finney charles g conditions of prevailing prayer

8/13/2019 Finney Charles G Conditions of Prevailing Prayer

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Finney, Charles Grandison Conditions of Prevailing Prayer

What Saith the Scripture?http://www.WhatSaithheScripture.co!/

Contents:

Conditions of Prevailing Prayer" #o. $................................................................................$Conditions of Prevailing Prayer" #o. %................................................................................&

Conditions of Prevailing Prayer" #o. '..............................................................................%$

Conditions of Prevailing Prayer- No. 1

(y Charles Grandison FinneyPresident of )(erlin College

fro! *he )(erlin +vangelist* Pu(lication of )(erlin College

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5efor!atted (y 6atie Stewart.

e4t.""att. 2:2, 0: *7s8, and it shall (e given you.*

e4t.""9a!es 1:': *e as8 and receive not, (ecause ye as8 a!iss, to consu!e it upon your

lusts.*

hese passages are chosen as the foundation of several discourses which ; design topreach on the condition of prevailing prayer.


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scripture. Paul infor!s us that he was afflicted with a thorn in the flesh. >e has not told

us precisely what this was. >e calls it his *te!ptation that was in the flesh,* and evidently

i!plies that it was a snare and a trou(le to hi!, and a thing which !ight naturally in=urehis influence as an apostle. For this latter reason, pro(a(ly, he was led to *(eseech the

ord thrice that it !ight depart fro! hi!.* his prayer was o(viously accepta(le to God,

and was graciously answered""answered, however, you will o(serve, not in the letter of it,(ut only in its spirit. he letter of the prayer specified the re!oval of this thorn in the

flesh and in this view of his prayer it was not answered. he spirit of the prayer was

dou(tless that his influence !ight not (e in=ured, and that his *te!ptation* fro! this evilthing, whatever it was, !ight not overpower hi! and draw hi! into sin. hus far, and in

these respects, his prayer was answered. he ord assured hi!, saying, *y grace is

sufficient for thee for !y strength is !ade perfect in wea8ness.* his was a real answer

to Paul@s prayer, although it did not follow the particular way of doing it that Paul hadna!ed in his prayer. Paul had as8ed that certain desired results !ight (e secured to hi!

in a particular !anner. he results sought constituted the spirit of the prayer the

specified !anner constituted the letter. he ord secured to hi! the results, and perhaps

even !ore fully than Paul e4pected or specifically as8ed (ut >e did it, not in Paul@sspecified way, (ut in his own.

So it often happens when we pray. he ways of the ord are so !uch wiser than our own,

that he 8indly and !ost (enevolently declines to follow our way, and ta8es his own. he

great end, however, which we see8, if our prayer is accepta(le to >i!, >e will certainlysecure, perhaps !ore perfectly in his own way than he could in ours.

;f, therefore, we suppose that prayer !ust always (e answered according to the letter, we

shall find ourselves greatly !ista8en.


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he accepta(le prayer of any Christian !ay (e Auite a different thing fro! what others

suppose it to (e, and so!eti!es different fro! what hi!self supposes. ;n such cases, the

answer will often fail to (e recogniBed as an answer. >ence it is of vital i!portance thatwe should ourselves understand the real spirit of our own prayer.

7ll this applies yet !ore freAuently in respect to others than to the suppliant hi!self.sually they see only the letter of a prayer and not the spirit. >ence if the latter is

answered and not the for!er, they will naturally suppose that the prayer is not answered,

when really it is answered and in the (est possi(le way. S8eptics often stand (ytauntingly, and cry out, *ou Christians are always praying (ut your prayers are never

answered.* et God !ay (e really answering their prayer in the spirit of it, and in the

!ost effectual and glorious !anner. ; thin8 ; could na!e !any instances in which, while

s8eptics were triu!phing as if God did not hear prayer, >e was really hearing it in regardto the true spirit of it, and in such a way as !ost signally to glorify >i!self.

&. $uch that is called prayer is not answered in any sense whatever, and is not real

prayer. uch that goes under the na!e of prayer is offered !erely for the for! of it,with neither care nor e4pectation to (e answered. hose who pray thus will not watch to

see whether their prayers are answered in any sense whatever.

For e4a!ple, there are so!e who pray as a !atter of cold duty""only (ecause they !ust,

and not (ecause they feel their need of so!e specific (lessing. >ence their prayer isnothing (ut a for!. heir heart is not set upon any particular o(=ect. hey only care to do

what they call a duty they do not care with an4ious heart for any o(=ect they !ay specify

in their prayers. >ence the thing they really care for, is not the thing they pray for. ;n

words they pray for this thing in heart for Auite another thing. 7nd the evidence of this isin the fact that they never loo8 after the thing they pray for in words. ;f they prayed in

heart for any thing, they would certainly loo8 to see whether the (lessing as8ed for is

given.

Suppose a !an had petitioned for so!e appoint!ent to office, and had sent on his

application to the President or to the appointing power. Pro(a(ly his heart is greatly seton attaining it. ;f so you will see hi! watching the !ail for the reply to his

co!!unication. +very day you !ay see hi! at the office ready to seiBe his letter at the

earliest possi(le !o!ent.


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in case of petitions addressed to !en it is so naturally when petitions are addressed to

God.

7 real Christian so!eti!es as8s in the letter of prayer for what he finds God cannot give.

;n such a case he can (e satisfied only with the consideration that God always e4ercises

his own infinite wisdo! and his not less infinite love. )ne great thing that lay nearest hisheart if he was in the true spirit of prayer will (e granted, na!ely, that God !ay (e

honored in the e4ercise of his own wisdo! and love. his God will surely do. So far

forth, therefore, the spirit of his prayer will (e granted.

;t deserves special notice that those who pray as a !atter of for! only, and with no heart

set upon the (lessing na!ed in the prayer, never enAuire for the reasons why they are not

answered. heir !inds are entirely at ease on this point, (ecause they feel no solicitudea(out the answer at all. hey did not pray for the sa8e of an answer. >ence they will

never trou(le the!selves to enAuire why the answer to the words of their prayer fails of

(eing given.

>ow !any of you who hear !e, !ay see in this the real reason why you so rarely loo8

after any answer to your prayers or the reason why you care so little a(out it, if your!ind should chance to advert to it at all?

7gain, when our petitions are not answered either in letter or in their spirit, it is (ecausewe have not fulfilled the revealed conditions of accepta(le prayer. any persons see! to

overloo8 the fact that there are conditions of accepta(le prayer revealed in the


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towards his real conversion. ;t helps to (ring the character and clai!s of God distinctly

(efore his !ind, and has a natural tendency to !a8e his own soul realiBe !ore deeply its

guilt, its need of pardon, and its duty of su(!ission and of faith in Christ.

e is unchangea(ly in the attitude of (eing co!placent in holiness whenever

he sees it. he reason in (oth cases, lies in his infinitely (enevolent nature. e is ever!ore in the attitudeof answering suita(le prayer, and of (eing co!placent towards all real holiness. 7s in the

latter case, whenever a !oral change ta8es place in a sinner of such a nature that God canlove hi!, his infinite love gushes forth instantaneously and without (ounds so in the

for!er case, as soon as any suppliant places hi!self in such an attitude that God can

wisely answer his prayer, then instantly the ear of 9ehovah inclines to his petition, and theanswer is freely given.

o illustrate this point, suppose that for a season so!e o(stacle interposes to o(struct the

sun(ea!s fro! the rose(ush at your door it fades and it loo8s sic8ly. i! to grant the (lessing sought. he notion

that the whole (enefit of prayer is its refle4 influence upon the suppliant, and not theo(taining of any (lessing as8ed for, is (oth vain and preposterous. ou !ight as well

suppose that all the good you get (y re!oving o(stacles that cut off the sun(ea!s, is the

physical e4ercise attending the effort. ou !ight as well deny that the sun(ea!s willactually reach every o(=ect as soon as you ta8e away that which throws the! into theshade.

God does truly hear and answer prayer, even as an earthly parent hears the petition of adutiful child, and shapes his course to !eet the petition. o deny this involves the denial

of the very nature of God. ;t is eAuivalent to denying that God is (enevolent. ;t see!s

!ost o(viously to deny that God fulfills his pro!ises for nothing can (e !ore plain than


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the fact that God pro!ises to (e influenced (y prayer so as to (estow (lessings to the

suppliant which are given to none others, and on no other condition. ;f God is pure and

good, then it !ust needs follow that""the o(stacle of sin (eing re!oved in the case of afallen (eing""the divine love !ust flow out towards hi! as it did not and could not

(efore. God re!ains forever the sa!e, =ust as the sun forever shines and then his love

!eets every o(=ect that lies open to his (ea!s, =ust as the sun@s rays cheer every thing notshaded (y positive o(structions.

7gain, God !ay hear the !ere cry of distress and speedily send help. >e *hears theyoung ravens when they cry,* and the young lion too when they roar and see8 their !eat

fro! God. he stor!"tossed !ariners also, *at their wit@s end, cry unto the ord in their

trou(le, and he (ringeth the! out of their distress.* >is (enevolence leads hi! to do all

this, wherever he can without detri!ent to the interests of his govern!ent. et this casesee!s not to co!e under the pro!ises !ade to (elieving prayer. hese cases of distress

often occur in the e4perience of wic8ed !en. et so!eti!es God see!s o(viously to

hear their cry. >e has wise reasons for doing so pro(a(ly often his o(=ect is to open their

eyes to see their own Father, and to touch their hearts with a sense of their ingratitude intheir re(ellion against such a God.

e hears the!. ;t is evensaid in scripture that Christ heard the prayer of devils when they *(esought hi! !uch that

he would not send the! away out of the country,* and said, *send us into the swine, that

we !ay enter into the!.*

anifestly the ord often hears this 8ind of prayer, whenever no special reason e4ists for

refusing to hear it. et this is far fro! (eing that peculiar 8ind of prayer to which the

special pro!ises of hearing and answering prayer are !ade.

;t is however (oth interesting and instructive to see how often the ord does hear even

such prayer as these cries of distress. When the cattle !oan in the fields (ecause there isno water, and (ecause the grass is withered, there is )ne on high who listens to their

!oans. Why should he not? >as he not a co!passionate heart? 3oes not his ear (end

under the Auic8 i!pulse of spontaneous affection, when any of his creatures cry unto hi!

as to their Father, and when no great !oral considerations for(id his showing favor?

;t is stri8ing to see how !uch the parental character of the great 9ehovah is developed in

the course of his providence (y his hearing this 8ind of prayer. 7 great !ultitude of factsare e4hi(ited (oth in the


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his prayers. 7nother anecdote was told !e the past winter which ; should relate !ore

freely if it were not so!ewhat a!using and laugha(le as well as instructive. 7 wic8ed

!an who had perhaps never prayed since he was a child, was out with a hunting party, onthe confines of ;owa, hunting wild (uffalo. ounted on trained horses, lasso in hand,

they ca!e up to a herd of (uffalo, and this !an encountered a fierce (uffalo (ull. he

ani!al rushed upon hi!, and at his first push unhorsed hi! (ut Auic8 as thought in hisfall, the !an seiBed his own horse@s nec8, swung upon the under side of the nec8, and

there held on in the ut!ost peril of his life his horse (eing at full gallop, pursued (y a

ferocious wild (ull. o (rea8 his hold and fall, was al!ost certain death, and he wasevery !o!ent in the ut!ost danger of falling under the flying feet of his rushing horse.

;n this predica!ent he (ethought hi!self of prayer (ut the only words he could thin8 of,

were,

*#ow ; lay !e down to sleep,

; pray the ord !y soul to 8eep.*

Perhaps he had never heard !uch other prayer than this. his lay e!(al!ed a!ong the

recollections of his childhood days. et even this prayer the ord in his infinite !ercysee!ed to hear and answer (y rescuing the !an unhurt fro! this perilous condition. he

case affords us a stri8ing e4e!plification not only of the fact that God hears the cry of

!ere distress, so!eti!es even when !ade (y wic8ed !en, (ut also of another fact,

na!ely, that the spirit of a prayer !ay (e a very different thing fro! its letter. ;n thiscase, the letter and the spirit had no very close rese!(lance. he spirit of the prayer was

for deliverance fro! i!!inent peril. his the ord see!s to have heard.

e will answer according to the spirit of the prayer. his is ever!ore

the !eaning of his pro!ise. >is pro!ise to answer prayer on certain conditions is apledge at least to !eet it in its true spirit, and do or give what the spirit of the prayer

i!plies.

;t now (eco!es us to enAuire !ost diligently and !ost earnestly for the conditions of

prevailing prayer. his point ; shall enter upon in !y ne4t discourse.

'()**+-

of easily !isunderstood ter!s as defined (y r. Finney hi!self.Co!piled (y 6atie Stewart

Complacency, or steem: *Co!placency, as a state of will or heart, is only (enevolence

!odified (y the consideration or relation of right character in the o(=ect of it. God,

prophets, apostles, !artyrs, and saints, in all ages, are as virtuous in their self"denying

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and untiring la(ours to save the wic8ed, as they are in their co!placent love to the

saints.* Systematic Theology (LECTURE VII).7lso, *appro(ation of the character of its

o(=ect. Co!placency is due only to the good and holy.*Lectures to Professing Christians(LECTURE XII).

/isinterested Benevolence: *e chooses to do good (ecause he re=oices in the

happiness of others, and desires their happiness for its own sa8e. God is purely and

disinterestedly (enevolent. >e does not !a8e >is creatures happy for the sa8e of there(ypro!oting >is own happiness, (ut (ecause >e loves their happiness and chooses it for its

own sa8e. #ot that >e does not feel happy in pro!oting the happiness of >is creatures,

(ut that >e does not do it for the sa8e of >is own gratification.*Lectures to ProfessingChristians (LECTURE I).

/ivine *overeignty: *he sovereignty of God consists in the independence of his will, in

consulting his own intelligence and discretion, in the selection of his end, and the !eans

of acco!plishing it. ;n other words, the sovereignty of God is nothing else than infinite(enevolence directed (y infinite 8nowledge.* Systematic Theology (LECTURE LXXVI).

lection: *hat all of 7da!@s race, who are or ever will (e saved, were fro! eternity

chosen (y God to eternal salvation, through the sanctification of their hearts (y faith in

Christ. ;n other words, they are chosen to salvation (y !eans of sanctification. heirsalvation is the end" their sanctification is a !eans.


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etributive ustice: *5etri(utive =ustice consists in treating every su(=ect of govern!ent

according to his character. ;t respects the intrinsic !erit or de!erit of each individual,

and deals with hi! accordingly.* Systematic Theology (LECTURE XXXIV).

Total /epravity: *oral depravity of the unregenerate is without any !i4ture of !oral

goodness or virtue, that while they re!ain unregenerate, they never in any instance, nor

in any degree, e4ercise true love to God and to !an.* Systematic Theology (LECTUREXXXVIII).

nbelie: *the soul@s withholding confidence fro! truth and the God of truth. he heart@s

re=ection of evidence, and refusal to (e influenced (y it. he will in the attitude of

opposition to truth perceived, or evidence presented.* Systematic Theology (LECTURE

LV).

What Saith the Scripture?

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Pu(lic 3o!ain e4t5efor!atted (y 6atie Stewart.



lusts.*

; will co!!ence the present discourse (y (riefly recapitulating the prefatory re!ar8s

which ; !ade in !y first ser!on on this su(=ect. ; then o(served,

$. hat all real prayer is heard and answered.

%. Prayer is not always answered according to the letter of it, (ut often only according to

its spirit. 7s an instance of this, ; spo8e of the stri8ing case recorded respecting Paul@sthorn in the flesh.

'. #one can (e saved who are not in a state of !ind to prevail in prayer.

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1. any things are really answers to prayer which are not recogniBed (y the suppliant as

such nor (y those who witness the prayer, the (lessing (estowed, or the thing done inconnection with it.

. uch that is called prayer is not really prayer at all.

. any neither care nor e4pect to (e heard, and therefore do not watch to see whether

their prayers are answered. hey pray !erely as a duty their heart (eing set on doing theduty and appeasing their consciences, and not on o(taining the (lessing no!inally as8ed

for.

2. #or do such persons feel disappointed if they fail of o(taining what they profess to as8for in prayer.

0. hey do not trou(le the!selves to enAuire why they are not answered. ;f they can only

discharge their duty and appease their consciences, they have their desire.

&. Failure to o(tain the (lessing sought is always (ecause the revealed conditions are notfulfilled.

$H. #othing is !ore i!portant for us than to attend to, and understand the revealedconditions of prevailing prayer.

$$. God !ay answer the !ere cry of distress when (enevolence does not for(id it. >e

often does hear the sailor in the stor!""the young ravens in their hunger (ut this is a verydifferent thing fro! that prayer which God has pledged hi!self (y pro!ise to hear and

answer on the fulfil!ent of certain conditions.

This Brings s To + Consideration ) The Conditions ) Prevailing Prayer.

1. The irst condition is, a state o mind in which you would oer the (ord3s prayer

sincerely and acceptably.

Christ at their reAuest taught his disciples how to pray. ;n doing so, >e gave the! an

epito!e of the appropriate su(=ects of prayer, and also threw a !ost i!portant light upon

the spirit with which all prayer should (e offered. his for! is e4ceedinglyco!prehensive. +very word is full of !eaning. ;t would see! very o(vious however that

our ord did not intend here to specify all the particular things we !ay pray for, (ut only

to group together so!e of the great heads of su(=ects which are appropriate to (e soughtof God in prayer, and also to show us with what te!per and spirit we should co!e (eforethe ord.

his is evidently not designed as a !ere for!, to (e used always and without variation. ;tcannot (e that Christ intended we should ever!ore use these words in prayer and no

other words for he never again used these precise words hi!self""so far as we 8now

fro! the sacred record""(ut did often use other and very different words, as the scriptures

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a(undantly testify.

ence it (eco!es us to e4a!ine carefully the words of this recorded for! of prayer. et,

(e it re!e!(ered, it is not these words, as !ere words, that God regards, or that we

should value. Words the!selves, apart fro! their !eaning, and fro! their !eaning asused (y us, would neither please nor displease God."">e loo8s on the heart.

(et us now reer to the (ord3s prayer, and to the connection in which it stands.

*When ye pray,* says our ord, *use not vain repetitions as the heathen do for they thin8

that they shall (e heard for their !uch spea8ing.*

et (e it well considered, the precept, *se not vain repetitions,* should (y no !eans (e

construed to discourage the ut!ost perseverance and fervency of spirit in prayer. he

passage does not for(id our renewing our reAuests fro! great earnestness of spirit. )urord hi!self did this in the garden, repeating his supplication *in the sa!e words.* -ain

repetitions are what is for(idden not repetitions which gush fro! a (urdened spirit.

This orm o prayer invites us, irst o allto address the great God as *)ur Father who

art in heaven.* his authoriBes us to co!e as children and address the ost >igh, feeling

that he is a Father to us.

he first petition follows""*>allowed (e thy na!e.* What is the e4act idea of this

language? o hallow is to sanctify to dee! and render sacred.

here is a passage in Peter@s +pistle which !ay throw light on this.

>e says, *Sanctify the ord God in your hearts.* he !eaning see!s plainly to (e this""Set apart the ord God in your hearts as the only true o(=ect of supre!e, eternal

adoration, worship, and praise. Place >i! alone on the throne of your hearts. et >i! (e

the only hallowed o(=ect there.

So here in the first petition of the ord@s Prayer, we pray that (oth ourselves and all

intelligent (eings !ay in this sense hallow the na!e of the ord God and sanctify >i! intheir hearts. )ur prayer is""et all adore thee""the infinite Father""as the only o(=ect of

universal adoration, praise, worship, and love.

his prayer hence i!plies:

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E$. 7 desire that this hallowing of 9ehovah@s na!e should (e universal.

E%. 7 willingness to concur heartily ourselves in this senti!ent. )ur own hearts are indeep sy!pathy with it. )ur in!ost souls cry out""et God (e honoured, adored, loved,

worshipped and revered (y all on earth and all in heaven. )f course, praying in this spirit,

we shall have the highest reverence for God.""e is actually doing all he can to pro!ote this great end for which he prays.

+lse he fails entirely of evincing his sincerity. For nothing can (e !ore sure than that

every !an who prays sincerely for the co!ing of 9ehovah@s 8ingdo!, truly desires andwills that it !ay co!e and if so, he will neglect no !eans in his power to pro!ote and

hasten its co!ing. >ence every !an who sincerely offers this petition will lay hi!self out

to pro!ote the o(=ect. >e will see8 (y every !eans to !a8e the truth of God universallyprevalent and triu!phant.

E'. ; !ight also say that the sincere offering of this petition i!plies a resistance of

everything inconsistent with the co!ing of this 8ingdo!. his you cannot fail tounderstand.

4e now pass to the ne5t petition""*hy will (e done in earth as it is in heaven.*

his petition i!plies that we desire to have God@s will done, and that this desire issupre!e.

;t i!plies also a delight in having the will of God done (y all his creatures, and acorresponding sorrow whenever it fails of (eing done (y any intelligent (eing.

here is also i!plied a state of the will in har!ony with this desire. 7 !an whose will isaverse to having his own desires granted is insincere, even although his desires are real.

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Such a !an is not honest and consistent with hi!self.

;n general ; re!ar8 respecting this petition that if it (e offered sincerely, the followingthings !ust (e true:

E$. he suppliant is willing that God should reAuire all >e does, and as >e does. >is

heart will acAuiesce (oth in the things reAuired and in the !anner in which God reAuiresthe!. ;t would indeed (e strange that a !an should pray sincerely that God@s will !ight(e done, and yet not (e willing hi!self that God should give law, or carry his will into

effect. Such inconsistencies never can happen where the heart is truly sincere and honest

(efore God. #o, never. he honest hearted suppliant is as willing that God@s will should(e done as the saints in heaven are. >e delights in having it done, !ore than in all riches""

!ore than in his highest earthly =oy.

E%. When a !an offers this petition sincerely, it is i!plied that he is really doing,

hi!self, all the 8nown will of God. For if he is acting contrary to his actual 8nowledge of

God@s will, it is !ost certain that he is not sincere in praying that God@s will !ay (e done.

;f he sincerely desires and is willing that God@s will should (e done, why does he not do ithi!self?

E'. ;t i!plies a willingness that God should use his own discretion in the affairs of theuniverse, and =ust as really and fully in this world as in heaven itself. ou all ad!it that in

heaven God e4ercises a holy sovereignty. ; do not !ean (y this, an ar(itrary unreasona(le

sovereignty, (ut ; !ean a control of all things according to his own infinite wisdo! andlove""e4ercising ever!ore his own discretion, and depending on the counsel of none (ut

hi!self. hus God reigns in heaven.

ou also see that in heaven, all created (eings e4ercise the !ost perfect su(!ission, and

confidence in God. hey all allow hi! to carry out his own plans fra!ed in wisdo! andlove, and they even re=oice with e4ceeding =oy that >e does. ;t is their highest

(lessedness.

Such is the state of feeling towards God universally in heaven.

7nd such it should (e on earth. he !an who offers this petition sincerely !ust

appro4i!ate very closely to the state of !ind which o(tains in heaven.

>e will re=oice that God appoints all things as >e pleases, and that all (eings should (e,

and do, and suffer as God ordains. ;f !an has not such confidence in God as to (e willing

that he should control all events respecting his own fa!ily, his friends, all his interests, inshort, for ti!e and eternity, then certainly his heart is not su(!issive to God, and it ishypocrisy for hi! to pray that God@s will !ay (e done on earth as in heaven. ;t !ust (e

hypocrisy in hi! (ecause his own heart re(els against the senti!ent of his own words.

his petition, offered honestly i!plies nothing less than universal, unAualified

su(!ission to God. he heart really su(!its, and delights in its su(!ission.

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#o thought is so truly pleasing as that of having God@s will done ever!ore. 7 sincere

offering of this prayer or indeed of any prayer whatever involves the fullest possi(le

su(!ission of all events for ti!e and for eternity to the hands of God. 7ll real prayer putsGod on the throne of the universe, and the suppliant low (efore >i! at his footstool.

E1. he offering of this petition sincerely, i!plies confor!ity of life to this state of thewill. ou will readily see that this !ust (e the case, (ecause the will governs the outward

life (y a law of necessity. he action of this law !ust (e universal so long as !an

re!ains a voluntary !oral agent. So long therefore the ulti!ate purpose of the will !ustcontrol the outward life.

>ence the !an who offers this prayer accepta(ly !ust live as he prays !ust live

according to his own prayers. ;t would (e a strange and !ost unaccounta(le thing indeedif the heart should (e in a state to offer this prayer sincerely and yet should act itself out

in the life directly contrary to its own e4pressed and supre!e preference and purpose.

Such a case is i!possi(le. he very supposition involves the a(surdity of assu!ing that a!an@s supre!e preference shall not control his outward life.

;n saying this, however, ; do not deny that a !an@s state of !ind !ay change, so as to

differ the ne4t hour fro! what it is this. >e !ay (e in a state one hour to offer this prayer

accepta(ly, and the ne4t hour !ay act in a !anner right over against his prayer.

ence a !an@s state of heart !ay (e to so!e e4tent 8nown fro! his e4ternal actions. ou

!ay at least 8now that his heart does not sincerely offer this prayer if his life does notconfor! to the 8nown will of God.

4e pass to the ne5t petition""*Give us this day our daily (read.*

;t is plain that this i!plies dependence on God for all the favors and !ercies we eitherpossess or need.

he petition is re!ar8a(ly co!prehensive. ;t na!es only (read, and only the (read for*this day* yet none can dou(t that it was designed to include also our water and our

needful clothing""whatever we really need for our highest health, and usefulness, and

en=oy!ent on earth. For all these we loo8 to God.

)ur Saviour dou(tless !eant to give us in general the su(=ects of prayer, showing us for

what things it is proper for us to pray and also the spirit with which we should pray.

hese are plainly the two great points which he ai!ed chiefly to illustrate in thisre!ar8a(le for! of prayer.

Whoever offers this petition sincerely is in a state of !ind to recogniBe and gratefully

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ac8nowledge the providence of God. >e sees the hand of God in all the circu!stances

that affect his earthly state. he rain and the sunshine""the winds and the frosts, he sees

co!ing, all of the!, fro! the hand of his own Father. >ence he loo8s up in the spirit of achild""saying, *Give !e this day !y daily (read.*

ence they see no God, other than an un8nowing #ature in the ordinary processesof vegetation, or in the laws that control ani!al life. 7 certain indefina(le (ut

unintelligent power which they call #ature, does it all. >ence they do not e4pect God to

hear their prayers, or notice their wants. #ature will !ove on in its own deter!ined

channel whether they pray or restrain prayer.

#ow !en who hold such opinions cannot pray the ord@s prayer without the !ost glaring

hypocrisy. >ow can they offer this prayer and !ean anything (y it, if they truly (elieve

that everything is nailed down to a fi4ed chain of events in which no regard is had or can(e had to the prayers or wants of !an?

Surely, nothing is !ore plain than that this prayer recogniBes !ost fully the universal

providence of that sa!e infinite Father who gives us the pro!ises and who invites us to

plead the! for o(taining all the (lessings we can ever need.

;t practically recogniBes God as 5uler over all.

What if a !an should offer this prayer, (ut should add to it an appendi4 of thissort""*ord, although we as8 of thee our daily (read, yet hou 8nowest we do not (elieve

hou hast anything at all to do with giving us each day our daily (read for we (elieve

hou art too high and hy universe too large to ad!it of our supposing that hou canstattend to so s!all a !atter as supplying our daily food. We (elieve that hou art so

unchangea(le, and the laws of nature are so fi4ed that no regard can possi(ly (e had to

our prayers or our wants.*

#ow would this style of prayer correspond with the petitions given us (y Christ, or with

their o(vious spirit?

Plainly this prayer dictated (y our ord for us, i!plies a state of heart that leans upon

God for everything""for even the !ost !inute things that can possi(ly affect our

happiness or (e to us o(=ects of desire. he !ind loo8s up to the great God, e4pectingfro! >i!, and fro! >i! alone, every good and perfect gift. For everything we need, our

eye turns naturally and spontaneously towards our great Father.

7nd this is a daily dependence. he state of !ind which it i!plies is ha(itual.

4e must pass now to the ne5t petition, *Forgive us our de(ts as we forgive our

de(tors.*

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;n this i!!ediate connection, the Saviour says, *For if ye forgive !en their trespasses,

your >eavenly Father will also forgive you. owever the phraseology (e e4plained, and whatever it (e understood to i!ply, it isco!!on enough in the !ouths of !en (ut nowhere found in the (oo8 of God.

E'. Christ, on the other hand, says""Forgive us as we forgive others. We have oftenin=ured, a(used, and wronged hee. )ur fellow !en have also often in=ured us, (ut hou8nowest we have freely forgiven the!. #ow, therefore, forgive us as hou seest we have

forgiven others. ;f hou seest that we do forgive others, then do hou indeed forgive us

and not otherwise. We cannot as8 to (e ourselves forgiven on any other condition.

E1. any see! to consider the!selves Auite pious if they can put up with it when they

are in=ured or slighted if they can possi(ly control the!selves so as not to (rea8 out into

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a passion. ;f, however, they are really wronged, they i!agine they do well to (e angry. ),

to (e sureD so!e(ody has really wronged the!, and shall they not resent it and study how

to get revenge, or at least, redress? e said unto the!, >e said unto all,""*Watch.*

7 !an not afraid of sin and te!ptation cannot present this petition in a !anner

accepta(le to God.

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ou will o(serve, !oreover, that this petition does not (y any !eans i!ply that God

leads !en into te!ptation in order to !a8e the! sin, so that we !ust needs i!plore of

>i! not to lead us thus, lest >e should do it. #o, that is not i!plied at all (ut the spirit ofthe petition is this"") ord, hou 8nowest how wea8 ; a!, and how prone to sin

therefore let thy providence guard and 8eep !e that ; !ay not indulge in anything

whatever that !ay prove to !e a te!ptation to sin. 3eliver us fro! all iniAuity""fro! allthe stratage!s of the devil. hrow around us all thy precious guardianship, that we !ay

(e 8ept fro! sinning against hee.

>ow needful this protection, and how fit that we should pray for it without ceasingD

This orm o prayer concludes""*For thine is the 8ingdo!, the power, and the glory

forever, a!en.*

>ere is an ac8nowledg!ent of the universal govern!ent of God. he suppliant

recogniBes his supre!acy and re=oices in it.

hus it is when the !ind is in the attitude of prevailing prayer. ;t is !ost perfectly natural

then for us to regard the character, attri(utes, and 8ingdo! of God as infinitely sacredand glorious.

>ow perfectly spontaneous is this feeling in the heart of all who really pray, *; as8 all this(ecause hou art a powerful, universal, and holy Sovereign.""hou art the infinite Source

of all (lessings. nto hee, therefore, do ; loo8 for all needed good either for !yself or

!y fellow (eingsD*

>ow deeply does the praying heart realiBe and re=oice in the universal supre!acy of the

great 9ehovahD 7ll power, and glory, and do!inion are thine, and thine only, for ever and

ever, a!en and a!en. et !y whole soul re"echo, a!en. et the power and the glory (ethe ord@s alone for ever!ore. et !y soul for ever feel and utter this senti!ent with its

deepest and !ost fervent e!phasis. et God reign supre!e and adored through all earth

and all heaven, henceforth and for ever.

$+6*.

$. he state of !ind involved in this prayer !ust (e connected with a holy life. ost

!anifestly it can never co"e4ist with a sinning life. ;f you allow yourself in sin, youcertainly cannot have access to God in prayer. ou cannot enter into the spirit of the

ord@s prayer and appropriately utter its petitions.

%. he appropriate offering of this prayer involves a corresponding sensi(ility""a state offeeling in har!ony with it. he !ind of the suppliant !ust sy!pathiBe with the spirit of

this for! of prayer. )therwise he does, (y no !eans, !a8e this prayer his own.

'. ;t is nothing (etter than !oc8ery to use the ord@s prayer as a !ere for!. So !ultitudes

do use it, especially when pu(lic worship is conducted (y the use of for!s of prayer.

)ften you !ay hear this for! of prayer repeated over and over in such a way as see!s to

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testify that the !ind ta8es no cogniBance of the senti!ents which the words should

e4press. he chattering of a parrot could scarcely (e !ore senseless and void of

i!pression on the spea8er@s !ind. >ow shoc8ing to hear the ord@s prayer chattered overthusD ;nstead of spreading out (efore God what they really need, they run over the words

of this for!, and perhaps of so!e other set for!s, as if the utterance of the right words

served to constitute accepta(le prayerD

;f they had gone into the streets and cursed and swore (y the hour, every !an of the!

would (e horri(ly shoc8ed, and would feel that now assuredly the curse of 9ehovahwould fall upon the!. e esti!ates nothing as real prayer into which the heart does not enter.

7nd for !any reasons it !ust (e peculiarly provo8ing to God to have the for!s of prayer

gone through with and no heart of prayer attend the!.

Prayer is a privilege too sacred to (e trifled with. he pernicious effects of trifling withprayer are certainly not less than the evils of any other for! of profanity. >ence God

!ust a(hor all pu(lic desecration of this sole!n e4ercise.

#ow, (rethren, in closing !y re!ar8s on this one great condition of prevailing prayer, let

!e (eseech you never to suppose that you pray accepta(ly unless your heart sy!pathiBes

deeply with the senti!ents e4pressed in the ord@s prayer. our state of !ind !ust (e

such that these words will !ost aptly e4press it. our heart !ust run into the very words,and into all the senti!ents of this for! of prayer. )ur Saviour !eant here to teach us how

to pray and here you !ay co!e and learn how. >ere you !ay see a !ap of the things to

pray for, and a picture of the spirit in which accepta(le prayer is offered.

'()**+-

of easily !isunderstood ter!s as defined (y r. Finney hi!self.

Co!piled (y 6atie Stewart

Complacency, or steem: *Co!placency, as a state of will or heart, is only (enevolence

!odified (y the consideration or relation of right character in the o(=ect of it. God,prophets, apostles, !artyrs, and saints, in all ages, are as virtuous in their self"denying

and untiring la(ours to save the wic8ed, as they are in their co!placent love to the

saints.* Systematic Theology (LECTURE VII).7lso, *appro(ation of the character of itso(=ect. Co!placency is due only to the good and holy.*Lectures to Professing Christians

(LECTURE XII).

/isinterested Benevolence: *e chooses to do good (ecause he re=oices in the

happiness of others, and desires their happiness for its own sa8e. God is purely anddisinterestedly (enevolent. >e does not !a8e >is creatures happy for the sa8e of there(y

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pro!oting >is own happiness, (ut (ecause >e loves their happiness and chooses it for its

own sa8e. #ot that >e does not feel happy in pro!oting the happiness of >is creatures,

(ut that >e does not do it for the sa8e of >is own gratification.*Lectures to ProfessingChristians (LECTURE I).

/ivine *overeignty: *he sovereignty of God consists in the independence of his will, in

consulting his own intelligence and discretion, in the selection of his end, and the !eansof acco!plishing it. ;n other words, the sovereignty of God is nothing else than infinite(enevolence directed (y infinite 8nowledge.* Systematic Theology (LECTURE LXXVI).

lection: *hat all of 7da!@s race, who are or ever will (e saved, were fro! eternity

chosen (y God to eternal salvation, through the sanctification of their hearts (y faith in

Christ. ;n other words, they are chosen to salvation (y !eans of sanctification. heirsalvation is the end" their sanctification is a !eans.


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What Saith the Scripture?http://www.WhatSaithheScripture.co!/




ecture -;;

9uly %$, $012

Pu(lic 3o!ain e4t5efor!atted (y 6atie Stewart

.



lusts.*

;n a for!er discourse on this te4t, ; !entioned, a!ong other conditions of prevailing

prayer, that confession should (e !ade to those who! our sins have in=ured, and also toGod. ;t is !ost plain that all sins should (e confessed to God, that we !ay o(tain

forgiveness and (e reconciled to hi! else how can we have co!!union of soul with

hi!? 7nd who can for a !o!ent dou(t that our confessions should not o!it those of our

fellow (eings who! we have in=ured?

2. 7n the ne5t place 7 remar8 that restitution should be made to 'od and to man.

o !an we should !a8e restitution in the sense of undoing as far as possi(le the wrong

we have done, and repairing and !a8ing good all the evil. ;f we have i!peached

character wrongfully, we !ust recall and undo it. ;f we have in=ured another even (y!ista8e, we are (ound, if the !ista8e co!e to our 8nowledge, to set it right,""else we are

cri!inal in allowing it to re!ain uncorrected. ;f the in=ury done (y us to our neigh(or

affect his property, we !ust !a8e restitution.


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et us loo8 !ore closely into this su(=ect. >ow !any of you have (een ro((ing God,""

ro((ing hi! for a long ti!e, and on a large scale? et us see.

E$. We all (elong to God. We are his property in the highest possi(le sense. >e (roughtus into (eing, gave us all we have, and !ade us all we are so that >e is our rightful

owner in a far higher sense than that in which any !an can own any thing whatever.

E%. 7ll we have and are, therefore, is due to God. ;f we withhold it, we are =ust so farforth guilty of ro((ing God. 7nd all this ro((ery fro! God, we are unAuestiona(ly

(ound, as far as possi(le, to !a8e up.

E'. 3o any of you still Auestion whether !en ever do truly ro( God? +4a!ine this point

thoroughly. ;f any of you were to slip into a !erchant@s store and filch !oney fro! his

drawer you could not deny that the act is theft. ou ta8e, cri!inally, fro! your fellow"!an what (elongs to hi! and does not at all (elong to yourself. #ow can it (e denied

that, whenever (y sin you withhold fro! God what is due to hi!, you as really ro( God

as any one can steal fro! a !erchant@s drawer? God owns all !en and all their services in

a far higher sense than that in which any !erchant owns the !oney in his drawer. Godrightfully clai!s the use of all your talents, wealth, and ti!e for hi!self""for his own

glory and the good of his creatures. 9ust so far, therefore, as you use yourselves for

yourselves, you as really ro( God as if you appropriated to yourself any thing that(elongs of right to your neigh(or.

E1. Stealing differs fro! ro((ery chiefly in this: the for!er is done secretly""the later (yviolence, in spite of resistance, or, as the case !ay (e, of re!onstrance. ;f you go

secretly, without the 8nowledge of the owner, and ta8e what is his, you steal if you ta8e

aught of his openly""(y force""against his 8nown will, you ro(. hese two cri!es differnot essentially in spirit either is considered a serious trespass upon the rights of a fellow"

!an. 5o((ery has usually this aggravation viB. that it puts the owner in fear. e says""e shall serve !e, and no other God (ut !e. his is hisfirst and great co!!and and verily, none can (e greater than this. #o clai! can (e

stronger than God@s upon us.

Still, it ever!ore leaves our will free, so that we can re(el and wrest ourselves away fro!the service of God, if we will do so. 7nd what is this (ut real ro((ery?

Suppose it were possi(le for !e to own a !an. ; 8now we all deny the possi(ility of this,our relations to each other as !en (eing what they are (ut for illustration it !ay (e

supposed that ; have created a !an and hence own hi! in as full a sense as God owns us

all. Still he re!ains a free agent,""yet sole!nly (ound to serve !e continually.


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despite of !y clai!s on hi! and of all ; can wisely do to retain hi! in !y service, he

runs away tears hi!self fro! !y service. ;s not this real ro((ery? 5o((ery too of a !ost

a(solute 8ind? >e owed !e every thing he leaves !e nothing.

So the sinner ro(s God. 7vailing hi!self of his free agency, he tears hi!self away fro!

God, despite of all his rightful owner can do to enlist his affections, enforce his ownclai!s, and retain his willing allegiance. his is ro((ery. ;t is not done secretly, li8e

stealing, (ut openly, (efore the sun and violently too, as in the case of real ro((ery. ;t is

done despite of all God can wisely do to prevent it.

E. >ence all sin is ro((ery. ;t can never (e any thing less than wresting fro! God what

is rightfully his. ;t is therefore (y no figure of speech that God calls this act ro((ery. Will

a !an ro( God? *et ye have ro((ed !e, even this whole nation.* Sin is never any thingless than this,""a !oral agent owned (y the highest possi(le title, yet tearing hi!self away

fro! his rightful owner, despite of all persuasions and of all clai!s.

E2. >ence, if any !an would prevail with God, he !ust (ring (ac8 hi!self and all thatre!ains not yet sAuandered and destroyed. es, let hi! co!e (ac8 saying"">ere ; a!,

ord ; have played the fool and have erred e4ceedingly, ; a! asha!ed that ; have usedup so !uch of thy ti!e,""have consu!ed in sin so !uch of that strength of !ind and

(ody which is thine""asha!ed that ; have e!ployed these hands and this tongue and all

these !e!(ers of !y (ody in serving !yself and Satan, and have wrested the! awayfro! thy service: ord, ; have done !ost wic8edly and !eanly thou seest that ; a!

asha!ed of !yself, and ; feel that ; have wronged thee (eyond e4pression.

So you should co!e (efore God. See that thief, co!ing (ac8 to confess and !a8erestitution. 3oes he not feel a deep sense of sha!e and guilt? #ow unless you are willing

to co!e (ac8 and hu!(ly confess and freely restore to God the full use of all that yet

re!ains, how can you hope to (e accepted?

E0. ou !ay well (e than8ful that God does not reAuire of you that you restore all you

have wrested fro! hi! and guiltily sAuandered all your wasted ti!e and health perhaps,and influence""if >e were to de!and this, it would at once render your acceptance (efore

hi!, and your salvation too, i!possi(le. ;t would (e forever i!possi(le, on such a

condition, that you should prevail in prayer.

e does not de!and this. >e is willing to forgive all the past""(ut

re!e!(er, only on the condition that you (ring (ac8 all the rest""all that yet re!ains to

(e used of yourself and of the powers God has given or !ay yet give you.

So !uch as this God !ust reAuire as a condition and why should >e not? Suppose you

have ro((ed a !an of all you can possi(ly get away fro! hi! and you 8now that thefacts are all 8nown to hi!. et you co!e (efore hi! without a confession or a (lush and

as8 hi! to receive you to his confidence and friendship. >e turns upon you""7re not you

the !an who ro((ed !e? ou co!e to !e as if you have never wronged !e, and as if

you had done nothing to forfeit !y confidence and favor do you co!e and as8 !y

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that repents. Surely all heaven !ust (e one perpetual glow of e4cite!ent""such

!anifestations are ever going forward there of infinite co!passion towards sinners

returning fro! their evil ways.

et (e it ever!ore re!e!(ered,""no sinner can find a welco!e (efore the face of God

unless he returns !ost deeply penitent. 7hD you do not 8now God at all if you suppose>e can receive you without the !ost thorough penitence and the !ost a!ple restitution.

ou !ust (ring (ac8 all that re!ains unwasted and unsAuandered. ou !ust loo8 it all

over !ost carefully and honestly, and say"">ere, ord, is the pitiful re!nant""the s!alla!ount left: all the rest ; have (asely and !ost unprofita(ly wasted and used up in !y

course of sin and re(ellion. hou seest how !uch ; have sAuandered, and how very little

is left to (e devoted now to thy service. )D what an unprofita(le servant ; have (een and

how !isera(ly unprofita(le have ; !ade !yself for all the rest of !y life.

;t were well for every hearer to go !inutely into this su(=ect. +sti!ate and see how !any

years of your life have gone, never to (e recalled. So!e of these young people have !ore

years re!aining, according to the co!!on laws of life, than we who are farther advancedin years. et even you have sad occasion to say""7las, how !any of the (est years of !y

life are thrown away, yes, worse than thrown into the sea for in fact they have (eengiven to the service of the devil. >ow !any suits of clothing worn out in the ways of sin

and the wor8 of Satan. >ow !any tons of provisions""food for !an, provided under the

(ounty of a gracious Providence""have ; used up in !y career of re(ellion against !ya8er and FatherD ), if it were all now to rise up (efore !e and enter with !e into

=udg!ent""if each day@s daily (read, used up in sin, were to appear in testi!ony against

!e what a scene !ust the sole!n rec8oning (eD

et each sinner loo8 this ground all over, and thin8 of the position he !ust occupy (efore

an a(used yet !ost gracious God, and then say"">ow can you e4pect to prevail with God

if you do not (ring (ac8 with a !ost penitent and devoted heart, all that re!ains yet toyou of years and of strength for God.

>ow !uch !ore, if !ore (e possi(le, is this true of those who are advanced in years.>ow fearfully have we wasted our su(stance and our days in vainD >ow then shall we

hope to conciliate the favor of God and prevail with hi! in prayer, unless we (ring (ac8

all that re!ains to us, and consecrate it a whole offering to the ord our God?

!. 4e must pass now to another condition o prevailing prayer9 namely, that we be

reconciled to our brother.

)n this su(=ect you will at once recollect the e4plicit instructions of our ord *;f thou(ring thy gift to the altar, and there re!e!(erest that they (rother hath aught against theeleave there thy gift (efore the alter, and go thy way first (e reconciled to thy (rother, and

then co!e and offer thy gift.*

his passage states very distinctly one i!portant condition of accepta(le prayer, and

shows that all !en are not at all ti!es in a fit state to pray. hey !ay (e in a state in

which they have no right to pray at all. ;f they were to co!e (efore the ord@s altar in this

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state, >e would (id the! suspend their offering of prayer, go (ac8 at once, and (e

reconciled to their (rother.

E$. ;t is i!portant for !en to understand that they should approach God in prayer onlywhen they have a right to pray. )thers see! entirely to !isconceive the relations of

prayer to God and to the!selves, and thin8 that their prayers are a great favor to God.

hey see! to suppose that they lay the ord under great o(ligations to the!selves (ytheir prayers, and if they have !ade !any prayers, and long, they thin8 it Auite hard if theord does not ac8nowledge his o(ligation to the!, and grant the! a speedy answer.

;ndeed, they see! al!ost ready to fall into a Auarrel with God if >e does not answer their

prayers.

; 8new one !an who on one occasion prayed all night. orning ca!e, (ut no answer

fro! God. For this he was so angry with God, that he was te!pted to cut his own throat.;ndeed, so e4cited were his feelings and so sharp was this te!ptation, that he threw away

his 8nife the (etter to resist it. his shows how a(surdly !en feel and thin8 on this

su(=ect.

Suppose you owed a !an a thousand dollars, and should ta8e it into your head to

discharge the de(t (y (egging hi! to release and forgive it. ou renew your prayer every

ti!e you see hi!, and if he is at any distance you send hi! a (egging letter (y every!ail. #ow inas!uch as you have done your part as you suppose, you fall into a passion if

he won@t do his and freely relinAuish your de(t. Would not this (e on your part

sufficiently a(surd, sufficiently ridiculous and wrong?

So with the sinner and God. any see! to suppose that God ought to forgive. hey will

have it that >e is under o(ligation to the! to pardon and put away fro! his sight all theirsins the !o!ent they choose to say.

E%. #ow God has indeed pro!ised on certain conditions to forgive and the conditions

(eing fulfilled, he certainly will fulfil his pro!ise yet never (ecause it is clai!ed as a!atter of =ustice or right. >is pro!ises all pertain to an econo!y of !ercy and not of

strict =ustice.

When !en pray aright, God will hear and answer (ut if they pray as a !ere duty, or pray

to !a8e it a de!and on the score of =ustice, they funda!entally !ista8e the very idea of

prayer.


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>i!?

>ere it is i!portant to understand certain cases which though they !ay see!, yet do notreally co!e under the spirit of this rule. 7nother !an !ay suppose hi!self to have (een

in=ured (y !e, yet ; !ay (e entirely conscientious in feeling that ; have done no

otherwise than right towards hi!, and still ; !ay (e utterly una(le to re!ove fro! his!ind the i!pression that ; have wronged hi!. ;n this case, ; a! (y no !eans cut off fro!

the privilege of prayer.

hus it often happens when ; preach against (ac8sliders that they feel e4ceedingly hurt

and thin8 ; have wronged the! unpardona(ly whereas ; !ay have (een only honest and

faithful to !y aster and to their own souls. ;n such a case ; a! not to (e de(arred the

privileges of prayer in conseAuence of their feelings towards !e. ;t were indeed !osta(surd that this should shut !e away fro! the !ercy"seat. ;f ; a! conscious of having

done no wrong, the ord will draw !e near to hi!self. ;n such a case as this ; can !a8e

no confession of wrong"doing.

e re!e!(ered your dishonesty and your

neglect, or perhaps conte!pt of one of his plainly taught conditions of accepta(le prayer,

and he could not hear you. ntil you had gone and (eco!e reconciled to your (rother,what have you to do with praying? our God says to you""Why do you co!e here (efore

!e to lie to !y very face, pretending to (e honest and upright towards your fellow"

(eings, when you 8now you have wronged the!, and have never !ade confession andrestitution?

;n !y la(ors as an +vangelist, ; have so!eti!es fallen into a co!!unity who were !ostof the! in this horri(le state. Perhaps they had sent for !e to co!e a!ong the! sayingthat they were all ready and ripe for a revival, and thus constrained !e to go. )n co!ing

a!ong the! ; have found the very opposite to (e the fact. ; would preach to the

i!penitent !any would (e convicted and awful sole!nity would prevail (ut noconversions. hen ; would turn to the church and (eg the! to pray, and soon the fact

would co!e out that they had no fellowship with each other and no !utual confidence

al!ost every (rother and sister had hard feelings towards each other !any 8new they

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had wronged their (rethren and had never !ade confession or restitution so!e had not

even spo8en 8indly to one another for !onths in short it was a state of real war and how

could the 3ove of Peace a(ide there? 7nd how could a righteous God hear their prayers?>e could do no such thing till they repented in dust and ashes, and put away these

a(o!ina(le iniAuities fro! (efore his face.

E'. ;t often happens that professors of religion are e4ceedingly careless in respect to the

conditions of prevailing prayer. WhatD Christian !en and wo!en in such a state that they

will not spea8 to each otherD ;n such relations to each other that they are ready to in=ureone another in the worst way""ready to !angle and rend each other@s charactersD 7way

with itD ;t is an offence to GodD ;t is an utter a(o!ination in his sightD >e loathes the

prayers and the professed worship of such !en, as he loathes idolatry itself.

#ow although cases as outrageous as those ; have descri(ed, do not occur veryfreAuently, yet !any cases do occur which involve su(stantially the sa!e principle. ;n

respect to all such, let it (e 8nown that God is infinitely honest, and so long as he is so, he

will not hold co!!union and fellowship with one who is dishonest. >e e4pects us to (e

honest and truthful, willing ever to o(ey hi!, and ever an4ious to !eet all the conditionsof accepta(le prayer. ntil this is the case with us, >e cannot and will not hear us,

however !uch and long we pray. Why should he? *hou reAuirest truth in the inward

parts,* said the Psal!ist of his God, as if fully aware that entire sincerity of heart, and ofcourse uprightness of life towards others, is an unaltera(le condition of acceptance (efore

God. ;t is a!aBing to see how !uch insincerity there often is a!ong professed Christians,

(oth in their !utual relations to each other, and also in the relations to God.

&. +gain, we ought always to have an honest and good reason or praying and or

as8ing or the speciic things we pray or.

E$. ;t should (e re!e!(ered that God is infinitely reasona(le, and therefore does nothingwithout a reason. herefore in all prayer you should always have a reason or reasons that

will co!!end the!selves to God as a valid ground for his hearing and answering your

prayers.

ou can have a rational confidence that God will hear you only when you 8now what

your reasons are for praying and have good grounds to suppose they are such as will

co!!end the!selves to an infinitely wise and righteous God.


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he refused to answer each one that was not accepta(le.

>ence if we are to offer prayer, or to do any thing else in which we e4pect God tosy!pathiBe with us, we ought to have good and sufficient reasons for what we as8 or do.

E%. ou can not help seeing this at your first glance at the su(=ect. our prayer !ust not(e selfish (ut (enevolent""else how can God hear it? Will he lend hi!self to patroniBe

and (efriend your selfishness?

Suppose a !an as8s for the >oly Spirit to guide hi! in any wor8 or suppose he as8 for

that Spirit to sanctify hi!self or his friends. et hi! (e always a(le to give a good reason

for what he as8s. ;s his ulti!ate reason a selfish one""for e4a!ple, that he !ay (eco!e

!ore distinguished in the world, or !ay prosecute so!e favorite sche!e for hi!self andhis own glory or his own selfish good? et hi! 8now that the ord has no sy!pathy with

such reasons for prayer.

hus a child co!es (efore its parent, and says, 3o give !e this or that favor. ourreason, !y child, says the parent""give !e your reason what do you want it for?

So God says to us, his children""your reason, !y child what is your reason? ou as8, it

!ay (e, for an education why do you want an education? ou say, ord furnish !e the

!eans to pay !y tuition (ills and (y (oard (ills and !y clothing (ills, for ; want to get aneducation. our reason, !y child, the ord will answer your reason for what end to you

want to get an education? ou !ust (e a(le to give a good reason. ;f you want these

things you as8 for, only that you !ay consu!e the! upon your lusts if your o(=ect (e to

cli!( up to so!e higher post a!ong !en, or to get your living with less toil, or with!ore respecta(ility, s!all ground have you to e4pect that the ord will sy!pathiBe with

any such reasons.


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>ow infinitely different !ust that wo!an@s state of !ind (eco!e (efore the ord can

hear and answer her prayerD Can she e4pect an answer so long as she ta8es only a selfish

view of the case? #o, never until she can say, ) !y God, !y heart is full of (leeding andgrief (ecause !y hus(and dishonors thee !y soul is in agony (ecause he scorns the

dying (lood and the perfect sacrifice of 9esus Christ.

So when parents urge their reAuests for the salvation of their children, let the! 8now that

if they sy!pathiBe with God, he will sy!pathiBe with the!. ;f they are chiefly distressed

(ecause their children do not love and serve their own God and Savior, the ord will!ost assuredly enter into the deep sy!pathies of their hearts, and will delight to answer

their reAuests. So of the wife when she prays for her hus(and, so universally when friend

prays for friend. he great God see!s to say ever!ore""*;f you sy!pathiBe with !e, ;

sy!pathiBe with you.* >e is a (eing of infinite sy!pathies, and never can fail toreciprocate the holy feelings of his creatures. et the hu!(lest su(=ect in his universe feel

sincere regard for the honor and glory of God and the well (eing of his 8ingdo!, and

how suddenly is it reciprocated (y the ;nfinite Father of allD et one of all the !yriads of

his creatures in earth or heaven (e Bealous for God, then assuredly will God (e Bealousfor hi!, and will find !eans to fulfil his pro!ise,""*he! that honor !e ; will honor.*

e

would !ove heaven and earth if need (e, to hear prayer offered in such a spirit.

) for a heart to i!!erse and (athe ourselves, as it were, in the sy!pathies of 9ehovah""to

yield up really our whole hearts to hi!, until our deepest and !ost perfect e!otionsshould gush and flow out only in perfect har!ony with his will, and we should (e

swallowed up in God, 8nowing no will (ut his, and no feelings (ut in sy!pathy with his.

hen wave after wave of (lessings would roll over us, and God would delight to let the

universe see how intensely he is pleased with such a spirit in his creatures. ) then youwould need only put yourself in an attitude to (e (lessed and you could not fail of

receiving all you could as8 that could (e really a good to your soul and to God@s

8ingdo!. 7l!ost (efore you should call, >e would answer and while you were yetspea8ing he would hear. )pening wide your soul in large e4pectation and strong faith

(efore God, you !ight ta8e a large (lessing, even *until there should not (e roo! enough

to receive it.*

'H


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finney charles g conditions of prevailing prayer

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