HOW
TO PRAY
R.
A. TORREY
CHAPTER
I
THE
IMPORTANCE OF PRAYER
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?
1.
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.
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 you 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, 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.
2.
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.
James
brings this out very forcibly in the 4th chapter and 2nd verse of his epistle:
"Ye have not because you 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."
3.
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 said, It is not reason that we should leave the Word of God, and
serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look you 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.
4.
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.
5.
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, 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.
6.
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 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!
7.
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 you asked
nothing in My name; ask, and you 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 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?
8.
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
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.
9.
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 you 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?"
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 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.
10.
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 you therefore, and PRAY ALWAYS, that you may be
accounted 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!
11.
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) 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 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.
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. 199:126). 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.