Power Through Prayer

by G. Jarvie | Category: General | Jan 1969

If two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father which is in heaven " (Matthew 18.19).

The days we live in call for a special emphasis on prayer, and we must take time for it. Perilous times are here. The world is re-arming, and thoughtful men are genuinely alarmed at the prospect of a war which, they think, could well-nigh annihilate the human race. At the same time, scientists and technicians are showing tremendous skill in preparing men and space-ships to reach the moon. They are moving out from the earth, their proper habitation.

In the educational world the evolutionary theory has gripped the minds of men, sapping away confidence in the Scriptures, and young people are growing up without the knowledge and the fear of God. This in turn is leading to violence, godlessness and immorality.

Though the outlook is dark, yet there is such an abundance of every good thing, especially in Western lands, that few seem to care much about the dark clouds that are gathering over them. We are evidently repeating again the days of Noah, when they ate and drank and married, without concern, until the flood came and took them all away.

As Christians we need not be concerned for our own future, for the Lord is coming for us. Nor will mankind be annihilated, for God has other purposes concerning them. But fearful times do lie in front of this world. In Revelation 6.8, we read of one quarter of the world's population being cut off by sword and by famine, and again in chapter 9, verse 18, of one third being killed by judgement from heaven. S9 that at least one half of the earth's inhabitants will die in the short period of the great tribulation. Had not the days been shortened, the Lord Jesus said, no flesh would have been saved (Matthew 24.22). But before those days come we shall be with the Lord. How thankful we are, too, that even in the dark days of the tribulation a great multitude will fear God and give Him glory, many of them sealing their testimony with their blood (Revelation 7.9-17).

What impact is this having on our lives? And what impact are our lives having on others? The Holy Spirit is in us, and with us, and God is glorified if we bear much fruit. We are thankful indeed for the faithful witness of many dear brethren and sisters who stand fast in their testimony, but we long to see the manifest power of the Holy Spirit, and we wonder why we see so little of this. Is it not that we need a fresh emphasis on prayer, and a deeper appreciation of the work of the Holy Spirit within us? We must pray with power, before we can preach with power.

First of all we must be sure that our lives are yielded lives. "Who then offereth willingly to consecrate himself this day unto the LORD?" (1 Chronicles 29.5). Prayer from unyielded hearts will be self-centred and powerless. We cannot be Spirit-led unless we are Spirit-filled. Effective prayer is prayer in the Holy Spirit (Jude 20). Someone has written

"Saviour, to Thee my all I now surrender,

Thine altogether, Thine alone to be;

For Thou hast ransomed, purchased and redeemed me,

With Thy heart's blood upon the accursed tree."

When our lives are yielded lives, then prayer becomes a delight. Then we can sing from the heart :

Oh the pure delight of a single hour

That before Thy throne I spend,

When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God,

I commune as friend with friend I

Effective prayer begins at home, in secret. Thou, when thou prayest, enter into thine inner chamber, and having shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret shall recompense thee" (Matthew 6.6). Private intercession is one of the vital steps to spiritual power. It is always true that "the people that know their God shall be strong, and do exploits" (Daniel 11.32). What an encouragement we have in this kind of prayer in the example of Daniel. Although he held a high position in Babylon and must have been a very busy man he kneeled three times a day in prayer before his God. No wonder he did exploits I Let us not be robbed of such times of prayer by being too busy with other things, or by any love of ease.

Power in private prayer will lead on to power in assembly prayer. We can never have the latter without the former. Never I It is here in the assembly prayer meeting that we receive the grace and power we need for effective testimony, and only if we are one in heart and soul will power in prayer and power in preaching be granted. Wise elders will cultivate this in the assemblies. We read of the church in Jerusalem that "when they had prayed, the place was shaken wherein they were gathered together" (Acts 4.31). No wonder the ministry of the apostles had such power! And no wonder that multitudes of believers were added to the Lord!

Fellow-disciples, the Lord is waiting for us! " From of old men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen a God beside Thee, which worketh for him that waiteth for Him" (Isaiah 64.4).

Let us take time for secret prayer, and this will soon be manifest in our times of public prayer, and then in our public testimony. And though the day is dark, and the outlook even darker, we will have light and joy in our hearts over sinners repenting, and believers being added to the Lord.

G. Jarvie | Jan 1969
General