In the 6th chapter of Ephesians in the 18th verse we read words which
put the tremendous importance of prayer with startling and
overwhelming force:
“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and
watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.”
When we stop to weigh the meaning of these words, then note the
connection in which they are found, the intelligent child of God is driven
to say, “I must pray, pray, pray. I must put all my energy and all my
heart into prayer. Whatever else I do, I must pray.”
The Revised Version is, if possible, stronger than the Authorized:
“With all prayer and supplication praying at all seasons in the spirit, and
watching thereunto in all perseverance and supplication for all the
saints.”
Note the ALLS: “with ALL prayer,” “at ALL seasons,” “in ALL
perseverance,” “for ALL the saints.”
Note the piling up of strong words, “prayer,” “supplication,”
“perseverance.” Note once more the strong expression, “watching
thereunto,” more literally, “being sleepless thereunto.”
Paul realized the natural slothfulness of man, and especially his natural
slothfulness in prayer. How seldom we pray things through! How often
the church and the individual get right up to the verge of a great blessing
in prayer and just then let go, get drowsy, quit. I wish that these words
“being sleepless unto prayer” might burn into our hearts. I wish the
whole verse might burn into our hearts.
But why is this constant, persistent, sleepless,
overcoming prayer so needful?
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- First of all, BECAUSE THERE IS A DEVIL. He is cunning, he is
mighty, he never rests, he is ever plotting the downfall of the child
of God; and if the child of God relaxes in prayer, the devil will
succeed in ensnaring him. - Universal studious – the other night and the Lion Roar of
Entertainment
This is the thought of the context. The 12th verse reads:
“For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the
principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this
darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly
places.” (R.V.)
Then comes the 13th verse: “Wherefore take up the whole armor of
God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done
all, to stand.” (R.V.)
Next follows a description of the different parts of the Christian’s armor,
which we are to put on if we are to stand against the devil and his
mighty wiles. Then Paul brings all to a climax in the 18th verse,
“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and
watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.”
Telling us that to all else we must add prayer — constant, persistent,
untiring, sleepless prayer in the Holy Spirit, or all else will go for
nothing. - A second reason for this constant, persistent, sleepless, overcoming
prayer is that PRAYER IS GOD’S APPOINTED WAY FOR
OBTAINING THINGS, AND THE GREAT SECRET OF ALL LACK
IN OUR EXPERIENCE, IN OUR LIFE AND IN OUR WORK IS
NEGLECT OF PRAYER.
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James brings this out very forcibly in the 4th chapter and 2nd verse of
his epistle: “Ye have not because ye ask not.” These words contain the
secret of the poverty and powerlessness of the average Christian —
neglect of prayer.
“Why is it,” many a Christian is asking, “I make so little progress in my
Christian life?”
“Neglect of prayer,” God answers. “You have not because you ask not.”
“Why is it,” many a minister is asking, “I see so little fruit from my
labors?”
Again God answers, “Neglect of prayer. You have not because you ask
not.”
“Why is it,” many a Sunday-School teacher is asking, “that I see so few
converted in my Sunday-School class?”
Still God answers, “Neglect of prayer. You have not because you ask
not.”
“Why is it,” both ministers and churches are asking, “that the church of
Christ makes so little headway against unbelief and error and sin and
worldliness?”
Once more we hear God answering, “Neglect of prayer. You have not
because you ask not.”
- The third reason for this constant, persistent, sleepless, overcoming
prayer is that THOSE MEN WHOM GOD SET FORTH AS A
PATTERN OF WHAT HE EXPECTED CHRISTIANS TO BE — THE
APOSTLES — REGARDED PRAYER AS THE MOST IMPORTANT
BUSINESS OF THEIR LIVES.
When the multiplying responsibilities of the early church crowded in
upon them, they “called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and
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said, It is not reason that we should leave the Word of God, and serve
tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest
report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over
this business. But WE WILL GIVE OURSELVES CONTINUALLY TO
PRAYER and to the ministry of the Word.” It is evident from what Paul
wrote to the churches and to individuals about praying for them, that
very much of his time and strength and thought was given to prayer.
(Rom 1:9, R.V.; Eph 1:15-16; Col 1:9, R.V.; 1 Thess 3:10; 2 Tim 1:3,
R.V.)
All the mighty men of God outside the Bible have been men of prayer.
They have differed from one another in many things, but in this they
have been alike.
- But there is a still weightier reason for this constant, persistent,
sleepless, overcoming prayer. It is, PRAYER OCCUPIED A VERY
PROMINENT PLACE AND PLAYED A VERY IMPORTANT PART
IN THE EARTHLY LIFE OF OUR LORD.
Turn, for example, to Mark 1:35. We read, “And in the morning, rising
up a great while before day, He went out, and departed into a solitary
place, and there prayed.” The preceding day had been a very busy and
exciting one, but Jesus shortened the hours of needed sleep that He
might arise early and give Himself to more sorely needed prayer.
Turn again to Luke 6:12, where we read, “And it came to pass in those
days that He went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in
prayer to God.” Our Savior found it necessary on occasion to take a
whole night for prayer.
The words “pray” and “prayer” are used at least twenty-five times in
connection with our Lord in the brief record of His life in the four
Gospels, and His praying is mentioned in places where the words are not
used. Evidently prayer took much of the time and strength of Jesus, and
a man or woman who does not spend much time in prayer, cannot
properly be called a follower of Jesus Christ.
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- There is another reason for constant, persistent, sleepless, overcoming
prayer that seems if possible even more forcible than this, namely,
PRAYING IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE PRESENT
MINISTRY OF OUR RISEN LORD.
Christ’s ministry did not close with His death. His atoning work was
finished then, but when He rose and ascended to the right hand of the
Father, He entered upon other work for us just as important in its place
as His atoning work. It cannot be divorced from His atoning work; it
rests upon that as its basis, but it is necessary to our complete salvation.
What that great present work is, by which He carries our salvation on to
completeness, we read in Heb 7:25, “Wherefore He is able also to save
them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing HE EVER
LIVETH TO MAKE INTERCESSION FOR THEM.” This verse tells us
that Jesus is able to save us unto the uttermost, not merely FROM the
uttermost, but UNTO the uttermost, unto entire completeness, absolute
perfection, because He not merely died, but because He also “ever
liveth.” The verse also tells us for what purpose He now lives, “TO
MAKE INTERCESSION FOR US,” to pray. Praying is the principal
thing He is doing in these days. It is by His prayers that He is saving us.
The same thought is found in Paul’s remarkable, triumphant challenge in
Rom 8:34 — “Who is he that shall condemn? It is Christ Jesus that died,
yea rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of
God, WHO ALSO MAKETH INTERCESSION FOR US.” (R.V.)
If we then are to have fellowship with Jesus Christ in His present work,
we must spend much time in prayer; we must give ourselves to earnest,
constant, persistent, sleepless, overcoming prayer. I know of nothing that
has so impressed me with a sense of the importance of praying at all
seasons, being much and constantly in prayer, as the thought that that is
the principal occupation at present of my risen Lord. I want to have
fellowship with Him, and to that end I have asked the Father that
whatever else He may make me, to make me at all events an intercessor,
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to make me a man who knows how to pray, and who spends much time
in prayer.
This ministry of intercession is a glorious and a mighty ministry, and we
can all have part in it. The man or the woman who is shut away from the
public meeting by sickness can have part in it; the busy mother; the
woman who has to take in washing for a living can have part — she can
mingle prayers for the saints, and for her pastor, and for the unsaved,
and for foreign missionaries, with the soap and water as she bends over
the washtub, and not do the washing any more poorly on that account;
the hard driven man of business can have part in it, praying as he hurries
from duty to duty. But of course we must, if we would maintain this
spirit of constant prayer, take time — and take plenty of it — when we
shall shut ourselves up in the secret place alone with God for nothing but
prayer.
- The sixth reason for constant, persistent, sleepless, overcoming prayer
is that PRAYER IS THE MEANS THAT GOD HAS APPOINTED
FOR OUR RECEIVING MERCY, AND OBTAINING GRACE TO
HELP IN TIME OF NEED.
Heb 4:16 is one of the simplest and sweetest verses in the Bible, — “Let
us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain
mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” These words make it very
plain that God has appointed a way by which we shall seek and obtain
mercy and grace. That way is prayer; bold, confident, outspoken
approach to the throne of grace, the most holy place of God’s presence,
where our sympathizing High Priest, Jesus Christ, has entered in our
behalf. (Verses 14, 15.)
Mercy is what we need, grace is what we must have, or all our life and
effort will end in complete failure. Prayer is the way to get them. There
is infinite grace at our disposal, and we make it ours experimentally by
prayer. Oh, if we only realized the fullness of God’s grace, that is ours
for the asking, its height and depth and length and breadth, I am sure that
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we would spend more time in prayer. The measure of our appropriation
of grace is determined by the measure of our prayers.
Who is there that does not feel that he needs more grace? Then ask for it.
Be constant and persistent in your asking. Be importunate and untiring
in your asking. God delights to have us “shameless” beggars in this
direction; for it shows our faith in Him, and He is mightily pleased with
faith. Because of our “shamelessness” He will rise and give us as much
as we need (Luke 11:8). What little streams of mercy and grace most of
us know, when we might know rivers overflowing their banks!
- The next reason for constant, persistent, sleepless, overcoming prayer
is that PRAYER IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST IS THE WAY
JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF HAS APPOINTED FOR HIS DISCIPLES
TO OBTAIN FULLNESS OF JOY.
He states this simply and beautifully in John 16:24, “Hitherto have ye
asked nothing in My name; ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may
be fulfilled.” “Made full” is the way the Revised Version reads. Who is
there that does not wish his joy filled full? Well, the way to have it filled
full is by praying in the name of Jesus. We all know people whose joy is
filled full, indeed, it is just running over, is shining from their eyes,
bubbling out of their very lips, and running off their finger tips when
they shake hands with you. Coming in contact with them is like coming
in contact with an electrical machine charged with gladness. Now people
of that sort are always people that spend much time in prayer.
Why is it that prayer in the name of Christ brings such fullness of joy? In
part, because we get what we ask. But that is not the only reason, nor the
greatest. It makes God real. When we ask something definite of God,
and He gives it, how real God becomes! He is right there! It is blessed to
have a God who is real, and not merely an idea. I remember how once I
was taken suddenly and seriously sick all alone in my study. I dropped
upon my knees and cried to God for help. Instantly all pain left me — I
was perfectly well. It seemed as if God stood right there, and had put out
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His hand and touched me. The joy of the healing was not so great as the
joy of meeting God.
There is no greater joy on earth or in heaven, than communion with God,
and prayer in the name of Jesus brings us into communion with Him.
The Psalmist was surely not speaking only of future blessedness, but
also of present blessedness when he said, “In Thy presence is fullness of
joy.” (Ps 16:11 ) O the unutterable joy of those moments when in our
prayers we really press into the presence of God!
Does some one say. “I have never known any such joy as that in
prayer”?
Do you take enough leisure for prayer to actually get into God’s
presence? Do you really give yourself up to prayer in the time which you
do take?
- The eighth reason for constant, persistent, sleepless, overcoming
prayer is that PRAYER, IN EVERY CARE AND ANXIETY AND
NEED OF LIFE, WITH THANKSGIVING, IS THE MEANS THAT
GOD HAS APPOINTED FOR OBTAINING FREEDOM FROM ALL
ANXIETY, AND THE PEACE OF GOD WHICH PASSETH ALL
UNDERSTANDING.
“Be careful for nothing,” says Paul, “but in everything by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto
God, and the peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep
your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:6-7.) To many this
seems at the first glance, the picture of a life that is beautiful, but beyond
the reach of ordinary mortals; not so at all. The verse tells us how the
life is attainable by every child of God: “Be careful for nothing,” or as
the Revised Version reads, “In nothing be anxious.” The remainder of
the verse tells us how, and it is very simple: “But in everything by prayer
and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known
unto God.” What could be plainer or more simple than that? Just keep in
constant touch with God, and when any trouble or vexation, great or
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small, comes up, speak to Him about it, never forgetting to return thanks
for what He has already done. What will the result be? “The peace of
God which passeth all understanding shall guard your hearts and your
thoughts in Christ Jesus.” (R.V.)
That is glorious, and as simple as it is glorious! Thank God, many are
trying it. Don’t you know any one who is always serene? Perhaps he is a
very stormy man by his natural make-up, but troubles and conflicts and
reverses and bereavements may sweep around him, and the peace of
God which passeth all understanding guards his heart and his thoughts in
Christ Jesus.
We all know such persons. How do they manage it?
Just by prayer, that is all. Those persons who know the deep peace of
God, the unfathomable peace that passeth all understanding, are always
men and women of much prayer.
Some of us let the hurry of our lives crowd prayer out, and what a waste
of time and energy and nerve force there is by the constant worry! One
night of prayer will save us from many nights of insomnia. Time spent
in prayer is not wasted, but time invested at big interest.
- The ninth reason for constant, persistent, sleepless, overcoming prayer
is that PRAYER IS THE METHOD THAT GOD HIMSELF HAS
APPOINTED FOR OUR OBTAINING THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Upon this point the Bible is very plain. Jesus says, “If ye then, being
evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more
shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?”
(Luke 11:13.) Men are telling us in these days, very good men too, “You
must not pray for the Holy Spirit,” but what are they going to do with the
plain statement of Jesus Christ, “How much more will your heavenly
Father give the Holy Spirit TO THEM THAT ASK HIM?”
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Some years ago when an address on the baptism with the Holy Spirit
was announced, a brother came to me before the address and said with
much feeling, “Be sure and tell them not to pray for the Holy Spirit.”
“I will surely not tell them that, for Jesus says, ‘How much more shall
your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him’.”
“Oh, yes,” he replied, “but that was before Pentecost.”
“How about Acts 4:31? was that before Pentecost, or after?”
“After, of course.”
“Read it.”
“‘And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were
assembled together; and they were all FILLED WITH THE HOLY
GHOST, and they spake the Word of God with boldness.'”
“How about Acts 8:15? was that before Pentecost or after?”
“After.”
“Please read.”
“‘Who, when they were come down PRAYED for them, that they might
receive the Holy Ghost.'”
He made no answer. What could he answer? It is plain as day in the
Word of God that before Pentecost and after, the first baptism and the
subsequent fillings with the Holy Spirit were received in answer to
definite prayer. Experience also teaches this.
Doubtless many have received the Holy Spirit the moment of their
surrender to God before there was time to pray, but how many there are
who know that their first definite baptism with the Holy Spirit came
while they were on their knees or faces before God, alone or in company
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with others, and who again and again since that have been filled with the
Holy Spirit in the place of prayer!
I know this as definitely as I know that my thirst has been quenched
while I was drinking water. Early one morning in the Chicago Avenue
Church prayer room, where several hundred people had been assembled
a number of hours in prayer, the Holy Spirit fell so manifestly, and the
whole place was so filled with His presence, that no one could speak or
pray, but sobs of joy filled the place. Men went out of that room to
different parts of the country, taking trains that very morning, and
reports soon came back of the out-pouring of God’s Holy Spirit in
answer to prayer. Others went out into the city with the blessing of God
upon them. This is only one instance among many that might be cited
from personal experience.
If we would only spend more time in prayer, there would be more
fullness of the Spirit’s power in our work. Many and many a man who
once worked unmistakably in the power of the Holy Spirit is now filling
the air with empty shoutings, and beating it with his meaningless
gesticulations, because he has let prayer be crowded out. we must spend
much time on our knees before God, if we are to continue in the power
of the Holy Spirit.
- The tenth reason for constant, persistent, sleepless, overcoming
prayer is that PRAYER IS THE MEANS THAT CHRIST HAS
APPOINTED WHEREBY OUR HEARTS SHALL NOT BECOME
OVERCHARGED WITH SURFEITING AND DRUNKENNESS AND
CARES OF THIS LIFE, AND SO THE DAY OF CHRIST’S RETURN
COME UPON US SUDDENLY AS A SNARE.
One of the most interesting and solemn passages upon prayer in the
Bible is along this line. (Luke 21:34-36) “Take heed to yourselves, lest
at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness
and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a
snare shall it come on all them that dwell in the face of the whole earth.
Watch ye therefore, and PRAY ALWAYS, that ye may be accounted
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worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand
before the Son of man.” According to this passage there is only one way
in which we can be prepared for the coming of the Lord when He
appears, that is, through much prayer.
The coming again of Jesus Christ is a subject that is awakening much
interest and much discussion in our day; but it is one thing to be
interested in the Lord’s return, and to talk about it, and quite another
thing to be prepared for it. We live in an atmosphere that has a constant
tendency to unfit us for Christ’s coming. The world tends to draw us
down by its gratifications and by its cares. There is only one way by
which we can rise triumphant above these things—by constant watching
unto prayer, that is, by sleeplessness unto prayer. “Watch” in this
passage is the same strong word used in Eph 6:18, and “always” the
same strong phrase “in every season.” The man who spends little time in
prayer, who is not steadfast and constant in prayer, will not be ready for
the Lord when He comes. But we may be ready. How? Pray! Pray! Pray!
- There is one more reason for constant, persistent, sleepless,
overcoming prayer, and it is a mighty one: BECAUSE OF WHAT
PRAYER ACCOMPLISHES. Much has really been said upon that
already, but there is much also that should be added.
(1) Prayer promotes our spiritual growth as almost nothing else, indeed
as nothing else but Bible study; and true prayer and true Bible study go
hand in hand.
It is through prayer that my sin is brought to light, my most hidden sin.
As I kneel before God and pray, “Search me, O God, and know my
heart; try me, and know my thoughts; and see if there be any wicked
way in me,” (Ps 139:23-24), God shoots the penetrating rays of His light
into the innermost recesses of my heart, and the sins I never suspected
are brought to view. In answer to prayer, God washes me from mine
iniquity and cleanses me from my sin (Ps 51:2). In answer to prayer my
eyes are opened to behold wondrous things out of God’s Word (Ps
119:18). In answer to prayer I get wisdom to know God’s way (Jas 1:5)
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and strength to walk in it. As I meet God in prayer and gaze into His
face, I am changed into His own image from glory to glory ( 2 Cor
3:18). Each day of true prayer life finds me liker to my glorious Lord.
John Welch, son-in-law to John Knox, was one of the most faithful men
of prayer this world ever saw. He counted that day ill-spent in which
seven or eight hours were not used alone with God in prayer and the
study of His Word. An old man speaking of him after his death said, “He
was a type of Christ.”
How came he to be so like his Master?
His prayer life explains the mystery.
(2) Prayer brings power into our work.
If we wish power for any work to which God calls us, be it preaching,
teaching, personal work, or the rearing of our children, we can get it by
earnest prayer.
A woman with a little boy who was perfectly incorrigible, once came to
me in desperation and said:
“What shall I do with him?”
I asked, “Have you ever tried prayer?”
She said that she had prayed for him, she thought. I asked if she had
made his conversion and his character a matter of definite, expectant
prayer. She replied that she had not been definite in the matter. She
began that day, and at once there was a marked change in the child, and
he grew up into Christian manhood.
How many a Sunday-school teacher has taught for months and years,
and seen no real fruit from his labors, and then has learned the secret of
intercession, and by earnest pleading with God, has seen his scholars
brought one by one to Christ! How many a poor preacher has become a
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mighty man of God by casting away his confidence in his own ability
and gifts, and giving himself up to God to wait upon Him for the power
that comes from on high! John Livingstone spent a night, with some
others likeminded, in prayer to God and religious conversation, and
when he preached next day in the Kirk of Shotts five hundred people
were converted, or dated some definite uplift in their life to that
occasion. Prayer and power are inseparable.
(3) Prayer avails for the conversion of others.
There are few converted in this world unless in connection with some
one’s prayers. I formerly thought that no human being had anything to
do with my own conversion, for I was not converted in church or
Sunday-school, or in personal conversation with any one. I was
awakened in the middle of the night and converted. As far as I can
remember I had not the slightest thought of being converted, or of
anything of that character, when I went to bed and fell asleep; but I was
awakened in the middle of the night and converted probably inside of
five minutes. A few minutes before I was about as near eternal perdition
as one gets. I had one foot over the brink and was trying to get the other
one over. I say I thought no human being had anything to do with it, but
I had forgotten my mother’s prayers, and I afterward learned that one of
my college classmates had chosen me as one to pray for until I was
saved.
Prayer often avails where everything else fails. How utterly all of
Monica’s efforts and entreaties failed with her son, but her prayers
prevailed with God, and the dissolute youth became St. Augustine, the
mighty man of God. By prayer the bitterest enemies of the Gospel have
become its most valiant defenders, the greatest scoundrels the truest sons
of God, and the vilest women the purest saints. Oh, the power of prayer
to reach down, down, down, where hope itself seems vain, and lift men
and women up, up, up into fellowship with and likeness to God. It is
simply wonderful! How little we appreciate this marvelous weapon!
(4) Prayer brings blessings to the church.
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The history of the church has always been a history of grave difficulties
to overcome. The devil hates the church and seeks in every way to block
its progress; now by false doctrine, again by division, again by inward
corruption of life. But by prayer, a clear way can be made through
everything. Prayer will root out heresy, allay misunderstanding, sweep
away jealousies and animosities, obliterate immoralities, and bring in the
full tide of God’s reviving grace. History abundantly proves this. In the
hour of darkest portent, when the case of the church, local or universal,
has seemed beyond hope, believing men and believing women have met
together and cried to God and the answer has come.
It was so in the days of Knox, it was so in the days of Wesley and
Whitfield, it was so in the days of Edwards and Brainerd, it was so in the
days of Finney, it was so in the days of the great revival of 1857 in this
country and of 1859 in Ireland, and it will be so again in your day and
mine. Satan has marshalled his forces. Christian science with its false
Christ— a woman—lifts high its head. Others making great pretensions
of apostolic methods, but covering the rankest dishonesty and hypocrisy
with these pretensions, speak with loud assurance. Christians equally
loyal to the great fundamental truths of the Gospel are glowering at one
another with a devil-sent suspicion. The world, the flesh and the devil
are holding high carnival. It is now a dark day, BUT—now “it is time for
Thee, Lord, to work; for they have made void Thy law.” (Ps 119:126).
And He is getting ready to work, and now He is listening for the voice of
prayer. Will He hear it? Will He hear it from you? Will He hear it from
the church as a body? I believe He will.
How to Pray.