“Hear my cry, O God; Attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” Psalm 61:1,2
Why is Prayer so startlingly effective when we admit our helplessness? First, because God insists on our facing up to the true facts of our human situation. Thus we lay under our prayer structure the firm foundation of truth rather than self-delusion or wishful thinking.
This recognition and acknowledgment of our helplessness is also the quickest way to that right attitude which God recognizes as essential to prayer. It deals a mortal blow to the most serious sin of all—man’s independence that ignores God.
Another reason is that we cannot learn first-hand about God—what He is like, His love for us as individuals and His real power—so long as we are relying on ourselves and other people. And fellowship with Jesus is the true purpose of life and the only foundation for eternity. It is real, this daily fellowship which He offers us.
So if your every human plan and calculation has miscarried, if, one by one, human props have been knocked out and doors have shut in your face, take heart. God is trying to get a message through to you, and the message is: “Stop depending on inadequate human resources. Let Me handle the matter.”
Here are three suggestions for presenting Him with the prayer of helplessness.
First, be honest with God. Tell Him that you are aware of the fact that in His eyes you are helpless. Give God permission to make you feel your helplessness at the emotional level, if that’s what He wants. And recognize that this may be painful. There is a good psychological reason as to why this first step is necessary. Unless the power of our emotions is touched, it is as if a fuse remains unlit.
Second, take your heart’s desire to God. You have your helplessness. Now grip with equal equal strength of will your belief that God can do through you what you cannot do. It may seem to you for a time that you are relying on emptiness, dangling over a chasm. Disregard these feelings and quietly thank God that He is working things out.
Third, watch now for opening doors. When the right door opens, you will have a quiet inner assurance that God’s hand is on the knob.
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Catherine Marshall, Adventures in Prayer, pp 34,35.
“Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” James 5:16
One of the most important and cherished rewards a sanctified soul can receive is the ability to speak directly to God. Yes, to the creator of the universe, He who laid out the stars in their place and controls every aspect of everything on earth and the heavens beyond.
Imagine, we cannot pick up our phone and direct dial the president of the United States to discuss a national issue with him. Neither can we hook up on the internet and speak to our astronauts aboard the International Space Station to see how their mission is progressing. In fact, we may even try to call our spouse to see what the plan is for dinner and find we have been re-directed to their messaging system.
But not so with the Lord Almighty Himself. You will never get a busy signal or be re-directed to a messaging service with God. And He is always home.
“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” 1 John 5:14
We know God hears our prayers (Psalm 66:19, 1 Peter 3:12), and God addresses our prayers (Psalm 34:17). Oft-times God even responds before we pray or in the midst of our prayers (Isaiah 65:24). What an awesome God we serve!
Yet, in all His grace to hear our petitions, we must realize it is not the creation that sets the rules for our relationship with the Lord God Almighty. Rather it is the creator who sets the formats we are obligated to follow. Obligations not formed by the regulations of a harsh dictator, but of a loving God who knows what is best for those whom He loves and those who love Him enough to trust and obey Him.
God gave us a “blueprint” for exactly how we should approach His throne with our prayerful petitions. We are instructed to call upon the Lord and make our requests made known to our Heavenly Father.
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:9-10
We have an open invitation from the Creator to come boldly before Him with our requests, hurts, issues and tell Him all about them. It is true God knows what we want before we ask (Matthew 6:8), yet He desires us to have communication with Him (John 16:24).
Many are the times I failed to approach the Lord with prayers that would be considered effective or fervent, by failing to recognize the most important element of an “effective, fervent prayer,” God’s will.
Jesus leads us to the starting point of our approach to God when bringing our petitions to the throne. The acknowledgment that God’s kingdom is established, and He holds dominion, over both heaven and earth (Psalm 103:19). By showing us how to pray in this manner, Jesus shows us the way to surrender our will and our ways to Him, acknowledging our heart’s desire that He rule in our lives as He rules in heaven with complete authority.
Jesus exemplified this during His passion in the garden on the night of His betrayal when He prayed to the Father that not His will be done, but the Father’s (Luke 22:14).
Many have been confused and often left questioning a passage from God’s word when it comes to having their prayerful requests come to fruition.
“If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” John 14:14
Why do we feel our prayers are not answered? Why did a loved one die when we prayed so hard for a miracle? Why did life’s events not turn out the way we had prayed so hard for? These are all legitimate questions, from a human understanding, that is.
Our initial reaction to the above verse is to see and hone in on the latter portion of that statement, “I will do it.” Our human tendency is to seek out and focus on the portions of events or phrases that will lead us to a mental “happy place”. In the case of praying with an urgent need, that would be rationalizing that the Almighty can and will do what we have asked, as He has “promised”.
As a Christian however, we are to never go with our human tendencies without comparing them to God’s word to test them to determine if our tendencies, ideas, or plans of action are in line with what God would have us do or plan. We should at all times be seeking God’s will in any and all situations.
In John 14:14, the verse begins with, and precedes “I will do it”, by stating, “If you ask anything in My name,…”. Asking anything in the name of God, our Lord, is to be done with humility and forth- righteousness. Done with the realization that God is the author of our faith and the provider for all we should ever need in Him and for His glory. In His name is where answers to all our prayers are to be found. Not as we would like or desire, but as God establishes.
If we fail to acknowledge our understanding and commitment of His will to be holy and sovereign we pray amiss (Proverbs 19:21). Do we have self satisfying motives as the basis of our prayers (James 4:3)? Do we truly believe God for all things wholesome, true and for our ultimate good (Matthew 21:22)? Are we regularly praying as ones with compassion for others and those in need as God would have us do (Proverbs 21:13)?
I have to admit, praying has not been a “strong point” for me. I often spend too little time praising God for His mercies and for the all He has done for me. Yes, I do pray, often for long times on end. But length of prayer doesn’t always lead to an effective prayer and it certainly does not lend itself to the fervency of praying in His name and for His will to be done.
Being in my body of flesh, I must daily remind myself that my mind, body and soul must work in unison with what I, as a believer, know is the best for me if I desire to have my prayers heard by God. And that is to let Him know my desire, above all, is that His will be done, not mine. And yes, when in dark moments of my life, I have not been given totally to praying for God’s will. Yes there are times my flesh wants a resolution to provide immediate comfort, often being wrongful of thought that His will may delay that comfort and resolution for His greater purpose (Galatians 5:17).
“’For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.'” Isaiah 55:8-9
To receive the best from God in my life, I must submit to His will and His sovereign direction. To pray effectively, we must live our lives effectively. Effectually thanking the Lord every day for our daily provisions (Matthew 6:11). Seeking His forgiveness for our failures (Hebrews 8:12). Forgiving those who may have failed us (Ephesians 4:32). To seek His guidance as my flesh is tempted for those things that conflict with God’s mandates for righteousness (James 1:14). And to always give God the glory for all things (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
This brings us to the great opportunity to be uplifted in soul and spirit. To be elevated far above our fleshly existence while upon this earth. To holding dear the joy we are blessed with that gives us the awesome fervency in our prayers. The unspeakable joy of hope in God, our Redeemer.
In His writing in Romans, the Apostle Paul remarks about our hope, “But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.” Romans 8:25
And he speaks of the perseverance we exhibit while in this earthly abode. Awaiting to see the face of our Lord and Savior,
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Romans 5:1-4
May we not forget or put aside one of the greatest blessings we can have as believers from God the Father because of the sacrifice and resurrection of God the Son. The gift of the indwelling of God the Holy Spirit.
“Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” Romans 8:26
I have had many times of trials or uncertainty when I had trouble finding the right words to take to the Lord in prayer. Times when my emotions would hinder my ability to form the sentences to bring before God for His help in my times of trouble.
“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you … You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.” John 15: 7,16
F. B. Meyer affirmed the importance of grace-inspired faith:
All God’s fullness will flow through the tiniest channel that faith opens out on his almighty power. Faith is the open heart towards him, and through the channel of faith Christ lives in and through us. Hudson Taylor heard God say: “I am going to evangelize inland China and, if you will walk with will me, I will do it through you.”
D. L. Moody said that the beginning of his marvelous ministry was the remark made in his hearing: “The world has yet to learn what God can do through a man wholly yielded to him.”
It is not what we do but what God does through us that counts; and his mighty power, passing through the tiniest aperture of faith, keeps hollowing it wider.”
May we heed this admonition of Jude: “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit…” Jude 1:20
“…Our Father Who is in heaven, hallowed (kept holy) be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt 6:9,10).
Alignment with God’s will is a condition for assured prayer. The apostle John wrote,
“I write this to you who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) the name of the Son of God [in the peculiar services and blessings conferred by Him on men], so that you may know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that you [already] have life, yes, eternal life. And this is the confidence (the assurance, the privilege of boldness) which we have in Him: [we are sure] that if we ask anything (make any request) according to His will (in agreement with His own plan), He listens to and hears us” (1 John 5:12-14 AMPC).
Miles Stanford observed,
“In order for us to pray according to His will, we must first know His will; not only that, but His blessed will must become our will. “If ye abide in Me . . . ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” (John 15:7). Prayer is the fellowship of an intimate, living union; as with all of the Christian life, it must be carried on in dependence upon the Holy Spirit. He is known as “the Spirit of grace and of supplications” (Zech. 12:10).
This assurance helps us move forward in confidence. J. N. Darby testified,
“If I ask anything of God, and have received His answer, I then act with assurance, with the conviction that I am in the path of His will; I am happy and contented. If I meet with some difficulty, this does not stop me; it is only an obstacle which faith has to surmount.”
The apostle John concludes with,
“And if (since) we [positively] know that He listens to us in whatever we ask, we also know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted us as our present possessions] the requests made of Him. 1 John 5:15 AMPC).
May we yield to God’s will, praying in confidence for His wisdom and answers.
The Lord’s Prayer is not only an ideal prayer to meaningfully recite; it is also a model, an outline, of a balanced approach to personal prayer. The Amplified version of Matthew 6:6-13 reads:
“But when you pray, go into your most private room, close the door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees [what is done] in secret will reward you. When you pray, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. So do not be like them [praying as they do]; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. Pray, then, in this way:
‘Our Father, who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors [letting go of both the wrong and the resentment]. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.]’”
By Larry Kreider has written a helpful book based on this: Your Personal House of Prayer: Unlocking twelve unique rooms found in the Lord’s Prayer (House To House Publications, 2023).
Publisher’s introduction:
Prayer Life Need Help? Christians often struggle with their prayer lives more than anything else. The reason we are not spending enough time with God each day is not because we don t want to, we may not know how to. With the unique house plan developed in this book, each room corresponding to a part of the Lord s Prayer, your prayer life is destined to go from duty to joy! Includes a helpful Daily Prayer Guide to use each day.
Larry Kreider serves as International Director of DOVE Christian Fellowship International, a worldwide network of churches. A featured speaker at conferences and churches, he travels extensively training Christian leaders and believers from many different denominations and churches.
Endorsements:
What a perfect devotional tool! Jesus had it right, as does Larry. You could have called it: “A Guide to Personal Prayer for Dummies.” It is a complete guide to personal prayer! — Francis Anfuso, Senior Pastor, The Rock of Roseville, California
Larry helps us follow the blueprint given by the architect, Jesus. I want to read this inspirational tool again. — Keith Yoder, Teaching the Word Ministries, Pennsylvania
The book is available in paperback and ebook on Amazon and from Dove Christian Fellowship International @ dcfi.org
H. C. G. Moule affirms the importance of praying for others. “Intercessory prayer is a powerful means of grace to the praying man …. Henry Martyn observed, [intercessory prayers] were for himself, the divinely natural channel of a renewed insight into his own part and lot in Christ, into Christ as his own rest and power, into the perfect freedom of an entire yielding of himself to his master for His work.”
The apostle Paul prayed this inspired prayer the church in Ephesus. We are to embrace this prayer for ourselves and others: “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesianc ch. 3:14-21 ESV
Charles A Cook observes, “Paul’s two intercessory prayers in Ephesians chs 1 and 3 are remarkable in setting forth the believer’s privileges and standing in Christ. As we pray these prayers for others we shall more fully appropriate them for ourselves.”
As believer priests, may we more faithfully intercede in prayer.
“We must not conceive of prayer as overcoming God’s reluctance, but as laying hold of His highest willingness.” ~Richard Trench
Mr. Moody was once addressing a crowded meeting of children in Edinburgh. To get their attention, he began by asking a question that he was prepared to answer himself, “What is prayer?”
Before he could answer the question he was astonished to see almost every little hand shoot straight up into the air. With a smile mixed with uncertainty and anticipation, he pointed to a lad toward the front who answered with a thick accent that identified his Scottish roots, “Prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God for things agreeable to His will, in the name of Christ, with confession of our sins and thankful, acknowledgment of His mercies.”
Nearly a century and a half later, see how much has changed! What sort of answer would he get today? How many Scottish children could give a definition of prayer like the one Moody received? Think for a moment and decide what answer you would give. Oh to see days like this again when youths were not despised for youth’s sake! Today, it is more likely that Moody would not have been taken off guard.
So, let us ask Mr. Moody’s question again: “What is prayer?” In a world where rights are coming out of our ears, we could deduce that most Christians might answer, “Prayer is asking things from God.” Yet when we consider the way our Lord prayed, surely it is something far greater than merely “getting God to run our errands for us.”
To settle with such an answer would be equivalent to saying we are mere beggars at a rich man’s door. And yet God’s Word says that we are His children!
The word “prayer” really means “a wish directed towards,” that is, towards God. This means that when we pray, all our efforts are directed toward someone as opposed to something. Prayer is recognizing the One from whom all blessings flow, knowing that receiving from Him is just the icing on the cake! Consider how David describes this in Psalm 25:1, “Unto Thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.” What a beautiful description of prayer that is! When we lift our souls to God, we are committing all that we have, all that we know, and all that concerns us into His hands—and leaving it there. When we lift our souls to God in prayer it allows God to do what He will in us and with us. It is putting ourselves at God’s disposal. God is always on our side. Man’s importunity is God’s opportunity! One poem describes it like this:
Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire, Uttered or unexpressed, The motion of a hidden fire That trembles in the breast.
Prayer is an unspoken bond that links heaven to earth. Sometimes it results in words, and at other times the spirit cries out though lips never part. How then can we describe it as merely asking things from God?
Prayer is also not bending the will of a reluctant God to our will. It does not change His purpose, although it may release His power. We must understand that our prayers are not about persuading a reluctant God, but about trusting in a God who is more willing to give than we are to receive!
God always plans what is best for us. Even when we pray in ignorance or blindness, God will not be swayed from His purpose for our greatest good. However, there are certain instances when, if we persist in asking for something harmful, our stubbornness may bring it about, and we will suffer the consequences. As the Psalmist says, “He gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul” (Psalm 106:15). In the same way, we too can bring spiritual emptiness upon ourselves, cursed with the burden of a granted prayer.
Prayer, in the minds of some people, is only for emergencies! Danger threatens, sickness comes, things are lacking, difficulties arise—then they pray. Like the unbeliever down a coal mine who teased the Christian miner: when the roof began to fall he began to pray as the old Christian miner quietly remarked, “Aye, there’s nothing like a load o’ coal falling on a man to make him pray.”
In truth, this is why Paul writes to the Thessalonians, “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). When we pray without ceasing, we’re adding wood to keep the fire going—not when it goes out!
Now, asking God for something is a valuable part of prayer if we bear in mind the need to depend on the Giver over the gift. But it is also communion with the Giver—intercourse with God—not just talking to but with God in holy fellowship. It is as simple as getting to know people by simply communicating with them. Prayer should never be monologue as many might think—but dialogue! A man struggling with a besetting sin will never be free of it if deliverance from evil is the result he is anticipating. The same goes for the one who longs to secure some coveted thing. The highest result ought always to be knowing God more intimately. “And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God” (John 17:3). Yes, prayer discovers more of God, and that is the soul’s greatest discovery. This is what David meant when he said, “Unto Thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul” (Psalm 25:1)!
The kneeling Christian discovers why he always finds God on his knees—because God ultimately finds him. The heavenly vision of the Lord Jesus blinded Saul of Tarsus on his journey to Damascus, but Paul later recounts that while praying in the temple at Jerusalem, he fell into a trance and beheld Jesus, stating, “I . . . saw him” (Acts 22:18), and it was then that Christ assigned him to the Gentiles. When we pray, we should also be ready to go down the path that God will prepare for us.
Horace Bushnell was known for his influential writings on prayer. A friend of Bushnell once recounted a profound sense of God’s presence while praying with Bushnell: “When Horace Bushnell buried his face in his hands and prayed, I was afraid to stretch out my hand in the darkness, lest I should touch God.” Perhaps this is the very heart of David’s plea, “My soul, wait thou only upon God” (Psalm 62:5).
“What is prayer?” By now you might be ready to answer Mr. Moody’s question a little better. Now let us advance further into the veil of fellowship. It is one thing to recognize that we are always in God’s presence, and for that presence to be manifested, but it is quite another to gaze upon Him in adoration. But perhaps we should ask God Himself what He considers to be the highest form of prayer. I think higher than an awareness of His presence, or even adoration of His presence, there is communion with Him as a friend with a friend. This is the essence of true prayer.
What made Count Zinzendorf of Herrnhut such a man of prayer? He sought the Giver rather than His gifts. He said, “I have one passion: it is Christ, and Christ alone.”
Even followers of Islam recognize this concept. They describe three levels of prayer: the first is merely verbal, spoken by the lips; the second involves a determined effort to focus our thoughts on the Divine; and the third is when the soul struggles to turn away from God. Certainly, we understand that God invites us to ‘ask’ of Him, and we typically respond to this call. We can be confident that prayer not only pleases God but also meets all our needs. However, it would be unusual for a child to seek their father’s presence solely for a gift. Every child needs their father! And this is why Proverbs 17:6 declares that “the glory of children are their fathers.” This is the very attitude we ought to have as children of God. No child is content with piles of stuff. Every child who enjoys time with their father is content. So how is this achieved?
Here are two thoughts to consider: 1) There must be a realization of God’s glory. 2) There must be a realization of God’s grace.
I’ve found the way, through the blood, past the veil, to the Holy of Holies with God. There by His pow’r over sin, I prevail, I can walk in the path that He trod. There in the presence of Jesus, I stand; Glorified Son at the Father’s right hand. There, I can plead, I can claim, I can have all that He purchased for me!
I wonder how many of us take the time to marvel over God’s exceeding great glory. How many of us take the time to grasp a fuller meaning of the little word grace? Are our prayers often ineffective and weak because we hastily enter God’s presence without truly considering His majesty and glory, or taking the time to reflect on the greatness of the God we are approaching? The time element is often a reason so few see the effectiveness of prayer today. May we then suggest that before we lay our petitions before God we first dwell in meditation upon His glory and grace. Like David, may we lift our soul “unto Thee, O LORD.” Let us place ourselves, as it were, in the presence of God and direct our prayer to the King of kings, and Lord of lords, “Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto . . . to Whom be honour and power everlasting” (I Tim. 6:16). And then, let us adore Him and praise Him for His exceeding great glory. Yet more than this, let us like Moses, speak to Him as friend with friend.
O come let us adore Him, O come let us adore Him, O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!
“Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name . . .” (Matthew 6:9b). There is nothing like a glimpse of heaven and a knowledge of God’s glorious name to banish fear and doubt! A.T. Pierson often would describe George Müller as having such a walk with God that his very presence carried with it a sense of the divine. He was a man of God, full of faith and the Holy Ghost, and in his daily life, there was a princely air of confidence that came from trusting God fully. How is this? Because he got a glimpse of the glory of God, and in adoration praised him before opening his mouth wide, and his princely air was not one of pride, but of awareness that he was a son of God (1 John 3:1)! “Our Father . . . in heaven . . . hallowed be Thy name. . . ”
Realizing the glory of God—Who is a spirit (John 4:24) and Whom none have ever seen (John 1:18)—is necessary to adequately praise and adore Him. How can this be done, practically speaking? It was William Law who said, “When you begin to pray, use such expressions of the attributes of God as will make you sensible of His greatness and power.”
How many names and descriptions of our God do you know? Psalms 100:4 says, “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise.” Perhaps your thankfulness for things are getting in the way of achieving a powerful sense of the reality of God’s glory. So the psalmist is more specific as he continues, “. . . be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.” As you enter into His gates, remind yourself that you are entering into the presence of The Provider—Jehovah Jireh, The Healer—Jehovah Rapha, The One Who is our Banner of Victory—Jehovah Nissi. When you enter into His courts, you might well whisper, “El Shaddai, You are my sufficiency—the Almighty One—in every circumstance,” or “Jehovah Shalom, Your peace calms my every storm,” or “Jehovah Rohi, I shall never want for You as my Shepherd.” Say these things aloud! “You are Almighty, Unchangeable, Loving, Caring, Compassionate, and the One Who hears us when we call.” Discover His character! This is why Paul counted everything else to be dung in comparison to knowing God. Paul had such an awareness of God and His constant presence that He could do nothing but adore Him.
Yes, in Thy Name, O Captain of Salvation, In Thy dear Name, all other names above, Jesus, our Righteousness, our Sure Foundation, Our Prince of Glory, and our King of Love!
This chapter is taken from “The Kneeling Christian”. For more information on this book CLICK HERE.
Believers have the privilege and opportunity to personally confide in God about the delights and heartaches of life through prayer.
We have an example of this in Jeremiah 20:9,10,11,13:
“Then I said, ‘I will not make mention of Him, Nor speak anymore in His name.’ But His word was in my heart like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, And I could not … All my acquaintances watched for my stumbling, saying, ‘Perhaps he can be induced; Then we will prevail against him, And we will take our revenge on him.’ But the Lord is with me as a mighty, awesome One. Therefore my persecutors will stumble, and will not prevail… Sing to the Lord! Praise the Lord! For He has delivered the life of the poor From the hand of evildoers.”
About this prophet’s experience, F. B. Meyer observed:
“God always seemed nigh at hand. His ear always bent down to the least whisper of His servant’s need. Compelled to live much alone, this much-suffering man (Jeremiah) acquired the habit of counting on the companionship of God as one of the undoubted facts of his life. He poured into the ear of God every thought as it passed through his soul. He spread forth his roots by the river of God, which is full of water. There was no fear therefore that his leaf would become withered in the summer heat, or that he would cease from yielding fruit in the year of drought [Jer. 17:8].
“Let us seek this attitude of soul, which easily turns from man to God; not forgetting the hours of prolonged fellowship [with God in personal prayer], but, in addition, acquiring the habit of talking over our life with one who does not need to be informed of what transpires, but awaits with infinite desire to receive the confidence of His children. Talk over each detail of your life with God, telling Him all things, and finding the myriad needs of the soul satisfied in Him.”
The College of Prayer is a ministry based in Georgia that has as its purpose: “Mentoring pastors and leaders to reach a lost world through a revived church.”
Their resources are valuable to encourage and equip all who desire a more dynamic prayer life.
They have a Ignite Conference scheduled for September 12-14, 2024. Here is a promotional video:
Pastor Fred Hartley also produces The Kingdom Leadership Podcast.
Their Revival Now Media app features video resources, audio resources, and printed materials, “leading people to a fresh encounter with Christ and equipping them to live lives empowered by the Holy Spirit.”
from THE KNEELING CHRISTIAN
By "AN UNKNOWN CHRISTIAN"
“Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it” (John xiv. 13, 14).
This was something quite new, for our Lord said so. “Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my name,” but now, “ask and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full” (John xvi. 24).
Five times over our Lord repeats this simple condition, “In my name” (John xiv. 13, 14; xv. 16; xvi. 23, 24, 26). Evidently something very important is here implied. It is more than a condition–it is also a promise, an encouragement, for our Lord’s biddings are always His enablings. What, then, does it mean to ask in His name? We must know this at all costs, for it is the secret of all power in prayer…
(1) There is a sense in which some things are done only “for Christ’s sake”–because of His atoning death. Those who do not believe in the atoning death of Christ cannot pray “in His name.” They may use the words, but without effect. For we are “justified by His blood” (Rom. v. 9), and “we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (Eph. i. 7; Col. i. 14)….
(2) The most familiar illustration of coming “in the name” of Christ is that of drawing money from a bank by means of a check. I can draw from my bank account only up to the amount of my deposit there. In my own name, I can go no farther. In the Bank of England I have no money whatsoever, and can therefore draw nothing therefrom. But suppose a very wealthy man who has a big account there gives me a blank check bearing his signature, and bids me fill it in to any amount I choose. He is my friend. What shall I do? Shall I just satisfy my present need, or shall I draw as much as I dare? I shall certainly do nothing to offend my friend, or to lower myself in his esteem. Well, we are told by some that heaven is our bank. God is the Great Banker, for “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father” (James i. 17)….
But He bids us to remember that we should ask only for those things that are according to His will–only for that which will bring glory to His name. John says, “If we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us” (I John v. 14). So then our Friend gives us a blank check, and leaves us to fill in “anything”; but He knows that if we truly love Him we shall never put down–never ask for–things He is not willing to give us, because they would be harmful to us…
(3) But even now we have not exhausted the meaning of those words, “In my Name.” We all know what it is to ask for a thing “in the name” of another. But we are very careful not to allow anyone to use our name who is not to be trusted, or he might abuse our trust and discredit our name….The great Heavenly Banker will not cash checks for us if our motives are not right. Is not this why so many fail in prayer? Christ’s name is the revelation of His character.
To pray “in His name” is to pray in His character, as His representative sent by Him: it is to pray by His Spirit and according to His will; to have His approval in our asking, to seek what He seeks, to ask help to do what He Himself would wish to be done, and to desire to do it not for our own glorification, but for His glory alone. To pray “in His name” we must have identity of interests and purpose. Self and its aims and desires must be entirely controlled by God’s Holy Spirit, so that our wills are in complete harmony with Christ’s will.
We must reach the attitude of St. Augustine when he cried, “O Lord, grant that I may do Thy will as if it were my will, so that Thou mayest do my will as if it were Thy will.”…
Child of God, does this seem to make prayer “in His name” quite beyond us? That was not our Lord’s intention. He is not mocking us! Speaking of the Holy Spirit our Lord used these words: “The Comforter . . . Whom the Father will send in my name” (John xiv. 26). Now, our Savior wants us to be so controlled by the Holy Spirit that we may act in Christ’s name. “As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (Rom. viii. 14). And only sons can say, “Our Father.”
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From The Kneeling Christian, Chapter 6 “How Shall I Pray?” This is available for free download here.
Practical Prayer Helps 