THE SECRET OF POWER IN PRAYER
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.
John 15:7
Prayer comes spontaneously from those who abide in Jesus. Prayer is the natural out-gushing of a soul in communion with Jesus. As the leaf and fruit come out of the vine branch without any conscious effort and simply because of its living union with the stem, so prayer buds and blossoms and fruits out of souls abiding in Jesus. As stars shine, so do abiders pray. They do not say to themselves, “It is the time for us to get to our task and pray.” No, they pray as wise men eat—namely, when the desire for it is upon them. They do not cry out as under bondage, “We ought to be in prayer, but I do not feel like it. What a weariness it is!” They have a glad errand at the mercy seat and rejoice to go there. Hearts abiding in Christ send forth supplications as fire sends out flames and sparks. Souls abiding in Jesus open the day with prayer; prayer surrounds them as an atmosphere all day long; at night they fall asleep in prayer. They are able joyfully to say, “When I awake, I am still with you” (Psalm 139:18). Habitual asking comes out of abiding in Christ.
The fruit of our abiding also includes liberty in prayer. Have you not been on your knees at times without power to pray? Have you not felt that you could not plead as you desired? You wanted to pray, but the waters were frozen and would not flow. The will was present, but not the freedom to present that will in prayer. Do you, then, desire liberty in prayer so that you may speak with God as a man speaks with his friend? Here is the way: “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish.” I do not mean that you will gain liberty as to a mere fluency of words, for that is a very inferior gift. Fluency is a questionable endowment, especially when it is not accompanied with the weight of thought and depth of feeling. Some brethren pray by the yard, but true prayer is measured by weight—not by length. A single groan before God may have more fullness of prayer in it than a fine oration of great length.
Jesus, I want to abide in You today. To pray is my joy. Amen.
Some brethren pray by the yard, but true prayer is measured by weight—not by length. A single groan before God may have more fullness of prayer in it than a fine oration of great length.
ReplyDeleteGreat statement!