the fundamentals: volume 9, chapter 6: divine efficacy of prayer

8/20/2019 The Fundamentals: Volume 9, Chapter 6: Divine Efficacy of Prayer

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CHAPTE .R VI

DIVINE EFFICACY OF PRAYER

•

BY ARTHUR E. PIERSON

All the greatest ne ,eds, h

1

ot.t~1

of the Churc ·h. and of tl1e

world,

n1ay

be included in one: the need of a higher stand ard

of godliness;

and the

all -embrac ing secret

of

a truly godly

life is close and constant contact with the un s

1

een Go,d; th~t

contact is. learned and

practised, as

nowh ,ere els·e,

i·n tJ1e

s.ecret

lJlace of sttpplication and inte rcession.

Our Lord's first lesson in

the

school of prayer

was,

and

still is: ''ENTE R INTO THY CLOSET'' (Matt. 6:6). The

''c·lose.t''

is

the closed place,

·where , w·e

a1e

shut

in

a1one with

God, where the human sp irit waits t1pon an unseen Presence,

learns to recognize Him who is .a Spirit, and cu tivates His

acquaintance, fellowship, and f riendsl1ip. .

Eve rything else,

there£ ore, depends

upon

prayer. To the

praying soul the ,re bec

1

omes possible th . · faith which is the

grasp of the human spi1.

t

upon the rea ities and

verities

of

the unseen world .. To the praying

soul

there

becomes

possible

and natural the obedience which is the daily walk of the

disciple with

the

unseen God.

To

the praying soul there

becomes possible the patience, which is the hab it of waiting

for re:sults yet unse

1

en and ho ·pes ye,t unrealize

1

d.. To the

praying

sou ·1 there

becomes

possi 'ble ,

the

Jove

that,

Jike a

celestial

flood,

drowns out evil

tempers

and hate£

ul

disposi~

tions, and introduces us to a new world of gentle

and

gen

erous frames.

To

the p

1

rayi .ng soul

there

becom

1

es

po,tsible

an ,d

increasingly real the holiness which is personal conformity to

an an .seen Divine

im,age and ideal , and

the ·

in.nermost

secre :

of a heavenly bliss.

Those

who y·earn

fo .r

revivals

natura :ly

lay

much

stress



Divine Efficacy of P ·~ayer

67

on preaching. But what is preaching without praying Ser

mons are but pulpit performances, learned essays, rhetorical

orations, popular lectures, or it may be political harangue s,

until God gives, in answer to earnest prayer, the preparation

of the heart, and the answer of the tongue. It is only he

who prays that . can truly preach. Many a sern1on that has

shown no intellectual genius and has violated all homiletic

rules and standards has had dynamic spiritual force. Some- '

how

it

has moved men, n1elted them, moulded them. The

tnan whose lips are tou ched by God's living coal fro1n off the

altar n1ay even stam1ner, but his hearers soon find out tfiat

he is on fire with one consu1ning passion to save souls.

;We need saints

in

the pew as well as in the pulpit and

saint ship everywhere is fed and nourished on prayer. The

n1an of business who pray s, lea rns to abide in his calling with

God; hi$ secular affairs and tran sactions become sacred by

being brought into the searchlight of God's prese nce. His

own business becomes his Father's business. He does not

tran1ple on God's com1nands in order to make money, nor

does he drive his trade and traffic throu gh the sacred limits

of the Lord's day, or defr aud his custom .ers, "breaking God's

law

for

a

dividend."

Praying souls becom e preva.iling saints. Tho se who get

farthest on in the school of pray er and learn most of its hid

den secrets often develop sort of prescience which comes

nearest to the prophetic spirit, the Holy Spirit showing

then1

'' thing s to come." They seen1, like Savonarola, to know sotne ..

thing of the purpose of God, to anticipate His plans , and to

forecast the history of their own titnes. The great suppl i

cato.rs have been also the seers.

There is no higher virtue in a church than that

it

sho uld

be a praying chur ch, for it is prayer that makes eternal reali-

ties both prominent and dominant . A church and a pastor

m y have any one of the current, popular types of "religious"



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68

The Fundamentals

life, and

sottls may n,ot be s:aved;

bu·t, as the lat

1

e

Dr ,.

Ski~ner,

of New York, used t

1

say: ''If th·e peculiar

type

of

piety

is that

which

is

inspired

by

a

sense of the po,wers of the

world

to come, sinners

will

be

saved

and saints

edified. E'Ven

he

,vorld

that

now is

will feel the

power of

such piety.

Praying

fe ,eds missio1is at hom1

nd

.abro,ad .. It

promotes

giving.

'Parsimon ,y i.s

stifled in the

atm .osphere

of

God's

pres

ence. Gifts are multiplied

and

magnifi ,ed

when

the

giver is

consecrated. When

disciples begin

to

pray for souls they

begin to

yearn over them and

to

be

willing

to make sacrifices

·for t.h·e·ir s.alvation. Tl,.e key

tl1at

1

Can

t1nlock the ·

treasury

of

God,s pro ·mi ses l1as marve ·tous power

1lso to unlock

·the tr ·eas

ures

1

f

hoarded wea ltl1, and makes even the ,abundance of deep

poverty to

abou nd

into tl1e

riches

of

liberality till the

wid -ow's

mites dro ·p into the

Lo1·d's

hands

even

mor

1

e frequently

than

•

th ,e m'illion s of 1nercl1.ant prin

1

ces.. No

man

can br ,eathe freely

in the atmo ,sphe,re of p1·ayer whil ·e he stifles benevol ,ent im-

pulses.

The

giving

of

money

prepares

for the

giving

of self,

and thus prayer malces tnissionary workers as w,ell

as

mis

sio·n.ary givers and suppor ·ters .

F

1

ew,, even amo1·gst ·t.he m

1

ost d

1

evo11t, h.ave ever fully felt

'h.ow

f.ar workers

in

''th ,e

mi11e

of

l1eathendom''

depend

on

those

who ''hold the

ropes. James Gilmour,

who,se

rare

and

radiant spirit so

impressed

the rude

Mongolians,

said that,

u11prayed for, he wottld

feel

Iil<e a

diver in the river bottom

with

no air to

breathe, or like a fire·mar1 on a

blaz.i11gbuilding

with no water in his empty l1ose ·

Prayer is

1iot to b·e

thoitgli t

tJie

less

of beca.itSe we are SO

often dr·ive1i to the throne of gra ce as a last resort. It i

part of the philosophy of prayer

that it

shall

reveal

its

full

efficacy only when and where alt

beside

fails us.

He re,

as in

all

1

lse,

it

is

only

at the: end of self ' w'·th a.ll itsl inv·entions,

that

we fi11d he beginning of

1

God witl1 all

His interpositions.

A prayi1ig heart is tlte one thing

tliat

tlie devil

cantiot

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Divine Efficacy of Prayer

69

easily cou-11.terfeit.

t is easy enough to imitate praying lips ,

so that hypocrites and Pharisees feign devoutness. But only

God can open in the heart s depths those springs of suppli

cation that often find no channel in language, but flow out in

groanings which cannot

be

uttered.

It is not worth while to waste much time in defending or

advocating prayer. Experi1nent makes argument needle ss.

This is not so n1uch a science to be mastered y

study as an

art to be learned by practice. Like the Bible, prayer is self

evidencing. It is a mysterious union of Divine and human

elements not easy of explanation; but to him who pray s and

puts God to the test along the lines of His own precepts and

p romises, God proves how real a force prayer is

in

His moral

universe.

Th~ best

way to prop up prayer is to practice it.

The pivot of piety, therefore is prayer. A pivot is of

double use,

it

acts as a

fastener

and

as

a center; it holds

other parts in place, and it is the axis of revolution. Ptayer

likewise, keep s one steadfas t in faith and helps to all holy

activity. Hence, as surely as God is lifting His people to a

higher level of spirituality, and 1noving them to a more un

selfish and self-denyi ng service , there will be new emphasis

laid by them upon supplication, and especially upon interces

s10n.

The revival of the pray ing-spirit is not only first in order

of development, but it is first in order of importance, for

without it there is no advance. Generally, if not unifonnly,

prayer is both starting-point and goal to every movement in

which are the ,elements of permanent progress. Whenever

the

Church s sluggishnes s

is

aroused and the world s wicked

ness arrested, somebody ha s been praying. If the secret his

tory of all true spir itual advance could be written and read ,

there would

be

found some intercessors who, like Jo b, Samuel ,

Daniel, Elijah, Paul and James; like Jonathan Edwards, Wil

liam Carey, George Miiller, and Hudson Taylor,

have

been



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70

The Fund amentals

led to shut tl1en1selves in the secret pl.ace with God, and have

labore ,d fervently i.n

p:raye1·,.

And

as

t.he s,ta.rtin .g-p,oint i.s thu s

found in supplication and intercession, so the final outcome

must be that God's people shall have learned to pray;

Other

" 'ise there will be rapid reaction and disa st rous relapse fro1n

tl1e bett ,er co·nditi

1

0llS S,ect11·ed ..

PRAYER PUTS MEN IN 1'0UCI-I

WITH

GOD

•

Tl1ere is

a

Divine

philosopl1y

behind thi .s fact. The great

est need is to keep in close touch with

God;·

·the g1·eate.st risk

is ·the loss ,of the s,e11se of tl1e Divine. In a world wl1e1·e

every appeal is to the phys ical senses and through them, real ..

ity is in dire ct proportion to the power and freedom of con

tact. What we see, heat.. ta ste, touch or smell what is ma

terial and

sens,ible

\iV

1

e can

ll

1

0t

doubt. The

pre s,en t

and

ma-

te1·ial ab.so

1

rb

1

s attention a11d ,appears real, solid,, s,ubstantia];

but the f utu1·e, the i1nmate1 .al, the invisible, the spiritual, seem

vague, distant,

illusi v·e,

imaginary.

Practically

tl1e unseen l1as

littl ,e or ' 110, reality an ,d influence with the vast majority of

1nanki ·nd. Even

th.e

t1nseen

G·od

Him.self'

is

to

1

most me n les,s

a verity than tl1e comn1onest object of vi sion; to many He,

~the

highe st verity, is

really

vanity, while the world's vanities

are practically the higl1est veritie s.

God's gr

1

eat C

1

orrective for this mo

1

St disastrous inver sion

and perversion of the true relation of things is prayer. ''Enter

int ,o thy

1

clos ,et.'' T'here .all is silence, secrecy, solitude , se

clusion. Within that l1o y of holies the disciple is left alon

1

e -

all others shut out, that

tl1e

suppliant 1nay be sl1ut in ivith

God. The silence is in 01~der o the hearing of

t'he

still, s1nall

voice that is d1·ow11ed n. wor]dl ,y clamo

1

r., and w·hich

ever1

a

httman voice may cause ·to be unl1e.ard or indistinct. The

secrecy is in order to a meeting with Him who seeth in secret

and is b.est seen in secret. The solitttde is for the

purp ,ose

of ,

being alone with One

who can

fully

impress

with His

pres-

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Divine Efficacy o,f

P1.,ayer

71

e11.e only

when there

is no

ot11er

p·resence to ,d,ive1·t tho ·ught ,

f he

place of seclusion

with

God

is the

one

school

where we

lear n

that

He is, and is tl1.e rewarder of tl1ose that diligently .

seek Him . The clos et is ''not only the oratory, it is the ob-

se,,.vato1,y, not for

pr ,ay

1

er

only,

but for prospect the wide-

1·eachi·ng,

clea.r-seeing, out]ool< upon ·tl~e ete ·111al Tl1e de,cline

•

of prayer is therefore the decay of piety; and, for prayer

to cease altogether, would be sp·ir itual d

1

eath,

for it

is to

every child of God the

breatl1

of li fe.

We cannot

too

stro ·ng1y

emphasize thi s

fact,

that

to keep in

close,

toi,cl~

with God in

tlie sec·ret

c,hambe·r

o,f Hi s presence

is the g1 eat f ·undamental unde ·rlying piwpose of prayer.. To·

speak

with

God is

a priceless privileg

1

e; but

what

sha .11

be

said of having and hearing ~Iim

speak

with us We can

tel .l Him

nothing

He

does

not know;

but

He

can tel1

us

what

we do not know, no imagination ·ha s ev,e·r, conceive :d, no re

se,arch ever unveiled. ,.fhe highe st of all possib le attainn1ent s

is tl1e knowledge of God, and this is the practica l

mode of

His

revelat ,ion

o,f· Himself.

Ev

1

en His l1oly Word

needs

to

be

read in the light o.f His own presence

if

it is to

be under

sto11., The praying soul hears God 1peak.. ''And

wh.en

Moses

was gone

into

the

tab ,ernacle

of the congregation to speak

with Him, then he heard tlze

voice

of On,e spieaking unto him

f

1·omoff the mer ,cy se,at tl1at was upon

the

ark of

t

1

estim ,ony -

from between the two cherubim, and He spake unto him''

(Num . .

7

:89).

Whe re there is this close touch with God, and this clear

insight into His name which is His nature, and into His

Wo1·d

whi ,ch is His

wil.1

made

kn,own,

there will be,

a

new po

1

wer: t

1

0 ,

walk with Him in holiness, and work with Him in serv icelf

''He mad

1

e known His , ways · unto

Mos,es,

His ,acts unto the .

c·hi'ld,ren of Israel.' ' Th ,e mass

1

of th

1

e

peo'p

1

le·

stood afar

0

1

ff

and saw

His deeds,

su~h as the overthrowing of

Pharaoh's

hoslts in

the , 'R

1

ed

Sea ;

but Moses

dr1w

near

int

1

0

1

the

thi,ck

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72

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darkness wh

1

er,e God was, and in that thick

darkne :ss

he found

a light such

as never

shone elsewhere_. and in

that light

he reacl

God's

secret pla11s

and

purposes and interpreted

His wondrous

ways

of working. , ·

All practical

power

over sin

and over

men

depends

on

maintaining

this

secret communion

Elijah was

bidden,

first,

''go, hide thyself, , and th ,en,. ''go shew

thyself.''

Those who

abide in

the

secret place with God come

forth

to show them-

selves

mighty

to conquer evil, and

strong to work

and

to

war for God. They are

permitted

to read the secrets of

His

covenant;

they know

His

will ; they

are

the meek

whom

He guides

in

judgment and teache s

His way. Tl1ey are

His

prophets, who speak

for

Him

to others ; because they watch

the signs of the

times, discern H is tokens, and

read

His

sig-

nals W ,e some ·times count as mystics

tl10

se

who, li'ke

Savon -

arola and Catherine

of Siena,

claim to have communications

from God; . to have revelations of a definite plan of God for

His

Churcf1,

or

for

themselves as individuals, like the '

re-

f1ormer of E ,rfurt,

the

founder of the Bristol Orphanages,

or

the leader of the

China Inland Mission.

But may

it

not be

that if we

stum 'ble at these

expe·1·iencesit is because

we

do not .

have

them

our ,selve s ?

Have

not

m,any

0

1

£

the$e

m·en

and

women

afterward

proved b

1

y

their

lives .

that they

vvere

not

mistaken, and

·that

God l1as led them

by a

:way· that no ot ~1er

e ye cou ld trac ,e ?

P'RAYER. IMP .ARTS GOD'S POWER

•

In favor

,o,f

1

close

contact

witl1

the l.iving

Go,d· in

pr.aye,r,

there is another reason that rises perhaps to a still higher

level.

Prayer

not only puts us in touch with God, and gives

knowledge

of Him and His

ways,

but

it

imparts to ,

us

His

power. It is the touch

which

bring s virtue out of Him. It

is

the hand upon

the

pole of

a celestial battery, which

charges

us with: His secret life, energy, efficiency,.,

Things

whicl1

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Divine Efficacy of Prayer 73

are impossible with man are possible with God, and with a

man in whom God is. Prayer is the secret of imparted power

from God, and nothing else can take its place. Absolute

weakness foHows the neglect of secre t communion with God

and the weakness is the more deplorable, because

it

is of ten

unconscious an_d unsuspected, especially when one has never

yet known what true power is.

We

see men of prayer quietly achieving

resul ts of

the

most surprising char acter. They have the calm

of

God, no

hurry,

or

worry, or flurry; no anxiety, or care, no exciteme nt

or hustle or bustle--they do great things for God, and, like

John the Baptist, are great in I-Iis eyes, yet they are little in

their own eyes; they carry great loads, and yet

ar e

not weary

nor faint; they face great crises, and yet are not troubled.

And those who know not what treasures

of

wisdom

nd

strength and courage and power are hidden in God's pa

vilion wonder how it is. They try to account for all this by

something in the 1nan-his talent, or tact, original methods, or

favoring circumstances. Perhaps they try to imitate such

career by securing the patronage of the rich and mighty, or

by dependence on organization, or fleshly energy---or what

n1en call determination to succeed -they bustle about, labor

incessantly, appeal for money and co-operation, and work out

an apparent success, but there is none of that power of God

in

it which cannot be imitated. They con1pass thems .elves

about with sparks, but there is no fire of God; they build up

a great structure, but

it

is wood, hay, stubble; they n1ake a

great noiset but God is not in the clamor.

Nothing is at once so undisputable and so over-awing as

the way in which a few men of God have lived in Him and

He in them. The fact is, that in the disciple's life the fun

damental law is, Not I, but Christ in me. In a grand ly

true sense there is but one

Worker

one Agent, and He Di

vine; and all other so-called workers are instru1nents, and



74

The Fundamentals

instruments only, in His hands. The first quality of a true

·ustrument is passivity. An active instrument ·would defeat

.its own purpose; all its activity must be dependent upon the

111anwho uses it. Sometimes a machine becomes unco ntroll

able, and then it not only becomes useless, but it

becomes

dangerous, and works damage and disaster. What would a

man do with a plane, a knife, an axe, a saw, a bow, that had

any will of its own and moved of itself? Does it mean noth

ing when, in the Word of God, we meet so frequently the

symbols of passive service-the rod, the staff, the saw, the

hamn1er, the sword, the spear, the threshing instrument, the

flail; and, in the New Testament, the vessel? Does it mean

that in proportion as a· man is lJ.JilfulGod can not use him;

that the first condition of service is that the human will is to

be lost in

God s so

that it presents

no

resistance

to His,

no

persi,stence

beyond or apart from I-Iis, and even ventures to

offer no

assistance

to His? George Miiller well taught that

we are to wait to know whether a certain work is God s; then

whether

it

is ours, as being com1nitted to us; but, even

then,

we need to wait for God s way and God s tinie to do His own

work, otherwise we rush precipitately into that which He

means us to do, but only at His signal; or else, perhaps, we

go on doing when He calls a halt. Many a true servant

of God has, like Moses, begun before his Master was ready,

or kept o working when his Master s time was past.

INTERCESSION

There is one aspect of prayer to which particular atten

tion needs to be called, because

it

is strongly emphasized in

the Word, and because it is least used in our daily life, namely,

intercessi.on.

This word, with what underlies it, has a very unique use

and meaning in Scripture. It differs from supplication, first

in this, that supplication has mainly . reference to the sup-



Divitie

Efii 'cacy

of Praye'r

75

pliant and his own supply; and again, because interce ssion

not only

concertis

others, but largely i.mplies the need of

direct

Divine interpositi .on. Th ,e1·e are

1na11y

praye1·s t'hat, i11 their

an.swer;, :allo,w

our co-o,pe1·ation

and imply

our

activity .. When

we pray, '' ,Give us . this day our daily bread, we go to, worta

to

earn

th ,e

breaµ f .or ,¥hich W·e

pray. Tl1at is

God's law.

When we ask God to deliver us from the evil one; we expect

to be sob,er and vigilant, and resist the

adversary.

This is

right;

bt1t

our

activity ·

in

many

0

1

tl1er

matte rs

hinder ,s the .

full dis.play o,f

Go,d's,

p

1

owe1·, and h·enc,e a1so

01ur impre,ssion

of His working. The deepest co,nvictions of God's p1~ayer

answering are ther ef ,ore wro11ght in cases w·here, in the nature

of things, we are p1·ecluded f

ro1n

all

activity in

promoting

the result. .

The w .ord

o,f God

teaches

1~s

tha.t i1itercession

wiit,Ji

,God

is most necessar·y in cases wlie1' e ,ma1: is

most

po·we,rless.

Elij al1 is ]1eld befor ,e, us as a g1~eat intercessor, and the one

example ,giv·en is his

praye1·

for rai 11. Yet in this case he

could only pray; there vvas

nothing else

he

could

do

to un

lock tl1e l1eavens after three years and a l1alf of drought. And

is, there

11ot

a touch ,of Div .ine

poetry

in t 'he

f

or1n

in

which

the

answe1· can1

e

?

The

ri.sing·

cloud

tool<

t'h

1

e

shape

of ''

a,

man's

Jia1ttd', as tl1oug·h to

assure

.tl1e

prophet

how

God

s.aw

and heeded the .supplia~nt

l1and

rais ,ed to

Him

in praye1· .

Daniel

w,as powerless

to

move the

king or reverse his

decr ,ee ;

,all he could do was

to

''desire

mercies

of

tl1e God

of heaven

concerning

tl1is secret;''

a11d it was

·because he coul ,d do

notl·1-

.ing else,

could

·no

1

t,

even

gites.s

at

th,e

interpretation,

inasm·uch

as he knew not even tl1e dream tl1at it became abso,Jutely

sure, when both the

d1ea1n

and its meaning wer ·e maqe

- known, that 1God had interposed , and so even the heathen

king himself saw,

felt

a11d

confes -sed.

A],l

tl1rou.gh

his:toi'y

certa .in crise,s h.ave aris ·en w·he.n tlte

help of n1an was ut ·terly vai11. To , the f,~rma,]

1

Christi,an;, the,

•

•



•

•

•

•

\

I• ,

/6

The Fundamen·t al8

carnal disc:ip]e, the

Unbelieving

SO'Ul, this fa

1

Ct, that th

1

er

1

e IS

noth ,ing

that

man c,ou1d

d,o, makes

p

1

rayer s,eem

almo,st

a

fo,lly,

perhaps ,a f ar

1

ce,, a wast .e of br

1

eath . But to1th

1

ose wh,o best

I

· know

God,

ma,n' s extr ,e1nity is God·

s

opportunity, and human

helplesS11es

S

become s not a reason fo,r the

sil1ll,C

1

1

0f de,,pair,

but

the

a,rgument for

praying in

faitl1. Invariably

thos ,e,

who ,se

faith in praye ,r is supernati1rally strong are those who have

most pro ved that God has

wrou ,ght,

b,y their conscious

1

com~

pul sory

cessati on of all

tl1eir

o,vn efforts

as

va,in

,and

h,opele,ss.

George 'M iiller set out to p

1

rove to a half -believing Chu,rcl1

and

an

unbelieving world

tl1at God

does directly

answer

pray .er; and to do thi s he purpo sel,y abstained from

all

the

ordinary and

otl1e1"wise

legitimate met'l1ods of appeal, , or of

acti ve

effort

to

secur ,e

the hou si11g,clothing

and

feeding

1

of

thousa ,nd s

of

o r,phans.

Hu,d,son

Taylor u11dertook to

put

missionarie s

into Inland

Cl1ina by

dependence solely upon

God, asking no C 0

1

JJections and

even r

1

efus ,ing

them in con-

' nectio11 wit,h p,ubl ic

me eti,ngs,

lest

sucl1

meet ,ings should be

constru ,ed as appeals f 0

1

r l1e1p. He ,a11

1

d hi ,s co-worl<,e:1·s ac

customed themselves

to lay

all wants b

1

efore

the , Lor

1

d,

and , to expect the answe1

4

,

and

ans\\rer

alvvays,

c,am

1

e

and

still

comes. The

study

of

missio11a11'

history

reveals

the

£,act

that,

at the very tim es when, i11

utter

despair of any

l1elp

bttt God's

there has been believing prayer, the interposition of God has

bee11111ot

conspicuously

se,en 110

1

w could it be

most conspic-

t1ous except amid such condition s ?

Every church ought to be a

pray

1

er circle;·

but

this

will

not

be so

1

long ,as we wait for tl1e wh,ole

Churcl1,

as a body, to

move

togetl1er. Tl1e mass o,f profe ,ssing Christians have too little

hol ,d

0

1

n God to

en,ter

l1ea,rtily int ,o

su

1

ch

l10

1

ly agreemen 't'.

To

all

who ye:arn

for a revival of the p

1

rayer-spirit we sugges t

that , in

e,very

co,igrega tion a

p1-ayer

circle ,be

fo r1ne

d, without

regard to

num ,bers.

Let a,ny pastot .. unite with l1imself

any

man or

woman

in

whom

he

discerns

mark s of peculiar spi1·itttal




77

life and power and without publicity or any direct effort to en

large the little .company begin with such to lay before God any

matt.er demanding special Divine guidance and help. Without

any public invitation which might draw unprepared people

into a formal association-it will be found that the Holy

Spirit will enlarge the circle as He fits others or finds others

fit to enter it-and thus quietly and without observation the

little company of praying souls will grow as fast as God means

I

it shall. Let a record be kept of every definite petition laid

before God-for such a prayer circle should be only with

reference to very definite matters-and as God interposes and

answers follow let the record of His interposition be care

fully kept that it may become a new inspir ation both to

praise and to believing prayer. Such a resort to united

intercession we have ourselves known to transform a whole

church remove dissensions rectify errors secure harmony

and unity and promote Holy Spirit ad1ninistration and spir

itual

life

and growth beyond all oth er possible devices.

If in

any church the pastor is unhappily not a man who could or

would lead in such a movement let two or three disciples who

feel the need and have the faith meet and begin perhaps

by praying for

him.

In thi s matter there should

e

no wait

ing for anybody else;

if

there be but one believer who has

power with God let such a one begin intercessory prayer. God

will bring to the side of such an intercessor in His own

time and way others whom He has made ready to act as

supplica tors.

Not long since in a church in Scotland a minister sud

denly began to preach with unprecedented power. The whole

_ congregation was aroused and sinners marvelously saved. H e

himself did not understand the new enduement. In a dream

of the night it was strangely suggested to him that the who le

blessing was traceable to one poor old woman who was sto e

deaf

but who came regularly to chu rch and being unable to



8 The Fundamentals

hear a word, spent all the time in prayer £or the preacher and

individual hearers. In the biography of Charles G. Finney

sjmilar facts are recorded of Father Nash, Abel ClearY, and

others.

Examples might be multiplied indefinitely . But the one

thing we would make prominent is this: God is summoning

His

people to prayer. He wills that men pray everywher ,

lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting ; that, first

of all

supplication, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks

be made for all n1en. ( 1 Tin1. 2: 8.) If this be done first of

all,

,every other most blessed result

will

follow. God waits t

be asked . In Him are the fountains of blessing and He puts

at

the disposal

of

His praying saints

all

their abundance; they

are, however, sealed fountains to the ungod ly and the unbe

lievin g. There is one key tha t always unlocks even heaven's

gates; one secret . that puts connecting channels between those

eternal fountains and ourselves. That key, that secret, is

prevailing prayer.

God has no greater controversy with His people today

than this, that with boundless promises to believing prayer

there are so few who actually give themselves unto interces

sion. This is represented as being a matter even of Divine

wonderment :

A nd there is none that calleth upon Thy name,

That stirreth up hims elf to take hold of Thee (Isa. 64:7).

The very fact that so many disciples, and in so many

parts

of

the world, are form ing prayer circles

or

unions

1s

itself a great incentive to increased and united prayer.

TRUE PRAYER

Our Lord taught a great lesson in Matthew 18 19. He

said: If two of you shall agree [symphonize] on earth

as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for

them of My Father which is in heaven. · The agreement re-



I

Divine Efficacy of Pra yer 79

ferred to is not that of a mere human covenant, nor even

sympathy; it is symphony Symphony is agreemen t of sounds

in a musical chord, and depends upon fixed laws of harmony.

It can not be secured by any arbitrary arrangement. One

cann ot lay his fingers accident ally or carele;sly upon the keys

of a musical instru ment an d produce symphony of sounds.

uch touch may evoke only intolerable discord, unless regu-

lated by a knowledge of the principles of harm ony. Nay,

there is even a deeper necessity, namely, that the

keys

touched

shall themselve s be

in tune with the urhole instrument.

Two

conditions , then , are needful; first, that a skilful hand shall

put the whole instrument in tune; and then that an equally

skilful hand shall touch keys which are capable of producing

together what is called a true chord.

This language evinces Divine design. He is teaching

a grea t lesson on the mystery of prayer, which likewise

demands two great conditions ; first, that the praying sonl

hall be in harmony with God Hiinself; and then that tho c:e

who unite in prayer shall, because of such unity with

Him, be in harmony with each other. There must be, there -

fore, back of all prevailing supplication and intercession One

who,

with

infinite

skill,

tunes the

keys

into

accord

with

His

own ear; and then touches them, · like a master musician, so

that they respond together to H is will and give forth th e chord

which is in His mind.

No true philosophy of prayer can ever be framed which

does not include these conditions. Many have false concep-

tion of

what prayer is. To them it is merely asking for

what one wants. But this may be so far from God's stand-

ard as to lack the first essentials of prayer. It may be ask-

ing something to consume it upon our own lusts. We are to

ask

in the name''

of Christ. But that is not simply

using

His name in prayer. The name is the nature; it expresses

the character, and is equival ent to the person. To ask in



80

The Fundamentals

Christ's name is to come to God, as identified with the very

person of Christ. A wife makes a purchase in her husband's

name. Literally, she uses his name, not her own. She says,

I am Mrs.

A ,

which means, I am his ' wife,

identified with his personality, character, wealth, commer

cial credit, and business standing. To go to God in Christ's

name is to claim identity with Christ as a member of His

body, one with Him before the Father, and having in Him

a right to the Father's gifts, a right to draw on the Father's

infinite resources.

Again, we are told that, if we ask anything ''according

to His will, He hear eth us. But what is asking according

to His will but ceasing to ask according to our own self

will ? Here the impulse is not human, but essentially Di

vine. It implies a knowledge of His will, an insight into

I-Iis

own mind, and

a

sympathy with His purpose. Now

is this possible unless by the Holy Spirit we are brought

into such fellowship with God as that He can guide us in

judgment and yearning, and teach us His way? He is in

deed able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we

ask or think,'' but it is according to His power which work

eth in us. If that power work not

in

us first, how can

it work

for

us, in an swered prayer?

In order to gain higher results, wrought for the Church

or the world, in answer to supplication, there must first be

deeper results wrought in the believer by the Holy Spirit.

In other words, there mu.st be a higher type of personal holi-

ness if there is to be a high r measure of power in prayer.

The carnal mind does not fall into harmony with God, does

not even see and perceive His mind, and hence the carnally

n1inded disciple can not discern the will of God in prayer ,

but is continually hindered and hampered by mistaking self

in1pelled petitions

for divinely inspired prayers, confoundi ,ng

what self-will craves with what is spiritually needful and

Scripturally warranted.




81

God is calling His people to a revival of fa,ith in the Divine

efficacy of prayer.

Our Lord teaches us that

the

prayer

of

faith has the

power of a fiat or a Divine decree. God said sublimely, "Let

light

be "

and light was.

The

Lord Jesus Christ says:

"If

ye have faith as a grain

of

mustard seed"-in which, how

ever small, is the possibility and potency of li

e- ye shalJ

say to this mountain, Be ~hou removed; or to this syca

more tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and it shall obey

you." This is the language not of petition, but of decree.

It

is, in some sort, a laying hold on Omnipotence, so that

nothing is impossible to the pr aying soul.

When we reach such heights of teaching and compare them

with the low level of our Iife we are st ruck dumb with amaze

tnent, first at the astounding pos sibilities of faith, as put be

fore us, and then at the equally astounding impossibilit~es

which unbelief substitutes for the offered on1nipotence of

supplication. When we think of the possible heights of inter

cession we seen1 again to hear the saintly McCheyne crying

out: "Do

everything in earnest J

If

it is worth doing,

then

do it with all your might. Above all, keep 1nuch in th e

presence of G-od; never see the face of man till you have

seen His face." That is the preparation

of

prayer, prevail

ing first with God to enable us to prevail with man. Jacobi

must have been thinking along these lines when he said: My

watchword, and that of my reason, is not I, but One who is

more and better than I; One who is entirely different from

what I am-I mean God. I neither am, nor care to be, if

He

is not " It is prayer that

1nakes

God real-the highest

reality and verity; and that sends us back into the world with

the conviction and consciou sness that He i~, and is in us,

mighty to work in us, and through us, as instruments, so

that nothing shall be Impossible to the instrument, because

of the Workman, back of it, who holds and wields the weapon.



•

•

•

•

•

•

The Fundatn e itals

The po

1

wer of such prayer defies

all

competition or in1i

tation

by

the most perfect fo1·ms of liturgy. Who ca11copy

or canvass the in1pri soned flame of a pric ,eless gem with mere

·brush

and

pigrnen·ts

r

Or

counterfeit

the

pl1otosphere

of

the

· sun with yellow chalk There is a flame

of

God which

Jlrayer lights withi 11; there is a glow and 1.ight and heat in

the life which can be kindled only by a co.al from the g·old,en

altar wh .ich isl bef ore tl·1e thr one. It is only the few who

find

their way

thither and

know

tl1e

enki .ndling po.wer ;

but to

tl1ose few

tl1e Churcr1

a11

1

cl

t l1e

wo.rld

owe mi,gh ty

upheaval s

and outpou ·rin,gs. (Rev. 8.)

1

C.hemi ,cal galvani sm po·SS

1

ess es1

thisl p

1

culiarity, that an

increase of its

pow

1

ers cannot be gai ned

by

increas ,ing

the

1

d'i•

mensions of the Celis of tl1e battery, but can be

by

i·ncreasing

tl1eir

n·umber.

We ·need

more interce sso1·s if

.we

a1e

1

to ha·ve

gr·eatly· incre·ased

power.

The

nutnber

of

1

cells

must

be

in

creased. · M,ore of

1

God's people must learn to pray. The

foes are too many for a f'ew to cope w·ith them, however

empowered of God. The variety of human want and woe,

the scattered m illions of

tl1e

un saved, th

1

e wide territory to

be

covered with intercessio11 all the se

and other

lik ·e

con

siderations demand multi plied

forces.

Each human being

has only a very limited k.nowledge of human n,eed. Our i11-

dividual circle of acquaintance is so comparatively narrow

that eve ·n the most prayerful spirit cannot survey the whole

field ,, But when in all parts of the destitute territory suppli

cators multiply, even t.hese na rr ·olw circle .s,, placed side b

1

y side

and largely overlapping, cover the whole broad field of neecl1

Our own. personal and

li1nited

knowledge and

range

of in~

telligent

sympathy meet and

touch

similar and sympathetic

s,ouls, so that what we

do

not

se,e

0

1

r feel or

pr.ay

for, ap ...

peals. to others of our fell ow discip,les ; and so, in proportion

a·s

th

1

e. i.nterces ,s,ors

multiply,

every i11teres' of

:m,ankind finds

its representatives in the secret place a11dat

the throne. ·

•



•

•

83

We cannot 11take up

fo1

lack of praying by ,excess o,f wo1 k

ing. In fact working without praying is a sort of practi cal

a·tl1eisn(), foir it le·aves

out

Go

dt

It

·is,

t:he

pray ,er

·t]1at

pre

pares ·for work, that arms us for the warfare, that furnishe s

us for the activity.

It behooves

us, stud ,ying

intently the

p1·omises to prayer, to say

u11to

the L ,ord: ' 'This being

Thy

,vor d, I will hencef

ortl1

live as a 1nan of

pray er

and claim

my privile ge a11cl

s,l

my po,ve.r as

an int ercesso r."

H ere is

tl1e high.est

icle11tification

with the

Son of God.

It

is

almost being · adm itted

to a sort of

fellowship in .fii.s,

tnedi,a·to1·ia worl< .During this d·ispensation His work is

n1ainly interc

1

ession.

He

calls

us to take

a

subordinat e

part

in th

1

e ho,,y office, standi11g, lil<e Phinel1as, betwee n tl1,e living

a11dth

1

e clead ·to stay tl1e plagt1e; like E lijah, betwee n heaven ·

and

eartl1

to unlock heaven 's fl.ood-ga tes

of

ble ssing

and·

com

mand the

fir

1

e

an,d

flood

of

Go

1

d

Is

tl1is tr ·ue? Tl1en

what

ca11be 1nore awful a11claugt 1st than such di,gnity and ma

jesity

of p1·ivile.ge

Ignati11s

,ve lco1nes th e Numidia11 lio11

in the arena , saying: ''I am gra ·in of God ; I m·ust b,e

,grou11ti

betw een

the

teeth of lio11s to

n1al<:e

brea ,d

£or God's

peo1)le.'

He

felt

in

the hour

o,f

1nartyrdom the privilege

of joini11 t

hi .s dyi11g Lord in a s,a

1

crifice t'hat Bus hn ell woul

1

d call

1

''vi

ca1~ous. '

Who will joi11the ·rise11

Lo,·1·d

11 a se·rvi1,e of inte.r·ces

1

sio·n ?

The

greate st

difficulty

in the

way of p

1

ractical conv ·ersion

of

1nen may not

be i11 God's

eyes so mucl1 a

barrier

of ungodli

n,ess amo11g th ,e l1eat·he11as a bar rier of unbelief among Eris

own

1

disciples

The

sixteentl1 centu1·y

\\,as

g1·eat

in

pain ters,

the s,eve11-

teenth in philosop 'hers, the

1

eighteenth in wr'ite·rs, tl1e nine

- teenth in preacher s

and inv ento ,rs ;

God grant that the

twen

tietl1 may be forever historical1y memorable as th

1

e century

•

of

intercessors.

•

•

'

the fundamentals: volume 9, chapter 6: divine efficacy of prayer

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