prayer1 being heard for his importunity1 must in some degree become our experience if we are really to be intercessors4 ,at the very next ,convention the same question was put in somewhat different form4 ,i am at the head of a station1 with a large outlying district to care for4 ,i see the importance of much prayer1 and yet my life hardly leaves room for it4 ,are we to submit8 ,or tell us how we can attain to what we desire8 ,i admitted that the difficulty was universal4 ,i recalled the words of one of our most honoured ,south ,african missionaries1 now gone to his rest3 he had the same complaint4 ,in the morning at five the sick people are at the door waiting for medicine4 ,at six the printers come1 and ,i have to set them to work and teach them4 ,at nine the school calls me1 and till late at night ,i am kept busy with a large correspondence4 ,in my answer ,i quoted a ,dutch proverb3 ',what is heaviest must weigh heaviest1'--must have the first place4 ,the law of ,god is unchangeable3 as on earth1 so in our traffic with heaven1 we only get as we give4 ,unless we are willing to pay the price1 and sacrifice time and attention and what appear legitimate or necessary duties1 for the sake of the heavenly gifts1 we need not look for a large experience of the power of the heavenly world in our work4 ,the whole company present joined in the sad confession2 it had been thought over1 and mourned over1 times without number2 and yet1 somehow1 there they were1 all these pressing claims1 and all the ineffectual resolves to pray more1 barring the way4 ,i need not now say to what further thoughts our conversation led2 the substance of them will be found in some of the later chapters in this volume4 ,let me call just one more witness4 ,in the course of my journey ,i met with one of the ,cowley ,fathers1 who had just been holding ,retreats for clergy of the ,english ,church4 ,i was interested to hear from him the line of teaching he follows4 ,in the course of conversation he used the expression--the distraction of business1 and it came out that he found it one of the great difficulties he had to deal with in himself and others4 ,of himself1 he said that by the vows of his ,order he was bound to give himself specially to prayer4 ,but he found it exceedingly difficult4 ,every day he had to be at four different points of the town he lived in2 his predecessor had left him the charge of a number of committees where he was expected to do all the work2 it was as if everything conspired to keep him from prayer4 ,all this testimony surely suffices to make clear that prayer has not the place it ought to have in our ministerial and ,christian life2 that the shortcoming is one of which all are willing to make confession2 and that the difficulties in the way of deliverance are such as to make a return to a true and full prayer-life almost impossible4 ,blessed be ,god--,the things that are impossible with men are possible with ,god6 ,god is able to make all grace abound toward you1 that ye1 always having all sufficiency in all things1 may abound to all good work4 ,do let us believe that ,god's call to much prayer need not be a burden and cause of continual self-condemnation4 ,he means it to be a joy4 ,he can make it an inspiration1 giving us strength for all our work1 and bringing down ,his power to work through us in our fellowmen4 ,let us not fear to admit to the full the sin that shames us1 and then to face it in the name of our ,mighty ,redeemer4 ,the light that shows us our sin and condemns us for it1 will show us the way out of it1 into the life of liberty that is well-pleasing to ,god4 ,if we allow this one matter1 unfaithfulness in prayer1 to convict us of the lack in our ,christian life which lies at the root of it1 ,god will use the discovery to bring us not only the power to pray that we long for1 but the joy of a new and healthy life1 of which prayer is the spontaneous expression4 ,and what is now the way by which our sense of the lack of prayer can be made the means of blessing1 the entrance on a path in which the evil may be conquered8 ,how can our intercourse with the ,father1 in continual prayer and intercession1 become what it ought to be1 if we and the world around us are to be blessed8 ,as it appears to me1 we must begin by going back to ,god's ,word1 to study what the place is ,god means prayer to have in the life of ,his child and ,his ,church4 ,a fresh sight of what prayer is according to the will of ,god1 of what our prayers can be1 through the grace of ,god1 will free us from those feeble defective views1 in regard to the absolute necessity of continual prayer1 which lie at the root of our failure4 ,as we get an insight into the reasonableness and rightness of this divine appointment1 and come under the full conviction of how wonderfully it fits in with ,god's love and our own happiness1 we shall be freed from the false impression of its being an arbitrary demand4 ,we shall with our whole heart and soul consent to it and rejoice in it1 as the one only possible way for the blessing of heaven to come to earth4 ,all thought of task and burden1 of self-effort and strain1 will pass away in the blessed faith that as simple as breathing is in the healthy natural life1 will praying be in the ,christian life that is led and filled by the ,spirit of ,god4 ,as we occupy ourselves with and accept this teaching of ,god's ,word on prayer1 we shall be led to see how our failure in the prayer-life was owing to failure in the ,spirit-life4 ,prayer is one of the most heavenly and spiritual of the functions of the ,spirit-life4 ,how could we try or expect to fulfil it so as to please ,god1 except as our soul is in perfect health1 and our life truly possessed and moved by ,god's ,spirit8 ,the insight into the place ,god means prayer to take1 and which it only can take1 in a full ,christian life1 will show us that we have not been living the true1 the abundant life1 and that any thought of praying more and effectually will be vain1 except as we are brought into a closer relation to our ,blessed ,lord ,jesus4 ,christ is our life1 ,christ liveth in us1 in such reality that ,his life of prayer on earth1 and of intercession in heaven1 is breathed into us in just such measure as our surrender and our faith allow and accept it4 ,jesus ,christ is the ,healer of all diseases1 the ,conqueror of all enemies1 the ,deliverer from all sin2 if our failure teaches us to turn afresh to ,him1 and find in ,him the grace ,he gives to pray as we ought1 this humiliation may become our greatest blessing4 ,let us all unite in praying ,god that ,he would visit our souls and fit us for that work of intercession1 which is at this moment the greatest need of the ,church and the world4 ,it is only by intercession that that power can be brought down from ,heaven which will enable the ,church to conquer the world4 ,let us stir up the slumbering gift that is lying unused1 and seek to gather and train and band together as many as we can1 to be ,god's remembrancers1 and to give ,him no rest till ,he makes ,his ,church a joy in the earth4 ,nothing but intense believing prayer can meet the intense spirit of worldliness1 of which complaint is everywhere made4 ,a ,,plea ,,for ,,more ,,prayer ,,chapter ,,ii ,the ,ministration of the ,spirit and ,prayer ,if ye1 being evil1 know how to give good gifts to your children2 how much more shall your ,heavenly ,father give the ,holy ,spirit to them that ask ,him8--,,luke xi4 #ac4 ,christ had just said 7v4 #i71 ,ask1 and it shall be given3 ,god's giving is inseparably connected with our asking4 ,he applies this especially to the ,holy ,spirit4 ,as surely as a father on earth gives bread to his child1 so ,god gives the ,holy ,spirit to them that ask ,him4 ,the whole ministration of the ,spirit is ruled by the one great law3 ,god must give1 we must ask4 ,when the ,holy ,spirit was poured out at ,pentecost with a flow that never ceases1 it was in answer to prayer4 ,the inflow into the believer's heart1 and ,his outflow in the rivers of living water1 ever still depend upon the law3 ,ask1 and it shall be given4 ,in connection with our confession of the lack of prayer1 we have said that what we need is some due apprehension of the place it occupies in ,god's plan of redemption2 we shall perhaps nowhere see this more clearly than in the first half of the ,acts of the ,apostles4 ,the story of the birth of the ,church in the outpouring of the ,holy ,spirit1 and of the first freshness of its heavenly life in the power of that ,spirit1 will teach us how prayer on earth1 whether as cause or effect1 is the true measure of the presence of the ,spirit of heaven4 ,we begin with the well-known words 7i4 #ac71 ,these all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication4 ,and then there follows3 ,and when the day of ,pentecost was fully come1 they were all with one accord in one place4 ,and they were all filled with the ,holy ,ghost4 ,and the same day there were added to them about three thousand souls4 ,the great work of redemption had been accomplished4 ,the ,holy ,spirit had been promised by ,christ not many days hence4 ,he had sat down on ,his throne and received the ,spirit from the ,father4 ,but all this was not enough4 ,one thing more was needed3 the ten days' united continued supplication of the disciples4 ,it was intense1 continued prayer that prepared the disciples' hearts1 that opened the windows of heaven1 that brought down the promised gift4 ,as little as the power of the ,spirit could be given without ,christ sitting on the throne1 could it descend without the disciples on the footstool of the throne4 ,for all the ages the law is laid down here1 at the birth of the ,church1 that whatever else may be found on earth1 the power of the ,spirit must be prayed down from heaven4 ,the measure of believing1 continued prayer will be the measure of the ,spirit's working in the ,church4 ,direct1 definite1 determined prayer is what we need4 ,see how this is confirmed in chapter iv4 ,peter and ,john had been brought before the ,council and threatened with punishment4 ,when they returned to their brethren1 and reported what had been said to them1 all lifted up their voice to ,god with one accord1 and prayed for boldness to speak the word4 ,and when they had prayed1 the place was shaken1 and they were all filled with the ,holy ,ghost1 and they spake the word of ,god with boldness4 ,and the multitude of them that believed were one heart and one soul4 ,and with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the ,lord ,jesus2 and great grace was upon them all4 ,it is as if the story of ,pentecost is repeated a second time over1 with the prayer1 the shaking of the house1 the filling with the ,spirit1 the speaking ,god's word with boldness and power1 the great grace upon all1 the manifestation of unity and love--to imprint it ineffaceably on the heart of the ,church3 it is prayer that lies at the root of the spiritual life and power of the ,church4 ,the measure of ,god's giving the ,spirit is our asking4 ,he gives as a father to him who asks as a child4 ,go on to the sixth chapter4 ,there we find that1 when murmurings arose as to the neglect of the ,grecian ,jews in the distribution of alms1 the apostles proposed the appointment of deacons to serve the tables4 ,we1 they said1 will give ourselves to prayer and the ministry of the word4 ,it is often said1 and rightly said1 that there is nothing in honest business1 when it is kept in its place as entirely subordinate to the kingdom1 which must ever be first1 that need prevent fellowship with ,god4 ,least of all ought a work like ministering to the poor hinder the spiritual life4 ,and yet the apostles felt it would hinder them in their giving themselves to the ministry of prayer and the word4 ,what does this teach8 ,that the maintenance of the spirit of prayer1 such as is consistent with the claims of much work1 is not enough for those who are the leaders of the ,church4 ,to keep up the communication with the ,king on the throne and the heavenly world clear and fresh2 to draw down the power and blessing of that world1 not only for the maintenance of our own spiritual life1 but for those around us2 continually to receive instruction and empowerment for the great work to be done--the apostles1 as the ministers of the word1 felt the need of being free from other duties1 that they might give themselves to much prayer4 ,james writes3 ,pure religion and undefiled before ,god and the ,father is this1 ,to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction4 ,if ever any work were a sacred one1 it was that of caring for these ,grecian widows4 ,and yet1 even such duties might interfere with the special calling to give themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word4 ,as on earth1 so in the kingdom of heaven1 there is power in the division of labour2 and while some1 like the deacons1 had specially to care for serving the tables and ministering the alms of the ,church here on earth1 others had to be set free for that steadfast continuance in prayer which would uninterruptedly secure the downflow of the powers of the heavenly world4 ,the minister of ,christ is set apart to give himself as much to prayer as to the ministry of the word4 ,in faithful obedience to this law is the secret of the ,church's power and success4 ,as before1 so after ,pentecost1 the apostles were men given up to prayer4 ,in chapter viii4 we have the intimate connection between the ,pentecostal gift and prayer1 from another point of view4 ,at ,samaria1 ,philip had preached with great blessing1 and many had believed4 ,but the ,holy ,ghost was1 as yet1 fallen on none of them4 ,the apostles sent down ,peter and ,john to pray for them1 that they might receive the ,holy ,ghost4 ,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 glory1 the work that was essential to the perfection of the life that preaching and baptism1 faith and conversion had only begun4 ,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 believers4 ,this power is given to the men who say3 ,we will give ourselves to prayer4 ,in the outpouring of the ,holy ,spirit1 in the house of ,cornelius at ,csarea1 we have another testimony to the wondrous interdependence of the action of prayer and the ,spirit1 and another proof of what will come to a man who has given himself to prayer4 ,peter went up at midday to pray on the housetop4 ,and what happened8 ,he saw heaven opened1 and there came the vision that revealed to him the cleansing of the ,gentiles2 with that came the message of the three men from ,cornelius1 a man who prayed alway1 and had heard from an angel1 ,thy prayers are come up before ,god2 and then the voice of the ,spirit was heard saying1 ,go with them4 ,it is ,peter praying1 to whom the will of ,god is revealed1 to whom guidance is given as to going to ,csarea1 and who is brought into contact with a praying and prepared company of hearers4 ,no wonder that in answer to all this prayer a blessing comes beyond all expectation1 and the ,holy ,ghost is poured out upon the ,gentiles4 ,a much-praying minister will receive an entrance into ,god's will he would otherwise know nothing of2 will be brought to praying people where he does not expect them2 will receive blessing above all he asks or thinks4 ,the teaching and the power of the ,holy ,ghost are alike unalterably linked to prayer4 ,our next reference will show us faith in the power that the ,church's prayer has with its glorified ,king1 as it is found1 not only in the apostles1 but in the ,christian community4 ,in chapter xii4 we have the story of ,peter in prison on the eve of execution4 ,the death of ,james had aroused the ,church to a sense of real danger1 and the thought of losing ,peter too1 wakened up all its energies4 ,it betook itself to prayer4 ,prayer was made of the ,church without ceasing to ,god for him4 ,that prayer availed much2 ,peter was delivered4 ,when he came to the house of ,mary1 he found many gathered together praying4 ,stone walls and double chains1 soldiers and keepers1 and the iron gate1 all gave way before the power from heaven that prayer brought down to his rescue4 ,the whole power of the ,roman ,empire1 as represented by ,herod1 was impotent in presence of the power the ,church of the ,holy ,spirit wielded in prayer4 ,they stood in such close and living communication with their ,lord in heaven2 they knew so well that the words1 all power is given unto ,me1 and ,lo ,i am with you alway1 were absolutely true2 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 earth1 and would work at their request and on their behalf4 ,the ,pentecostal ,church believed in prayer1 and practised it4 ,just one more illustration of the place and the blessing of prayer among men filled with the ,holy ,spirit4 ,in chapter xiii4 we have the names of five men at ,antioch who had given themselves specially to ministering to the ,lord with prayer and fasting4 ,their giving themselves to prayer was not in vain3 as they ministered to the ,lord1 the ,holy ,spirit met them1 and gave them new insight into ,god's plans4 ,he called them to be fellow-workers with ,himself2 there was a work to which ,he had called ,barnabas and ,saul2 their part and privilege would be to separate these men with renewed fasting and prayer1 and to let them go1 sent forth of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,god in heaven would not send forth ,his chosen servants without the co-operation of ,his ,church2 men on earth were to have a real partnership in the work of ,god4 ,it was prayer that fitted and prepared them for this2 it was to praying men the ,holy ,ghost gave authority to do ,his work and use ,his name4 ,it was to prayer the ,holy ,ghost was given4 ,it is still prayer that is the only secret of true ,church extension1 that is guided from heaven to find and send forth ,god-called and ,god-empowered men4 ,to prayer the ,holy ,spirit will show the men ,he has selected2 to prayer that sets them apart under ,his guidance ,he will give the honour of knowing that they are men1 sent forth by the ,holy ,ghost4 ,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 ,ghost1 who comes in answer to it4 ,as one looks back upon these chapters in the history of the ,pentecostal ,church1 how clear the two great truths stand out3 where there is much prayer there will be much of the ,spirit2 where there is much of the ,spirit there will be ever-increasing prayer4 ,so clear is the living connection between the two1 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 grace4 ,if prayer was thus the power by which the ,primitive ,church flourished and triumphed1 is it not the one need of the ,church of our days8 ,let us learn what ought to be counted axioms in our ,church work3-- ,heaven is still as full of stores of spiritual blessing as it was then4 ,god still delights to give the ,holy ,spirit to them that ask ,him4 ,our life and work are still as dependent on the direct impartation of ,divine power as they were in ,pentecostal times4 ,prayer is still the appointed means for drawing down these heavenly blessings in power on ourselves and those around us4 ,god still seeks for men and women who will1 with all their other work of ministering1 specially give themselves to persevering prayer4 ,and we--you1 my reader1 and ,i--may have the privilege of offering ourselves to ,god to labour in prayer1 and bring down these blessings to this earth4 ,shall we not beseech ,god to make all this truth so living in us that we may not rest till it has mastered us1 and our whole heart be so filled with it1 that the practice of intercession shall be counted by us our highest privilege1 and we find in it the sure and only measure for blessing on ourselves1 on the ,church1 and on the world8 ,a ,,plea ,,for ,,more ,,prayer ,,chapter ,,iii ,a ,model of ,intercession ,and he said unto them1 ,which of you shall have a friend1 and shall go unto him at midnight1 and shall say unto him1 ,friend1 lend me three loaves2 for a friend of mine is come unto me from a journey1 and ,i have nothing to set before him2 and he from within shall answer and say1 ,trouble me not3 ,i cannot rise and give thee8 ,i say unto you1 ,though he will not rise and give him1 because he is his friend1 yet1 because of his importunity1 he will arise and give him as many as he needeth4--,,luke xi4 #e-h4 ,i have set watchmen upon thy walls1 ,o ,jerusalem1 which shall never hold their peace day nor night3 ye that are the ,lord's remembrancers1 keep not silence1 and give ,him no rest4--,,isa4 lxii4 #f1 #g4 ,we have seen in our previous chapter what power prayer has4 ,it is the one power on earth that commands the power of heaven4 ,the story of the early days of the ,church is ,god's great object-lesson1 to teach ,his ,church what prayer can do1 how it alone1 but it most surely1 can draw down the treasures and powers of heaven into the life of earth4 ,just remember the lessons we learnt of how prayer is at once indispensable and irresistible4 ,did we not see how unknown and untold power and blessing is stored up for us in heaven8--how that power will make us a blessing to men1 and fit us to do any work or face any danger8 how it is to be sought in prayer continually and persistently8 how they who have the heavenly power can pray it down upon others8 how in all the intercourse of ministers and people1 in all the ministrations of ,christ's ,church1 it is the one secret of success8 how it can defy all the power of the world1 and fit men to conquer that world for ,christ8 ,it is the power of the heavenly life1 the power of ,god's own ,spirit1 the power of ,omnipotence1 that waits for prayer to bring it down4 ,in all this prayer there was little thought of personal need or happiness4 ,it was the desire to witness for ,christ and bring ,him and ,his salvation to others1 it was the thought of ,god's kingdom and glory1 that possessed these disciples4 ,if we would be delivered from the sin of restraining prayer1 we must enlarge our hearts for the work of intercession4 ,the attempt to pray constantly for ourselves must be a failure2 it is in intercession for others that our faith and love and perseverance will be aroused1 and that power of the ,spirit be found which can fit us for saving men4 ,we are asking how we may become more faithful and successful in prayer2 let us see how the ,master teaches us1 in the parable of the ,friend at ,midnight1 that intercession for the needy calls forth the highest exercise of our power of believing and prevailing prayer4 ,intercession is the most perfect form of prayer3 it is the prayer ,christ ever liveth to pray on ,his throne4 ,let us learn what the elements of true intercession are4 #a4 ,notice the urgent need3 here intercession has its origin4 ,the friend came at midnight--an untimely hour4 ,he was hungry1 and could not buy bread4 ,if we are to learn to pray aright we must open eye and heart to the need around us4 ,we hear continually of the thousand millions of heathen and ,mohammedans living in midnight darkness1 perishing for lack of the bread of life4 ,we hear of five hundred millions of nominal ,christians1 the great majority of them almost as ignorant and indifferent as the heathen4 ,we see millions in the ,christian ,church1 not ignorant or indifferent1 and yet knowing little of a walk in the light of ,god or in the power of a life fed by bread from heaven4 ,we have each of us our own circles--congregations1 schools1 friends1 missions--in which the great complaint is that the light and life of ,god are too little known4 ,surely1 if we believe what we profess1 that ,god alone is able to help1 that ,god certainly will help in answer to prayer1--all this need ought to make intercessors of us1 people who give their lives to prayer for those around them4 ,let us take time to consider and realise the need4 ,each ,christless soul going down into outer darkness1 perishing of hunger1 with bread enough and to spare6 ,thirty millions a year dying without the knowledge of ,christ6 ,our own neighbours and friends1 souls intrusted to us1 dying without hope6 ,christians around us living a sickly1 feeble1 fruitless life6 ,surely there is need for prayer4 ,nothing1 nothing but prayer to ,god for help1 will avail4 #b4 ,note the willing love4--,the friend took his weary1 hungry friend into his house1 and into his heart too4 ,he did not excuse himself by saying he had no bread3 he gave himself at midnight to seek it for him4 ,he sacrificed his night's rest1 his comfort1 to find the needed bread4 ,love seeketh not its own4 ,it is the very nature of love to give up and forget itself for the sake of others4 ,it takes their needs and makes them its own1 it finds its real joy in living and dying for others as ,christ did4 ,it is the love of a mother to her prodigal son that makes her pray for him4 ,true love to souls will become in us the spirit of intercession4 ,it is possible to do a great deal of faithful1 earnest work for our fellowmen without true love to them4 ,just as a lawyer or a physician1 from a love of his profession and a high sense of faithfulness to duty1 may interest himself most thoroughly in clients or patients without any special love to each1 so servants of ,christ may give themselves to their work with devotion and even self-sacrificing enthusiasm without the ,christlike love to souls being strong4 ,it is this lack of love that causes so much shortcoming in prayer4 ,it is as love of our profession and work1 delight in thoroughness and diligence1 sink away in the tender compassion of ,christ1 that love will compel us to prayer1 because we cannot rest in our work if souls are not saved4 ,true love must pray4 #c4 ,note the sense of impotence4--,we often speak of the power of love4 ,in one sense this is true2 and yet the truth has its limitations1 which must not be forgotten4 ,the strongest love may be utterly impotent4 ,a mother might be willing to give her life for her dying child1 and yet not be able to save it4 ,the friend at midnight was most willing to give his friend bread1 but he had none4 ,it was this sense of impotence1 of his inability to help1 that sent him a-begging3 ,my friend is come to me1 and ,i have nothing to set before him4 ,it is this sense of impotence with ,god's servants that is the very strength of the life of intercession4 ,i have nothing to set before them3 as this consciousness takes possession of the minister or missionary1 the teacher or worker1 intercession will become their only hope and refuge4 ,i may have knowledge and truth1 a loving heart1 and the readiness to give myself for those under my charge2 but the bread of heaven ,i cannot give them4 ,with all my love and zeal1 ,i have nothing to set before them4 ,blessed the man who has made that ,i have nothing1 the motto of his ministry4 ,as he thinks of the judgment day and the danger of souls1 as he sees what a supernatural power and life is needed to save men from sin1 as he feels how utterly insufficient all he can ever do is to give them life1 that ,i have nothing urges him to pray4 ,intercession appears to him1 as he thinks of the midnight darkness and the hungry souls1 as his only hope1 the one thing in which his love can take refuge4 ,let us take the lesson to heart1 for a warning to all who are strong and wise to work1 for the encouragement of all who are feeble4 ,the sense of our impotence is the soul of intercession4 ,the simplest1 feeblest ,christian can pray down blessing from an ,almighty ,god4 #d4 ,note the faith in prayer4--,what he has not himself1 another can supply4 ,he has a rich friend near1 who will be both able and willing to give the bread4 ,he is sure that if he only asks1 he will receive4 ,this faith makes him leave his home at midnight3 if he has not the bread himself to give1 he can ask another4 ,it is this simple1 confident faith that ,god will give1 that we need3 where it really exists1 there will surely be no mistake about our not praying4 ,and in ,god's word we have everything that can stir and strengthen such faith in us4 ,just as the heaven our natural eye can see is one great ocean of sunshine1 with its light and heat1 giving beauty and fruitfulness to earth1 ,scripture shows us ,god's true heaven1 filled with all spiritual blessings1--divine light and love and life1 heavenly joy and peace and power1 all shining down upon us4 ,it reveals to us ,god waiting1 delighting to bestow these blessings in answer to prayer4 ,by a thousand promises and testimonies it calls and urges us to believe that prayer will be heard1 that what we cannot possibly do ourselves for those whom we want to help1 can be got by prayer4 ,surely there can be no question as to our believing that prayer will be heard1 that through prayer the poorest and feeblest can dispense blessings to the needy1 and each of us1 though poor1 may yet be making many rich4 #e4 ,note the importunity that prevails4--,the faith of the friend met a sudden and unexpected check3 the rich friend refuses to hear--,i cannot rise and give thee4 ,how little the loving heart had counted on this disappointment2 it cannot consent to accept it4 ,the supplicant presses his threefold plea3 here is my needy friend1 you have abundance1 ,i am your friend2 and refuses to accept a denial4 ,the love that opened his house at midnight1 and then left it to seek help1 must win4 ,this is the central lesson of the parable4 ,in our intercession we may find that there is difficulty and delay with the answer4 ,it may be as if ,god says1 ,i cannot give thee4 ,it is not easy1 against all appearances1 to hold fast our confidence that ,he will hear1 and to persevere in full assurance that we shall have what we ask4 ,and yet this is what ,god looks for from us4 ,he so highly prizes our confidence in ,him1 it is so essentially the highest honour the creature can render the ,creator1 that ,he will do anything to train us in the exercise of this trust in ,him4 ,blessed the man who is not staggered by ,god's delay1 or silence1 or apparent refusal1 but is strong in faith1 giving glory to ,god4 ,such faith perseveres1 importunately1 if need be1 and cannot fail to inherit the blessing4 #f4 ,note1 last1 the certainty of a rich reward4--,i say unto you1 because of his importunity1 he will give him as many as he needeth4 ,oh that we might learn to believe in the certainty of an abundant answer4 ,a prophet said of old3 ,let not your hands be weak2 your work shall be rewarded4 ,would that all who feel it difficult to pray much1 would fix their eye on the recompense of the reward1 and in faith learn to count upon the ,divine assurance that their prayer cannot be vain4 ,if we will but believe in ,god and ,his faithfulness1 intercession will become to us the very first thing we take refuge in when we seek blessing for others1 and the very last thing for which we cannot find time4 ,and it will become a thing of joy and hope1 because1 all the time we pray1 we know that we are sowing seed that will bring forth fruit an hundredfold4 ,disappointment is impossible3 ,i say unto you1 ,he will rise and give him as many as he needeth4 ,let all lovers of souls1 and all workers in the service of the gospel1 take courage4 ,time spent in prayer will yield more than that given to work4 ,prayer alone gives work its worth and its success4 ,prayer opens the way for ,god ,himself to do ,his work in us and through us4 ,let our chief work1 as ,god's messengers1 be intercession3 in it we secure the presence and power of ,god to go with us4 ,which of you shall have a friend at midnight1 and shall say to him1 ,friend1 lend me three loaves8 ,this friend is none other but our ,god4 ,do let us learn that in the darkness of midnight1 at the most unlikely time1 and in the greatest need1 when we have to say of those we love and care for1 ,i have nothing to set before them1 we have a rich ,friend in heaven1 the ,everlasting ,god and ,father1 who only waits to be asked aright4 ,let us confess before ,him our lack of prayer4 ,let us admit that the lack of faith1 of which it is the proof1 is the symptom of a life that is not spiritual1 that is yet all too much under the power of self and the flesh and the world4 ,let us in the faith of the ,lord ,jesus1 who spake this parable1 and ,himself waits to make every trait of it true in us1 give ourselves to be intercessors4 ,let every sight of souls needing help1 let every stirring of the spirit of compassion1 let every sense of our own impotence to bless1 let every difficulty in the way of our getting an answer1 just combine to urge us to do this one thing3 with importunity to cry to the ,god who alone can help1 who1 in answer to our prayer1 will help4 ,and let us1 if we indeed feel that we have failed1 do our utmost to train a young generation of ,christians1 who profit by our mistake and avoid it4 ,moses could not enter the land of ,canaan1 but there was one thing he could do3 he could at ,god's bidding charge ,joshua1 and encourage him1 and strengthen him 7,deut4 iii4 #bh74 ,if it is too late for us to make good our failure1 let us at least encourage those who come after us to enter into the good land1 the blessed life of unceasing prayer4 ,the ,model ,intercessor is the ,model ,christian ,worker4 ,first to get from ,god1 and then to give to men what we ourselves secure from day to day1 is the secret of successful work4 ,between our ,impotence and ,god's ,omnipotence intercession is the blessed link4 ,a ,,plea ,,for ,,more ,,prayer ,,chapter ,,iv ,because of ,his ,importunity ,i say unto you1 ,though he will not rise and give him1 because he is his friend1 yet because of his importunity he will arise and give him as many as he needeth4--,,luke xi4 #h4 ,and ,he spake a parable unto them1 to the end1 they ought always to pray and not to faint4444 ,hear what the unrighteous judge saith4 ,and shall not ,god avenge ,his own elect1 which cry to ,him day and night1 and ,he is long-suffering with them8 ,i tell you that ,he will avenge them speedily4--,,luke xviii4 #a-h4 ,our ,lord ,jesus thought it of such importance that we should know the need of perseverance and importunity in prayer1 that ,he spake two parables to teach us this4 ,this is proof sufficient that in this aspect of prayer we have at once its greatest difficulty and its highest power4 ,he would have us know that in prayer all will not be easy and smooth2 we must expect difficulties1 which can only be conquered by persistent1 determined perseverance4 ,in the parables our ,lord represents the difficulty as existing on the side of the persons to whom the petition was addressed1 and the importunity as needed to overcome their reluctance to hear4 ,in our intercourse with ,god the difficulty is not on ,his side1 but on ours4 ,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 bread4 ,in the second1 ,he assures us that ,god longs to avenge ,his elect speedily4 ,the need of urgent prayer cannot be because ,god must be made willing or disposed to bless3 the need lies altogether in ourselves4 ,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 taught1 ,he takes the unwilling friend and the unjust judge to encourage in us the faith1 that perseverance can overcome every obstacle4 ,the difficulty is not in ,god's love or power1 but in ourselves and our own incapacity to receive the blessing4 ,and yet1 because there is this difficulty with us1 this lack of spiritual preparedness1 there is a difficulty with ,god too4 ,his wisdom1 ,his righteousness1 yea ,his love1 dare not give us what would do us harm1 if we received it too soon or too easily4 ,the sin1 or the consequence of sin1 that makes it impossible for ,god to give at once1 is a barrier on ,god's side as well as ours2 to break through this power of sin in ourselves1 or those for whom we pray1 is what makes the striving and the conflict of prayer such a reality4 ,and so in all ages men have prayed1 and that rightly too1 under a sense that there were difficulties in the heavenly world to overcome4 ,as they pleaded with ,god for the removal of the unknown obstacles1 and in that persevering supplication were brought into a state of utter brokenness and helplessness1 of entire resignation to ,him1 of union with ,his will1 and of faith that could take hold of ,him1 the hindrances in themselves and in heaven were together overcome4 ,as ,god conquered them1 they conquered ,god4 ,as ,god prevails over us1 we prevail with ,god4 ,god has so constituted us that the clearer our insight is into the reasonableness of a demand1 the more hearty will be our surrender to it4 ,one great cause of our remissness in prayer is that there appears to be something arbitrary1 or at least something incomprehensible1 in the call to such continued prayer4 ,if we could be brought to see that this apparent difficulty is a ,divine necessity1 and in the very nature of things the source of unspeakable blessing1 we should be more ready with gladness of heart to give ourselves to continue in prayer4 ,let us see if we cannot understand how the difficulty that the call to importunity throws in our way is one of our greatest privileges4 ,i do not know whether you have ever noticed what a part difficulties play in our natural life4 ,they call out man's powers as nothing else can4 ,they strengthen and ennoble character4 ,we are told that one reason of the superiority of the ,northern nations1 like ,holland and ,scotland1 in strength of will and purpose1 over those of the sunny ,south1 as ,italy and ,spain1 is that the climate of the latter has been too beautiful1 and the life it encourages too easy and relaxing--the difficulties the former had to contend with have been their greatest boon2 how all nature has been so arranged by ,god that in sowing and reaping1 as in seeking coal or gold1 nothing is found without labour and effort4 ,what is education but a daily developing and disciplining of the mind by new difficulties presented to the pupil to overcome8 ,the moment a lesson has become easy1 the pupil is moved on to one that is higher and more difficult4 ,with the race and the individual1 it is in the meeting and the mastering of difficulties that our highest attainments are found4 ,it is even so in our intercourse with ,god4 ,just imagine what the result would be if the child of ,god had only to kneel down and ask1 and get1 and go away4 ,what unspeakable loss to the spiritual life would ensue4 ,it is in the difficulty and delay that calls for persevering prayer1 that the true blessing and blessedness of the heavenly life will be found4 ,we there learn how little we delight in fellowship with ,god1 and how little we have of living faith in ,him4 ,we discover how earthly and unspiritual our heart still is1 how little we have of ,god's ,holy ,spirit4 ,we there are brought to know our own weakness and unworthiness1 and to yield to ,god's ,spirit to pray in us1 to take our place in ,christ ,jesus1 and abide in ,him as our only plea with the ,father4 ,there our own will and strength and goodness are crucified4 ,there we rise in ,christ to newness of life1 with our whole will dependent on ,god and set upon ,his glory4 ,do let us begin to praise ,god for the need and the difficulty of importunate prayer1 as one of ,his choicest means of grace4 ,just think what our ,lord ,jesus owed to the difficulties in ,his path4 ,in ,gethsemane it was as if the ,father would not hear3 ,he prayed yet more earnestly1 until ,he was heard4 ,in the way ,he opened up for us1 ,he learned obedience by the things ,he suffered1 and so was made perfect2 ,his will was given up to ,god2 ,his faith in ,god was proved and strengthened2 the prince of this world1 with all his temptation1 was overcome4 ,this is the new and living way ,he consecrated for us2 it is in persevering prayer we walk with and are made partakers of ,his very ,spirit4 ,prayer is one form of crucifixion1 of our fellowship with ,christ's ,cross1 of our giving up our flesh to the death4 ,o ,christians6 shall we not be ashamed of our reluctance to sacrifice the flesh and our own will and the world1 as it is seen in our reluctance to pray much8 ,shall we not learn the lesson which nature and ,christ alike teach8 ,the difficulty of importunate prayer is our highest privilege2 the difficulties to be overcome in it bring us our richest blessings4 ,in importunity there are various elements4 ,of these the chief are perseverance1 determination1 intensity4 ,it begins with the refusal to at once accept a denial4 ,it grows to the determination to persevere1 to spare no time or trouble1 till an answer comes4 ,it rises to the intensity in which the whole being is given to ,god in supplication1 and the boldness comes to lay hold of ,god's strength4 ,at one time it is quiet and restful2 at another passionate and bold4 ,now it takes time and is patient2 then again it claims at once what it desires4 ,in whatever different shape1 it always means and knows--,god hears prayer3 ,i must be heard4 ,remember the wonderful instances we have of it in the ,old ,testament saints4 ,think of ,abraham1 as he pleads for ,sodom4 ,time after time he renews his prayer until the sixth time he has to say1 ,let not my ,lord be angry4 ,he does not cease until he has learnt to know ,god's condescension in each time consenting to his petition1 until he has learnt how far he can go1 has entered into ,god's mind1 and now rests in ,god's will4 ,and for his sake ,lot was saved4 ,god remembered ,abraham1 and delivered ,lot out of the midst of the overthrow4 ,and shall not we1 who have a redemption and promises for the heathen which ,abraham never knew1 begin to plead more with ,god on their behalf4 ,think of ,jacob1 when he feared to meet ,esau4 ,the angel of the ,lord met him in the dark1 and wrestled with him4 ,and when the angel saw that he prevailed not1 he said1 ,let me go4 ,and ,jacob said1 ,i will not let thee go4 ,and he blessed him there4 ,and that boldness that said1 ,i will not1 and forced from the reluctant angel the blessing1 was so pleasing in ,god's sight1 that a new name was there given to him3 ,israel1 he who striveth with ,god1 for thou hast striven with ,god and with men1 and hast prevailed4 ,and through all the ages ,god's children have understood1 what ,christ's two parables teach1 that ,god holds ,himself back1 and seeks to get away from us1 until what is of flesh and self and sloth in us is overcome1 and we so prevail with ,him that ,he can and must bless us4 ,oh6 why is it that so many of ,god's children have no desire for this honour--being princes of ,god1 strivers with ,god1 and prevailing8 ,what our ,lord taught us1 ,what things soever ye desire1 believe that ye have received1 is nothing but ,his putting of ,jacob's words1 ,i will not let ,thee go except thou bless me4 ,this is the importunity ,he teaches1 and we must learn3 to claim and take the blessing4 ,think of ,moses when ,israel had made the golden calf4 ,moses returned to the ,lord and said1 ,oh1 this people have sinned a great sin4 ,yet now1 if ,thou wilt forgive their sin--2 and if not1 blot me1 ,i pray ,thee1 out of ,thy book which ,thou hast written4 ,that was importunity1 that would rather die than not have his people given him4 ,then1 when ,god had heard him1 and said ,he would send ,his angel with the people1 ,moses came again1 and would not be content until1 in answer to his prayer that ,god ,himself should go with them 7xxxiii4 #ab1 #ag1 #ah71 ,he had said1 ,i will do this thing also that thou hast spoken4 ,after that1 when in answer to his prayer1 ,show me ,thy glory1 ,god made ,his goodness pass before him1 he at once again began pleading1 ,let my ,lord1 ,i pray ,thee1 go among us4 ,and he was there with the ,lord forty days and forty nights 7,ex4 xxxiv4 #bh74 ,of these days he says1 ,i fell down before the ,lord1 as at the first1 forty days and forty nights1 ,i did neither eat bread1 nor drink water1 because of all your sin which ye sinned4 ,as an intercessor ,moses used importunity with ,god1 and prevailed4 ,he proves that the man who truly lives near to ,god1 and with whom ,god speaks face to face1 becomes partaker of that same power of intercession which there is in ,him who is at ,god's right hand and ever lives to pray4 ,think of ,elijah in his prayer1 first for fire1 and then for rain4 ,in the former you have the importunity that claims and receives an immediate answer4 ,in the latter1 bowing himself down to the earth1 his face between his knees1 his answer to the servant who had gone to look toward the sea1 and come with the message1 ,there is nothing1 was ,go again seven times4 ,here was the importunity of perseverance4 ,he had told ,ahab there would be rain2 he knew it was coming2 and yet he prayed till the seven times were fulfilled4 ,and it is of this ,elijah and this prayer we are taught1 ,pray for one another4 ,elijah was a man of like passions with ourselves4 ,the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much4 ,will there not be some who feel constrained to cry out1 ,where is the ,lord ,god of ,elijah8--this ,god who draws forth such effectual prayer1 and hears it so wonderfully4 ,his name be praised3 ,he is still the same4 ,let ,his people but believe that ,he still waits to be inquired of6 ,faith in a prayer-hearing ,god will make a prayer-loving ,christian4 ,we remember the marks of the true intercessor as the parable taught us them4 ,a sense of the need of souls2 a ,christlike love in the heart2 a consciousness of personal impotence2 faith in the power of prayer2 courage to persevere in spite of refusal2 and the assurance of an abundant reward2--these are the dispositions that constitute a ,christian an intercessor1 and call forth the power of prevailing prayer4 ,these are the dispositions that constitute the beauty and the health of the ,christian life1 that fit a man for being a blessing in the world1 that make him a true ,christian worker1 who does indeed get from ,god the bread of heaven to dispense to the hungry4 ,these are the dispositions that call forth the highest1 the heroic virtues of the life of faith4 ,there is nothing to which the nobility of natural character owes so much as the spirit of enterprise and daring which in travel or war1 in politics or science1 battles with difficulties and conquers4 ,no labour or expense is grudged for the sake of victory4 ,and shall we who are ,christians not be able to face the difficulties that we meet in prayer8 ,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 will1 and wields its ,god-given power to influence the destinies of men4 ,shall men of the world sacrifice ease and pleasure in their pursuits1 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 perishing8 ,let each servant of ,christ learn to know his calling4 ,his ,king ever lives to pray4 ,the ,spirit of the ,king ever lives in us to pray4 ,it is from heaven the blessings1 which the world needs1 must be called down in persevering1 importunate1 believing prayer4 ,it is from heaven1 in answer to prayer1 the ,holy ,spirit will take complete possession of us to do ,his work through us4 ,let us acknowledge how vain our much work has been owing to our little prayer4 ,let us change our method1 and let henceforth more prayer1 much prayer1 unceasing prayer1 be the proof that we look for all to ,god1 and that we believe that ,he heareth us4 ,a ,,plea ,,for ,,more ,,prayer ,,chapter ,v ,the ,life that can ,pray ,if ye abide in ,me1 and ,my words abide in you1 ask whatsoever ye will1 and it shall be done unto you4--,,john xv4 #g4 ,the supplication of a righteous man availeth much in its working4--,,james v4 #af4 ,beloved1 if our heart condemn us not1 we have boldness toward ,god2 and whatsoever we ask1 we receive of ,him1 because we keep ,his commandments1 and do the things that are pleasing in ,his sight4--#a ,,john iii4 #ba1 #bb4 ,here on earth the influence of one who asks a favour for others depends entirely on his character1 and the relationship he bears to him with whom he is interceding4 ,it is what he is that gives weight to what he asks4 ,it is no otherwise with ,god4 ,our power in prayer depends upon our life4 ,where our life is right we shall know how to pray so as to please ,god1 and prayer will secure the answer4 ,the texts quoted above all point in this direction4 ,if ye abide in ,me1 our ,lord says1 ye shall ask1 and it shall be done unto you4 ,it is the prayer of a righteous man1 according to ,james1 that availeth much4 ,we receive whatsoever we ask1 ,john says1 because we obey and please ,god4 ,all lack of power to pray aright and perseveringly1 all lack of power in prayer with ,god1 points to some lack in the ,christian life4 ,it is as we learn to live the life that pleases ,god1 that ,god will give what we ask4 ,let us learn from our ,lord ,jesus1 in the parable of the vine1 what the healthy1 vigorous life is that may ask and receive what it will4 ,hear ,his voice1 ,if ye abide in ,me1 and ,my words abide in you1 ye shall ask what ye will1 and it shall be done unto you4 ,and again at the close of the parable3 ,ye did not choose ,me1 but ,i chose you1 and appointed you1 that you should go and bear fruit1 and that your fruit should abide3 that whatsoever ye shall ask the ,father in ,my name1 ,he may give it you4 ,and what is now1 according to the parable1 the life that one must lead to bear fruit1 and then ask and receive what we will8 ,what is it we are to be or do1 that will enable us to pray as we should1 and to receive what we ask8 ,the answer is in one word3 it is the branch-life that gives power for prayer4 ,we are branches of ,christ1 the ,living ,vine4 ,we must simply live like branches1 and abide in ,christ1 then we shall ask what we will1 and it shall be done unto us4 ,we all know what a branch is1 and what its essential characteristic4 ,it is simply a growth of the vine1 produced by it and appointed to bear fruit4 ,it has only one reason of existence2 it is there at the bidding of the vine1 that through it the vine may bear and ripen its precious fruit4 ,just as the vine only and solely and wholly lives to produce the sap that makes the grape1 so the branch has no other aim and object but this alone1 to receive that sap and bear the grape4 ,its only work is to serve the vine1 that through it the vine may do its work4 ,and the believer1 the branch of ,christ the ,heavenly ,vine1 is it to be understood that he is as literally1 as exclusively1 to live only that ,christ may bear fruit through him8 ,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 earth1 and is now in heaven8 ,this1 and nothing less1 is indeed what is meant4 ,it is to such that the unlimited prayer promises of the parable are given4 ,it is the branch-life1 existing solely for the ,vine1 that will have the power to pray aright4 ,with our life abiding in ,him1 and ,his words abiding1 kept and obeyed1 in our heart and life1 transmuted into our very being1 there will be the grace to pray aright1 and the faith to receive the whatsoever we will4 ,do let us connect the two things1 and take them both in their simple1 literal truth1 and their infinite1 divine grandeur4 ,the promises of our ,lord's farewell discourse1 with their wonderful six-fold repetition of the unlimited1 anything1 whatsoever 7,john xiv4 #ac1 #ad2 xv4 #g1 #af2 xvi4 #bc1 #bd71 appear to us altogether too large to be taken literally1 and they are qualified down to meet our human ideas of what appears seemly4 ,it is because we separate them from that life of absolute and unlimited devotion to ,christ's service to which they were given4 ,god's covenant is ever3 ,give all and take all4 ,he that is willing to be wholly branch1 and nothing but branch1 who is ready to place himself absolutely at the disposal of ,jesus the ,vine of ,god1 to bear ,his fruit through him1 and to live every moment only for ,him1 will receive a ,divine liberty to claim ,christ's whatsoever in all its fulness1 and a ,divine wisdom and humility to use it aright4 ,he will live and pray1 and claim the ,father's promises1 even as ,christ did1 only for ,god's glory in the salvation of men4 ,he will use his boldness in prayer only with a view to power in intercession1 and getting men blessed4 ,the unlimited devotion of the branch-life to fruitbearing1 and the unlimited access to the treasures of the ,vine life1 are inseparable4 ,it is the life abiding wholly in ,christ that can pray the effectual prayer in the name of ,christ4 ,just think for a moment of the men of prayer in ,scripture1 and see in them what the life was that could pray in such power4 ,we spoke of ,abraham as intercessor4 ,what gave ,him such boldness8 ,he knew that ,god had chosen and called him away from his home and people to walk before ,him1 that all nations might be blessed in him4 ,he knew that he had obeyed1 and forsaken all for ,god4 ,implicit obedience1 to the very sacrifice of his son1 was the law of his life4 ,he did what ,god asked3 he dared trust ,god to do what he asked4 ,we spoke of ,moses as intercessor4 ,he too had forsaken all for ,god1 counting the reproach of ,christ greater riches than all the treasures of ,egypt4 ,he lived at ,god's disposal3 as a servant he was faithful in all ,his house4 ,how often it is written of him1 ,according to all that the ,lord commanded ,moses1 so did he4 ,no wonder that he was very bold3 his heart was right with ,god3 he knew ,god would hear him4 ,no less true is this of ,elijah1 the man who stood up to plead for the ,lord ,god of ,israel4 ,the man who is ready to risk all for ,god can count upon ,god to do all for him4 ,it is as men live that they pray4 ,it is the life that prays4 ,it is the life that1 with whole-hearted devotion1 gives up all for ,god and to ,god1 that can claim all from ,god4 ,our ,god longs exceedingly to prove ,himself the ,faithful ,god and ,mighty ,helper of ,his people4 ,he only waits for hearts wholly turned from the world to ,himself1 and open to receive ,his gifts4 ,the man who loses all will find all2 he dare ask and take it4 ,the branch that only and truly lives abiding in ,christ1 the ,heavenly ,vine1 entirely given up1 like ,christ1 to bear fruit in the salvation of men1 and has ,his words taken up into and abiding in its life1 may and dare ask what it will--it shall be done4 ,and where we have not yet attained to that full devotion to which our ,lord had trained ,his disciples1 and cannot equal them in their power of prayer1 we may1 nevertheless1 take courage in remembering that1 even in the lower stages of the ,christian life1 every new onward step in the striving after the perfect branch-life1 and every surrender to live for others in intercession1 will be met from above by a corresponding liberty to draw nigh with greater boldness1 and expect larger answers4 ,the more we pray1 and the more conscious we become of our unfitness to pray in power1 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 disposal4 ,and if any are asking1 with somewhat of a despair of attainment1 what the reason may be of the failure in this blessed branch-life1 so simple and yet so mighty1 and how they can come to it1 let me point them to one of the most precious lessons of the parable of the ,vine4 ,it is one that is all too little noticed4 ,jesus spake1 ,i am the true ,vine1 and my ,father is the ,husbandman4 ,we have not only ,himself1 the glorified ,son of ,god1 in ,his divine fulness1 out of whose fulness of life and grace we can draw1--this is very wonderful1--but there is something more blessed still4 ,we have the ,father1 as the ,husbandman1 watching over our abiding in the ,vine1 over our growth and fruitbearing4 ,it is not left to our faith or our faithfulness to maintain our union with ,christ3 the ,god1 who is the ,father of ,christ1 and who united us with ,him1--,god ,himself will see to it that the branch is what it should be1 will enable us to bring forth just the fruit we were appointed to bear4 ,hear what ,christ said of this1 ,every branch that beareth fruit1 ,he cleanseth it1 that it may bear more fruit4 ,more fruit is what the ,father seeks2 more fruit is what the ,father will ,himself provide4 ,it is for this that ,he1 as the ,vinedresser1 cleanses the branches4 ,just think a moment what this means4 ,it is said that of all fruitbearing plants on earth there is none that produces fruit so full of spirit1 from which spirit can be so abundantly distilled1 as the vine4 ,and of all fruitbearing plants there is none that is so ready to run into wild wood1 and for which pruning and cleansing are so indispensable4 ,the one great work that a vinedresser has to do for the branch every year is to prune it4 ,other plants can for a time dispense with it1 and yet bear fruit3 the vine must have it4 ,and so the one thing the branch that desires to abide in ,christ and bring forth much fruit1 and to be able to ask whatsoever it will1 must do1 is to trust in and yield itself to this ,divine cleansing4 ,what is it that the vinedresser cuts away with his pruning-knife8 ,nothing but the wood that the branch has produced--true1 honest wood1 with the true vine nature in it4 ,this must be cut away4 ,and why8 ,because it draws away the strength and life of the vine1 and hinders the flow of the juice to the grape4 ,the more it is cut down1 the less wood there is in the branch1 the more all the sap can go to the grape4 ,the wood of the branch must decrease1 that the fruit for the vine may increase2 in obedience to the law of all nature1 that death is the way to life1 that gain comes through sacrifice1 the rich and luxuriant growth of wood must be cut off and cast away1 that the life more abundant may be seen in the cluster4 ,even so1 child of ,god1 branch of the ,heavenly ,vine1 there is in thee that which appears perfectly innocent and legitimate1 and which yet so draws out thy interest and thy strength1 that it must be pruned and cleansed away4 ,we saw what power in prayer men like ,abraham and ,moses and ,elijah had1 and we know what fruit they bore4 ,but we also know what it cost them2 how ,god had to separate them from their surroundings1 and ever again to draw them from any trust in themselves1 to seek their life in ,him alone4 ,it is only as our own will1 and strength and effort and pleasure1 even where these appear perfectly natural and sinless1 are cut down1 so that the whole energies of our being are free and open to receive the sap of the ,heavenly ,vine1 the ,holy ,spirit1 that we shall bear much fruit4 ,it is in the surrender of what nature holds fast1 it is in the full and willing submission to ,god's holy pruning-knife1 that we shall come to what ,christ chose and appointed us for--to bear fruit1 that whatsoever we ask the ,father in ,christ's name1 ,he may give to us4 ,what the pruning-knife is1 ,christ tells us in the next verse4 ,ye are clean through the word which ,i have spoken to you4 ,as ,he says later1 ,sanctify them through ,thy truth2 ,thy word is truth4 ,the word of ,god is sharper than any two-edged sword1 piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit4 ,what heart-searching words ,christ had spoken to ,his disciples on love and humility1 on being the least1 and1 like ,himself1 the servant of all1 on denying self1 and taking the cross1 and losing the life4 ,through ,his word the ,father had cleansed them1 cut away all confidence in themselves or the world1 and prepared them for the inflowing and filling of the ,spirit of the ,heavenly ,vine4 ,it is not we who can cleanse ourselves3 ,god is the ,vinedresser3 we may confidently intrust ourselves to ,his care4 ,beloved brethren1--ministers1 missionaries1 teachers1 workers1 believers old and young1--are you mourning your lack of prayer1 and1 as a consequence1 your lack of power in prayer8 ,oh6 come and listen to your beloved ,lord as ,he tells you1 only be a branch1 united to1 identified with1 the ,heavenly ,vine1 and your prayers will be effectual and much availing4 ,are you mourning that just this is your trouble--you do not1 cannot1 live this branch-life1 abiding in ,him8 ,oh6 come and listen again4 ,more fruit is not only your desire1 but the ,father's too4 ,he is the ,husbandman who cleanseth the fruitful branch1 that it may bear more fruit4 ,cast yourself upon ,god1 to do in you what is impossible to man4 ,count upon a ,divine cleansing1 to cut down and take away all that self-confidence and self-effort1 that has been the cause of your failure4 ,the ,god who gave you ,his beloved ,son to be your ,vine1 who made you ,his branch1 will ,he not do ,his work of cleansing to make you fruitful in every good work1 in the work of prayer and intercession too8 ,here is the life that can pray4 ,a branch entirely given up to the ,vine and its aims1 with all responsibility for its cleansing cast on the ,vinedresser2 a branch abiding in ,christ1 trusting and yielding to ,god for ,his cleansing1 can bear much fruit4 ,in the power of such a life we shall love prayer1 we shall know how to pray1 we shall pray1 and receive whatsoever we ask4 ,a ,,plea ,,for ,,more ,,prayer ,,chapter ,,vi ,restraining ,prayer3 is it ,sin8 ,thou restrainest prayer before ,god4--,,job xv4 #d4 ,what profit should we have1 if we pray unto ,him8--,,job xxi4 #ae4 ,god forbid that ,i should sin against the ,lord in ceasing to pray for you4--#a ,,sam4 xii4 #bc4 ,neither will ,i be with you any more1 except ye destroy the accursed from among you4--,,josh4 vii4 #ab4 ,any deep quickening of the spiritual life of the ,church will always be accompanied by a deeper sense of sin4 ,this will not begin with theology2 that can only give expression to what ,god works in the life of ,his people4 ,nor does it mean that that deeper sense of sin will only be seen in stronger expressions of self-reproach or penitence3 that is sometimes found to consist with a harbouring of sin1 and unbelief as to deliverance4 ,but the true sense of the hatefulness of sin1 the hatred of it1 will be proved by the intensity of desire for deliverance1 and the struggle to know to the very utmost what ,god can do in saving from it--a holy jealousy1 in nothing to sin against ,god4 ,if we are to deal effectually with the lack of prayer we must look at it from this point of view and ask1 ,restraining prayer1 is it sin8 ,and if it be1 how is it to be dealt with1 to be discovered1 and confessed1 and cast out by man1 and cleansed away by ,god8 ,jesus is a ,saviour from sin4 ,it is only as we know sin truly that we can truly know the power that saves from sin4 ,the life that can pray effectually is the life of the cleansed branch--the life that knows deliverance from the power of self4 ,to see that our prayer-sins are indeed sins1 is the first step to a true and ,divine deliverance from them4 ,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 blessing1 and that ,god will not tolerate it2 and at the same time the clearest indication of the principles under which ,god deals with it1 and removes it4 ,let us see in the light of the story if we can learn how to look at the sin of prayerlessness1 and at the sinfulness that lies at the root of it4 ,the words ,i have quoted above1 ,neither will ,i be with you any more1 except ye put away the accursed thing from among you1 take us into the very heart of the story1 and suggest a series of the most precious lessons around the truth they express1 that the presence of sin makes the presence of ,god impossible4 #a4 ,the presence of ,god is the great privilege of ,god's people1 and their only power against the enemy4--,god had promised to ,moses1 ,i will bring you in unto the land4 ,moses proved that he understood this when ,god1 after the sin of the golden calf1 spoke of withdrawing ,his presence and sending an angel4 ,he refused to accept anything less than ,god's presence4 ,for whereby shall it be known that ,i and ,thy people have found grace in ,thy sight8 ,is it not that ,thou goest with us8 ,it was this gave ,caleb and ,joshua their confidence3 ,the ,lord is with us4 ,it was this gave ,israel their victory over ,jericho3 the presence of ,god4 ,this is throughout ,scripture the great central promise3 ,i am with thee4 ,this marks off the whole-hearted believer from the worldling and worldly ,christians around him3 he lives consciously hidden in the secret of ,god's presence4 #b4 ,defeat and failure are always owing to the loss of ,god's presence4--,it was thus at ,ai4 ,god had brought ,his people into ,canaan with the promise to give them the land4 ,when the defeat at ,ai took place ,joshua felt at once that the cause must be in the withdrawal of ,god's power4 ,he had not fought for them4 ,his presence had been withheld4 ,in the ,christian life and the work of the ,church1 defeat is ever a sign of the loss of ,god's presence4 ,if we apply this to our failure in the prayer-life1 and as a result of that to our failure in work for ,god1 we are led to see that all is simply owing to our not standing in clear and full fellowship with ,god4 ,his nearness1 ,his immediate presence1 has not been the chief thing sought after and trusted in4 ,he could not work in us as ,he would4 ,loss of blessing and power is ever caused by the loss of ,god's presence4 #c4 ,the loss of ,god's presence is always owing to some hidden sin4--,just as pain is ordered in nature to warn of some hidden evil in the system1 defeat is ,god's voice telling us there is something wrong4 ,he has given ,himself so wholly to ,his people1 ,he delights so in being with them1 and would so fain reveal in them ,his love and power1 that ,he never withdraws ,himself unless they compel ,him by sin4 ,throughout the ,church there is a complaint of defeat4 ,the ,church has so little power over the masses1 or the educated classes4 ,powerful conversions are comparatively rare4 ,the fewness of holy1 consecrated1 spiritual ,christians1 devoted to the service of ,god and their fellowmen1 is felt everywhere4 ,the power of the ,church for the preaching of the gospel to the heathen is paralysed by the scarcity of money and men2 and all owing to the lack of the effectual prayer which brings the ,holy ,spirit in power1 first on ministers and believers1 then on missionaries and the heathen4 ,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 us8 #d4 ,god ,himself will discover the hidden sin4--,we may think we know what the sin is3 it is only ,god who can discover its real deep meaning4 ,when ,he spoke to ,joshua1 before naming the sin of ,achan1 ,god first said1 ,they have transgressed ,my covenant which ,i commanded them4 ,god had commanded 7vi4 #ai7 that all the booty of ,jericho1 gold and silver and all that was in it1 was to be a devoted thing1 consecrated unto the ,lord1 and to come into ,his treasury4 ,and ,israel had broken this consecration vow3 it had not given ,god ,his due2 it had robbed ,god4 ,it is this we need3 ,god must discover to us how the lack of prayer is the indication of unfaithfulness to our consecration vow1 that ,god should have all our heart and life4 ,we must see that this restraining prayer1 with the excuses we make for it1 is greater sin than we have thought2 for what does it mean8 ,that we have little taste or relish for fellowship with ,god2 that our faith rests more on our own work and efforts than on the power of ,god2 that we have little sense of the heavenly blessing ,god waits to shower down2 that we are not ready to sacrifice the ease and confidence of the flesh for persevering waiting on ,god2 that the spirituality of our life1 and our abiding in ,christ1 is altogether too feeble to make us prevail in prayer4 ,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 it1 as our chief need1 it surely proves that there is no right sense of our absolute dependence upon ,god2 no deep apprehension of the ,divine and supernatural work of ,god in which we are only ,his instruments1 no true entrance into the heavenly1 altogether other-worldly1 character of our mission and aims1 no full surrender to and delight in ,christ ,jesus ,himself4 ,if we were to yield to ,god's ,spirit to show us that all this is in very deed the meaning of remissness in prayer1 and of our allowing other things to crowd it out1 all our excuses would fall away1 and we should fall down and cry1 ,we have sinned6 we have sinned6 ,samuel once said1 ,as for me1 ,god forbid that ,i should sin against the ,lord in ceasing to pray for you4 ,ceasing from prayer is sin against ,god4 ,may ,god discover this to us4 7,note ,a47 #e4 ,when ,god discovers sin1 it must be confessed and cast out4--,when the defeat at ,ai came1 ,joshua and ,israel were ignorant of the cause4 ,god dealt with ,israel as a nation1 as one body1 and the sin of one member was visited on all4 ,israel as a whole was ignorant of the sin1 and yet suffered for it4 ,the ,church may be ignorant of the greatness of this sin of restraining prayer1 individual ministers or believers may never have looked upon it as actual transgression1 none the less does it bring its punishment4 ,but when the sin is no more hidden1 when the ,holy ,spirit begins to convince of it1 then comes the time of heart-searching4 ,in our story the combination of individual and united responsibility is very solemn4 ,the individual3 as we find it in the expression1 man for man2 each man felt himself under the eye of ,god1 to be dealt with4 ,and when ,achan had been taken1 he had to make confession4 ,the united3 as we see it in all ,israel first suffering and dealt with by ,god1 then taking ,achan1 and his family1 and the accursed thing1 and destroying them out of their midst4 ,if we have reason to think this is the sin that is in the camp1 let us begin with personal and united confession4 ,and then let us come before ,god to put away and destroy the sin4 ,here stands at the very threshold of ,israel's history in ,canaan the heap of stones in the valley of ,achor1 to tell us that ,god cannot bear sin1 that ,god will not dwell with sin1 and that if we really want ,god's presence in power1 sin must be put away4 ,let us look the solemn fact in the face4 ,there may be other sins1 but here is certainly one that causes the loss of ,god's presence--we do not pray as ,christ and ,scripture teach us4 ,let us bring it out before ,god1 and give up this sin to the death4 ,let us yield ourselves to ,god to obey ,his voice4 ,let no fear of past failure1 let no threatening array of temptations1 or duties1 or excuses1 keep us back4 ,it is a simple question of obedience4 ,are we going to give up ourselves to ,god and ,his ,spirit to live a life in prayer1 well-pleasing to ,him8 ,surely1 if it is ,god who has been withholding ,his presence1 who has been discovering the sin1 who is calling for its destruction1 and a return to obedience1 surely we can count upon ,his grace to accept and strengthen for the life ,he asks of us4 ,it is not a question of what you can do2 it is the question of whether you now1 with your whole heart1 turn to give ,god ,his due1 and give yourself to let ,his will and grace have their way with you4 #f4 ,with sin cast out ,god's presence is restored4--,from this day onwards there is not a word in ,joshua of defeat in battle4 ,the story shows them going on from victory to victory4 ,god's presence secured gives power to overcome every enemy4 ,this truth is so simple that the very ease with which we acquiesce in it robs it of its power4 ,let us pause and think what it implies4 ,god's presence restored means victory secured4 ,then1 we are responsible for defeat4 ,then1 there must be sin somewhere causing it4 ,then1 we ought at once to find out and put away the sin4 ,we may confidently expect ,god's presence the moment the sin is put away4 ,surely each one is under the solemn obligation to search his life and see what part he may have in this evil4 ,god never speaks to ,his people of sin except with a view to saving them from it4 ,the same light that shows the sin will show the way out of it4 ,the same power that breaks down and condemns will1 if humbly yielded to and waited on in confession and faith1 give the power to rise up and conquer4 ,it is ,,god who is speaking to ,his ,church and to us about this sin3 ,,he ,,wondered that there was no intercessor4 ,i ,,wondered that there was none to uphold4 ,i ,,sought for a man that should stand in the gap before ,me1 and found none4 ,the ,god who speaks thus is ,he who will work the change for ,his children who seek ,his face4 ,he will make the valley of ,achor1 of trouble and shame1 of sin confessed and cast out1 a door of hope4 ,let us not fear1 let us not cling to the excuses and explanations which circumstances suggest1 but simply confess1 ,we have sinned2 we are sinning2 we dare not sin longer4 ,in this matter of prayer we are sure ,god does not demand of us impossibilities4 ,he does not weary us with an impracticable ideal4 ,he asks us to pray no more than ,he gives grace to enable us to4 ,he will give the grace to do what ,he asks1 and so to pray that our intercessions shall1 day by day1 be a pleasure to ,him and to us1 a source of strength to our conscience and our work1 and a channel of blessing to those for whom we labour4 ,god dealt personally with ,joshua1 with ,israel1 with ,achan4 ,let each of us allow ,him to deal personally with us concerning this sin1 of restraining prayer1 and its consequences in our life and work2 concerning the deliverance from sin1 its certainty and blessedness4 ,just bow in stillness and wait before ,god1 until1 as ,god1 ,he overshadow you with ,his presence1 lead you out of that region of argument as to human possibilities1 where conviction of sin can never be deep1 and full deliverance can never come4 ,take quiet time1 and be still before ,god1 that ,he may take this matter in hand4 ,sit still1 for ,he will not be in rest until ,he have finished this thing this day4 ,leave yourself in ,god's hands4 ,a ,,plea ,,for ,,more ,,prayer ,,chapter ,,vii ,who shall ,deliver8 ,is there no balm in ,gilead2 is there no physician there8 why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered8--,,jer4 viii4 #bb4 ,return1 ye backsliding children1 and ,i will heal your backslidings4 ,behold1 we come unto ,thee2 for ,thou art the ,lord our ,god4-,,jer4 iii4 #bb4 ,heal me1 ,o ,lord1 and ,i shall be healed4-,,jer4 xii4 #ad4 ,o wretched man that ,i am6 who shall deliver me out of the body of this death8 ,i thank ,god through ,jesus ,christ our ,lord4 ,the law of the ,spirit of life in ,christ ,jesus made me free from the law of sin and death4-,,rom4 vii4 #bd1 viii4 #b4 ,during one of our conventions a gentleman called upon me to ask advice and help4 ,he was evidently an earnest and well-instructed ,christian man4 ,he had for some years been in most difficult surroundings1 trying to witness for ,christ4 ,the result was a sense of failure and unhappiness4 ,his complaint was that he had no relish for the ,word1 and that though he prayed1 it was as if his heart was not in it4 ,if he spoke to others1 or gave a tract1 it was under a sense of duty3 the love and the joy were not present4 ,he longed to be filled with ,god's ,spirit1 but the more he sought it1 the farther off it appeared to be4 ,what was he to think of his state1 and was there any way out of it8 ,my answer was1 that the whole matter appeared to me very simple2 he was living under the law and not under grace4 ,as long as he did so1 there could be no change4 ,he listened attentively1 but could not exactly see what ,i meant4 ,i reminded him of the difference1 the utter contrariety1 between law and grace4 ,law demands2 grace bestows4 ,law commands1 but gives no strength to obey2 grace promises1 and performs1 does all we need to do4 ,law burdens1 and casts down and condemns2 grace comforts1 and makes strong and glad4 ,law appeals to self1 to do its utmost2 grace points to ,christ to do all4 ,law calls to effort and strain1 and urges us towards a goal we never can reach2 grace works in us all ,god's blessed will4 ,i pointed out to him how his first step should be1 instead of striving against all this failure1 fully to accept of it1 and the lesson of his own impotence1 as ,god had been seeking to teach it him1 and1 with this confession1 to sink down before ,god in utter helplessness4 ,there would be the place where he would learn that1 unless grace gave him deliverance and strength1 he never could do better than he had done1 and that grace would indeed work all for him4 ,he must come out from under law and self and effort1 and take his place under grace1 allowing ,god to do all4 ,in later conversations he told me the diagnosis of the disease had been correct4 ,he admitted grace must do all4 ,and yet1 so deep was the thought that we must do something1 that we must at least bring our faithfulness to secure the work of grace1 he feared that his life would not be very different2 he would not be equal to the strain of new difficulties into which he was now going4 ,there was1 amid all the intense earnestness1 an undertone of despair2 he could not live as he knew he ought to4 ,i have already said1 in the opening chapter1 that in some of our meetings ,i had noticed this tone of hopelessness4 ,and no minister who has come into close contact with souls seeking to live wholly for ,god1 to walk worthy of the ,lord unto all well pleasing1 but knows that this renders true progress impossible4 ,to speak specially of the lack of prayer1 and the desire of living a fuller prayer-life1 how many are the difficulties to be met6 ,we have so often resolved to pray more and better1 and have failed4 ,we have not the strength of will some have1 with one resolve to turn round and change our habits4 ,the press of duty is as great as ever it was2 it is so difficult to find time for more prayer2 real enjoyment in prayer1 which would enable us to persevere1 is what we do not feel2 we do not possess the power to supplicate and to plead1 as we should2 our prayers1 instead of being a joy and a strength1 are a source of continual self-condemnation and doubt4 ,we have at times mourned and confessed and resolved2 but1 to tell the honest truth1 we do not expect1 for we do not see the way to1 any great change4 ,it is evident that as long as this spirit prevails1 there can be very little prospect of improvement4 ,discouragement must bring defeat4 ,one of the first objects of a physician is ever to waken hope2 without this he knows his medicines will often profit little4 ,no teaching from ,god's ,word as to the duty1 the urgent need1 the blessed privilege of more prayer1 of effectual prayer1 will avail1 while the secret whisper is heard3 ,there is no hope4 ,our first care must be to find out the hidden cause of the failure and despair1 and then to show how divinely sure deliverance is4 ,we must1 unless we are to rest content with our state1 listen to and join in the question1 ,is there no balm in ,gilead2 is there no physician there8 why then is not the health of the daughter of my people restored8 ,we must listen1 and receive into our heart1 the ,divine promise with the response it met with3 ,return1 ye backsliding children1 and ,i will heal your backslidings4 ,behold1 we come unto ,thee1 for ,thou art the ,lord our ,god4 ,we must come with the personal prayer1 and the faith that there will be a personal answer4 ,shall we not even now begin to claim it in regard to the lack of prayer1 and believe that ,god will help us3 ,heal me1 ,o ,lord1 and ,i shall be healed4 ,it is always of consequence to distinguish between the symptoms of a disease and the disease itself4 ,feebleness and failure in prayer is a sign of feebleness in the spiritual life4 ,if a patient were to ask a physician to give him something to stimulate his feeble pulse1 he would be told that this would do him little good4 ,the pulse is the index of the state of the heart and the whole system3 the physician strives to have health restored4 ,what everyone who would fain pray more faithfully and effectually must learn is this1 that his whole spiritual life is in a sickly state1 and needs restoration4 ,it is as he comes to look1 not only at his shortcomings in prayer1 but at the lack in the life of faith1 of which this is the symptom1 that he will become fully alive to the serious nature of the disease4 ,he will then see the need of a radical change in his whole life and walk1 if his prayer-life1 which is simply the pulse of the spiritual system1 is to indicate health and vigour4 ,god has so created us that the exercise of every healthy function causes joy4 ,prayer is meant to be as simple and natural as breathing or working to a healthy man4 ,the reluctance we feel1 and the failure we confess1 are ,god's own voice calling us to acknowledge our disease1 and to come to ,him for the healing ,he has promised4 ,and what is now the disease of which the lack of prayer is the symptom8 ,we cannot find a better answer than is pointed out in the words1 ,ye are not under the law1 but under grace4 ,here we have suggested the possibility of two types of ,christian life4 ,there may be a life partly under the law and partly under grace2 or1 a life entirely under grace1 in the full liberty from self-effort1 and the full experience of the ,divine strength which it can give4 ,a true believer may still be living partly under the law1 in the power of self-effort1 striving to do what he cannot accomplish4 ,the continued failure in his ,christian life to which he confesses is owing to this one thing3 he trusts in himself1 and tries to do his best4 ,he does1 indeed1 pray and look to ,god for help1 but still it is he in his strength1 helped by ,god1 who is to do the work4 ,in the ,epistles to the ,romans1 and ,corinthians1 and ,galatians1 we know how ,paul tells them that they have not received the spirit of bondage again1 that they are free from the law1 that they are no more servants but sons2 that they must beware of nothing so much as to be entangled again with the yoke of bondage4 ,everywhere it is the contrast between the law and grace1 between the flesh1 which is under the law1 and the ,spirit1 who is the gift of grace1 and through whom grace does all its work4 ,in our days1 just as in those first ages1 the great danger is living under the law1 and serving ,god in the strength of the flesh4 ,with the great majority of ,christians it appears to be the state in which they remain all their lives4 ,hence the lack to such a large extent of true holy living and power in prayer4 ,they do not know that all failure can have but one cause3 ,men seek to do themselves what grace alone can do in them1 what grace most certainly will do4 ,many will not be prepared to admit that this is their disease1 that they are not living under grace4 ,impossible1 they say4 ,from the depth of my heart1 a ,christian cries1 ,i believe and know that there is no good in me1 and that ,i owe everything to grace alone4 ,i have spent my life1 a minister says1 and found my glory in preaching and exalting the doctrines of free grace4 ,and ,i1 a missionary answers1 how could ,i ever have thought of seeing the heathen saved1 if my only confidence had not been in the message ,i brought1 and the power ,i trusted1 of ,god's abounding grace4 ,surely you cannot say that our failures in prayer1 and we sadly confess to them1 are owing to our not living under grace8 ,this cannot be our disease4 ,we know how often a man may be suffering from a disease without knowing it4 ,what he counts a slight ailment turns out to be a dangerous complaint4 ,do not let us be too sure that we are not1 to a large extent1 still living under the law1 while considering ourselves to be living wholly under grace4 ,very frequently the reason of this mistake is the limited meaning attached to the word grace4 ,just as we limit ,god ,himself1 by our little or unbelieving thoughts of ,him1 so we limit ,his grace at the very moment that we are delighting in terms like the riches of grace1 grace exceeding abundant4 ,has not the very term1 grace abounding1 from ,bunyan's book downward1 been confined to the one great blessed truth of free justification with ever renewed pardon and eternal glory for the vilest of sinners1 while the other equally blessed truth of grace abounding in sanctification is not fully known4 ,paul writes3 ,much more shall they which receive the abundance of grace reign in life through ,jesus ,christ4 ,that reigning in life1 as conqueror over sin1 is even here on earth4 ,where sin abounded in the heart and life1 grace did abound more exceedingly1 that grace might reign through righteousness in the whole life and being of the believer4 ,it is of this reign of grace in the soul that ,paul asks1 ,shall we sin because we are under grace8 and answers1 ,god forbid4 ,grace is not only pardon of1 but power over1 sin2 grace takes the place sin had in the life1 and undertakes1 as sin had reigned within in the power of death1 to reign in the power of ,christ's life4 ,it is of this grace that ,christ spoke1 ,my grace is sufficient for thee1 and ,paul answered1 ,i will glory in my weakness2 for1 when ,i am weak1 then am ,i strong4 ,it is of this grace1 which1 when we are willing to confess ourselves utterly impotent and helpless1 comes in to work all in us1 that ,paul elsewhere teaches1 ,god is able to make all grace abound unto you1 that ye1 always having all sufficiency in all things1 may abound unto all good works4 ,it has often happened that a seeker after ,god and salvation has read his ,bible long1 and yet never seen the truth of a free and full and immediate justification by faith4 ,when once his eyes were opened1 and he accepted it1 he was amazed to find it everywhere4 ,even so many believers1 who hold the doctrines of free grace as applied to pardon1 have never seen its wondrous meaning as it undertakes to work our whole life in us1 and actually give us strength every moment for whatever the ,father would have us be and do4 ,when ,god's light shines into our heart with this blessed truth1 we know what ,paul means1 ,not ,i1 but the grace of ,god4 ,there again you have the twofold ,christian life4 ,the one1 in which that ,not ,i--,i am nothing1 ,i can do nothing--has not yet become a reality4 ,the other1 when the wondrous exchange has been made1 and grace has taken the place of our effort1 and we say and know1 ,i live1 yet no longer ,i1 but ,christ liveth in me4 ,it may then become a lifelong experience3 ,the grace of our ,lord was exceeding abundant1 with faith and love which is in ,christ ,jesus4 ,beloved child of ,god6 what think you1 is it not possible that this has been the want in your life1 the cause of your failure in prayer8 ,you knew not how grace would enable you to pray1 if once the whole life were under its power4 ,you sought by earnest effort to conquer your reluctance or deadness in prayer1 but failed4 ,you strove by every motive of shame or love you could think of to stir yourself to it1 but it would not help4 ,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 think8 ,your lack of prayer is owing to a diseased state of life1 and the disease is nothing but this--you have not accepted1 for daily life and every duty1 the full salvation which the word brings3 ,ye are not under the law1 but under grace4 ,as universal and deep-reaching as the demand of the law and the reign of sin1 yea1 more exceeding abundant1 is the provision of grace and the power by which it makes us reign in life4 7,note ,b47 ,in the chapter that follows that in which ,paul wrote1 ,ye are not under the law1 but under grace1 he gives us a picture of a believer's life under law1 with the bitter experience in which it ends3 ,o wretched man that ,i am6 who shall deliver me from the body of this death8 ,his answer to the question1 ,i thank ,god through ,jesus ,christ our ,lord1 shows that there is deliverance from a life held captive under evil habits that have been struggled against in vain4 ,that deliverance is by the ,holy ,spirit giving the full experience of what the life of ,christ can work in us3 ,the law of the ,spirit of life in ,christ ,jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death4 ,the law of ,god could only deliver us into the power of the law of sin and death4 ,the grace of ,god can bring us into1 and keep us in1 the liberty of the ,spirit4 ,we can be made free from the sad life under the power that led us captive1 so that we did not what we would4 ,the ,spirit of life in ,christ can free us from our continual failure in prayer1 and enable us in this1 too1 to walk worthy of the ,lord unto all well-pleasing4 ,oh6 be not hopeless1 be not despondent2 there is a balm in ,gilead2 there is a ,physician there2 there is healing for our sickness4 ,what is impossible with man is possible with ,god4 ,what you see no possibility of doing1 grace will do4 ,confess the disease2 trust the ,physician2 claim the healing2 pray the prayer of faith1 ,heal me1 and ,i shall be healed4 ,you too can become a man of prayer1 and pray the effectual prayer that availeth much4#a #a ,i ought to say1 for the encouragement of all1 that the gentleman of whom ,i spoke1 at a ,convention a fortnight later1 saw and claimed the rest of faith in trusting ,god for all1 and a letter from ,england tells that he has found that ,his grace is sufficient4 ,a ,,plea ,,for ,,more ,,prayer ,,chapter ,,viii ,wilt ,thou be made ,whole8 ,jesus saith unto him1 ,wilt thou be made whole8 ,the impotent man answered him1 ,sir1 ,i have no man to put me into the pool4 ,jesus saith unto him1 ,rise and walk4 ,immediately the man was made whole1 and walked4--,,john v4 #f-i4 ,peter said1 ,in the name of ,jesus ,christ of ,nazareth1 rise up and walk4444 ,the faith which is by ,him hath given this man this perfect soundness in the presence of you all4--,,acts iii4 #f1 #af4 ,peter said1 neas1 ,jesus ,christ maketh thee whole3 arise4 ,and he arose immediately4--,,acts ix4 #cd4 ,feebleness in prayer is the mark of disease4 ,impotence to walk is1 in the ,christian1 as in the natural life1 a terrible proof of some evil in the system that needs a physician4 ,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 grievous4 ,christ is the great ,physician1 who comes to every ,bethesda where impotent folk are gathered1 and speaks out his loving1 searching question1 ,wilt thou be made whole8 ,for all who are still clinging to their hope in the pool1 or are looking for some man to put them in1 who are hoping1 in course of time1 somehow to be helped by just continuing in the use of the ordinary means of grace1 ,his question points to a better way4 ,he offers them healing in a way of power they have never understood4 ,and to all who are willing to confess1 not only their own impotence1 but their failure to find any man to help them1 ,his question brings the sure and certain hope of a near deliverance4 ,we have seen that our weakness in prayer is part of a life smitten with spiritual impotence4 ,let us listen to our ,lord as ,he offers to restore our spiritual strength1 to fit us for walking like healthy1 strong men in all the ways of the ,lord1 and so be fit rightly to fill our place in the great work of intercession4 ,as we see what the wholeness is ,he offers1 how ,he gives it1 and what ,he asks of us1 we shall be prepared for giving a willing answer to ,his question4 ,,what ,,the ,,health ,,that ,,jesus ,,offers4 ,i might mention many marks of spiritual health4 ,our text leads us to take one1--walking4 ,jesus said to the sick man1 ,rise and walk1 and with that restored him to his place among men in full health and vigour1 able to take his part in all the work of life4 ,it is a wonderfully suggestive picture of the restoration of spiritual health4 ,to the healthy1 walking is a pleasure2 to the sick1 a burden1 if not an impossibility4 ,how many ,christians there are to whom1 like the maimed and the halt and the lame and the impotent1 movement and progress in ,god's way is indeed an effort and a weariness4 ,christ comes to say1 and with the word ,he gives the power1 ,rise and walk4 ,just think of this walk to which ,he restores and empowers us4 ,it is a life like that of ,enoch and ,noah1 who walked with ,god4 ,a life like that of ,abraham1 to whom ,god said1 ,walk before ,me1 and who himself spake1 ,the ,lord before whom ,i walk4 ,a life of which ,david sings1 ,they shall walk in the light of ,thy countenance1 and ,isaiah prophesies1 ,they that wait on the ,lord shall renew their strength2 they shall run and not be weary1 they shall walk and not faint4 ,even as ,god the ,creator fainteth not nor is weary1 shall they who walk with ,him1 waiting on ,him1 never be exhausted or feeble4 ,it is a life concerning which it could be said of the last of the ,old ,testament saints1 ,zacharias and ,elisabeth1 ,they were both righteous before ,god1 walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the ,lord blameless4 ,this is the walk ,jesus came to make possible and true to ,his people in greater power than ever before4 ,hear what the ,new ,testament speaks of it3 ,that like as ,christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the ,father1 so we also should walk in newness of life4 ,it is the ,risen ,one who says to us1 ,rise and walk3 ,he gives the power of the resurrection life4 ,it is a walk in ,christ4 ,as ye have received ,christ ,jesus the ,lord1 so walk ye also in ,him4 ,it is a walk like ,christ4 ,he that saith he abideth in ,him ought so to walk even as ,he walked4 ,it is a walk by the ,spirit and after the ,spirit4 ,walk by the ,spirit1 and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh4 ,who walk not after the flesh1 but after the ,spirit4 ,it is a walk worthy of ,god and well pleasing to ,him4 ,that ye would walk worthy of the ,lord1 unto all well pleasing1 being fruitful in every good work4 ,i beseech you1 that as ye received of us1 how ye should walk and please ,god1 even as ye do walk1 that ye would abound more and more4 ,it is a walk in heavenly love4 ,walk in love1 even as ,christ loved you4 ,it is a walk in the light1 as ,he is in the light4 ,it is a walk of faith1 all its power coming simply from ,god and ,christ and the ,holy ,spirit1 to the soul turned away from the world4 ,we walk by faith1 and not by sight4 ,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 otherwise2 and so they do not long for this walk in newness of life4 ,they have become so accustomed to the life of impotence1 that the life and walk in ,god's strength has little attraction4 ,but some there are with whom it is not thus4 ,they do wonder if these words really mean what they say1 and if the wonderful life each one of them speaks of is simply an unattainable ideal1 or meant to be realised in flesh and blood4 ,the more they study them1 the more they feel that they are spoken as for daily life4 ,and yet they appear too high4 ,oh that they would believe that ,god sent his ,almighty ,son1 and ,his ,holy ,spirit1 indeed to bring us and fit us for a life and walk from heaven beyond all that man could dare to think or hope for4 ,,how ,,jesus ,,makes ,,us ,,whole4 ,when a physician heals a patient1 he acts on him from without1 and does something which is1 if possible1 ever after to render him independent of his aid4 ,he restores him to perfect health1 and leaves him4 ,with the work of our ,lord ,jesus it is in both respects the very opposite4 ,jesus works not from without1 but from within1 by entering ,himself in the power of ,his ,spirit into our very life4 ,and instead of1 as in the bodily healing1 being rendered1 if possible1 independent of a physician for the future1 ,christ's one purpose in healing is1 as we said1 the exact opposite4 ,his one condition of success1 is to bring us into such dependence upon ,himself as that we shall not be able one single moment to do without ,him4 ,christ ,jesus ,himself is our life1 in a sense that many ,christians have no conception of4 ,the prevailing feeble and sickly life is entirely owing to the lack of the apprehension of the ,divine truth1 that as long as we expect ,christ continually to do something for us from heaven1 in single acts of grace from time to time1 and each time trust ,him to give us what will last a little while1 we cannot be restored to perfect health4 ,but when once we see how there is to be nothing of our own for a single moment1 and it is to be all ,christ moment by moment1 and learn to accept it from ,him and trust ,him for it1 the life of ,christ becomes the health of our soul4 ,health is nothing but life in its normal1 undisturbed action4 ,christ gives us health by giving us ,himself as our life2 so ,he becomes our strength for our walk4 ,isaiah's words find their ,new ,testament fulfilment3 ,they that wait on the ,lord shall walk and not faint1 because ,christ is now the strength of their life4 ,it is strange how believers sometimes think this life of dependence too great a strain1 and a loss of our personal liberty4 ,they admit a need of dependence1 of much dependence1 but with room left for our own will and energy4 ,they do not see that even a partial dependence makes us debtors1 and leaves us nothing to boast of4 ,they forget that our relationship to ,god1 and co-operation with ,him1 is not that ,he does the larger part and we the lesser1 but that ,god does all and we do all--,god all in us1 we all through ,god4 ,this dependence upon ,god secures our true independence2 when our will seeks nothing but the ,divine will1 we reach a ,divine nobility1 the true independence of all that is created4 ,he that has not seen this must remain a sickly ,christian1 letting self do part and ,christ part4 ,he that accepts the life of unceasing dependence on ,christ1 as life and health and strength1 is made whole4 ,as ,god1 ,christ can enter and become the life of ,his creature4 ,as the ,glorified ,one who received the ,holy ,spirit from the ,father to bestow1 ,he can renew the heart of the sinful creature and make it ,his home1 and by ,his presence maintain it in full health and strength4 ,o ye all who would fain walk and please ,god1 and in your prayer-life not have your heart condemn you1 listen to ,christ's words3 ,wilt thou be made whole8 ,he can give soul-health4 ,he can give a life that can pray1 and know that it is well-pleasing to the ,father4 ,if you would have this1 come and hear how you can receive it4 ,,what ,,christ ,,asks ,,of ,,us4 ,the story invites us to notice three things very specially4 ,christ's question first appeals to the will1 and asks for the expression of its consent4 ,he then listens to man's confession of his utter helplessness4 ,then comes the ready obedience to ,christ's command1 that rises up and walks4 #a4 ,wilt thou be made whole8 ,about the answer of the impotent man there could be no doubt4 ,who would not be willing to have his sickness removed8 ,but1 alas1 in the spiritual life what need to press the question4 ,some will not admit that they are so sick4 ,and some will not believe that ,christ can make a man whole4 ,and some will believe it for others1 but they are sure it is not for them4 ,at the root of all lies the fear of the self-denial and the sacrifice which will be needed4 ,they are not willing to forsake entirely the walk after the course of this world1 to give up all self-will1 and self-confidence1 and self-pleasing4 ,the walk in ,christ and like ,christ is too straight and hard3 they do not will it1 they do not will to be made whole4 ,my brother1 if thou art willing1 speak it out3 ,lord6 at any price1 ,i will6 ,from ,christ's side the act is one of the will3 ,i will1 be thou clean4 ,from your side equally3 ,be it unto thee as thou wilt4 ,if you would be delivered from your impotence--oh1 fear not to say1 ,i will1 ,i will6 ,then comes the second step4 ,christ wants us to look up to him as our only ,helper4 ,i have no man to put me in1 must be our cry4 ,here on earth there is no help for me4 ,weakness may grow into strength in the ordinary use of means1 if all the organs and functions are in a sound state4 ,sickness needs special measures4 ,your soul is sick2 your impotence to walk joyfully the ,christian walk in ,god's way is a sign of disease2 fear not to confess it1 and to admit that there is no hope for restoration unless by an act of ,christ's mercy healing you4 ,give up the idea of growing out of your sickly into a healthy state1 of growing out from under the law into a life under grace4 ,a few days ago ,i heard a student plead the cause of the ,volunteer ,pledge4 ,the pledge calls you1 he said1 to a decision4 ,do not think of growing into a missionary3 unless ,god forbids you1 take the step2 the decision will bring joy and strength1 will set you free to grow up in all needed for a missionary1 and will be a help to others4 ,it is even so in the ,christian life4 ,delay and struggle will equally hinder you2 do confess that you cannot bring yourself to pray as you would1 because you cannot give yourself the healthy1 heavenly life that loves to pray1 and that knows to count upon ,god's ,spirit to pray in us4 ,come to ,christ to heal you4 ,he can in one moment make you whole4 ,not in the sense of working a sudden change in your feelings1 or in what you are in yourself1 but in the heavenly reality of coming in1 in response to your surrender and faith1 and taking charge of your inner life1 and filling it with ,himself and ,spirit4 ,the third thing ,christ asks is this1 the surrender of faith4 ,when ,he spoke to the impotent man ,his word of command had to be obeyed4 ,the man believed that there was truth and power in ,christ's word2 in that faith he rose and walked4 ,by faith he obeyed4 ,and what ,christ said to others was for him too--,go thy way2 thy faith hath made thee whole4 ,of us1 too1 ,christ asks this faith1 that ,his word changes our impotence into strength1 and fits us for that walk in newness of life for which we have been quickened in ,him4 ,if we do not believe this1 if we will not take courage and say1 with ,paul1 ,i can do all things in ,christ1 which strengtheneth me1 we cannot obey4 ,but if we will listen to the word that tells us of the walk that is not only possible1 but has been proved and seen in ,god's saints from of old1 if we will fix our eye on the mighty1 living1 loving ,christ1 who speaks in power1 ,rise and walk1 we shall take courage and obey4 ,we shall rise and begin to walk in ,him and ,his strength4 ,in faith1 apart from and above all feeling1 we shall accept and trust an unseen ,christ as our strength1 and go on in the strength of the ,lord ,god4 ,we shall know ,christ as the strength of our life4 ,we shall know1 and tell1 and prove that ,jesus ,christ hath made us whole4 ,can it indeed be8 ,yes1 it can4 ,he has done it for many3 ,he will do it for you4 ,beware of forming wrong conceptions of what must take place4 ,when the impotent man was made whole he had still all to learn as to the use of his new-found strength4 ,if he wanted to dig1 or build1 or learn a trade1 he had to begin at the beginning4 ,do not expect at once to be a proficient in prayer or any part of the ,christian life4 ,no2 but expect and be confident of this one thing1 that1 as you have trusted yourself to ,christ to be your health and strength1 ,he will lead and teach you4 ,begin to pray in a quiet sense of your ignorance and weakness1 but in a joyful assurance that ,he will work in you what you need4 ,rise and walk each day in a holy confidence that ,he is with you and in you4 ,just accept ,jesus ,christ the ,living ,one1 and trust ,him to do ,his work4 ,will you do it8 ,have you done it8 ,even now ,jesus speaks1 ,rise and walk4 ,amen1 ,lord6 at ,thy word ,i come4 ,i rise to walk with ,thee1 and in ,thee1 and like ,thee4 ,a ,,plea ,,for ,,more ,,prayer ,,chapter ,,ix ,the ,secret of ,effectual ,prayer ,what things soever ye desire1 when ye pray1 believe that ye have received them1 and ye shall have them4--,,mark xi4 #bd4 ,here we have a summary of the teaching of our ,lord ,jesus on prayer4 ,nothing will so much help to convince us of the sin of our remissness in prayer1 to discover its causes1 and to give us courage to expect entire deliverance1 as the careful study and then the believing acceptance of that teaching4 ,the more heartily we enter into the mind of our blessed ,lord1 and set ourselves simply just to think about prayer as ,he thought1 the more surely will ,his words be as living seeds4 ,they will grow and produce in us their fruit1--a life and practice exactly corresponding to the ,divine truth they contain4 ,do let us believe this3 ,christ1 the living ,word of ,god1 gives in ,his words a ,divine quickening power which brings what they say1 which works in us what ,he asks1 which actually fits and enables for all ,he demands4 ,learn to look upon ,his teaching on prayer as a definite promise of what ,he1 by ,his ,holy ,spirit dwelling in you1 is going to work into your very being and character4 ,our ,lord gives us the five marks1 or essential elements1 of true prayer4 ,there must be1 first1 the heart's desire2 then the expression of that desire in prayer2 with that1 the faith that carries the prayer to ,god2 in that faith1 the acceptance of ,god's answer2 then comes the experience of the desired blessing4 ,it may help to give definiteness to our thought1 if we each take a definite request in regard to which we would fain learn to pray believingly4 ,or1 perhaps better still1 we might all unite and take the one thing that has been occupying our attention4 ,we have been speaking of failure in prayer2 why should we not take as the object of desire and supplication the grace of supplication1 and say1 ,i want to ask and receive in faith the power to pray just as1 and as much as1 my ,god expects of me8 ,let us meditate on our ,lord's words1 in the confidence that ,he will teach us how to pray for this blessing4 #a4 ,what things soever ye desire4--,desire is the secret power that moves the whole world of living men1 and directs the course of each4 ,and so desire is the soul of prayer1 and the cause of insufficient or unsuccessful prayer is very much to be found in the lack or feebleness of desire4 ,some may doubt this3 they are sure that they have very earnestly desired what they ask4 ,but if they consider whether their desire has indeed been as whole-hearted as ,god would have it1 as the heavenly worth of these blessings demands1 they may come to see that it was indeed the lack of desire that was the cause of failure4 ,what is true of ,god is true of each of his blessings1 and is the more true the more spiritual the blessing3 ,ye shall seek ,me1 and shall find1 when ye shall search for ,me with all your heart 7,jer4 xxix4 #ac74 ,of ,judah in the days of ,asa it is written1 ,they sought ,him with their whole desire 7#b ,chron4 xv4 #ae74 ,a ,christian may often have very earnest desires for spiritual blessings4 ,but alongside of these there are other desires in his daily life occupying a large place in his interests and affections4 ,the spiritual desires are not all-absorbing4 ,he wonders that his prayer is not heard4 ,it is simply that ,god wants the whole heart4 ,the ,lord thy ,god is one ,lord1 therefore thou shalt love the ,lord thy ,god with all thy heart4 ,the law is unchangeable3 ,god offers ,himself1 gives ,himself away1 to the whole-hearted who give themselves wholly away to ,him4 ,he always gives us according to our heart's desire4 ,but not as we think it1 but as ,he sees it4 ,if there be other desires which are more at home with us1 which have our heart more than ,himself and ,his presence1 ,he allows these to be fulfilled1 and the desires that engage us at the hour of prayer cannot be granted4 ,we desire the gift of intercession1 grace and power to pray aright4 ,our hearts must be drawn away from other desires3 we must give ourselves wholly to this one4 ,we must be willing to live wholly in intercession for the kingdom4 ,by fixing our eye on the blessedness and the need of this grace1 by thinking of the certainty that ,god will give it us1 by giving ourselves up to it1 for the sake of the perishing world1 desire may be strengthened1 and the first step taken towards the possession of the coveted blessing4 ,let us seek the grace of prayer1 as we seek the ,god with whom it will link us1 with our whole desire2 we may depend upon the promise1 ,he will fulfil the desire of them that fear ,him4 ,let us not fear to say to ,him1 ,i desire it with my whole heart4 #b4 ,what things soever ye desire when ye pray4--,the desire of the heart must become the expression of the lips4 ,our ,lord ,jesus more than once asked those who cried to ,him for mercy1 ,what wilt thou8 ,he wanted them to say what they would4 ,to speak it out roused their whole being into action1 brought them into contact with ,him1 and wakened their expectation4 ,to pray is to enter into ,god's presence1 to claim and secure ,his attention1 to have distinct dealing with ,him in regard to some request1 to commit our need to ,his faithfulness and to leave it there3 it is in so doing that we become fully conscious of what we are seeking4 ,there are some who often carry strong desires in their heart1 without bringing them to ,god in the clear expression of definite and repeated prayer4 ,there are others who go to the ,word and its promises to strengthen their faith1 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 hands4 ,still others come in prayer with so many requests and desires1 that it is difficult for themselves to say what they really expect ,god to do4 ,if you would obtain from ,god this great gift of faithfulness in prayer and power to pray aright1 begin by exercising yourself in prayer in regard to it4 ,say of it to yourself and to ,god3 ,here is something ,i have asked1 and am continuing to ask till ,i receive4 ,as plain and pointed as words can make it1 ,i am saying1 ',my ,father6 ,i do desire1 ,i do ask of ,thee1 and expect of ,thee1 the grace of prayer and intercession4' #c4 ,what things soever ye desire1 when ye pray1 believe4--,as it is only by faith that we can know ,god1 or receive ,jesus ,christ1 or live the ,christian life1 so faith is the life and power of prayer4 ,if we are to enter upon a life of intercession1 in which there is to be joy and power and blessing1 if we are to have our prayer for the grace of prayer answered1 we must learn anew what faith is1 and begin to live and pray in faith as never before4 ,faith is the opposite of sight1 and the two are contrary the one to the other4 ,we walk by faith1 and not by sight4 ,if the unseen is to get full possession of us1 and heart and life and prayer are to be full of faith1 there must be a withdrawal from1 a denial of1 the visible4 ,the spirit that seeks to enjoy as much as possible of what is innocent or legitimate1 that gives the first place to the calls and duties of daily life1 is inconsistent with a strong faith and close intercourse with the spiritual world4 ,we look not at the things that are seen--the negative side needs to be emphasised if the positive1 but at the things which are not seen1 is to become natural to us4 ,in praying1 faith depends upon our living in the invisible world4 ,this faith has specially to do with ,god4 ,the great reason of our lack of faith is our lack of knowledge of ,god and intercourse with ,him4 ,have faith in ,god1 ,jesus said when ,he spoke of removing mountains4 ,it is as a soul knows ,god1 is occupied with ,his power1 love1 and faithfulness1 comes away out of self and the world1 and allows the light of ,god to shine on it1 that unbelief will become impossible4 ,all the mysteries and difficulties connected with answers to prayer will1 however little we may be able to solve them intellectually1 be swallowed up in the adoring assurance3 ,this ,god is our ,god4 ,he will bless us4 ,he does indeed answer prayer4 ,and the grace to pray ,i am asking for ,he will delight to give4 7,note ,c47 #d4 ,what things soever ye desire1 when ye pray1 believe that ye have received1 now as you pray4--,faith has to accept the answer1 as given by ,god in heaven1 before it is found or felt upon earth4 ,this point causes difficulty1 and yet it is of the very essence of believing prayer1 its real secret4 ,try and take it in4 ,spiritual things can only be spiritually apprehended or appropriated4 ,the spiritual heavenly blessing of ,god's answer to your prayer must be spiritually recognised and accepted before you feel anything of it4 ,it is faith does this4 ,a soul that not only seeks an answer1 but seeks first the ,god who gives the answer1 receives the power to know that it has what it has asked of ,him4 ,if it knows that it has asked according to ,his will and promises1 and that it has come to and found ,himself to give it1 it does believe that it has received4 ,we know that ,he heareth us4 ,there is nothing so heart-searching as this faith1 ,believe that ye have received4 ,as we strive to believe1 and find we cannot1 it leads us to discover what there is that hinders4 ,blessed is the man who holds nothing back1 and lets nothing hold him back1 but1 with his eye and heart on ,god alone1 refuses to rest till he has believed what our ,lord bids him1 that he has received4 ,here is the place where ,jacob becomes ,israel1 and the power of prevailing prayer is born out of human weakness and despair4 ,here comes in the real need for persevering and ever-importunate prayer1 that will not rest1 or go away1 or give up1 till it knows it is heard1 and believes that it has received4 ,you pray for the ,spirit of grace and supplication8 ,as you ask for it in strong desire1 and believe in ,god who hears prayer1 do not be afraid to press on and believe that your life can indeed be changed1 that the world with its press of duties1 whether religious or not1 hindering prayer1 can be overcome1 and that ,god gives you your heart's desire1 grace to pray both in measure and in spirit1 just as the ,father would have ,his child do4 ,believe that you have received4 #e4 ,what things soever ye desire1 when ye pray1 believe that ye have received1 and ye shall have them4--,the receiving from ,god in faith1 the believing acceptance of the answer with the perfect1 praising assurance that it has been given1 is not necessarily the experience or subjective possession of the gift we have asked for4 ,at times there may be a considerable1 or even a long1 interval4 ,in other cases the believing supplicant may at once enter upon the actual enjoyment of what he has received4 ,it is specially in the former case that we have need of faith and patience3 faith to rejoice in the assurance of the answer bestowed and received1 and to begin and act upon that answer though nothing be felt2 patience to wait if there be for the present no sensible proof of its presence4 ,we can count upon it3 ,ye shall have1 in actual enjoyment4 ,if we apply this to the prayer for the power of faithful intercession1 the grace to pray earnestly and perseveringly for souls around us1 let us learn to hold fast the ,divine assurance that1 as surely as we believe we receive1 and that faith therefore1 apart from all failing1 may rejoice in the certainty of an answered prayer4 ,the more we praise ,god for it1 the sooner will the experience come4 ,we may begin at once to pray for others1 in the confidence that grace will be given us to pray more perseveringly and more believingly than we have done before4 ,if we do not find any special enlargement or power in prayer1 this must not hinder or discourage us4 ,we have accepted1 apart from feeling1 a spiritual ,divine gift by faith2 in that faith we are to pray1 nothing doubting4 ,the ,holy ,spirit may for a little time be hiding ,himself within us2 we may count upon ,him1 even though it be with groanings which cannot find expression1 to pray in us2 in due time we shall become conscious of ,his presence and power4 ,as sure as there is desire and prayer and faith1 and faith's acceptance of the gift1 there will be1 too1 the manifestation and experience of the blessing we sought4 ,beloved brother6 do you truly desire that ,god should enable you so to pray that your life may be free from continual self-condemnation1 and that the power of ,his ,spirit may come down in answer to your petition8 ,come and ask it of ,god4 ,kneel down and pray for it in a single definite sentence4 ,when you have done so1 kneel still in faith1 believing in ,god who answers4 ,believe that you do now receive what you have prayed3 believe that you have received4 ,if you find it difficult to do this1 kneel still1 and say that you do it on the strength of ,his own word4 ,if it cost time1 and struggle1 and doubt--fear not2 at ,his feet1 looking up into ,his face1 faith will come4 ,believe that you have received3 at ,his bidding you dare claim the answer4 ,begin in that faith1 even though it be feeble1 a new prayer-life1 with this one thought as its strength3 ,you have asked and received grace in ,christ to prepare you1 step by step1 to be faithful in prayer and intercession4 ,the more simply you hold to this1 and expect the ,holy ,spirit to work it in you1 the more surely and fully will the word be made true to you3 ,ye shall have it4 ,god ,himself who gave the answer will work it in you4 ,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 supplication4--,,zech4 xii4 #aj4 ,the ,spirit also helpeth our infirmity2 for we know not how to pray as we ought3 but the ,spirit ,himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered4 ,and ,he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the ,spirit1 because ,he maketh intercession for the saints according to ,god4--,,rom4 viii4 #bf1 #bg4 ,with all prayer and supplication praying at all seasons in the ,spirit1 and watching thereunto in all perseverance and supplication for all the saints4--,,eph4 vi4 #ah4 ,praying in the ,holy ,spirit4--,,jude #bj4 ,the ,holy ,spirit has been given to every child of ,god to be his life4 ,he dwells in him1 not as a separate ,being in one part of his nature1 but as his very life4 ,he is the ,divine power or energy by which his life is maintained and strengthened4 ,all that a believer is called to be or to do1 the ,holy ,spirit can and will work in him4 ,if he does not know or yield to the ,holy ,guest1 the ,blessed ,spirit cannot work1 and his life is a sickly one1 full of failure and of sin4 ,as he yields1 and waits1 and obeys the leading of the ,spirit1 ,god works in him all that is pleasing in ,his sight4 ,this ,holy ,spirit is1 in the first place1 a ,spirit of prayer4 ,he was promised as a ,spirit of grace and supplication1 the grace for supplication4 ,he was sent forth into our hearts as the ,spirit of adoption1 whereby we cry1 ,abba1 ,father4 ,he enables us to say1 in true faith and growing apprehension of its meaning1 ,our ,father which art in heaven4 ,he maketh intercession for the saints according to ,god4 ,and as we pray in the ,spirit1 our worship is as ,god seeks it to be1 in spirit and in truth4 ,prayer is just the breathing of the ,spirit in us2 power in prayer comes from the power of the ,spirit in us1 waited on and trusted in4 ,failure in prayer comes from feebleness of the ,spirit's work in us4 ,our prayer is the index of the measure of the ,spirit's work in us4 ,to pray aright1 the life of the ,spirit must be right in us4 ,for praying the effectual1 much-availing prayer of the righteous man everything depends on being full of the ,spirit4 ,there are three very simple lessons that the believer1 who would enjoy the blessing of being taught to pray by the ,spirit of prayer1 must know4 ,the first is3 ,believe that the ,spirit dwells in you 7,eph4 i4 #ac74 ,deep in the inmost recesses of his being1 hidden and unfelt1 every child of ,god has the ,holy1 ,mighty ,spirit of ,god dwelling in him4 ,he knows it by faith1 the faith that1 accepting ,god's word1 realises that of which he sees as yet no sign4 ,we receive the promise of the ,spirit by faith4 ,as long as we measure our power1 for praying aright and perseveringly1 by what we feel1 or think we can accomplish1 we shall be discouraged when we hear of how much we ought to pray4 ,but when we quietly believe that1 in the midst of all our conscious weakness1 the ,holy ,spirit as a ,spirit of supplication is dwelling within us1 for the very purpose of enabling us to pray in such manner and measure as ,god would have us1 our hearts will be filled with hope4 ,we shall be strengthened in the assurance which lies at the very root of a happy and fruitful ,christian life1 that ,god has made an abundant provision for our being what ,he wants us to be4 ,we shall begin to lose our sense of burden and fear and discouragement about our ever praying sufficiently1 because we see that the ,holy ,spirit ,himself will pray1 is praying1 in us4 ,the second lesson is3 ,beware above everything of grieving the ,holy ,spirit 7,eph4 iv4 #cj74 ,if you do1 how can ,he work in you the quiet1 trustful1 and blessed sense of that union with ,christ which makes your prayers well pleasing to the ,father8 ,beware of grieving ,him by sin1 by unbelief1 by selfishness1 by unfaithfulness to ,his voice in conscience4 ,do not think grieving ,him a necessity3 that cuts away the very sinews of your strength4 ,do not consider it impossible to obey the command1 ,grieve not the ,holy ,spirit4 ,he ,himself is the very power of ,god to make you obedient4 ,the sin that comes up in you against your will1 the tendency to sloth1 or pride1 or self-will1 or passion that rises in the flesh1 your will can1 in the power of the ,spirit1 at once reject1 and cast upon ,christ and ,his blood1 and your communion with ,god is immediately restored4 ,accept each day the ,holy ,spirit as your ,leader and ,life and ,strength2 you can count upon ,him to do in your heart all that ought to be done there4 ,he1 the ,unseen and ,unfelt ,one1 but known by faith1 gives there1 unseen and unfelt1 the love and the faith and the power of obedience you need1 because ,he reveals ,christ unseen within you1 as actually your ,life and ,strength4 ,grieve not the ,holy ,spirit by distrusting ,him1 because you do not feel ,his presence in you4 ,especially in the matter of prayer grieve ,him not4 ,do not expect1 when you trust ,christ to bring you into a new1 healthy prayer-life1 that you will be able all at once to pray as easily and powerfully and joyfully as you fain would4 ,no2 it may not come at once4 ,but just bow quietly before ,god in your ignorance and weakness4 ,that is the best and truest prayer1 to put yourself before ,god just as you are1 and to count on the hidden ,spirit praying in you4 ,we know not what to pray as we ought2 ignorance1 difficulty1 struggle1 marks our prayer all along4 ,but1 the ,spirit helpeth our infirmities4 ,how8 ,the ,spirit ,himself1 deeper down than our thoughts or feelings1 maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered4 ,when you cannot find words1 when your words appear cold and feeble1 just believe3 ,the ,holy ,spirit is praying in me4 ,be quiet before ,god1 and give ,him time and opportunity2 in due season you will learn to pray4 ,beware of grieving the ,spirit of prayer1 by not honouring ,him in patient1 trustful surrender to ,his intercession in you4 ,the third lesson3 ,be filled with the ,spirit 7,eph4 v4 #ah74 ,i think that we have seen the meaning of the great truth3 ,it is only the healthy spiritual life that can pray aright4 ,the command comes to each of us3 ,be filled with the ,spirit4 ,that implies that while some rest content with the beginning1 with a small measure of the ,spirit's working1 it is ,god's will that we should be filled with the ,spirit4 ,that means1 from our side1 that our whole being ought to be entirely yielded up to the ,holy ,spirit1 to be possessed and controlled by ,him alone4 ,and1 from ,god's side1 that we may count upon and expect the ,holy ,spirit to take possession and fill us4 ,has not our failure in prayer evidently been owing to our not having accepted the ,spirit of prayer to be our life2 to our not having yielded wholly to ,him1 whom the ,father gave as the ,spirit of ,his ,son1 to work the life of the ,son in us8 ,let us1 to say the very least1 be willing to receive ,him1 to yield ourselves to ,god and trust ,him for it4 ,let us not again wilfully grieve the ,holy ,spirit by declining1 by neglecting1 by hesitating to seek to have ,him as fully as ,he is willing to give ,himself to us4 ,if we have at all seen that prayer is the great need of our work and of the ,church1 if we have at all desired or resolved to pray more1 let us turn to the very source of all power and blessing--let us believe that the ,spirit of prayer1 even in ,his fulness1 is for us4 ,we all admit the place the ,father and the ,son have in our prayer4 ,it is to the ,father we pray1 and from whom we expect the answer4 ,it is in the merit1 and name1 and life of the ,son1 abiding in ,him and ,he in us1 that we trust to be heard4 ,but have we understood that in the ,holy ,trinity all the ,three ,persons have an equal place in prayer1 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 ,son8 ,how clearly we have this in the words1 ,through ,christ we have access by one ,spirit to the ,father4 ,as much as prayer must be to the ,father1 and through the ,son1 it must be by the ,spirit4 ,and the ,spirit can pray in no other way in us1 than as ,he lives in us4 ,it is only as we give ourselves to the ,spirit living and praying in us1 that the glory of the prayer-hearing ,god1 and the ever-blessed and most effectual mediation of the ,son1 can be known by us in their power4 7,note ,d47 ,our last lesson3 ,pray in the ,spirit for all saints 7,eph4 vi4 #ah74 ,the ,spirit1 who is called the ,spirit of supplication1 is also and very specially the ,spirit of intercession4 ,it is said of ,him1 the ,spirit ,himself maketh intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered4 ,he maketh intercession for the saints4 ,it is the same word as is used of ,christ1 who also maketh intercession for us4 ,the thought is essentially that of mediation--one pleading for another4 ,when the ,spirit of intercession takes full possession of us1 all selfishness1 as if we wanted ,him separate from ,his intercession for others1 and have ,him for ourselves alone1 is banished1 and we begin to avail ourselves of our wonderful privilege to plead for men4 ,we long to live the ,christ-life of self-consuming sacrifice for others1 as our heart unceasingly yields itself to ,god to obtain ,his blessing for those around us4 ,intercession then becomes1 not an incident or an occasional part of our prayers1 but their one great object4 ,prayer for ourselves then takes its true place1 simply as a means for fitting us better for exercising our ministry of intercession more effectually4 ,may ,i be allowed to speak a very personal word to each of my readers8 ,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 prayer1 and to enter1 even now1 and at once1 upon the life of intercession which the ,holy ,spirit can enable them to lead4 ,it can be done by a simple act of faith1 claiming the fulness of the ,spirit1 that is1 the full measure of the ,spirit which you are capable in ,god's sight of receiving1 and ,he is therefore willing to bestow4 ,will you not1 even now1 accept of this by faith8 ,let me remind you of what takes place at conversion4 ,most of us1 you probably too1 for a time sought peace in efforts and struggles to give up sin and please ,god4 ,but you did not find it thus4 ,the peace of ,god's pardon came by faith1 trusting ,god's word concerning ,christ and ,his salvation4 ,you had heard of ,christ as the gift of ,his love1 you knew that ,he was for you too1 you had felt the movings and drawings of ,his grace2 but never till in faith in ,god's word you accepted ,him as ,god's gift to you1 did you know the peace and joy that ,he can give4 ,believing in ,him and ,his saving love made all the difference1 and changed your relation from one who had ever grieved ,him1 to one who loved and served ,him4 ,and yet1 after a time1 you have a thousand times wondered you love and serve ,him so ill4 ,at the time of your conversion you knew little about the ,holy ,spirit4 ,later on you heard of ,his dwelling in you1 and ,his being the power of ,god in you for all the ,father intends you to be1 and yet ,his indwelling and inworking have been something vague and indefinite1 and hardly a source of joy or strength4 ,at conversion you did not yet know your need of ,him1 and still less what you might expect of ,him4 ,but your failures have taught it you4 ,and now you begin to see how you have been grieving ,him1 by not trusting and not following ,him1 by not allowing ,him to work in you all ,god's pleasure4 ,all this can be changed4 ,just as you1 after seeking ,christ1 and praying to ,him1 and trying without success to serve ,him1 found rest in accepting ,him by faith1 just so you may even now yield yourself to the full guidance of the ,holy ,spirit1 and claim and accept ,him to work in you what ,god would have4 ,will you not do it8 ,just accept ,him in faith as ,christ's gift1 to be the ,spirit of your whole life1 of your prayer-life too1 and you can count upon ,him to take charge4 ,you can then begin1 however feeble you feel1 and unable to pray aright1 to bow before ,god in silence1 with the assurance that ,he will teach you to pray4 ,my dear brother1 as you consciously by faith accepted ,christ1 to pardon1 you can consciously now in the like faith accept of ,christ who gives the ,holy ,spirit to do ,his work in you4 ,christ redeemed us that we might receive the promise of the ,spirit by faith4 ,kneel down1 and simply believe that the ,lord ,christ1 who baptizeth with the ,holy ,spirit1 does now1 in response to your faith1 begin in you the blessed life of a full experience of the power of the indwelling ,spirit4 ,depend most confidently upon ,him1 apart from all feeling or experience1 as the ,spirit of supplication and intercession to do ,his work4 ,renew that act of faith each morning1 each time you pray2 trust ,him1 against all appearances1 to work in you1--be sure ,he is working1--and ,he will give you to know what the joy of the ,holy ,spirit is as the power of your life4 ,i will pour out the ,spirit of supplication4 ,do you not begin to see that the mystery of prayer is the mystery of the ,divine indwelling4 ,god in heaven gives ,his ,spirit in our hearts to be there the ,divine power praying in us1 and drawing us upward to our ,god4 ,god is a ,spirit1 and nothing but a like life and ,spirit within us can hold communion with ,him4 ,it was for this man was created1 that ,god might dwell and work in ,him1 and be the life of his life4 ,it was this ,divine indwelling that sin lost4 ,it was this that ,christ came to exhibit in ,his life1 to win back for us in ,his death1 and then to impart to us by coming again from heaven in the ,spirit to live in ,his disciples4 ,it is this1 the indwelling of ,god through the ,spirit1 that alone can explain and enable us to appropriate the wonderful promises given to prayer4 ,god gives the ,spirit as a ,spirit of ,supplication1 too1 to maintain ,his ,divine life within us as a life out of which prayer ever rises upward4 ,without the ,holy ,spirit no man can call ,jesus ,lord1 or cry1 ,abba1 ,father2 no man can worship in spirit and truth1 or pray without ceasing4 ,the ,holy ,spirit is given the believer to be and do in him all that ,god wants him to be or do4 ,he is given him especially as the ,spirit of prayer and supplication4 ,is it not clear that everything in prayer depends upon our trusting the ,holy ,spirit to do ,his work in us2 yielding ourselves to ,his leading1 depending only and wholly on ,him8 ,we read1 ,stephen was a man full of faith and the ,holy ,spirit4 ,the two ever go together1 in exact proportion to each other4 ,as our faith sees and trusts the ,spirit in us to pray1 and waits on ,him1 ,he will do ,his work2 and it is the longing desire1 and the earnest supplication1 and the definite faith the ,father seeks4 ,do let us know ,him1 and in the faith of ,christ who unceasingly gives ,him1 cultivate the assured confidence1 we can learn to pray as the ,father would have us4 ,a ,,plea ,,for ,,more ,,prayer ,,chapter ,,xi ,in the ,name of ,christ ,whatsoever ye shall ask in ,my ,name1 that will ,i do4 ,if ye shall ask anything in ,my ,name1 ,i will do it4 ,i have appointed you1 that whatsoever ye shall ask of the ,father in ,my ,name1 ,he may give it you4 ,verily1 verily ,i say unto you1 whatsoever ye shall ask the ,father in ,my ,name1 ,he will give it you4 ,hitherto have ye asked nothing in ,my ,name2 ask1 and ye shall receive1 that your joy may be full4 ,at that day ye shall ask in ,my ,name4--,,john xiv4 #ac1 #ad1 xv4 #af1 xvi4 #bc1 #bd1 #bf4 ,in my name--repeated six times over4 ,our ,lord knew how slow our hearts would be to take it in1 and ,he so longed that we should really believe that ,his ,name is the power in which every knee should bow1 and in which every prayer could be heard1 that ,he did not weary of saying it over and over3 ,in ,my ,name6 ,between the wonderful whatsoever ye shall ask1 and the ,divine ,i will do it1 the ,father will give it1 this one word is the simple link3 ,in ,my ,name4 ,our asking and the ,father's giving are to be equally in the ,name of ,christ4 ,everything in prayer depends upon our apprehending this--,in ,my ,name4 ,we know what a name is3 a word by which we call up to our mind the whole being and nature of an object4 ,when ,i speak of a lamb or a lion1 the name at once suggests the different nature peculiar to each4 ,the ,name of ,god is meant to express ,his whole ,divine nature and glory4 ,and so the ,name of ,christ means ,his whole nature1 ,his person and work1 ,his disposition and ,spirit4 ,to ask in the ,name of ,christ is to pray in union with ,him4 ,when first a sinner believes in ,christ1 he only knows and thinks of ,his merit and intercession4 ,and to the very end that is the one foundation of our confidence4 ,and yet1 as the believer grows in grace and enters more deeply and truly into union with ,christ--that is1 as he abides in ,him--he learns that to pray in the ,name of ,christ also means in ,his ,spirit1 and in the possession of ,his nature1 as the ,holy ,spirit imparts it to us4 ,as we grasp the meaning of the words1 ,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 promise3 ,whatsoever ye shall ask in ,my ,name1 ,i will do it4 ,we shall get some insight into the unchangeable necessity and certainty of the law3 what is asked in the ,name of ,christ1 in union with ,him1 out of ,his nature and ,spirit1 must be given4 ,as ,christ's prayer-nature lives in us1 ,his prayer-power becomes ours too4 ,not that the measure of our attainment or experience is the ground of our confidence1 but the honesty and whole-heartedness of our surrender to all that we see that ,christ seeks to be in us1 will be the measure of our spiritual fitness and power to pray in ,his ,name4 ,if ye abide in ,me1 ,he says1 ye shall ask what ye will4 ,as we live in ,him1 we get the spiritual power to avail ourselves of ,his ,name4 ,as the branch wholly given up to the life and service of the ,vine can count upon all its sap and strength for its fruit1 so the believer1 who in faith has accepted the fulness of the ,spirit to possess his whole life1 can indeed avail himself of all the power of ,christ's ,name4 ,here on earth ,christ as man came to reveal what prayer is4 ,to pray in the ,name of ,christ we must pray as ,he prayed on earth2 as ,he taught us to pray2 in union with ,him1 as ,he now prays in heaven4 ,we must in love study1 and in faith accept1 ,him as our ,example1 our ,teacher1 our ,intercessor4 ,,christ ,,our ,,example4 ,prayer in ,christ on earth and in us cannot be two different things4 ,just as there is but one ,god1 who is a ,spirit1 who hears prayer1 there is but one spirit of acceptable prayer4 ,when we realise what time ,christ spent in prayer1 and how the great events of ,his life were all connected with special prayer1 we learn the necessity of absolute dependence on and unceasing direct communication with the heavenly world1 if we are to live a heavenly life1 or to exercise heavenly power around us4 ,we see how foolish and fruitless the attempt must be to do work for ,god and heaven1 without in the first place in prayer getting the life and the power of heaven to possess us4 ,unless this truth lives in us1 we cannot avail ourselves aright of the mighty power of the ,name of ,christ4 ,his example must teach us the meaning of ,his ,name4 ,of ,his baptism we read1 ,jesus having been baptized1 and praying1 the heaven was opened4 ,it was in prayer heaven was opened to ,him1 that heaven came down to ,him with the ,spirit and the voice of the ,father4 ,in the power of these ,he was led into the wilderness1 in fasting and prayer to have them tested and fully appropriated4 ,early in ,his ministry ,mark records 7i4 #ce71 ,and in the morning1 a great while before day1 ,he rose and departed into a desert place1 and there prayed4 ,and somewhat later ,luke tells 7v4 #af71 ,multitudes came together to hear and to be healed4 ,but ,he withdrew ,himself into the desert1 and prayed4 ,he knew how the holiest service1 preaching and healing1 can exhaust the spirit2 how too much intercourse with men could cloud the fellowship with ,god2 how time1 time1 full time1 is needed if the spirit is to rest and root in ,him2 how no pressure of duty among men can free from the absolute need of much prayer4 ,if anyone could have been satisfied with always living and working in the spirit of prayer1 it would have been our ,master4 ,but ,he could not2 ,he needed to have ,his supplies replenished by continual and long-continued seasons of prayer4 ,to use ,christ's ,name in prayer surely includes this1 to follow ,his example and to pray as ,he did4 ,of the night before choosing ,his apostles we read 7,luke vi4 #ab71 ,he went out into the mountain to pray1 and continued all night in prayer to ,god4 ,the first step towards the constitution of the ,church1 and the separation of men to be ,his witnesses and successors1 called ,him to special long-continued prayer4 ,all had to be done according to the pattern on the mount4 ,the ,son can do nothing of ,himself3 the ,father showeth ,him all things that ,himself doeth4 ,it was in the night of prayer it was shown ,him4 ,in the night between the feeding of the five thousand1 when ,jesus knew that they wanted to take ,him by force and make ,him ,king1 and the walking on the sea1 ,he withdrew again into the mountain1 ,himself alone1 to pray 7,matt4 xiv4 #bc2 ,mark vi4 #df2 ,john vi4 #ae74 ,it was ,god's will ,he was come to do1 and ,god's power ,he was to show forth4 ,he had it not as a possession of ,his own2 it had to be prayed for and received from above4 ,the first announcement of ,his approaching death1 after ,he had elicited from ,peter the confession that ,he was the ,christ1 is introduced by the words 7,luke ix4 #ae71 ,and it came to pass that ,he was praying alone4 ,the introduction to the story of the ,transfiguration is 7,luke ix4 #bh71 ,he went up into the mountain to pray4 ,the request of the disciples1 ,lord1 teach us to pray 7,luke xi4 #a71 follows on1 ,it came to pass as ,he was praying in a certain place4 ,in ,his own personal life1 in ,his intercourse with the ,father1 in all ,he is and does for men1 the ,christ whose name we are to use is a ,man of prayer4 ,it is prayer gives ,him ,his power of blessing1 and transfigures ,his very body with the glory of heaven4 ,it is ,his own prayer-life makes ,him the teacher of others how to pray4 ,how much more must it be prayer1 prayer alone1 much prayer1 that can fit us to share ,his glory of a transfigured life1 or make us the channel of heavenly blessing and teaching to others4 ,to pray in the ,name of ,christ is to pray as ,he prays4 ,as the end approaches1 it is still more prayer4 ,when the ,greeks asked to see ,him1 and ,he spoke of ,his approaching death1 ,he prayed4 ,at ,lazarus' grave ,he prayed4 ,in the last night ,he prayed ,his prayer as our ,high-,priest1 that we might know what ,his sacrifice would win1 and what ,his everlasting intercession on the throne would be4 ,in ,gethsemane ,he prayed ,his prayer as ,victim1 the ,lamb giving itself to the slaughter4 ,on the ,cross it is still all prayer--the prayer of compassion for ,his murderers2 the prayer of atoning suffering in the thick darkness2 the prayer in death of confiding resignation of ,his spirit to the ,father4 7,note ,e47 ,christ's life and work1 ,his suffering and death--it was all prayer1 all dependence on ,god1 trust in ,god1 receiving from ,god1 surrender to ,god4 ,thy redemption1 ,o believer1 is a redemption wrought out by prayer and intercession3 thy ,christ is a praying ,christ3 the life ,he lived for thee1 the life ,he lives in thee1 is a praying life1 that delights to wait on ,god and receive all from ,him4 ,to pray in ,his ,name is to pray as ,he prayed4 ,christ is only our example because ,he is our ,head1 our ,saviour1 and our ,life4 ,in virtue of ,his ,deity and of ,his ,spirit ,he can live in us3 we can pray in ,his ,name1 because we abide in ,him and ,he in us4 ,,christ ,,our ,,teacher4 ,christ was what ,he taught4 ,all ,his teaching was just the revelation of how ,he lived1 and--praise ,god--of the life ,he was to live in us4 ,his teaching of the disciples was first to awaken desire1 and so prepare them for what ,he would by the ,holy ,spirit be and work in them4 ,let us believe very confidently3 all ,he was in prayer1 and all ,he taught1 ,he ,himself will give4 ,he came to fulfil the law2 much more will ,he fulfil the gospel in all ,he taught us1 as to what to pray1 and how4 ,what to pray4--,it has sometimes been said that direct petitions1 as compared with the exercise of fellowship with ,god1 are but a subordinate part of prayer1 and that in the prayer of those who pray best and most1 they occupy but an inconsiderable place4 ,if we carefully study all that our ,lord spoke of prayer1 we shall see that this is not ,his teaching4 ,in the ,lord's ,prayer1 in the parables on prayer1 in the illustration of a child asking bread1 of our seeking and knocking1 in the central thought of the prayer of faith1 ,whatsoever ye pray1 believe that ye have received1 in the oft-repeated whatsoever of the last evening--everywhere our ,lord urges and encourages us to offer definite petitions1 and to expect definite answers4 ,it is only because we have too much confined prayer to our own needs1 that it has been thought needful to free it from the appearance of selfishness1 by giving the petitions a subordinate place4 ,if once believers were to awake to the glory of the work of intercession1 and to see that in it1 and the definite pleading for definite gifts on definite spheres and persons1 lie our highest fellowship with our glorified ,lord1 and our only real power to bless men1 it would be seen that there can be no truer fellowship with ,god than these definite petitions and their answers1 by which we become the channel of ,his grace and life to men4 ,then our fellowship with the ,father is even such as the ,son has in ,his intercession4 ,how to pray4--,our ,lord taught us to pray in secret1 in simplicity1 with the eye on ,god alone1 in humility1 in the spirit of forgiving love4 ,but the chief truth ,he reiterated was ever this3 to pray in faith4 ,and ,he defined that faith1 not only as a trust in ,god's goodness or power1 but as the definite assurance that we have received the very thing we ask4 ,and then1 in view of the delay in the answer1 ,he insisted on perseverance and urgency4 ,we must be followers of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises--the faith that accepts the promise1 and knows it has what it has asked--the patience that obtains the promise and inherits the blessing4 ,we shall then learn to understand why ,god1 who promises to avenge ,his elect speedily1 bears with them in seeming delay4 ,it is that their faith may be purified from all that is of the flesh1 and tested and strengthened to become that spiritual power that can do all things--can even cast mountains into the heart of the sea4 ,,christ ,,as ,,our ,,intercessor4 ,we have gazed on ,christ in ,his prayers2 we have listened to ,his teaching as to how we must pray2 to know fully what it is to pray in ,his ,name1 we must know ,him too in ,his heavenly intercession4 ,just think what it means3 that all ,his saving work wrought from heaven is still carried on1 just as on earth1 in unceasing communication with1 and direct intercession to the ,father1 who worketh all in all1 who is ,all in ,all4 ,every act of grace in ,christ has been preceded by1 and owes its power to1 intercession4 ,god has been honoured and acknowledged as its ,author4 ,on the throne of ,god1 ,christ's highest fellowship with the ,father1 and ,his partnership in ,his rule of the world1 is in intercession4 ,every blessing that comes down to us from above bears upon it the stamp from ,god3 through ,christ's intercession4 ,his intercession is nothing but the fruit and the glory of ,his atonement4 ,when ,he gave ,himself a sacrifice to ,god for men1 ,he proved that ,his whole heart had the one object3 the glory of ,god1 in the salvation of men4 ,in ,his intercession this great purpose is realised3 ,he glorifies the ,father by asking and receiving all of ,him2 ,he saves men by bestowing what ,he has obtained from the ,father4 ,christ's intercession is the ,father's glory1 ,his own glory1 our glory4 ,and now1 this ,christ1 the ,intercessor1 is our life2 ,he is our ,head1 and we are ,his body2 ,his ,spirit and life breathe in us4 ,as in heaven so on earth1 intercession is ,god's chosen1 ,god's only channel of blessing4 ,let us learn from ,christ what glory there is in it2 what the way to exercise this wondrous power2 what the part it is to take in work for ,god4 ,the glory of it4--,by it1 beyond anything1 we glorify ,god4 ,by it we glorify ,christ4 ,by it we bring blessing to the ,church and the world4 ,by it we obtain our highest nobility--the ,godlike power of saving men4 ,the way to it4--,paul writes1 ,walk in love1 even as ,christ loved us1 and gave ,himself a sacrifice to ,god for us4 ,if we live as ,christ lived1 we will1 as ,he did1 give ourselves1 for our whole life1 to ,god1 to be used by ,him for men4 ,when once we have done this1 given ourselves1 no more to seek anything for ourselves1 but for men1 and that to ,god1 for ,him to use us1 and to impart to us what we can bestow on others1 intercession will become to us1 as it is in ,christ in heaven1 the great work of our life4 ,and if ever the thought comes that the call is too high1 or the work too great1 the faith in ,christ1 the ,interceding ,christ1 who lives in us1 will give us the victory4 ,we will listen to ,him who said1 ,the works that ,i do1 shall ye do2 and greater works shall ye do4 ,we shall remember that we are not under the law1 with its impotence1 but under grace with its omnipotence1 working all in us4 ,we shall believe again in ,him who said to us1 ,rise and walk1 and gave us--and we received it--,his life as our strength4 ,we shall claim afresh the fulness of ,god's ,spirit as ,his sufficient provision for our need1 and count ,him to be in us the ,spirit of ,intercession1 who makes us one with ,christ in ,his4 ,oh6 let us only keep our place--giving up ourselves1 like ,him1 in ,him1 to ,god for men4 ,then we shall understand the part intercession is to take in ,god's work through us4 ,we shall no longer try to work for ,god1 and ask ,him to follow it with ,his blessing4 ,we shall do what the friend at midnight did1 what ,christ did on earth1 and ever does in heaven--we shall first get from ,god1 and then turn to men to give what ,he gave us4 ,as with ,christ1 we shall make our chief work1 we shall count no time or trouble too great1 to receive from the ,father2 giving to men will then be in power4 ,servants of ,christ6 children of ,god6 be of good courage4 ,let no fear of feebleness or poverty make you afraid--ask in the ,name of ,christ4 ,his ,name is ,himself1 in all ,his perfection and power4 ,he is the living ,christ1 and will ,himself make ,his ,name a power in you4 ,fear not to plead the ,name2 ,his promise is a threefold cord that cannot be broken3 ,whatsoever ye ask--in ,my ,name--,,it ,,shall ,,be ,,done ,,unto ,,you4 ,a ,,plea ,,for ,,more ,,prayer ,,chapter ,,xii ,my ,god will hear ,me ,therefore will the ,lord wait1 that ,he may be gracious unto you4 ,blessed are all they that wait for ,him4 ,he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry2 when ,he shall hear it1 ,he will answer thee4--,,isa4 xxx4 #ah1 #ai4 ,the ,lord will hear when ,i call upon ,him4--,,ps4 iv4 #c4 ,i have called upon ,thee1 for ,thou wilt hear me1 ,o ,god6--,,ps4 xvii4 #f4 ,i will look unto the ,lord2 ,i will wait for the ,god of my salvation3 my ,god will hear me4--,,mic4 vii4 #g4 ,the power of prayer rests in the faith that ,god hears it4 ,in more than one sense this is true4 ,it is this faith that gives a man courage to pray4 ,it is this faith that gives him power to prevail with ,god4 ,the moment ,i am assured that ,god hears me too1 ,i feel drawn to pray and to persevere in prayer4 ,i feel strong to claim and to take in faith the answer ,god gives4 ,one great reason of lack of prayer is the want of the living1 joyous assurance3 ,my ,god will hear me4 ,if once ,god's servants got a vision of the living ,god waiting to grant their request1 and to bestow all the heavenly gifts of the ,spirit they are in need of1 for themselves or those they are serving1 how everything would be set aside to make time and room for this one only power that can ensure heavenly blessing--the prayer of faith6 ,when a man can1 and does say1 in living faith1 ,my ,god will hear me6 surely nothing can keep him from prayer4 ,he knows that what he cannot do or get done on earth1 can and will be done for him from heaven4 ,let each one of us bow in stillness before ,god1 and wait on ,him to reveal ,himself as the prayer-hearing ,god4 ,in ,his presence the wondrous thoughts gathering round the central truth will unfold themselves to us4 #a4 ,my ,god will hear me4--,what a blessed certainty6--,we have ,god's word for it in numberless promises4 ,we have thousands of witnesses to the fact that they have found it true4 ,we have had experience of it in our lives4 ,we have had the ,son of ,god come from heaven with the message that if we ask1 the ,father will give4 ,we have had ,himself praying on earth1 and being heard4 ,and we have ,him in heaven now1 sitting at the right hand of ,god and making intercession for us4 ,god hears prayer--,god delights to hear prayer4 ,he has allowed ,his people a thousand times over to be tried1 that they might be compelled to cry to ,him1 and learn to know ,him as the ,hearer of ,prayer4 ,let us confess with shame how little we have believed this wondrous truth1 in the sense of receiving it into our heart1 and allowing it to possess and control our whole being4 ,that we accept a truth is not enough2 the living ,god1 of whom the truth speaks1 must in its light so be revealed1 that our whole life is spent in ,his presence1 with the consciousness as clear as in a little child towards its earthly parent--,i know for certain my father hears me4 ,beloved child of ,god6 you know by experience how little an intellectual apprehension of truth has profited you4 ,beseech ,god to reveal ,himself to you4 ,if you want to live a different prayer-life1 bow each time ere you pray in silence to worship this ,god2 to wait till there rests on you some right sense of ,his nearness and readiness to answer4 ,so will you begin to pray with the words1 ,my ,god will hear me6 #b4 ,my ,god will hear me4 ,what a wondrous grace6--,think of ,god in ,his infinite majesty1 ,his altogether incomprehensible glory1 ,his unapproachable holiness1 sitting on a throne of grace1 waiting to be gracious1 inviting1 encouraging you to pray with ,his promise3 ,call upon ,me1 and ,i will answer thee4 ,think of yourself1 in your nothingness and helplessness as a creature2 in your wretchedness and transgressions as a sinner2 in your feebleness and unworthiness as a saint2 and praise the glory of that grace which allows you to say boldly of your prayer for yourself and others1 ,my ,god will hear me4 ,think of how you are not left to yourself1 and what you can accomplish1 in this wonderful intercourse with ,god4 ,god has united you with ,christ2 in ,him and ,his ,name you have your confidence2 on the throne ,he prays with you and for you2 on the footstool of the throne you pray with ,him and in ,him4 ,his worth1 and the ,father's delight in hearing ,him1 are the measure of your confidence1 your assurance of being heard4 ,there is more4 ,think of the ,holy ,spirit1 the ,spirit of ,god's own ,son1 sent into your heart to cry1 ,abba1 ,father1 and to be in you a ,spirit of ,supplication1 when you know not what to pray as you ought4 ,think1 in all your insignificance and unworthiness1 of your being as acceptable as ,christ ,himself4 ,think in all your ignorance and feebleness1 of the ,spirit making intercession according to ,god within you1 and cry out1 ,what wondrous grace6 ,through ,christ ,i have access to the ,father1 by the ,spirit4 ,i can1 ,i do believe it3 ',my ,god will hear me4' #c4 ,my ,god will hear me4--,what a deep mystery6--,there are difficulties that cannot but at times arise and perplex even the honest heart4 ,there is the question as to ,god's sovereign1 all-wise1 all-disposing will4 ,how can our wishes1 often so foolish1 and our will1 often so selfish1 overrule or change that perfect will8 ,were it not better to leave all to ,his disposal1 who knows what is best1 and loves to give us the very best8 ,or how can our prayer change what ,he has ordained before8 ,then there is the question as to the need of persevering prayer1 and long waiting for the answer4 ,if ,god be ,infinite ,love1 and delighting more to give than we to receive1 where the need for the pleading and wrestling1 the urgency1 and the long delay of which ,scripture and experience speak8 ,arising out of this there is still another question--that of the multitude of apparently vain and unanswered prayers4 ,how many have pleaded for loved ones1 and they die unsaved4 ,how many cry for years for spiritual blessing1 and no answer comes4 ,to think of all this tries our faith1 and makes us hesitate as we say1 ,my ,god will hear me4 ,beloved6 prayer1 in its power with ,god1 and ,his faithfulness to ,his promise to hear it1 is a deep spiritual mystery4 ,to the questions put above answers can be given that remove some of the difficulty4 ,but1 after all1 the first and the last that must be said is this3 ,as little as we can comprehend ,god can we comprehend this1 one of the most blessed of ,his attributes1 that ,he hears prayer4 ,it is a spiritual mystery--nothing less than the mystery of the ,holy ,trinity4 ,god hears because we pray in ,his ,son1 because the ,holy ,spirit prays in us4 ,if we have believed and claimed the life of ,christ as our health1 and the fulness of the ,spirit as our strength1 let us not hesitate to believe in the power of our prayer too4 ,the ,holy ,spirit can enable us to believe and rejoice in it1 even where every question is not yet answered4 ,he will do this1 as we lay our questionings in ,god's bosom1 trust ,his faithfulness1 and give ourselves humbly to obey ,his command to pray without ceasing4 ,every art unfolds its secrets and its beauty only to the man who practises it4 ,to the humble soul who prays in the obedience of faith1 who practises prayer and intercession diligently1 because ,god asks it1 the secret of the ,lord will be revealed1 and the thought of the deep mystery of prayer1 instead of being a weary problem1 will be a source of rejoicing1 adoration1 and faith1 in which the unceasing refrain is ever heard3 ,my ,god will hear me6 #d4 ,my ,god will hear me4 ,what a solemn responsibility6--,how often we complain of darkness1 of feebleness1 of failure1 as if there was no help for it4 ,and ,god has promised in answer to our prayer to supply our every need1 and give us ,his light and strength and peace4 ,would that we realised the responsibility of having such a ,god1 and such promises1 with the sin and shame of not availing ourselves of them to the utmost4 ,how confident we should feel that the grace1 which we have accepted and trusted to enable us to pray as we should1 will be given4 ,there is more4 ,this access to a prayer-hearing ,god is specially meant to make us intercessors for our fellowmen4 ,even as ,christ obtained ,his right of prevailing intercession by ,his giving ,himself a sacrifice to ,god for men1 and through it receives the blessings ,he dispenses1 so1 if we have truly with ,christ given ourselves to ,god for men1 we share ,his right of intercession1 and are able to obtain the powers of the heavenly world for them too4 ,the power of life and death is in our hands 7#a ,john v4 #af74 ,in answer to prayer the ,spirit can be poured out1 souls can be converted1 believers can be established4 ,in prayer the kingdom of darkness can be conquered1 souls brought out of prison into the liberty of ,christ1 and the glory of ,god be revealed4 ,through prayer1 the sword of the ,spirit1 which is the ,word of ,god1 can be wielded in power1 and1 in public preaching as in private speaking1 the most rebellious made to bow at ,jesus' feet4 ,what a responsibility on the ,church to give herself to the work of intercession6 ,what a responsibility on every minister1 missionary1 worker1 set apart for the saving of souls1 to yield himself wholly to act out and prove his faith3 ,my ,god will hear me6 ,and what a call on every believer1 instead of burying and losing this talent1 to seek to the very utmost to use it in prayer and supplication for all saints and for all men4 ,my ,god will hear me3 ,the deeper our entrance into the truth of this wondrous power ,god hath given to men1 the more whole-hearted will be our surrender to the work of intercession4 #e4 ,my ,god will hear me4 ,what a blessed prospect6--,i see it--all the failures of my past life have been owing to the lack of this faith4 ,my failure1 especially in the work of intercession1 has had its deepest root in this--,i did not live in the full faith of the blessed assurance1 ,my ,god will hear me6 ,praise ,god6 ,i begin to see it--,i believe it4 ,all can be different4 ,or1 rather1 ,i see ,him1 ,i believe ,him4 ,my ,god will hear me6 ,yes1 me1 even me6 ,commonplace and insignificant though ,i be1 filling but a very little place1 so that ,i will scarce be missed when ,i go--even ,i have access to this ,infinite ,god1 with the confidence that ,he heareth me4 ,one with ,christ1 led by the ,holy ,spirit1 ,i dare to say3 ,i will pray for others1 for ,i am sure my ,god will listen to me3 ',my ,god will hear me4' ,what a blessed prospect before me--every earthly and spiritual anxiety exchanged for the peace of ,god1 who cares for all and hears prayer4 ,what a blessed prospect in my work--to know that even when the answer is long delayed1 and there is a call for much patient1 persevering prayer1 the truth remains infallibly sure--,my ,god will hear me6 ,and what a blessed prospect for ,christ's ,church if we could but all give prayer its place1 give faith in ,god its place1 or1 rather1 give the prayer-hearing ,god ,his place6 ,is not this the one great thing1 those1 who in some little measure begin to see the urgent need of prayer1 ought in the first place to pray for4 ,when ,god1 at the first1 time after time1 poured forth the ,spirit on ,his praying people1 ,he laid down the law for all time3 as much of prayer1 so much of the ,spirit4 ,let each one who can say1 ,my ,god will hear me1 join in the fervent supplication1 that throughout the ,church that truth may be restored to its true place1 and the blessed prospect will be realised3 a praying ,church endued with the power of the ,holy ,ghost4 #f4 ,my ,god will hear me4 ,what a need of ,divine teaching6--,we need this1 both to enable us to hold this word in living faith1 and to make full use of it in intercession4 ,it has been said1 and it cannot be said too often or too earnestly1 that the one thing needful for the ,church of our day is1 the power of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,it is just because this is so1 from the ,divine side1 that we may also say as truly that1 from the human side1 the one thing needful is1 more prayer1 more believing1 persevering prayer4 ,in speaking of lack of the ,spirit's power1 and the condition for receiving it1 someone used the expression--the block is not on the perpendicular1 but on the horizontal line4 ,it is to be feared that it is on both4 ,there is much to be confessed and taken away in us if the ,spirit is to work freely4 ,but it is specially on the perpendicular line that the block is--the upward look1 and the deep dependence1 and the strong crying to ,god1 and the effectual prayer of faith that avails--all this is sadly lacking4 ,and just this is the one thing needful4 ,shall we not all set ourselves to learn the lesson which will make prevailing prayer possible--the lesson of a faith that always sings1 ,my ,god will hear me8 ,simple and elementary as it is1 it needs practice and patience1 it needs time and heavenly teaching1 to learn it aright4 ,under the impression of a bright thought1 or a blessed experience1 it may look as if we knew the lesson perfectly4 ,but ever again the need will recur of making this our first prayer--that ,god who hears prayer would teach us to believe it1 and so to pray aright4 ,if we desire it we can count upon ,him ,he who delights in hearing prayer and answering it1 ,he who gave ,his ,son that ,he might ever pray for us and with us1 and ,his ,holy ,spirit to pray in us1 we can be sure there is not a prayer that ,he will hear more certainly than this3 that ,he so reveal ,himself as the prayer-hearing ,god1 that our whole being may respond1 ,my ,god will hear me4 ,a ,,plea ,,for ,,more ,,prayer ,,chapter ,,xiii ,paul a ,pattern of ,prayer ,go and inquire for one called ,saul of ,tarsus3 for1 behold1 he prayeth4--,,acts ix4 #aa4 ,for this cause ,i obtained mercy1 that in me first ,jesus ,christ might show forth all long-suffering1 for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on ,him to life everlasting4--#a ,,tim4 i4 #af4 ,god took ,his own ,son1 and made ,him our ,example and our ,pattern4 ,it sometimes is as if the power of ,christ's example is lost in the thought that ,he1 in whom is no sin1 is not man as we are4 ,our ,lord took ,paul1 a man of like passions with ourselves1 and made him a pattern of what he could do for one who was the chief of sinners4 ,and ,paul1 the man who1 more than any other1 has set his mark on the ,church1 has ever been appealed to as a pattern man4 ,in his mastery of ,divine truth1 and his teaching of it2 in his devotion to his ,lord1 and his self-consuming zeal in ,his service2 in his deep experience of the power of the indwelling ,christ and the fellowship of his cross2 in the sincerity of his humility1 and the simplicity and boldness of his faith2 in his missionary enthusiasm and endurance--in all this1 and so much more1 the grace of our ,lord ,jesus was exceeding abundant in him4 ,christ gave him1 and the ,church has accepted him1 as a pattern of what ,christ would have1 of what ,christ would work4 ,seven times ,paul speaks of believers following him3 7#a ,cor4 iv4 #af71 ,wherefore ,i beseech you1 be ye followers of me2 7xi4 #a71 ,be ye followers of me1 even as ,i am of ,christ2 ,phil1 iii4 #ag1 iv4 #i2 #a ,thess4 i4 #f2 #b ,thess4 iii4 #g-i4 ,if ,paul1 as a pattern of prayer1 is not as much studied or appealed to as he is in other respects1 it is not because he is not in this too as remarkable a proof of what grace can do1 or because we do not1 in this respect1 as much stand in need of the help of his example4 ,a study of ,paul as a pattern of prayer will bring a rich reward of instruction and encouragement4 ,the words our ,lord used of him at his conversion1 ,behold he prayeth1 may be taken as the keynote of his life4 ,the heavenly vision which brought him to his knees ever after ruled his life4 ,christ at the right hand of ,god1 in whom we are blessed with all spiritual blessings1 was everything to him2 to pray and expect the heavenly power in his work and on his work1 from heaven direct by prayer1 was the simple outcome of his faith in the ,glorified ,one4 ,in this1 too1 ,christ meant him to be a pattern1 that we might learn that1 just in the measure in which the heavenliness of ,christ and ,his gifts1 the unworldliness of the powers that work for salvation1 are known and believed1 will prayer become the spontaneous rising of the heart to the only source of its life4 ,let us see what we know of ,paul4 ,,paul',s ,,habits ,,of ,,prayer4 ,these are revealed almost unconsciously4 ,he writes 7,rom4 i4 #i71 ,god is my witness1 that without ceasing ,i make mention of you always in my prayers4 ,for ,i long to see you1 that ,i may impart unto you some spiritual gift1 to the end ye may be established4 ,rom4 x4 #a1 ix4 #b1 #c3 ,my heart's desire and prayer to ,god for ,israel is1 that they may be saved2 ,i have great heaviness and continual sorrow of heart2 for ,i could wish that myself were accursed from ,christ for my brethren4 #a ,cor4 i4 #d3 ,i thank my ,god always on your behalf1 for the grace of ,god which is given you by ,jesus ,christ4 #b ,cor4 vi4 #d1 #f3 ,approving ourselves as the ministers of ,christ1 in watchings1 in fastings4 ,gal4 iv4 #ai3 ,my little children1 of whom ,i travail in birth again till ,christ be formed in you4 ,eph4 i4 #af3 ,i cease not to give thanks for you1 making mention of you in my prayers4 ,eph4 iii4 #ad3 ,i bow my knees to the ,father1 that ,he would grant you to be strengthened with might by ,his ,spirit in the inner man4 ,phil4 i4 #c1 #d1 #h1 #i3 ,i thank my ,god upon every remembrance of you1 always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy4 ,for ,god is my record1 how greatly ,i long after you all in the bowels of ,jesus ,christ4 ,and this ,i pray--,col4 i4 #c1 #i3 ,we give thanks to ,god1 praying always for you4 ,for this cause also1 since the day we heard it1 we do not cease to pray for you1 and to desire--,col4 ii4 #a3 ,i would that ye knew what great conflict ,i have for you1 and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh4 #a ,thess4 i4 #b3 ,we give thanks to ,god always for you all1 making mention of you in our prayers4 iii4 #i3 ,we joy for your sakes before ,god2 night and day praying exceedingly that we might perfect that which is lacking in your faith4 #b ,thess4 i4 #c3 ,we are bound to thank ,god always for you4 ,wherefore also we always pray for you4 #b ,tim4 i4 #c3 ,i thank ,god1 that without ceasing ,i have remembrance of thee night and day4 ,philem4 #d3 ,i thank my ,god1 making mention of thee always in my prayers4 ,these passages taken together give us the picture of a man whose words1 ,pray without ceasing1 were simply the expression of his daily life4 ,he had such a sense of the insufficiency of simple conversion2 of the need of the grace and the power of heaven being brought down for the young converts in prayer2 of the need of much and unceasing prayer1 day and night1 to bring it down2 of the certainty that prayer would bring it down--that his life was continual and most definite prayer4 ,he had such a sense that everything must come from above1 and such a faith that it would come in answer to prayer1 that prayer was neither a duty nor a burden1 but the natural turning of the heart to the only place whence it could possibly obtain what it sought for others4 ,,the ,,contents ,,of ,,paul',s ,,prayers4 ,it is of as much importance to know what ,paul prayed1 as how frequently and earnestly he did so4 ,intercession is a spiritual work4 ,our confidence in it will depend much on our knowing that we ask according to the will of ,god4 ,the more distinctly we ask heavenly things1 which we feel at once ,god alone can bestow1 which we are sure ,he will bestow1 the more direct and urgent will our appeal be to ,god alone4 ,the more impossible the things are that we seek1 the more we will turn from all human work to prayer and to ,god alone4 ,in the ,epistles1 in addition to expressions in which he speaks of his praying1 we have a number of distinct prayers in which ,paul gives utterance to his heart's desire for those to whom he writes4 ,in these we see that his first desire was always that they might be established in the ,christian life4 ,much as he praised ,god when he heard of conversion1 he knew how feeble the young converts were1 and how for their establishing nothing would avail without the grace of the ,spirit prayed down4 ,if we notice some of the principal of these prayers we shall see what he asked and obtained4 ,take the two prayers in ,ephesians--the one for light1 the other for strength4 ,in the former 7i4 #ae71 he prays for the ,spirit of wisdom to enlighten them to know what their calling was1 what their inheritance1 what the mighty power of ,god working in them4 ,spiritual enlightenment and knowledge was their great need1 to be obtained for them by prayer4 ,in the latter 7iii4 #ae7 he asks that the power they had been led to see in ,christ might work in them1 and they be strengthened with ,divine might1 so as to have the indwelling ,christ1 and the love that passeth knowledge1 and the fulness of ,god actually come on them4 ,these were things that could only come direct from heaven2 these were things he asked and expected4 ,if we want to learn ,paul's art of intercession1 we must ask nothing less for believers in our days4 ,look at the prayer in ,philippians 7i4 #i-aa74 ,there1 too1 it is first for spiritual knowledge2 then comes a blameless life1 and then a fruitful life to the glory of ,god4 ,so also in the beautiful prayer in ,colossians 7i4 #i-aa74 ,first1 spiritual knowledge and understanding of ,god's will1 then the strengthening with all might to all patience and joy4 ,or take the two prayers in #a ,thessalonians 7iii4 #ab1 #ac1 and v4 #bc74 ,the one3 ,god so increase your love to one another1 that ,he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness4 ,the other3 ,god sanctify you wholly1 and preserve you blameless4 ,the very words are so high that we hardly understand1 still less believe1 still less experience what they mean4 ,paul so lived in the heavenly world1 he was so at home in the holiness and omnipotence of ,god and ,his love1 that such prayers were the natural expression of what he knew ,god could and would do4 ,god stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness1 ,god sanctify you wholly--the man who believes in these things and desires them1 will pray for them for others4 ,the prayers are all a proof that he seeks for them the very life of heaven upon earth4 ,no wonder that he is not tempted to trust in any human means1 but looks for it from heaven alone4 ,again1 ,i say1 the more we take ,paul's prayers as our pattern1 and make his desires our own for believers for whom we pray1 the more will prayer to the ,god of heaven become as our daily breath4 ,,paul',s ,,requests ,,for ,,prayer4 ,these are no less instructive than his own prayers for the saints4 ,they prove that he does not count prayer any special prerogative of an apostle2 he calls the humblest and simplest believer to claim his right4 ,they prove that he does not think that only the new converts or feeble ,christians need prayer2 he himself is1 as a member of the body1 dependent upon his brethren and their prayers4 ,after he had preached the gospel for twenty years1 he still asks for prayer that he may speak as he ought to speak4 ,not once for all1 not for a time1 but day by day1 and that without ceasing1 must grace be sought and brought down from heaven for his work4 ,united1 continued waiting on ,god is to ,paul the only hope of the ,church4 ,with the ,holy ,spirit a heavenly life1 the life of the ,lord in heaven1 entered the world2 nothing but unbroken communication with heaven can keep it up4 ,listen how he asks for prayer1 and with what earnestness--,rom4 xv4 #cj3 ,i beseech you1 brethren1 for the ,lord ,jesus ,christ's sake1 and for the love of the ,spirit1 that ye strive together with me in your prayers to ,god for me2 that ,i may be delivered from them which do not believe in ,juda2 and may come unto you with joy by the will of ,god4 ,how remarkably both prayers were answered3 ,rom4 xv4 #e1 #f1 #ac4 ,the remarkable fact that the ,roman world-power1 which in ,pilate with ,christ1 in ,herod with ,peter1 at ,philippi1 had proved its antagonism to ,god's kingdom1 all at once becomes ,paul's protector1 and secures him a safe convoy to ,rome1 can only be accounted for by these prayers4 #b ,cor4 i4 #aj1 #aa3 ,in whom we trust that ,he will yet deliver us1 ye also helping together by prayer for us4 ,eph4 vi4 #ah1 #ai3 ,praying always with all prayer and supplication in the ,spirit1 for all saints2 and for me that ,i may open my mouth boldly1 that therein ,i may speak boldly as ,i ought to speak4 ,phil4 i4 #ai3 ,i know that this 7trouble7 shall turn to my salvation1 through your prayer1 and the supply of the ,spirit of ,jesus ,christ4 ,col4 iv4 #b1 #c1 #d3 ,continue in prayer2 withal also praying for us1 that ,god would open unto us a door of utterance1 to speak the mystery of ,christ3 that ,i may make it manifest as ,i ought to speak4 #a ,thess4 v4 #be3 ,brethren1 pray for us4 ,philem4 #bb3 ,i trust that through your prayers ,i shall be given to you4 ,we saw how ,christ prayed1 and taught ,his disciples to pray4 ,we see how ,paul prayed1 and taught the churches to pray4 ,as the ,master1 so the servant calls us to believe and to prove that prayer is the power alike of the ministry and the ,church4 ,of his faith we have a summary in these remarkable words concerning something that caused him grief3 ,this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer1 and the supply of the ,spirit of ,jesus ,christ4 ,as much as he looked to his ,lord in heaven did he look to his brethren on earth1 to secure the supply of that ,spirit for him4 ,the ,spirit from heaven and prayer on earth were to him1 as to the twelve after ,pentecost1 inseparably linked4 ,we speak often of apostolic zeal and devotion and power--may ,god give us a revival of apostolic prayer4 ,let me once again ask the question3 ,does the work of intercession take the place in the ,church it ought to have8 ,is it a thing commonly understood in the ,lord's work1 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 bless4 ,this is ,christ's ,divine order for all work1 ,his own and that of ,his servants2 this is the order ,paul followed3 first come every day1 as having nothing1 and receive from ,god the supply of the ,spirit in intercession--then go and impart what has come to thee from heaven4 ,in all ,his instructions1 our ,lord ,jesus spake much oftener to ,his disciples about their praying than their preaching4 ,in the farewell discourse1 ,he said little about preaching1 but much about the ,holy ,spirit1 and their asking whatsoever they would in ,his ,name4 ,if we are to return to this life of the first apostles and of ,paul1 and really accept the truth every day--my first work1 my only strength is intercession1 to secure the power of ,god on the souls entrusted to me--we must have the courage to confess past sin1 and to believe that there is deliverance4 ,to break through old habits1 to resist the clamour of pressing duties that have always had their way1 to make every other call subordinate to this one1 whether others approve or not1 will not be easy at first4 ,but the men or women who are faithful will not only have a reward themselves1 but become benefactors to their brethren4 ,thou shalt be called the repairer of the breach1 the restorer of paths to dwell in4 ,but is it really possible8 ,can it indeed be that those who have never been able to face1 much less to overcome the difficulty1 can yet become mighty in prayer8 ,tell me1 was it really possible for ,jacob to become ,israel--a prince who prevailed with ,god8 ,it was4 ,the things that are impossible with men are possible with ,god4 ,have you not in very deed received from the ,father1 as the great fruit of ,christ's redemption1 the ,spirit of supplication1 the ,spirit of intercession8 ,just pause and think what that means4 ,and will you still doubt whether ,god is able to make you strivers with ,god1 princes who prevail with ,him8 ,oh1 let us banish all fear1 and in faith claim the grace for which we have the ,holy ,spirit dwelling in us1 the grace of supplication1 the grace of intercession4 ,let us quietly1 perseveringly believe that ,he lives in us1 and will enable us to do our work4 ,let us in faith not fear to accept and yield to the great truth that intercession1 as it is the great work of the ,king on the throne1 is the great work of ,his servants on earth4 ,we have the ,holy ,spirit1 who brings the ,christ-life into our hearts1 to fit us for this work4 ,let us at once begin and stir up the gift within us4 ,as we set aside each day our time for intercession1 and count upon the ,spirit's enabling power1 the confidence will grow that we can1 in our measure1 follow ,paul even as he followed ,christ4 ,a ,,plea ,,for ,,more ,,prayer ,,chapter ,,xiv ,god seeks ,intercessors ,i have set watchmen upon thy walls1 ,o ,jerusalem1 which shall never hold their peace day nor night4 ,ye that are the ,lord's remembrancers1 keep not silence1 and give ,him no rest till ,he make ,jerusalem a praise in the earth4--,,isa4 lxii4 #f1 #g4 ,and ,he saw that there was no man1 and wondered that there was no intercessor4--,,isa4 lix4 #af4 ,and ,i looked1 and there was none to help2 and ,i wondered1 and there was none to uphold4--,,isa4 lxiii4 #e4 ,there is none that calleth upon ,thy name1 that stirreth himself to take hold of ,thee4--,,isa4 lxiv4 #g4 ,and ,i sought for a man that should stand in the gap before ,me for the land1 that ,i should not destroy it2 but ,i found none4--,,ezek4 xxii4 #cj4 ,i chose you1 and appointed you1 that ye should go and bear fruit3 that whatsoever ye shall ask of the ,father in ,my name1 ,he may give it you4--,,john xv4 #af4 ,in the study of the starry heavens1 how much depends upon a due apprehension of magnitudes4 ,without some sense of the size of the heavenly bodies1 that appear so small to the eye1 and yet are so great1 and of the almost illimitable extent of the regions in which they move1 though they appear so near and so familiar1 there can be no true knowledge of the heavenly world or its relation to this earth4 ,it is even so with the spiritual heavens1 and the heavenly life in which we are called to live4 ,it is specially so in the life of intercession1 that most wondrous intercourse between heaven and earth4 ,everything depends upon the due apprehension of magnitudes4 ,just think of the three that come first3 ,there is a world1 with its needs entirely dependent on and waiting to be helped by intercession2 there is a ,god in heaven1 with ,his all-sufficient supply for all those needs1 waiting to be asked2 there is a ,church1 with its wondrous calling and its sure promises1 waiting to be roused to a sense of its wondrous responsibility and power4 ,god seeks intercessors4--,there is a world with its perishing millions1 with intercession as its only hope4 ,how much of love and work is comparatively vain1 because there is so little intercession4 ,a thousand millions living as if there never had been a ,son of ,god to die for them4 ,thirty millions every year passing into the outer darkness without hope4 ,fifty millions bearing the ,christian name1 and the great majority living in utter ignorance or indifference4 ,millions of feeble1 sickly ,christians2 thousands of wearied workers1 who could be blessed by intercession1 could help themselves to become mighty in intercession4 ,churches and missions sacrificing life and labour often with little result1 for lack of intercession4 ,souls1 each one worth more than worlds1 worth nothing less than the price paid for them in ,christ's blood1 and within reach of the power that can be won by intercession4 ,we surely have no conception of the magnitude of the work to be done by ,god's intercessors1 or we should cry to ,god above everything to give from heaven the spirit of intercession4 ,god seeks intercessors4--,there is a ,god of glory able to meet all these needs4 ,we are told that ,he delights in mercy1 that ,he waits to be gracious1 that ,he longs to pour out ,his blessing2 that the love that gave the ,son to death is the measure of the love that each moment hovers over every human being4 ,and yet ,he does not help4 ,and there they perish1 a million a month in ,china alone1 and it is as if ,god does not move4 ,if ,he does so love and long to bless1 there must be some inscrutable reason for ,his holding back4 ,what can it be8 ,scripture says1 because of your unbelief4 ,it is the faithlessness and consequent unfaithfulness of ,god's people4 ,he has taken them up into partnership with ,himself2 ,he has honoured them1 and bound ,himself1 by making their prayers one of the standard measures of the working of ,his power4 ,lack of intercession is one of the chief causes of lack of blessing4 ,oh1 that we would turn eye and heart from everything else and fix them upon this ,god who hears prayer1 until the magnificence of ,his promises1 and ,his power1 and ,his purpose of love overwhelmed us6 ,how our whole life and heart would become intercession4 ,god seeks intercessors4--,there is a third magnitude to which our eyes must be opened3 the wondrous privilege and power of the intercessors4 ,there is a false humility1 which makes a great virtue of self-depreciation1 because it has never seen its utter nothingness4 ,if it knew that1 it would never apologise for its feebleness1 but glory in its utter weakness1 as the one condition of ,christ's power resting on it4 ,it would judge of itself1 its power and influence before ,god in prayer1 as little by what it sees or feels1 as we judge of the size of the sun or stars by what the eye can see4 ,faith sees man created in ,god's image and likeness to be ,god's representative in this world and have dominion over it4 ,faith sees man redeemed and lifted into union with ,christ1 abiding in ,him1 identified with ,him1 and clothed with ,his power in intercession4 ,faith sees the ,holy ,spirit dwelling and praying in the heart1 making1 in our sighings1 intercession according to ,god4 ,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 ,father1 in the ,son1 through the ,spirit4 ,faith sees something of the ,divine fitness and beauty of this scheme of salvation through intercession1 wakens the soul to a consciousness of its wondrous destiny1 and girds it with strength for the blessed self-sacrifice it calls to4 ,god seeks intercessors4--,when ,he called ,his people out of ,egypt1 ,he separated the priestly tribe1 to draw nigh to ,him1 and stand before ,him1 and bless the people in ,his name4 ,from time to time ,he sought and found and honoured intercessors1 for whose sake ,he spared or blessed ,his people4 ,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 service1 to which access is still free to every disciple3 ,i chose you1 and appointed you1 that whatsoever ye shall ask of the ,father in ,my ,name1 ,he may give it you4 ,we have already noticed the six times repeated three wonderful words--,whatsoever--,in ,my ,name--,it shall be done4 ,in them ,christ placed the powers of the heavenly world at their disposal--not for their own selfish use1 but in the interests of ,his kingdom4 ,how wondrously they used it we know4 ,and since that time1 down through the ages1 these men have had their successors1 men who have proved how surely ,god works in answer to prayer4 ,and we may praise ,god that1 in our days too1 there is an ever-increasing number who begin to see and prove that in church and mission1 in large societies and little circles and individual effort1 intercession is the chief thing1 the power that moves ,god and opens heaven4 ,they are learning1 and long to learn better1 and that all may learn1 that in all work for souls intercession must take the first place1 and that those who in it have received from heaven1 in the power of the ,holy ,ghost1 what they are to communicate to others1 will be best able to do the ,lord's work4 ,god seeks intercessors4--,though ,god had ,his appointed servants in ,israel1 watchmen set by ,himself to cry to ,him day and night and give ,him no rest1 ,he often had to wonder and complain that there was no intercessor1 none to stir himself up to take hold of ,his strength4 ,and ,he still waits and wonders in our day1 that there are not more intercessors1 that all ,his children do not give themselves to this highest and holiest work1 that many of them who do so1 do not engage in it more intensely and perseveringly4 ,he wonders to find ministers of ,his gospel complaining that their duties do not allow them to find time for this1 which ,he counts their first1 their highest1 their most delightful1 their alone effective work4 ,he wonders to find ,his sons and daughters1 who have forsaken home and friends for ,his sake and the gospel's1 come so short in what ,he meant to be their abiding strength--receiving day by day all they needed to impart to the dark heathen4 ,he wonders to find multitudes of ,his children who have hardly any conception of what intercession is4 ,he wonders to find multitudes more who have learned that it is their duty1 and seek to obey it1 but confess that they know but little of taking hold upon ,god or prevailing with ,him4 ,god seeks intercessors4--,he longs to dispense larger blessings4 ,he longs to reveal ,his power and glory as ,god1 ,his saving love1 more abundantly4 ,he seeks intercessors in larger number1 in greater power1 to prepare the way of the ,lord4 ,he seeks them4 ,where could ,he seek them but in ,his ,church8 ,and how does ,he expect to find them8 ,he intrusted to ,his ,church the task of telling of their ,lord's need1 the task of encouraging and training1 and preparing them for ,his holy service4 ,and ,he ever comes again1 seeking fruit1 seeking intercessors4 ,in ,his ,word ,he has spoken of the widows indeed1 who trust in ,god1 and continue in supplication night and day4 ,he looks if the ,church is training the great army of aged men and women1 whose time of outward work is past1 but who can strengthen the army of the elect1 who cry to ,him day and night4 ,he looks to the great host of the ,christian ,endeavour1 the three or four million of young lives that have given themselves away in the solemn pledge1 ,i promise the ,lord ,jesus ,christ that ,i will strive to do whatever ,he would like to have me do1 and wonders how many are being trained to pass from the brightness of the weekly prayer-meeting and its confession of loyalty1 to swell the secret intercession that is to save souls4 ,he looks to the thousands of young men and young women in training for the work of ministry and mission1 and gazes longingly to see if the ,church is teaching them that intercession1 power with ,god1 must be their first care1 and in seeking to train and help them to it4 ,he looks to see whether ministers and missionaries are understanding their opportunity1 and labouring to train the believers of their congregation into those who can help together by their prayer1 and can strive with them in their prayers4 ,as ,christ seeks the lost sheep until ,he find it1 ,gods seeks intercessors4 7,note ,f47 ,god seeks intercessors4--,he will not1 ,he cannot1 take the work out of the hands of ,his ,church4 ,and so ,he comes1 calling and pleading in many ways4 ,now by a man whom ,he raises up to live a life of faith in ,his service1 and to prove how actually and abundantly ,he answers prayer4 ,then by the story of a church which makes prayer for souls its starting-point1 and bears testimony to ,god's faithfulness4 ,sometimes in a mission which proves how special prayer can meet special need1 and bring down the power of the ,spirit4 ,and sometimes again by a season of revival coming in answer to united urgent supplication4 ,in these and many other ways ,god is showing us what intercession can do1 and beseeching us to waken up and train ,his great host to be1 every one1 a people of intercessors4 ,god seeks intercessors4--,he sends ,his servants out to call them4 ,let ministers make this a part of their duty4 ,let them make their church a training school of intercession4 ,give the people definite objects for prayer4 ,encourage them to take a definite time to it1 if it were only ten minutes every day4 ,help them to understand the boldness they may use with ,god4 ,teach them to expect and look out for answers4 ,show them what it is first to pray and get an answer in secret1 and then carry the answer and impart the blessing4 ,tell everyone who is master of his own time that he is as the angels1 free to tarry before the throne and then go out and minister to the heirs of salvation4 ,sound out the blessed tidings that this honour is for all ,god's people4 ,there is no difference4 ,that servant girl1 this day labourer1 that bedridden invalid1 this daughter in her mother's home1 these men and young men in business--all are called1 all1 all are needed4 ,god seeks intercessors4 ,god seeks intercessors4--,as ministers take up the work of finding and training them it will urge themselves to pray more4 ,christ gave ,paul to be a pattern of ,his grace before ,he made him a preacher of it4 ,it has been well said1 ,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 himself4 ,the effort to bring this message of ,god may cause much heart-searching and humiliation4 ,all the better4 ,the best practice in doing a thing is helping others to do it4 ,o ye servants of ,christ1 set as watchmen to cry to ,god day and night1 let us awake to our holy calling4 ,let us believe in the power of intercession4 ,let us practise it4 ,let us seek on behalf of our people to get from ,god ,himself the ,spirit and the ,life we preach4 ,with our spirit and life given up to ,god in intercession1 the ,spirit and ,life that ,god gives them through us cannot fail to be the ,life of ,intercession too4 ,a ,,plea ,,for ,,more ,,prayer ,,chapter ,,xv ,the ,coming ,revival ,wilt ,thou not revive us again3 that ,thy people may rejoice in ,thee8--,,ps4 lxxxv4 #f4 ,o ,lord1 revive ,thy work in the midst of the years4--,,hab4 iii4 #b4 ,though ,i walk in the midst of trouble1 ,thou wilt revive me3 ,thy right hand shall save me4--,,ps4 cxxxviii4 #g4 ,i dwell with him that is of a humble and contrite heart1 to revive the heart of the contrite ones4--,,isa4 lvii4 #ae4 ,come1 and let us return to the ,lord3 for ,he hath torn1 and ,he will heal us4 ,he will revive us4--,,hos4 vi4 #a1 #b4 ,the ,coming ,revival--one frequently hears the word4 ,there are teachers not a few who see the tokens of its approach1 and confidently herald its speedy appearance4 ,in the increase of mission interest1 in the tidings of revivals in places where all were dead or cold1 in the hosts of our young gathered into ,students' and other ,associations or ,christian ,endeavour ,societies1 in doors everywhere opened in the ,christian and the heathen world1 in victories already secured in the fields white unto the harvest1 wherever believing1 hopeful workers enter1 they find the assurance of a time of power and blessing such as we have not known4 ,the ,church is about to enter on a new era of increasing spirituality and larger extension4 ,there are others who1 while admitting the truth of some of these facts1 yet fear that the conclusions drawn from them are one-sided and premature4 ,they see the interest in missions increased1 but point out to how small a circle it is confined1 and how utterly out of proportion it is to what it ought to be4 ,to the great majority of ,church members1 to the greater part of the ,church1 it is as yet anything but a life question4 ,they remind us of the power of worldliness and formality1 of the increase of the money-making and pleasure-loving spirit among professing ,christians1 to the lack of spirituality in so many1 many of our churches1 and the continuing and apparently increasing estrangement of multitudes from ,god's ,day and ,word1 as proof that the great revival has certainly not begun1 and is hardly thought of by the most4 ,they say that they do not see the deep humiliation1 the intense desire1 the fervent prayer which appear as the forerunners of every true revival4 ,there are right-hand and left-hand errors which are equally dangerous4 ,we must seek as much to be kept from the superficial ,optimism1 which never is able to gauge the extent of the evil1 as from the hopeless ,pessimism which can neither praise ,god for what ,he has done1 nor trust ,him for what ,he is ready to do4 ,the former will lose itself in a happy self-gratulation1 as it rejoices in its zeal and diligence and apparent success1 and never see the need of confession and great striving in prayer1 ere we are prepared to meet and conquer the hosts of darkness4 ,the latter virtually gives over the world to ,satan1 and almost prays and rejoices to see things get worse1 to hasten the coming of ,him who is to put all right4 ,may ,god keep us from either error1 and fulfil the promise1 ,thine ears shall hear a word behind thee1 saying1 ,this is the way1 walk ye in it1 when ye turn to the right hand1 and when ye turn to the left4 ,let us listen to the lessons suggested by the passages we have quoted2 they may help us to pray the prayer aright3 ,revive ,thy work1 ,o ,lord6 #a4 ,revive ,thy work1 ,o ,lord6--,read again the passages of ,scripture1 and see how they all contain the one thought3 ,revival is ,god's work2 ,he alone can give it2 it must come from above4 ,we are frequently in danger of looking to what ,god has done and is doing1 and to count on that as the pledge that ,he will at once do more4 ,and all the time it may be true that ,he is blessing us up to the measure of our faith or self-sacrifice1 and cannot give larger measure1 until there has been a new discovery and confession of what is hindering ,him4 ,or we may be looking to all the signs of life and good around us1 and congratulating ourselves on all the organisations and agencies that are being created1 while the need of ,god's mighty and direct interposition is not rightly felt1 and the entire dependence upon ,him not cultivated4 ,regeneration1 the giving of ,divine life1 we all acknowledge to be ,god's act1 a miracle of ,his power4 ,the restoring or reviving of the ,divine life1 in a soul or a ,church1 is as much a supernatural work4 ,to have the spiritual discernment that can understand the signs of the heavens1 and prognosticate the coming revival1 we need to enter deep into ,god's mind and will as to its conditions1 and the preparedness of those who pray for it or are to be used to bring it about4 ,surely the ,lord ,god will do nothing1 but ,he revealeth ,his secret unto his servants the prophets4 ,it is ,god who is to give the revival2 it is ,god who reveals ,his secret2 it is the spirit of absolute dependence upon ,god1 giving ,him the honour and the glory1 that will prepare for it4 #b4 ,revive ,thy work1 ,o ,lord6--,a second lesson suggested is1 that the revival ,god is to give will be given in answer to prayer4 ,it must be asked and received direct from ,god ,himself4 ,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 prayer4 ,in our own day there are numbers of congregations and missions where special or permanent revivals are--all glory be to ,god--connected with systematic1 believing prayer4 ,the coming revival will be no exception4 ,an extraordinary spirit of prayer1 urging believers to much secret and united prayer1 pressing them to labour fervently in their supplications1 will be one of the surest signs of approaching showers and floods of blessing4 ,let all who are burdened with the lack of spirituality1 with the low state of the life of ,god in believers1 listen to the call that comes to all4 ,if there is to be revival1--a mighty1 ,divine revival1--it will need1 on our part1 corresponding whole-heartedness in prayer and faith4 ,let not one believer think himself too weak to help1 or imagine that he will not be missed4 ,if he first begin1 the gift that is in him may be so stirred that1 for his circle or neighbourhood1 he shall be ,god's chosen intercessor4 ,let us think of the need of souls1 of all the sins and failings among ,god's people1 of the little power there is in so much of the preaching1 and begin to cry every day1 ,wilt ,thou not revive us again1 that ,thy people may rejoice in ,thee8 ,and let us have the truth graven deep in our hearts3 every revival comes1 as ,pentecost came1 as the fruit of united1 continued prayer4 ,the coming revival must begin with a great prayer revival4 ,it is in the closet1 with the door shut1 that the sound of abundance of rain will be first heard4 ,an increase of secret prayer with ministers and members1 will be the sure harbinger of blessing4 #c4 ,revive ,thy work1 ,o ,lord6--,a third lesson our texts teach is that it is to the humble and contrite that the revival is promised4 ,we want the revival to come upon the proud and the self-satisfied1 to break them down and save them4 ,god will give this1 but only on the condition that those who see and feel the sin of others take their burden of confession and bear it1 and that all who pray for and claim in faith ,god's reviving power for ,his ,church1 shall humble themselves with the confession of its sins4 ,the need of revival always points to previous decline2 and decline was always caused by sin4 ,humiliation and contrition have ever been the conditions of revival4 ,in all intercession confession of man's sin and ,god's righteous judgment is ever an essential element4 ,throughout the history of ,israel we continually see this4 ,it comes out in the reformations under the pious ,kings of ,judah4 ,we hear it in the prayer of men like ,ezra and ,nehemiah and ,daniel4 ,in ,isaiah and ,jeremiah and ,ezekiel1 as well as in the minor prophets1 it is the keynote of all the warning as of all the promise4 ,if there be no humiliation and forsaking of sin there can be no revival or deliverance3 ,these men have set up their idols in their hearts4 ,shall ,i at all be inquired of by them8 ,to this man will ,i look1 even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit1 and that trembleth at ,my word4 ,amid the most gracious promises of ,divine visitation there is ever this note3 ,be ashamed and confounded for your ways1 ,o ,house of ,israel4 ,we find the same in the ,new ,testament4 ,the ,sermon on the ,mount promises the kingdom to the poor and them that mourn4 ,in the ,epistles to the ,corinthians and ,galatians the religion of man1 of worldly wisdom and confidence in the flesh1 is exposed and denounced2 without its being confessed and forsaken1 all the promises of grace and the ,spirit will be vain4 ,in the ,epistles to the seven churches we find five of which ,he1 out of whose mouth goes the sharp1 two-edged sword1 says1 that ,he has something against them4 ,in each of these the keyword of ,his message is--not to the unconverted1 but to the ,church--,repent6 ,all the glorious promises which each of these ,epistles contain1 down to the last one1 with its ,open the door and ,i will come in2 ,he that overcometh shall sit with ,me on ,my throne1 are dependent on that one word--,repent6 ,and if there is to be a revival1 not among the unsaved1 but in our churches1 to give a holy1 spiritual membership1 will not that trumpet sound need to be heard--,repent8 ,was it only in ,israel1 in the ministry of kings and prophets1 that there was so much evil in ,god's people to be cleansed away8 ,was it only in the ,church of the first century1 that ,paul and ,james and our ,lord ,himself had to speak such sharp words8 ,or is there not in the ,church of our days an idolatry of money and talent and culture1 a worldly spirit1 making it unfaithful to its one only ,husband and ,lord1 a confidence in the flesh which grieves and resists ,god's ,holy ,spirit8 ,is there not almost everywhere a confession of the lack of spirituality and spiritual power8 ,let all who long for the coming revival1 and seek to hasten it by their prayers1 pray this above everything1 that the ,lord may prepare ,his prophets to go before ,him at ,his bidding3 ,cry aloud and spare not1 lift up thy voice like a trumpet1 and show ,my people their transgression4 ,every deep revival among ,god's people must have its roots in a deep sense and confession of sin4 ,until those who would lead the ,church in the path of revival bear faithful testimony against the sins of the ,church1 it is to feared that it will find people unprepared4 ,men would fain have a revival as the outgrowth of their agencies and progress4 ,god's way is the opposite3 it is out of death1 acknowledged as the desert of sin1 confessed as utter helplessness1 that ,he revives4 ,he revives the heart of the contrite one4 #d4 ,revive ,thy work1 ,o ,lord6--,there is a last thought1 suggested by the text from ,hosea4 ,it is as we return to the ,lord that revival will come2 for if we had not wandered from ,him1 ,his life would be among us in power4 ,come and let us return to the ,lord3 for ,he hath torn1 ,he will heal us3 ,he hath smitten2 ,he will bind us up3 ,he will revive us1 and we shall live in ,his sight4 ,as we have said1 there can be no return to the ,lord1 where there is no sense or confession of wandering4 ,let us return to the ,lord must be the keynote of the revival4 ,let us return1 acknowledging and forsaking whatever there has been in the ,church that is not entirely according to ,his mind and spirit4 ,let us return1 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 world4 ,let us return1 in the acknowledgment of how undividedly ,god must have us1 to fill us with ,his ,spirit1 and use us for the kingdom of ,his ,son4 ,oh1 let us return1 in the surrender of a dependence and a devotion which has no measure but the absolute claim of ,him who is the ,lord6 ,let us return to the ,lord with our whole heart1 that ,he may make and keep us wholly ,his4 ,he will revive us1 and we shall live in ,his sight4 ,let us turn to the ,god of ,pentecost1 as ,christ led his disciples to turn to ,him1 and the ,god of ,pentecost will turn to us4 ,it is for this returning to the ,lord that the great work of intercession is needed4 ,it is here the coming revival must find its strength4 ,let us begin as individuals in secret to plead with ,god1 confessing whatever we see of sin or hindrance1 in ourselves or others4 ,if there were not one other sin1 surely in the lack of prayer there is matter enough for repentance and confession and returning to the ,lord4 ,let us seek to foster the spirit of confession and supplication and intercession in those around us4 ,let us help to encourage and to train those who think themselves too feeble4 ,let us lift up our voice to proclaim the great truths4 ,the revival must come from above2 the revival must be received in faith from above and brought down by prayer2 the revival comes to the humble and contrite1 for them to carry to others2 if we return to the ,lord with our whole heart1 ,he will revive us4 ,on those who see these truths1 rests the solemn responsibility of giving themselves up to witness for them and to act them out4 ,and as each of us pleads for the revival throughout the ,church1 let us specially1 at the same time1 cry to ,god for our own neighbourhood or sphere of work4 ,let1 with every minister and worker1 there be great searchings of heart1 as to whether they are ready to give such proportion of time and strength to prayer as ,god would have4 ,let them1 even as in public they are leaders of their larger or smaller circles1 give themselves in secret to take their places in the front rank of the great intercession host1 that must prevail with ,god1 ere the great revival1 the floods of blessing can come4 ,of all who speak or think of1 or long for1 revival1 let not one hold back in this great work of honest1 earnest1 definite pleading3 ,revive ,thy work1 ,o ,lord6 ,wilt ,thou not revive us again8 ,come and let us return to the ,lord3 ,he will revive us6 ,and let us know1 let us follow on to know the ,lord4 ,his going forth is sure as the morning2 and ,he shall come unto us as the rain1 as the latter rain that watereth the earth4 ,amen4 ,so be it4 ,,notes ,,note ,a1 ,chap4 ,,vi4 p4 #gc ,just this day ,i have been meeting a very earnest lady missionary from ,india4 ,she confesses and mourns the lack of prayer4 ,but--in ,india at least--it can hardly be otherwise4 ,you have only the morning hours1 from six to eleven1 for your work4 ,some have attempted to rise at four1 and get the time they think they need1 and have suffered1 and had to give it up4 ,some have tried to take time after lunch1 and been found asleep on their knees4 ,you are not your own master1 and must act with others4 ,no one who has not been in ,india can understand the difficulty2 sufficient time for much intercession cannot be secured4 ,were it only in the heat of ,india the difficulty existed1 one might be silent4 ,but1 alas6 in the coldest winter in ,london1 and in the moderate climate of ,south ,africa1 there is the same trouble everywhere4 ,if once we really felt--intercession is the most important part of our work1 the securing of ,god's presence and power in full measure is the essential thing1 this is our first duty--our hours of work would all be made subordinate to this one thing4 ,may ,god show us all whether there indeed be an insuperable difficulty for which we are not responsible1 whether it be only a mistake we are making1 or a sin by which we are grieving ,him and hindering ,his ,spirit6 ,if we ask the question ,george ,muller once asked of a ,christian1 who complained that he could not find time sufficient for the study of the ,word and prayer1 whether an hour less work1 say four hours1 with the soul dwelling in the full light of ,god1 would not be more prosperous and effective than five hours with the depressing consciousness of unfaithfulness1 and the loss of the power that could be obtained in prayer1 the answer will not be difficult4 ,the more we think of it the more we feel that when earnest1 godly workers allow1 against their better will1 the spiritual to be crowded out by incessant occupation and the fatigue it brings1 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 secured4 ,let us listen to ,christ saying1 ,render unto ,csar the things that are ,csar's--let duty and work have their place--and unto ,god the things that are ,god's4 ,let the worship in the ,spirit1 the entire dependence and continued waiting upon ,god for the full experience of ,his presence and power every day1 and the strength of ,christ working in us1 ever have the first place4 ,the whole question is simply this1 ,is ,god to have the place1 the love1 the trust1 the time for personal fellowship ,he claims1 so that all our working shall be ,god working in us8 ,,note ,b1 ,chap4 ,,vii4 p4 #hi ,let me tell here a story that occurs in one of ,dr4 ,boardman's works4 ,he had been invited by a lady of good position1 well known as a successful worker among her husband's dependents1 to come and address them4 ,and then1 she added1 ,i want to speak to you about a bit of bondage of my own4 ,when he had addressed her meeting1 and found many brought to ,christ through her1 he wondered what her trouble might be4 ,she soon told him4 ,god had blessed her work1 but1 alas1 the enjoyment she once had had in ,god's word and secret prayer had been lost4 ,and she had tried her utmost to get it back1 and had failed4 ,ah6 that is just your mistake1 he said4 ,how that8 ,ought ,i not to do my best to have the coldness removed8 ,tell me1 he said1 were you saved by doing your best8 ,oh1 no6 ,i tried long to do that1 but only found rest when ,i ceased trying1 and trusted ,christ4 ,and that is what you need to do now4 ,enter your closet at the appointed time1 however dull you feel1 and place yourself before your ,lord4 ,do not try to rouse an earnestness you do not feel2 but quietly say to ,him that ,he sees how all is wrong1 how helpless you are1 and trust ,him to bless you4 ,he will do it2 as you trust quietly1 ,his ,spirit will work4 ,the simple story may teach many a ,christian a most blessed lesson in the life of prayer4 ,you have accepted of ,christ ,jesus to make you whole1 and give you strength to walk in newness of life2 you have claimed the ,holy ,spirit to be in you the ,spirit of ,supplication and ,intercession2 but do not wonder if your feelings are not all at once changed1 or if your power of prayer does not come in the way you would like4 ,it is a life of faith4 ,by faith we receive the ,holy ,spirit and all ,his workings4 ,faith regards neither sight nor feeling1 but rests1 even when there appears to be no power to pray1 in the assurance that the ,spirit is praying in us as we bow quietly before ,god4 ,he that thus waits in faith1 and honours the ,holy ,spirit1 and yields himself to ,him1 will soon find that prayer will begin to come4 ,and he that perseveres in the faith that through ,christ and by the ,spirit each prayer1 however feeble1 is acceptable to ,god1 will learn the lesson that it is possible to be taught by the ,spirit1 and led to walk worthy of the ,lord to all well pleasing4 ,,note ,c1 ,chap4 ,,ix4 p4 #aaa ,just yesterday again--three days after the conversation mentioned in the note to chap4 vii4--,i met a devoted young missionary lady from the interior4 ,as a conversation on prayer was proceeding1 she interposed unasked with the remark1 ,but it is really impossible to find the time to pray as we wish to4 ,i could only answer1 ,time is a quantity that accommodates itself to our will2 what our hearts really consider of first importance in the day1 we will soon succeed in finding time for4 ,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-work4 ,we have thought of our work in preaching or visiting as our real duty1 and of prayer as a subordinate means to do this work successfully4 ,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 us8 ,then our work would take its right place1 and become the subordinate one of really dispensing blessings which we had received from ,god4 ,it was when the friend at midnight1 in answer to his prayer1 had received from ,another as much as he needed1 that he could supply his hungry friend4 ,it was the intercession1 going out and importuning1 that was the difficult work2 returning home with his rich supply to impart was easy1 joyful work4 ,this is ,christ's divine order for all thy work1 my brother3 ,first come1 in utter poverty1 every day1 and get from ,god the blessing in intercession1 go then rejoicingly to impart it4 ,,note ,d1 ,chap4 ,x4 p4 #abc ,let me once again refer my readers to ,william ,law1 and repeat what ,i have said before1 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 ,,clergy4#b ,the way in which he opens up how ,god's one object was to dwell in man1 making him partaker of ,his goodness and glory1 other way than by himself living and working in him1 gives one the key to what ,pentecost and the sending forth of the ,spirit of ,god's ,son into our hearts really means4 ,it is ,christ in ,god's name really regaining and retaking possession of the home ,he had created for ,himself4 ,it is ,god entering into the secret depths of our nature there to work to will and to do1 to work that which is pleasing in ,his sight in ,christ ,jesus4 ,it is as this truth enters into us1 and we see that there is and can be no good in us but what ,god works1 that we shall see light on the ,divine mystery of prayer1 and believe in the ,holy ,spirit as breathing within us desires which ,god will fulfil when we yield to them1 and believingly present them in the name of ,christ4 ,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 ,god2 the ,spirit1 who is ,god1 breathing and praying in us amid all our feebleness ,his heaven-born ,divine petitions3 what a heavenly thing prayer becomes4 ,the latter part of the above-mentioned book consists of extracts from ,law's letters4 ,these have been published separately as a little shilling volume4#c ,no one who will take the time quietly to read and master the so simple but deep teaching they contain1 without being wonderfully strengthened in the confidence which is needed1 if we are to pray much and boldly4 ,as we learn that the ,holy ,spirit is within us to reveal ,christ there1 to make us in living reality partakers of ,his death1 ,his life1 ,his merit1 ,his disposition1 so that ,he is formed within us1 we will begin to see how ,divinely right and sure it is that our intercessions in ,his name must be heard2 his own ,spirit maintains the living union with ,himself1 in whom we are brought nigh to ,god1 and gives us boldness of access2 what ,i have so feebly said in the chapter on the ,spirit of ,supplication will get new meaning2 and1 what is more1 the exercise of prayer a new attractiveness2 its solemn ,divine mystery will humble us1 its unspeakable privilege lift us up in faith and adoration4 #b ,the ,power of the ,spirit3 ,an ,address to the ,clergy4 ,by ,,william ,,law4 ,with additional ,extracts and an ,introduction by ,rev4 ,a4 ,m4 ,james ,nisbet ,co4 #bs4 #f;d4 #c ,the ,divine ,indwelling4 ,selections from the ,letters of ,william ,law4 ,with ,introduction by ,a4 ,m4 ,james ,nisbet ,co4 ,,note ,e1 ,chap4 ,,xi4 p4 #acf ,there is a question1 the deepest of all1 on which ,i have not entered in this book4 ,i have spoken of the lack of prayer in the individual ,christian as a symptom of a disease4 ,but what shall we say of it1 that there is such a widespread prevalence of this failure to give a due proportion of time and strength to prayer8 ,do we not need to inquire1 ,how comes it that the ,church of ,christ1 endued with the ,holy ,ghost1 cannot train its ministers and workers and members to place first what is first8 ,how comes it that the confession of too little prayer1 and the call for more prayer1 is so frequently heard1 and yet the evil continues8 ,the ,spirit of ,god1 the ,spirit of ,supplication and ,intercession1 is in the ,church and in every believer4 ,there must surely be some other spirit of great power resisting and hindering this ,spirit of ,god4 ,it is indeed so4 ,the spirit of the world1 which under all its beautiful and even religious activities is the spirit of the god of this world1 is the great hindrance4 ,everything that is done on earth1 whether within or without the ,church1 is done by either of these two spirits4 ,what is in the individual the flesh1 is in mankind as a whole the spirit of the world2 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 life4 ,it is the spirit of the world is the great hindrance to the spirit of prayer4 ,all our most earnest calls to men to pray more will be vain except this evil be acknowledged and combated and overcome4 ,the believer and the ,church must be entirely freed from the spirit of the world4 ,and how is this to be done8 ,there is but one way--the ,cross of ,christ1 by which1 as ,paul says1 the world is crucified unto me1 and ,i unto the world4 ,it is only through death to the world that we can be freed from its spirit4 ,the separation must be vital and entire4 ,it is only through the acceptance of our crucifixion with ,christ that we can live out this confession1 and1 as crucified to the world1 maintain the position of irreconcilable hostility to whatever is of its spirit and not of the ,spirit of ,god2 and it is only ,god ,himself who1 by ,his ,divine power1 can lead us into and keep us daily dead to sin1 and alive unto ,god in ,christ ,jesus4 ,the cross1 with its shame and its separation from the world1 and its death to all that is of flesh and of self1 is the only power that can conquer the spirit of the world4 ,i have felt so strongly that the truth needs to be anew asserted1 that ,i hope1 if it please ,god1 to publish a volume1 ,the ,cross of ,christ1 with the inquiry into what ,god's word teaches as to our actual participation with ,christ in ,his crucifixion4 ,christ prayed on the way to the cross4 ,he prayed ,himself to the cross4 ,he prayed on the cross4 ,he prays ever as the fruit of the cross4 ,as the ,church lives on the cross1 and the cross lives in the ,church1 the spirit of prayer will be given4 ,in ,christ it was the crucifixion spirit and death that was the source of the ,intercession ,spirit and ,power4 ,with us it can be no otherwise4 ,,note ,f1 ,chap4 ,,xiv4 p4 #agg ,i have more than once spoken of the need of training ,christians to the work of intercession4 ,in a previous note ,i have asked the question whether1 in the teaching of our ,theological ,halls and ,mission ,training ,houses1 sufficient attention is given to prayer as the most important1 and in some senses the most difficult part of the work for which the students are being prepared4 ,i have wondered whether it might not be possible to offer those who are willing1 during their student life1 to put themselves under a course of training1 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 have4 ,as a rule1 it is in the student life that the character must be formed for future years1 and it is in the present student world that the ,church of the future must be influenced4 ,if ,god allows me to carry out a plan that is hardly quite mature yet1 ,i would wish to publish a volume1 ,,the ,,student',s ,,prayer ,,manual1 combining the teaching of ,scripture as to what is most needed to make men of prayer of us1 with such practical directions as may help a young ,christian1 preparing to devote his life to ,god's service successfully1 to cultivate such a spirit and habit of prayer as shall abide with him through all his coming life and labours4 ,,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 ,,supplications1 ,,prayers1 ,,intercessions ,,giving ,,of ,,thanks ,,be ,,made ,,for ,,all ,,men ,,for ,,kings1 ,,and ,,all ,,that ,,are ,,in ,,authority ,,pray ,,for ,,one ,,another ,these ,helps are issued as a separate ,tract by ,messrs4 ,nisbet 4 ,co41 price #b;d4 ,anyone is at liberty to have the ,tract reprinted1 with such modifications as may be desired4 ,,pray ,,without ,,ceasing ,helps to ,intercession ,pray without ,ceasing4--,who can do this8 ,how can one do it who is surrounded by the cares of daily life8--,how can a mother love her child without ceasing8 ,how can the eyelid without ceasing hold itself ready to protect the eye8 ,how can ,i breathe and feel and hear without ceasing8 ,because all these are the functions of a healthy1 natural life4 ,and so1 if the spiritual life be healthy1 under the full power of the ,holy ,spirit1 praying without ceasing will be natural4 ,pray without ,ceasing4--,does it refer to continual acts of prayer1 in which we are to persevere till we obtain1 or to the spirit of prayerfulness that should animate us all the day8 ,it includes both4 ,the example of our ,lord ,jesus shows us this4 ,we have to enter our closet for special seasons of prayer2 we are at times to persevere there in importunate prayer4 ,we are also all the day to walk in ,god's presence1 with the whole heart set upon heavenly things4 ,without set times of prayer the spirit of prayer will be dull and feeble4 ,without the continual prayerfulness the set times will not avail4 ,pray without ,ceasing4--,does that refer to prayer for ourselves or others8 ,to both4 ,it is because many confine it to themselves that they fail so in practising it4 ,it is only when the branch gives itself to bear fruit1 more fruit1 much fruit1 that it can live a healthy life1 and expect a rich inflow of sap4 ,the death of ,christ brought ,him to the place of everlasting intercession4 ,your death with ,him to sin and self sets you free from the care of self1 and elevates you to the dignity of intercessor--one who can get life and blessing from ,god for others4 ,know your calling2 begin this your work4 ,give yourself wholly to it1 and ere you know you will be finding something of this ,praying always within you4 ,pray without ,ceasing4--,how can ,i learn it8 ,the best way of learning to do a thing--in fact the only way--is to do it4 ,begin by setting apart some time every day1 say ten or fifteen minutes1 in which you say to ,god and to yourself1 that you come to ,him now as intercessor for others4 ,let it be after your morning or evening prayer1 or any other time4 ,if you cannot secure the same time every day1 be not troubled4 ,only see that you do your work4 ,christ chose you and appointed you to pray for others4 ,if at first you do not feel any special urgency or faith or power in your prayers1 let not that hinder you4 ,quietly tell your ,lord ,jesus of your feebleness2 believe that the ,holy ,spirit is in you to teach you to pray1 and be assured that if you begin1 ,god will help you4 ,god cannot help you unless you begin and keep on4 ,pray without ,ceasing4--,how do ,i know what to pray for8 ,if once you begin1 and think of all the needs around you1 you will soon find enough4 ,but to help you this little tract is issued1 with subjects and hints for prayer for a month4 ,it is meant that we should use it month by month1 until we know more fully to follow the ,spirit's leading1 and have learnt1 if need be1 to make our own list of subjects1 and can dispense with it4 ,in regard to the use of these helps a few words may be needed4 #a4 ,how to ,pray4--,you notice for every day two headings--the one ,what to ,pray2 the other1 ,how to ,pray4 ,if the subjects were only given1 one might fall into the routine of mentioning names and things before ,god1 and the work become a burden4 ,the hints under the heading ,how to ,pray are meant to remind of the spiritual nature of the work1 of the need of ,divine help1 and to encourage faith in the certainty that ,god1 through the ,spirit1 will give us grace to pray aright1 and will also hear our prayer4 ,one does not at once learn to take his place boldly1 and to dare to believe that he will be heard4 ,therefore take a few moments each day to listen to ,god's voice reminding you of how certainly even you will be heard1 and calling on you to pray in that faith in your ,father1 to claim and take the blessing you plead for4 ,and let these words about ,how to ,pray enter your hearts and occupy your thoughts at other times too4 ,the work of intercession is ,christ's great work on earth1 intrusted to ,him because ,he gave ,himself a sacrifice to ,god for men4 ,the work of intercession is the greatest work a ,christian can do4 ,give yourself a sacrifice to ,god for men1 and the work will become your glory and your joy too4 #b4 ,what to ,pray4--,scripture calls us to pray for many things3 for all saints2 for all men2 for kings and all rulers2 for all who are in adversity2 for the sending forth of labourers2 for those who labour in the gospel2 for all converts2 for believers who have fallen into sin2 for one another in our own immediate circles4 ,the ,church is now so much larger than when the ,new ,testament was written2 the number of forms of work and workers is so much greater2 the needs of the ,church and the world are so much better known1 that we need to take time and thought to see where prayer is needed1 and to what our heart is most drawn out4 ,the ,scripture calls to prayer demand a large heart1 taking in all saints1 and all men1 and all needs4 ,an attempt has been made in these helps to indicate what the chief subjects are that need prayer1 and that ought to interest every ,christian4 ,it will be felt difficult by many to pray for such large spheres as are sometimes mentioned4 ,let it be understood that in each case we may make special intercession for our own circle of interest coming under that heading4 ,and it is hardly needful to say1 further1 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 subject4 ,if only time be really given to intercession1 and the spirit of believing intercession be cultivated1 the object is attained4 ,while1 on the one hand1 the heart must be enlarged at times to take in all1 the more pointed and definite our prayer can be the better4 ,with this view paper is left blank in which we can write down special petitions we desire to urge before ,god4 #c4 ,answers to ,prayer4--,more than one little book has been published in which ,christians may keep a register of their petitions1 and note when they were answered4 ,room has been left on every page for this1 so that more definite petitions with regard to individual souls or special spheres of work may be recorded1 and the answer looked for4 ,when we pray for all saints1 or for missions in general1 it is difficult to know when or how our prayer is answered1 or whether our prayer has had any part in bringing the answer4 ,it is of extreme importance that we should prove that ,god hears us1 and to this end take note of what answers we look for1 and when they come4 ,on the day of praying for all saints1 take the saints in your congregation1 or in your prayer-meeting1 and ask for a revival among them4 ,take1 in connection with missions1 some special station or missionary you are interested in1 or more than one1 and plead for blessing4 ,and expect and look for its coming1 that you may praise ,god4 #d4 ,prayer ,circles4--,there is no desire in publishing this invitation to intercession to add another to the many existing prayer unions or praying bands4 ,the first object is to stir the many ,christians who practically1 through ignorance of their calling1 or unbelief as to their prayer availing much1 take but very little part in the work of intercession2 and then to help those who do pray to some fuller apprehension of the greatness of the work1 and the need of giving their whole strength to it4 ,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 ,church4 ,i have given the words of that invitation as subject for the first day1 and taken the same thought as keynote all through4 ,the more one thinks of the need and the promise1 and the greatness of the obstacles to be overcome in prayer1 the more one feels it must become our life-work day by day1 that to which every other interest is subordinated4 ,but while not forming a large prayer union1 it is suggested that it may be found helpful to have small prayer circles to unite in prayer1 either for one month1 with some special object introduced daily along with the others1 or through a year or longer1 with the view of strengthening each other in the grace of intercession4 ,if a minister were to invite some of his neighbouring brethren to join for some special requests along with the printed subjects for supplication1 or a number of the more earnest members of his congregation to unite in prayer for revival1 some might be trained to take their place in the great work of intercession1 who now stand idle because no man hath hired them4 #e4 ,who is sufficient for these things8--,the more we study and try to practise this grace of intercession1 the more we become overwhelmed by its greatness and our feebleness4 ,let every such impression lead us to listen3 ,my grace is sufficient for thee1 and to answer truthfully3 ,our sufficiency is of ,god4 ,take courage2 it is in the intercession of ,christ you are called to take part4 ,the burden and the agony1 the triumph and the victory are all ,his4 ,learn from ,him1 yield to ,his ,spirit in you1 to know how to pray4 ,he gave ,himself a sacrifice to ,god for men1 that ,he might have the right and power of intercession4 ,he bare the sin of many1 and made intercession for the transgressors4 ,let your faith rest boldly on ,his finished work4 ,let your heart wholly identify itself with ,him in ,his death and ,his life4 ,like ,him1 give yourself to ,god a sacrifice for men3 it is your highest nobility1 it is your true and full union to ,him2 it will be to you1 as to ,him1 your power of intercession4 ,beloved ,christian6 come and give your whole heart and life to intercession1 and you will know its blessedness and its power4 ,god asks nothing less2 the world needs nothing less2 ,christ asks nothing less2 let nothing less be what we offer to ,god4 ,,first ,,day ,,what ,,to ,,pray4--,for the ,power of the ,holy ,spirit ,i bow my knees unto the ,father1 that ,he would grant you that ye may be strengthened with power through ,his ,spirit4--,,eph4 iii4 #af4 ,wait for the promise of the ,father4--,,acts i4 #d4 ,the fuller manifestation of the grace and energy of the ,blessed ,spirit of ,god1 in the removal of all that is contrary to ,god's revealed will1 so that we grieve not the ,holy ,spirit1 but that ,he may work in mightier power in the ,church1 for the exaltation of ,christ and the blessing of souls4 ,god has one promise to and through ,his exalted ,son2 our ,lord has one gift to ,his ,church2 the ,church has one need2 all prayer unites in the one petition--the power of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,make it your one prayer4 ,,how ,,to ,,pray4--,as a ,child asks a ,father ,if a son ask bread of any of you that is a father1 will he give him a stone8 ,how much more shall your ,heavenly ,father give the ,holy ,spirit to them that ask ,him8--,,luke xi4 #aa1 #ac4 ,ask as simply and trustfully as a child asks bread4 ,you can do this because ,god hath sent forth the ,spirit of ,his ,son into your heart1 crying1 ,abba1 ,father4 ,this ,spirit is in you to give you childlike confidence4 ,in the faith of ,his praying in you1 ask for the power of that holy ,spirit everywhere4 ,mention places or circles where you specially ask it to be seen4 ,,special ,,petitions ,,second ,,day ,,what ,,to ,,pray4--,for the ,spirit of ,supplication ,the ,spirit ,himself maketh intercession for us4--,,rom4 viii4 #bf4 ,i will pour out the ,spirit of ,supplication4--,,zech4 xii4 #aj4 ,the evangelisation of the world depends first of all upon a revival of prayer4 ,deeper than the need for men--ay1 deep down at the bottom of our spiritless life--is the need for the forgotten secret of prevailing1 world-wide prayer4 ,every child of ,god has the ,holy ,spirit in him to pray4 ,god waits to give the ,spirit in full measure4 ,ask for yourself1 and all who join1 the outpouring of the ,spirit of ,supplication4 ,ask it for your own prayer circle4 ,,how ,,to ,,pray4--,in the ,spirit ,with all prayer and supplication1 praying at all seasons in the ,spirit4--,,eph4 vi4 #ah4 ,praying in the ,holy ,spirit4--,,jude #bj4 ,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 ,pentecost4 ,it is only in the power of the ,spirit already in us1 acknowledged and yielded to1 that we can pray for ,his fuller manifestation4 ,say to the ,father1 it is the ,spirit of ,his ,son in you is urging you to plead ,his promise4 ,,special ,,petitions ,,third ,,day ,,what ,,to ,,pray4--,for all ,saints ,with all prayer and supplication praying at all seasons1 and watching thereunto in all perseverance and supplication for all saints4--,,eph4 vi4 #ah4 ,every member of a body is interested in the welfare of the whole1 and exists to help and complete the others4 ,believers are one body1 and ought to pray1 not so much for the welfare of their own church or society1 but1 first of all1 for all saints4 ,this large1 unselfish love is the proof that ,christ's ,spirit and ,love is teaching them to pray4 ,pray first for all and then for the believers around you4 ,,how ,,to ,,pray4--,in the ,love of the ,spirit ,by this shall all men know that ye are ,my disciples1 if ye have love one to another4--,,john xiii4 #ce4 ,i pray that they all may be one1 that the world may believe that ,thou didst send ,me4--,,john xvii4 #ba4 ,i beseech you1 brethren1 by the love of the ,spirit1 that ye strive together with me in your prayers to ,god for me4--,,rom4 xv4 #cj4 ,above all things being fervent in your love among yourselves4--#a ,,pet4 iv4 #h4 ,if we are to pray we must love4 ,let us say to ,god we do love all ,his saints2 let us say we love specially every child of ,his we know4 ,let us pray with fervent love1 in the love of the ,spirit4 ,,special ,,petitions ,,fourth ,,day ,,what ,,to ,,pray1--,for the ,spirit of ,holiness ,god is the ,holy ,one4 ,his people is a holy people4 ,he speaks3 ,i am holy3 ,i am the ,lord which make you holy4 ,christ prayed3 ,sanctify them4 ,make them holy through ,thy ,truth4 ,paul prayed3 ,god establish your hearts unblamable in holiness4 ,god sanctify you wholly6 ,pray for all saints--,god's holy ones--throughout the ,church1 that the ,spirit of holiness may rule them4 ,specially for new converts4 ,for the saints in your own neighbourhood or congregation4 ,for any you are specially interested in4 ,think of their special need1 weakness1 or sin1 and pray that ,god may make them holy4 ,,how ,,to ,,pray4--,trusting in ,god's ,omnipotence ,the things that are impossible with men are possible with ,god4 ,when we think of the great things we ask for1 of how little likelihood there is of their coming1 of our own insignificance4 ,prayer is not only wishing1 or asking1 but believing and accepting4 ,be still before ,god and ask ,him to give you to know ,him as the ,almighty ,one1 and leave your petitions with ,him who doeth wonders4 ,,special ,,petitions ,,fifth ,,day ,,what ,,to ,,pray4--,that ,god's ,people may be kept from the ,world ,holy ,father1 keep through ,thine own name those whom ,thou hast given ,me4 ,i pray not that ,thou shouldest take them out of the world1 but that ,thou shouldest keep them from the evil4 ,they are not of the world1 as ,i am not of the world4--,,john xvii4 #aa1 #ae1 #af4 ,in the last night ,christ asked three things for ,his disciples3 that they might be kept as those who are not of the world2 that they might be sanctified2 that they might be one in love4 ,you cannot do better than pray as ,jesus prayed4 ,ask for ,god's people that they may be kept separate from the world and its spirit2 that they1 by the ,holy ,spirit1 may live as those who are not of the world4 ,,how ,,to ,,pray4--,having ,confidence before ,god ,beloved1 if our hearts condemn us not1 then have we confidence toward ,god4 ,and whatsoever we ask1 we receive of ,him1 because we keep ,his commandments1 and do those things that are pleasing in ,his sight4--#a ,,john iii4 #ba1 #bb4 ,learn these words by heart4 ,get them into your heart4 ,join the ranks of those who1 with ,john1 draw nigh to ,god with an assured heart1 that does not condemn them1 having confidence toward ,god4 ,in this spirit pray for your brother who sins 7#a ,john v4 #af74 ,in the quiet confidence of an obedient child plead for those of your brethren who may be giving way to sin4 ,pray for all to be kept from the evil4 ,and say often1 ,what we ask1 we receive1 because we keep and do4 ,,special ,,petitions ,,sixth ,,day ,,what ,,to ,,pray4--,for the ,spirit of ,love in the ,church ,i pray that they may be one1 even as we are one3 ,i in them and ,thou in ,me2 that the world may know that ,thou didst send ,me1 and hast loved them as ,thou hast loved ,me 444 that the love wherewith ,thou hast loved ,me may be in them1 and ,i in them4--,,john xvii4 #bc4 ,the fruit of the ,spirit is love4--,,gal4 v4 #bb4 ,believers are one in ,christ1 as ,he is one with the ,father4 ,the love of ,god rests on them1 and can dwell in them4 ,pray that the power of the ,holy ,ghost may so work this love in believers1 that the world may see and know ,god's love in them4 ,pray much for this4 ,,how ,,to ,,pray4--,as one of ,god's ,remembrancers ,i have set watchmen on thy walls1 which shall never hold their peace day nor night3 ye that are the ,lord's remembrancers1 keep not silence1 and give ,him no rest4--,,isa4 lxii4 #f4 ,study these words until your whole soul be filled with the consciousness1 ,i am appointed intercessor4 ,enter ,god's presence in that faith4 ,study the world's need with that thought--it is my work to intercede2 the ,holy ,spirit will teach me for what and how4 ,let it be an abiding consciousness3 ,my great life-work1 like ,christ's1 is intercession--to pray for believers and those who do not yet know ,god4 ,,special ,,petitions ,,seventh ,,day ,,what ,,to ,,pray4--,for the ,power of the ,holy ,spirit on ,ministers ,i beseech you that ye strive together with me in your prayers to ,god for me4--,,rom4 xv4 #cj4 ,he will deliver us2 ye also helping together by your supplication on our behalf4--#b ,,cor4 i4 #aj1 #aa4 ,what a great host of ministers there are in ,christ's ,church4 ,what need they have of prayer4 ,what a power they might be1 if they were all clothed with the power of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,pray definitely for this2 long for it4 ,think of your own minister1 and ask it very specially for him4 ,connect every thought of the ministry1 in your town or neighbourhood or the world1 with the prayer that all may be filled with the ,spirit4 ,plead for them the promise1 ,tarry till ye be clothed with power from on high4 ,ye shall receive power1 when the ,holy ,ghost is come upon you4 ,,how ,,to ,,pray4--,in ,secret ,but thou1 when thou prayest1 enter into thy inner chamber1 and having shut to thy door1 pray to the ,father which is in secret4--,,matt4 vi4 #f4 ,he withdrew again into the mountain to pray1 ,himself alone4--,,matt4 xiv4 #bc2 ,,john vi4 #ae4 ,take time and realise1 when you are alone with ,god3 ,here am ,i now1 face to face with ,god1 to intercede for ,his servants4 ,do not think you have no influence1 or that your prayer will not be missed4 ,your prayer and faith will make a difference4 ,cry in secret to ,god for ,his ministers4 ,,special ,,petitions ,,eighth ,,day ,,what ,,to ,,pray4--,for the ,spirit on all ,christian ,workers ,ye also helping together on our behalf2 that for the gift bestowed upon us by means of many1 thanks may be given by many on our behalf4--#b ,,cor4 i4 #aa4 ,what multitudes of workers in connection with our churches and missions1 our railways and postmen1 our soldiers and sailors1 our young men and young women1 our fallen men and women1 our poor and sick4 ,god be praised for this6 ,what could they accomplish if each were living in the fulness of the ,holy ,spirit8 ,pray for them2 it makes you a partner in their work1 and you will praise ,god each time you hear of blessing anywhere4 ,,how ,,to ,,pray4--,with definite ,petitions ,what wilt thou that ,i should do unto thee8--,,luke xviii4 #da4 ,the ,lord knew what the man wanted1 and yet ,he asked him4 ,the utterance of our wish gives point to the transaction in which we are engaged with ,god1 and so awakens faith and expectation4 ,be very definite in your petitions1 so as to know what answer you may look for4 ,just think of the great host of workers1 and ask and expect ,god definitely to bless them in answer to the prayers of ,his people4 ,then ask still more definitely for workers around you4 ,intercession is not the breathing out of pious wishes2 its aim is1 in believing1 persevering prayer1 to receive and bring down blessing4 ,,special ,,petitions ,,ninth ,,day ,,what ,,to ,,pray4--,for ,god's ,spirit on our ,mission ,work ,the evangelisation of the world depends first of all upon a revival of prayer4 ,deeper than the need for men--ay1 deep down at the bottom of our spiritless life1 is the need for the forgotten secret of prevailing1 world-wide prayer4 ,as they ministered to the ,lord1 and fasted1 the ,holy ,ghost said1 ,separate ,me ,barnabas and ,saul4 ,then when they had fasted and prayed1 they sent them away4 ,so they1 being sent forth by the ,holy ,ghost1 departed4--,,acts xiii4 #b1 #c1 #d4 ,pray that our mission work may all be done in this spirit--waiting on ,god1 hearing the voice of the ,spirit1 sending forth men with fasting and prayer4 ,pray that in our churches our mission interest and mission work may be in the power of the ,holy ,spirit and of prayer4 ,it is a ,spirit-filled1 praying ,church will send out ,spirit-filled missionaries1 mighty in prayer4 ,,how ,,to ,,pray4--,take ,time ,i give myself unto prayer4--,,ps4 cix4 #d4 ,we will give ourselves continually to prayer4--,,acts vi4 #d4 ,be not rash with thy mouth1 and let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before ,god4--,,eccles4 v4 #b4 ,and ,he continued all night in prayer to ,god4--,,luke vi4 #ab4 ,time is one of the chief standards of value4 ,the time we give is a proof of the interest we feel4 ,we need time with ,god--to realise ,his presence2 to wait for ,him to make ,himself known2 to consider and feel the needs we plead for2 to take our place in ,christ2 to pray till we can believe that we have received4 ,take time in prayer1 and pray down blessing on the mission work of the ,church4 ,,special ,,petitions ,,tenth ,,day ,,what ,,to ,,pray4--,for ,god's ,spirit on our ,missionaries ,what the world needs to-day is1 not only more missionaries1 but the outpouring of ,god's ,spirit on everyone whom ,he has sent out to work for ,him in the foreign field4 ,ye shall receive power1 when the ,holy ,ghost is come upon you3 and ye shall be ,my witnesses unto the uttermost parts of the earth4--,,acts i4 #h4 ,god always gives ,his servants power equal to the work ,he asks of them4 ,think of the greatness and difficulty of this work1--casting out ,satan out of his strongholds1--and pray that everyone who takes part in it may receive and do all his work in the power of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,think of the difficulties of your missionaries1 and pray for them4 ,,how ,,to ,,pray4--,trusting ,god's ,faithfulness ,he is faithful that promised4 ,she counted ,him faithful who promised4--,,heb4 x4 #bc1 xi4 #aa4 ,just think of ,god's promises to ,his ,son1 concerning ,his kingdom2 to the ,church1 concerning the heathen2 to ,his servants1 concerning their work2 to yourself1 concerning your prayer2 and pray in the assurance that ,he is faithful1 and only waits for prayer and faith to fulfil them4 ,faithful is ,he that calleth you 7to pray71 who also will do it 7what ,he has promised74 ,take up individual missionaries1 make yourself one with them1 and pray till you know that you are heard4 ,oh1 begin to live for ,christ's kingdom as the one thing worth living for6 ,,special ,,petitions ,,eleventh ,,day ,,what ,,to ,,pray4--,for more ,labourers ,pray ye the ,lord of the harvest1 that ,he send forth labourers into ,his harvest4--,,matt4 ix4 #ch4 ,what a remarkable call of the ,lord ,jesus for help from ,his disciples in getting the need supplied4 ,what an honour put upon prayer4 ,what a proof that ,god wants prayer and will hear it4 ,pray for labourers1 for all students in theological seminaries1 training homes1 ,bible institutes1 that they may not go1 unless ,he fits them and sends them forth2 that our churches may train their students to seek for the sending forth of the ,holy ,spirit2 that all believers may hold themselves ready to be sent forth1 or to pray for those who can go4 ,,how ,,to ,,pray4--,in ,faith1 nothing ,doubting ,jesus saith unto them1 ,have faith in ,god4 ,whosoever shall say unto this mountain1 ,be thou removed1 and be thou cast into the sea2 and shall not doubt in his heart1 but shall believe that what he saith shall come to pass1 he shall have it4--,,mark xi4 #bb1 #bc4 ,have faith in ,god6 ,ask ,him to make ,himself known to you as the faithful1 mighty ,god1 who worketh all in all2 and you will be encouraged to believe that ,he can give suitable and sufficient labourers1 however impossible this appears4 ,but1 remember1 in answer to prayer and faith4 ,apply this to every opening where a good worker is needed4 ,the work is ,god's4 ,he can give the right workman4 ,but ,he must be asked and waited on4 ,,special ,,petitions ,,twelfth ,,day ,,what ,,to ,,pray4--,for the ,spirit to convince the ,world of ,sin ,i will send the ,comforter to you4 ,and ,he1 when ,he is come1 will convict the world in respect of sin4--,,john xvi4 #g1 #h4 ,god's one desire1 the one object of ,christ's being manifested1 is to take away sin4 ,the first work of the ,spirit on the world is conviction of sin4 ,without that1 no deep or abiding revival1 no powerful conversion4 ,pray for it1 that the gospel may be preached in such power of the ,spirit1 that men may see that they have rejected and crucified ,christ1 and cry out1 ,what shall we do8 ,pray most earnestly for a mighty power of conviction of sin wherever the gospel is preached4 ,,how ,,to ,,pray4--,stir up yourself to take hold of ,god's ,strength ,let him take hold of ,my strength1 that he may make peace with ,me4--,,isa4 xxvii4 #e4 ,there is none that calleth upon ,thy name1 that stirreth himself to take hold of ,thee4--,,isa4 lxiv4 #g4 ,stir up the gift of ,god which is in thee4--#b ,,tim4 i4 #f4 ,first1 take hold of ,god's strength4 ,god is a ,spirit4 ,i cannot take hold of ,him1 and hold ,him fast1 but by the ,spirit4 ,take hold of ,god's strength1 and hold on till it has done for you what ,he has promised4 ,pray for the power of the ,spirit to convict of sin4 ,second1 stir up yourself1 the power that is in you by the ,holy ,spirit1 to take hold4 ,give your whole heart and will to it1 and say1 ,i will not let ,thee go except ,thou bless me4 ,,special ,,petitions ,,thirteenth ,,day ,,what ,,to ,,pray4--,for the ,spirit of ,burning ,and it shall come to pass1 that he that is left in ,zion shall be called holy3 when the ,lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of ,zion1 by the spirit of judgment and the spirit of burning4--,,isa4 iv4 #c1 #d4 ,a washing by fire6 a cleansing by judgment6 ,he that has passed through this shall be called holy4 ,the power of blessing for the world1 the power of work and intercession that will avail1 depends upon the spiritual state of the ,church2 and that can only rise higher as sin is discovered and put away4 ,judgment must begin at the house of ,god4 ,there must be conviction of sin for sanctification4 ,beseech ,god to give ,his ,spirit as a spirit of judgment and a spirit of burning--to discover and burn out sin in ,his people4 ,,how ,,to ,,pray4--,in the ,name of ,christ ,whatsoever ye shall ask in ,my name1 that will ,i do4 ,if ye shall ask ,me anything in ,my name1 that will ,i do4--,,john xiv4 #ac1 #ad4 ,ask in the name of your ,redeemer ,god1 who sits upon the throne4 ,ask what ,he has promised1 what ,he gave ,his blood for1 that sin may be put away from among ,his people4 ,ask--the prayer is after ,his own heart--for the spirit of deep conviction of sin to come among ,his people4 ,ask for the spirit of burning4 ,ask in the faith of ,his name--the faith of what ,he wills1 of what ,he can do--and look for the answer4 ,pray that the ,church may be blessed1 to be made a blessing in the world4 ,,special ,,petitions ,,fourteenth ,,day ,,what ,,to ,,pray4--,for the ,church of the ,future ,that the children might not be as their fathers1 a generation that set not their heart aright1 and whose spirit was not steadfast with ,god4--,,ps4 lxxviii4 #h4 ,i will pour ,my ,spirit upon thy seed1 and ,my blessing upon thy offspring4--,,isa4 xliv4 #c4 ,pray for the rising generation1 who are to come after us4 ,think of the young men and young women and children of this age1 and pray for all the agencies at work among them2 that in association and societies and unions1 in homes and schools1 ,christ may be honoured1 and the ,holy ,spirit get possession of them4 ,pray for the young of your own neighbourhood4 ,,how ,,to ,,pray4--,with the ,whole ,heart ,the ,lord grant thee according to thine own heart4--,,ps4 xx4 #d4 ,thou hast given him his heart's desire4--,,ps4 xxi4 #b4 ,i cried with my whole heart2 hear me1 ,o ,lord4--,,ps4 cxix4 #ade4 ,god lives1 and listens to every petition with ,his whole heart4 ,each time we pray the whole ,infinite ,god is there to hear4 ,he asks that in each prayer the whole man shall be there too2 that we shall cry with our whole heart4 ,christ gave ,himself to ,god for men2 and so ,he takes up every need into ,his intercession4 ,if once we seek ,god with our whole heart1 the whole heart will be in every prayer with which we come to this ,god4 ,pray with your whole heart for the young4 ,,special ,,petitions ,,fifteenth ,,day ,,what ,,to ,,pray4--,for ,schools and ,colleges ,as for ,me1 this is ,my covenant with them1 saith the ,lord3 ,my ,spirit that is upon thee1 and ,my words which ,i have put in thy mouth1 shall not depart out of thy mouth1 nor out of the mouth of thy seed1 nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed1 saith the ,lord1 from henceforth and for ever4--,,isa4 lix4 #ba4 ,the future of the ,church and the world depends1 to an extent we little conceive1 on the education of the day4 ,the ,church may be seeking to evangelise the heathen1 and be giving up her own children to secular and materialistic influences4 ,pray for schools and colleges1 and that the ,church may realise and fulfil its momentous duty of caring for its children4 ,pray for godly teachers4 ,,how ,,to ,,pray4--,not ,limiting ,god ,they limited the ,holy ,one of ,israel4--,,ps4 lxxviii4 #da4 ,he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief4--,,matt4 xiii4 #eh4 ,is anything too hard for the ,lord8--,,gen4 xviii4 #ad4 ,ah1 ,lord ,god6 ,thou hast made the heaven and the earth by ,thy great power2 there is nothing too hard for ,thee4 ,behold1 ,i am the ,lord3 is there anything too hard for ,me8--,,jer4 xxxii4 #ag1 #bg4 ,beware1 in your prayer1 above everything1 of limiting ,god1 not only by unbelief1 but by fancying that you know what ,he can do4 ,expect unexpected things1 above all that we ask or think4 ,each time you intercede1 be quiet first and worship ,god in his glory4 ,think of what ,he can do1 of how ,he delights to hear ,christ1 of your place in ,christ1 and expect great things4 ,,special ,,petitions ,,sixteenth ,,day ,,what ,,to ,,pray4--,for the ,power of the ,holy ,spirit in our ,sabbath ,schools ,thus saith the ,lord1 ,even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away1 and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered3 for ,i will contend with him that contendeth with thee1 and ,i will save thy children4--,,isa4 xlix4 #be4 ,every part of the work of ,god's ,church is ,his work4 ,he must do it4 ,prayer is the confession that ,he will1 the surrender of ourselves into ,his hands to let ,him1 work in us and through us4 ,pray for the hundreds of thousands of ,sunday-school teachers1 that those who know ,god may be filled with ,his ,spirit4 ,pray for your own ,sunday school4 ,pray for the salvation of the children4 ,,how ,,to ,,pray4--,boldly ,we have a great ,high ,priest1 ,jesus the ,son of ,god4 ,let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace4--,,heb4 iv4 #ad1 #af4 ,these hints to help us in our work of intercession--what are they doing for us8 ,making us conscious of our feebleness in prayer8 ,thank ,god for this4 ,it is the very first lesson we need on the way to pray the effectual prayer that availeth much4 ,let us persevere1 taking each subject boldly to the throne of grace4 ,as we pray we shall learn to pray1 and to believe1 and to expect with increasing boldness4 ,hold fast your assurance3 it is at ,god's command you come as an intercessor4 ,christ will give you grace to pray aright4 ,,special ,,petitions ,,seventeenth ,,day ,,what ,,to ,,pray4--,for ,kings and ,rulers ,i exhort therefore1 first of all1 that supplications1 prayers1 intercessions1 thanksgiving1 be made for all men2 for kings1 and all that are in high places2 that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and gravity4--#a ,,tim4 ii4 #a1 #b4 ,what a faith in the power of prayer6 ,a few feeble and despised ,christians are to influence the mighty ,roman emperors1 and help in securing peace and quietness4 ,let us believe that prayer is a power that is taken up by ,god in ,his rule of the world4 ,let us pray for our country and its rulers2 for all the rulers of the world2 for rulers in cities or districts in which we are interested4 ,when ,god's people unite in this1 they may count upon their prayer effecting in the unseen world more than they know4 ,let faith hold this fast4 ,,how ,,to ,,pray4--,the ,prayer before ,god as ,incense ,and another angel came and stood at the altar1 having a golden censer2 and there was given unto him much incense1 that he should add it unto the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne4 ,and the smoke of the incense1 with the prayers of the saints1 went up before ,god out of the angel's hand4 ,and the angel taketh the censer2 and he filled it with the fire upon the altar1 and cast it upon the earth3 and there followed thunder1 and voices1 and lightning1 and an earthquake4--,,rev4 viii4 #c-e4 ,the same censer brings the prayer of the saints before ,god and casts fire upon the earth4 ,the prayers that go up to heaven have their share in the history of this earth4 ,be sure that thy prayers enter ,god's presence4 ,,special ,,petitions ,,eighteenth ,,day ,,what ,,to ,,pray4--,for ,peace ,i exhort therefore1 first of all1 that supplication be made for kings and all that are in high places2 that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and gravity4 ,for this is good and acceptable in the sight of ,god our ,saviour4--#a ,,tim4 ii4 #a-c4 ,he maketh wars to cease to the end of the earth4--,,ps4 xlvi4 #i4 ,what a terrible sight6--the military armaments in which the nations find their pride4 ,what a terrible thought6--the evil passions that may at any moment bring on war4 ,and what a prospect the suffering and desolation that must come4 ,god can1 in answer to the prayer of ,his people1 give peace4 ,let us pray for it1 and for the rule of righteousness on which alone it can be stablished4 ,,how ,,to ,,pray4--,with the ,understanding ,what is it then8 ,i will pray with the spirit1 and ,i will pray with the understanding4--#a ,,cor4 xiv4 #ae4 ,we need to pray with the spirit1 as the vehicle of the intercession of ,god's ,spirit1 if we are to take hold of ,god in faith and power4 ,we need to pray with the understanding1 if we are really to enter deeply into the needs we bring before ,him4 ,take time to apprehend intelligently1 in each subject1 the nature1 the extent1 the urgency of the request1 the ground and way and certainty of ,god's promise as revealed in ,his ,word4 ,let the mind affect the heart4 ,pray with the understanding and with the spirit4 ,,special ,,petitions ,,nineteenth ,,day ,,what ,,to ,,pray4--,for the ,holy ,spirit on ,christendom ,having a form of godliness1 but denying the power thereof4--#b ,,tim4 iii4 #e4 ,thou hast a name that thou livest1 and thou art dead4--,,rev4 iii4 #a4 ,there are five hundred millions of nominal ,christians4 ,the state of the majority is unspeakably awful4 ,formality1 worldliness1 ungodliness1 rejection of ,christ's service1 ignorance1 and indifference--to what an extent does all this prevail4 ,we pray for the heathen--oh6 do let us pray for those bearing ,christ's name1 many in worse than heathen darkness4 ,does not one feel as if one ought to begin to give up his life1 and to cry day and night to ,god for souls6 ,in answer to prayer ,god gives the power of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,,how ,,to ,,pray4--,in deep ,stillness of ,soul ,my soul is silent unto ,god3 from ,him cometh my salvation4--,,ps4 lxii4 #a4 ,prayer has its power in ,god alone4 ,the nearer a man comes to ,god ,himself1 the deeper he enters into ,god's will2 the more he takes hold of ,god1 the more power in prayer4 ,god must reveal ,himself4 ,if it please ,him to make ,himself known1 ,he can make the heart conscious of ,his presence4 ,our posture must be that of holy reverence1 of quiet waiting and adoration4 ,as your month of intercession passes on1 and you feel the greatness of your work1 be still before ,god4 ,thus you will get power to pray4 ,,special ,,petitions ,,twentieth ,,day ,,what ,,to ,,pray4--,for ,god's ,spirit on the ,heathen ,behold1 these shall come from far2 and these from the land of ,sinim4--,,isa4 xlix4 #ab4 ,princes shall come out of ,egypt2 ,ethiopia shall haste to stretch out her hands to ,god4--,,ps4 lxviii4 #ca4 ,i the ,lord will hasten it in ,his time4--,,isa4 lx4 #bb4 ,pray for the heathen1 who are yet without the word4 ,think of ,china1 with her three hundred millions--a million a month dying without ,christ4 ,think of ,dark ,africa1 with its two hundred millions4 ,think of thirty millions a year going down into the thick darkness4 ,if ,christ gave ,his life for them1 will you not do so8 ,you can give yourself up to intercede for them4 ,just begin1 if you have never yet begun1 with this simple monthly school of intercession4 ,the ten minutes you give will make you feel this is not enough4 ,god's ,spirit will draw you on4 ,persevere1 however feeble you are4 ,ask ,god to give you some country or tribe to pray for4 ,can anything be nobler than to do as ,christ did8 ,give your life for the heathen4 ,,how ,,to ,,pray4--,with ,confident ,expectation of an ,answer ,call unto ,me1 and ,i will answer thee1 and will shew thee great things and difficult1 which thou knowest not4--,,jer4 xxxiii4 #c4 ,thus saith the ,lord ,god3 ,i will yet be inquired of1 that ,i do it4--,,ezek4 xxxvi4 #cg4 ,both texts refer to promises definitely made1 but their fulfilment would depend upon prayer3 ,god would be inquired of to do it4 ,pray for ,god's fulfilment of ,his promises to ,his ,son and ,his ,church1 and expect the answer4 ,plead for the heathen3 plead ,god's ,promises4 ,,special ,,petitions ,,twenty-,,first ,,day ,,what ,,to ,,pray4--,for ,god's ,spirit on the ,jews ,i will pour out upon the house of ,david1 and the inhabitants of ,jerusalem1 the ,spirit of grace and ,supplication2 and they shall look unto ,me whom they pierced4--,,zech4 xii4 #aj4 ,brethren1 my heart's desire and my supplication to ,god is for them1 that they may be saved4--,,rom4 x4 #a4 ,pray for the ,jews4 ,their return to the ,god of their fathers stands connected1 in a way we cannot tell1 with wonderful blessing to the ,church1 and with the coming of our ,lord ,jesus4 ,let us not think that ,god has foreordained all this1 and that we cannot hasten it4 ,in a divine and mysterious way ,god has connected ,his fulfilment of ,his promise with our prayer4 ,his ,spirit's intercession in us is ,god's forerunner of blessing4 ,pray for ,israel and the work done among them4 ,and pray too3 ,amen4 ,even so1 come1 ,lord ,jesus6 ,,how ,,to ,,pray4--,with the ,intercession of the ,holy ,spirit ,we know not how to pray as we ought2 but the ,spirit ,himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered4--,,rom4 viii4 #bf4 ,in your ignorance and feebleness believe in the secret indwelling and intercession of the ,holy ,spirit within you4 ,yield yourself to ,his life and leading habitually4 ,he will help your infirmities in prayer4 ,plead the promises of ,god even where you do not see how they are to be fulfilled4 ,god knows the mind of the ,spirit1 because ,he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of ,god4 ,pray with the simplicity of a little child2 pray with the holy awe and reverence of one in whom ,god's ,spirit dwells and prays4 ,,special ,,petitions ,,twenty-,,second ,,day ,,what ,,to ,,pray4--,for all who are in ,suffering ,remember them that are in bonds1 as bound with them2 them that are evil entreated1 as being yourselves in the body4--,,heb4 xiii4 #c4 ,what a world of suffering we live in6 ,how ,jesus sacrificed all and identified ,himself with it6 ,let us in our measure do so too4 ,the persecuted ,stundists and ,armenians and ,jews1 the famine-stricken millions of ,india1 the hidden slavery of ,africa1 the poverty and wretchedness of our great cities--and so much more3 what suffering among those who know ,god and who know ,him not4 ,and then in smaller circles1 in ten thousand homes and hearts1 what sorrow4 ,in our own neighbourhood1 how many needing help or comfort4 ,let us have a heart for1 let us think of the suffering4 ,it will stir us to pray1 to work1 to hope1 to love more4 ,and in a way and time we know not ,god will hear our prayer4 ,,how ,,to ,,pray4--,praying always1 and not fainting ,he spake unto them a parable to the end that they ought always to pray1 and not to faint4--,,luke xviii4 #a4 ,do you not begin to feel prayer is really the help for this sinful world8 ,what a need there is of unceasing prayer8 ,the very greatness of the task makes us despair6 ,what can our ten minutes of intercession avail8 ,it is right we feel this3 this is the way in which ,god is calling and preparing us to give our life to prayer4 ,give yourself wholly to ,god for men1 and amid all your work1 your heart will be drawn out to men in love1 and drawn up to ,god in dependence and expectation4 ,to a heart thus led by the ,holy ,spirit1 it is possible to pray always and not to faint4 ,,special ,,petitions ,,twenty-,,third ,,day ,,what ,,to ,,pray4--,for the ,holy ,spirit in your own ,work ,i labour1 striving according to ,his working1 which worketh in me mightily4--,,col4 i4 #bi4 ,you have your own special work2 make it a work of intercession4 ,paul laboured1 striving according to the working of ,god in him4 ,remember1 ,god is not only the ,creator1 but the ,great ,workman1 who worketh all in all4 ,you can only do your work in ,his strength1 by ,him working in you through the ,spirit4 ,intercede much for those among whom you work1 till ,god gives you life for them4 ,let us all intercede too for each other1 for every worker throughout ,god's ,church1 however solitary or unknown4 ,,how ,,to ,,pray4--,in ,god's very ,presence ,draw nigh to ,god1 and ,he will draw nigh to you4--,,jas4 iv4 #h4 ,the nearness of ,god gives rest and power in prayer4 ,the nearness of ,god is given to him who makes it his first object4 ,draw nigh to ,god2 seek the nearness to ,him1 and ,he will give it2 ,he will draw nigh to you4 ,then it becomes easy to pray in faith4 ,remember that when first ,god takes you into the school of intercession it is almost more for your own sake than that of others4 ,you have to be trained to love1 and wait1 and pray1 and believe4 ,only persevere4 ,learn to set yourself in ,his presence1 to wait quietly for the assurance that ,he draws nigh4 ,enter ,his holy presence1 tarry there1 and spread your work before ,him4 ,intercede for the souls you are working among4 ,get a blessing from ,god1 ,his ,spirit into your own heart1 for them4 ,,special ,,petitions ,,twenty-,,fourth ,,day ,,what ,,to ,,pray4--,for the ,spirit on your own ,congregation ,beginning at ,jerusalem4--,,luke xxiv4 #dg4 ,each one of us is connected with some congregation or circle of believers1 who are to us the part of ,christ's body with which we come into most direct contact4 ,they have a special claim on our intercession4 ,let it be a settled matter between ,god and you that you are to labour in prayer on its behalf4 ,pray for the minister and all leaders or workers in it4 ,pray for the believers according to their needs4 ,pray for conversions4 ,pray for the power of the ,spirit to manifest itself4 ,band yourself with others to join in secret in definite petitions4 ,let intercession be a definite work1 carried on as systematically as preaching or ,sunday school4 ,and pray1 expecting an answer4 ,,how ,,to ,,pray4--,continually ,watchmen1 that shall never hold their peace day nor night4--,,isa4 lxii4 #f4 ,his own elect1 that cry to ,him day and night4--,,luke xviii4 #g4 ,night and day praying exceedingly1 that we may perfect that which is lacking in your faith4--#a ,,thess4 iii4 #aj4 ,a widow indeed1 hath her hope set in ,god1 and continueth in supplications night and day4--#a ,,tim4 v4 #e4 ,when the glory of ,god1 and the love of ,christ1 and the need of souls are revealed to us1 the fire of this unceasing intercession will begin to burn in us for those who are near and those who are far off4 ,,special ,,petitions ,,twenty-,,fifth ,,day ,,what ,,to ,,pray4--,for more ,conversions ,he is able to save completely1 seeing ,he ever liveth to make intercession4--,,heb4 vii4 #be4 ,we will give ourselves continually to prayer and the ministry of the word4444 ,and the word of ,god increased2 and the number of the disciples multiplied exceedingly4--,,acts vi4 #d1 #g4 ,christ's power to save1 and save completely1 depends on ,his unceasing intercession4 ,the apostles withdrawing themselves from other work to give themselves continually to prayer was followed by the number of the disciples multiplying exceedingly4 ,as we1 in our day1 give ourselves to intercession1 we shall have more and mightier conversions4 ,let us plead for this4 ,christ is exalted to give repentance4 ,the ,church exists with the ,divine purpose and promise of having conversions4 ,let us not be ashamed to confess our sin and feebleness1 and cry to ,god for more conversions in ,christian and heathen lands1 of those too whom you know and love4 ,plead for the salvation of sinners4 ,,how ,,to ,,pray4--,in deep ,humility ,truth1 ,lord3 yet the dogs eat of the crumbs4444 ,o woman1 great is thy faith3 be it unto thee even as thou wilt4--,,matt4 xv4 #bg1 #bh4 ,you feel unworthy and unable to pray aright4 ,to accept this heartily1 and to be content still to come and be blest in your unworthiness1 is true humility4 ,it proves its integrity by not seeking for anything1 but simply trusting ,his grace4 ,and so it is the very strength of a great faith1 and gets a full answer4 ,yet the dogs--let that be your plea as you persevere for someone possibly possessed of the devil4 ,let not your littleness hinder you for a moment4 ,,special ,,petitions ,,twenty-,,sixth ,,day ,,what ,,to ,,pray4--,for the ,holy ,spirit on ,young ,converts ,peter and ,john prayed for them1 that they might receive the ,holy ,ghost2 for as yet ,he was fallen upon none of them3 only they had been baptized into the name of the ,lord ,jesus4--,,acts viii4 #ae1 #af4 ,now ,he which establisheth us with you in ,christ1 and anointed us1 is ,god2 who also gave us the earnest of the ,spirit in our hearts4--#b ,,cor4 i4 #ba1 #bb4 ,how many new converts who remain feeble2 how many who fall into sin2 how many who backslide entirely4 ,if we pray for the ,church1 its growth in holiness and devotion to ,god's service1 pray specially for the young converts4 ,how many stand alone1 surrounded by temptation2 how many have no teaching on the ,spirit in them1 and the power of ,god to establish them2 how many in heathen lands1 surrounded by ,satan's power4 ,if you pray for the power of the ,spirit in the ,church1 pray specially that every young convert may know that he may claim and receive the fulness of the ,spirit4 ,,how ,,to ,,pray4--,without ,ceasing ,as for me1 ,god forbid that ,i should sin against the ,lord in ceasing to pray for you4--#a ,,sam4 xii4 #bc4 ,it is sin against the ,lord to cease praying for others4 ,when once we begin to see how absolutely indispensable intercession is1 just as much a duty as loving ,god or believing in ,christ1 and how we are called and bound to it as believers1 we shall feel that to cease intercession is grievous sin4 ,let us ask for grace to take up our place as priests with joy1 and give our life to bring down the blessing of heaven4 ,,special ,,petitions ,,twenty-,,seventh ,,day ,,what ,,to ,,pray4--,that ,god's ,people may ,realise their ,calling ,i will bless thee2 and be thou a blessing3 in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed4--,,gen4 xii4 #b1 #c4 ,god be merciful unto us1 and bless us2 and cause ,his face to shine upon us4 ,that ,thy way may be known upon earth1 ,thy saving health among all nations4--,,ps4 lxvii4 #a1 #b4 ,abraham was only blessed that he might be a blessing to all the earth4 ,israel prays for blessing1 that ,god may be known among all nations4 ,every believer1 just as much as ,abraham1 is only blessed that he may carry ,god's blessing to the world4 ,cry to ,god that ,his people may know this1 that every believer is only to live for the interests of ,god and ,his kingdom4 ,if this truth were preached and believed and practised1 what a revolution it would bring in our mission work4 ,what a host of willing intercessors we should have4 ,plead with ,god to work it by the ,holy ,spirit4 ,,how ,,to ,,pray4--,as ,one who has ,accepted for ,himself what he ,asks for ,others ,peter said1 ,what ,i have1 ,i give unto thee4444 ,the ,holy ,ghost fell on them1 as on us at the beginning4444 ,god gave them the like gift1 as ,he gave unto us4--,,acts iii4 #f1 xi4 #ae1 #ag4 ,as you pray for this great blessing on ,god's people1 the ,holy ,spirit taking entire possession of them for ,god's service1 yield yourself to ,god1 and claim the gift anew in faith4 ,let each thought of feebleness or shortcoming only make you the more urgent in prayer for others2 as the blessing comes to them1 you too will be helped4 ,with every prayer for conversions or mission work1 pray that ,god's people may know how wholly they belong to ,him4 ,,special ,,petitions ,,twenty-,,eighth ,,day ,,what ,,to ,,pray4--,that all ,god's ,people may know the ,holy ,spirit ,the ,spirit of truth1 whom the world knoweth not2 but ye know ,him2 for ,he abideth with you1 and shall be in you4--,,john xiv4 #ag4 ,know ye not that your body is a temple of the ,holy ,ghost8--#a ,,cor4 vi4 #ai4 ,the ,holy ,spirit is the power of ,god for the salvation of men4 ,he only works as ,he dwells in the ,church4 ,he is given to enable believers to live wholly as ,god would have them live1 in the full experience and witness of ,him who saves completely4 ,pray ,god that every one of ,his people may know the ,holy ,spirit6--,that ,he1 in all ,his fulness1 is given to them6 that they cannot expect to live as their ,father would have1 without having ,him in ,his fulness1 without being filled with ,him6 ,pray that all ,god's people1 even away in churches gathered out of heathendom1 may learn to say3 ,i believe in the ,holy ,ghost4 ,,how ,,to ,,pray4--,labouring fervently in ,prayer ,epaphras1 who is one of you1 saluteth you1 always labouring fervently for you in prayers1 that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of ,god4--,,col4 iv4 #ab4 ,to a healthy man labour is a delight2 in what interests him he labours fervently4 ,the believer who is in full health1 whose heart is filled with ,god's ,spirit1 labours fervently in prayer4 ,for what8 ,that his brethren may stand perfect and complete in all the will of ,god2 that they may know what ,god wills for them1 how ,he calls them to live1 and be led and walk by the ,holy ,ghost4 ,labour fervently in prayer that all ,god's children may know this1 as possible1 as divinely sure4 ,,special ,,petitions ,,twenty-,,ninth ,,day ,,what ,,to ,,pray4--,for the ,spirit of ,intercession ,i chose you1 and appointed you1 that ye should go and bear fruit2 that whatsoever ye shall ask of the ,father in ,my name1 ,he may give it you4--,,john xv4 #af4 ,hitherto ye have asked nothing in ,my name4 ,in that day ye shall ask in ,my name4--,,john xvi4 #bd1 #bf4 ,has not our school of intercession taught us how little we have prayed in the name of ,jesus8 ,he promised ,his disciples3 ,in that day1 when the ,holy ,spirit comes upon you1 ye shall ask in ,my name4 ,are there not tens of thousands with us mourning the lack of the power of intercession8 ,let our intercession to-day be for them and all ,god's children1 that ,christ may teach us that the ,holy ,spirit is in us2 and what it is to live in ,his fulness1 and to yield ourselves to ,his intercession work within us4 ,the ,church and the world need nothing so much as a mighty ,spirit of ,intercession to bring down the power of ,god on earth4 ,pray for the descent from heaven of the ,spirit of ,intercession for a great prayer revival4 ,,how ,,to ,,pray4--,abiding in ,christ ,if ye abide in ,me1 and ,my words abide in you1 ask whatsoever ye will1 and it shall be done to you4--,,john xv4 #g4 ,our acceptance with ,god1 our access to ,him1 is all in ,christ4 ,as we consciously abide in ,him we have the liberty1 not a liberty to our old nature or our self-will1 but the ,divine liberty from all self-will1 to ask what we will1 in the power of the new nature1 and it shall be done4 ,let us keep this place1 and believe even now that our intercession is heard1 and that the ,spirit of ,supplication will be given all around us4 ,,special ,,petitions ,,thirtieth ,,day ,,what ,,to ,,pray4--,for the ,holy ,spirit with the ,word of ,god ,our gospel came not unto you in word only1 but also in power1 and in the ,holy ,ghost1 and in much assurance4--#a ,,thess4 i4 #e4 ,those who preached unto you the gospel with the ,holy ,ghost sent forth from heaven4--#a ,,pet4 i4 #ab4 ,what numbers of ,bibles are being circulated4 ,what numbers of sermons on the ,bible are being preached4 ,what numbers of ,bibles are being read in home and school4 ,how little blessing when it comes in word only2 what ,divine blessing and power when it comes in the ,holy ,ghost1 when it is preached with the ,holy ,ghost sent forth from heaven4 ,pray for ,bible circulation1 and preaching and teaching and reading1 that it may all be in the ,holy ,ghost1 with much prayer4 ,pray for the power of the ,spirit with the word in your own neighbourhood1 wherever it is being read or heard4 ,let every mention of ,the ,word of ,god waken intercession4 ,,how ,,to ,,pray4--,watching and ,praying ,continue steadfastly in prayer1 watching therein with thanksgiving2 withal praying for us also1 that ,god may open for us a door for the word4--,,col4 iv4 #b1 #c4 ,do you not see how all depends upon ,god and prayer8 ,as long as ,he lives and loves1 and hears and works1 as long as there are souls with hearts closed to the word1 as long as there is work to be done in carrying the word--,pray without ceasing4 ,continue steadfastly in prayer1 watching therein with thanksgiving4 ,these words are for every ,christian4 ,,special ,,petitions ,,thirty-,,first ,,day ,,what ,,to ,,pray4--,for the ,spirit of ,christ in ,his ,people ,i am the ,vine1 ye are the branches4--,,john xv4 #e4 ,that ye should do as ,i have done to you4--,,john xiii4 #ae4 ,as branches we are to be so like the ,vine1 so entirely identified with it1 that all may see that we have the same nature1 and life1 and spirit4 ,when we pray for the ,spirit1 let us not only think of a ,spirit of power1 but the very disposition and temper of ,christ ,jesus4 ,ask and expect nothing less3 for yourself1 and all ,god's children1 cry for it4 ,,how ,,to ,,pray4--,striving in ,prayer ,that ye strive together with me in your prayers to ,god for me4--,,rom4 xv4 #cj4 ,i would ye knew what great conflict ,i have for you4--,,col4 ii4 #a4 ,all the powers of evil seek to hinder us in prayer4 ,prayer is a conflict with opposing forces4 ,it needs the whole heart and all our strength4 ,may ,god give us grace to strive in prayer till we prevail4 ,,special ,,petitions ,,transcriber',s ,,notes ,bold and italic words in the original text have been marked in this version with equals signs and underscores respectively4 ,minor errors and inconsistencies in punctuation and hyphenation have been silently corrected4 ,on page #f1 the original text had we the trust in our own diligence4 ,on page #ic1 ,,what ,,the ,,health ,,that ,,jesus ,,offers4 is as in the original4 ,as explained in the section on ,answers to ,prayer1 on each daily page in the tract ,pray ,without ,ceasing1 several lines are ruled to leave room for the reader's ,,special ,,petitions4 ,in this version1 these are represented by six lines of underscores4