If ye shall ask . . .

By
Oswald Chambers
Grosset & Dunlap Publishers
Published in U. S. A.,
1938
by
DODD, !AD A"D #OPA"$, %"#.
1
&ore'ord..............................................................................................................................(
#hapter % )hat*s +he Good O, Prayer-..............................................................................(
#hapter %% +he Se.ret O, +he Sa.red Si/pli.ity O, Prayer...............................................8
+he 0ine O, +he Undis.erned )ord O, Our 0ord..........................................................9
1a2 +he Appropriate Pla.e O, Our 0ord*s Arran3in3...................................................9
1b2 +he Appointed Pla.e o, Our 0ord4s Asso.iates....................................................9
1.2 +he Autobio3raphi. Pla.e o, Our 0ord4s A3ony.................................................15
+he 0ure O, )ron3 6oads +o +he 7in3do/................................................................11
1a2 +he aterial 6oad o, Deli8eran.e.......................................................................11
1b2 +he ysterious 6oad o, De8otion.......................................................................11
1.2 +he ental 6oad O, Do/inion............................................................................19
+he 0i3ht O, Undis.iplined :ision...............................................................................19
1a2 +he +riu/phant inute........................................................................................19
1b2 +he +rans,i3uration o/ent...............................................................................13
1.2 +he +rans.endent o/ent...................................................................................13
#hapter %%% +he Se.ret O, +he Sa.red Stru33le &or Prayer..............................................1(
+he 0ord*s O'n #ontinuously %n Pra.ti.e, (vv. 19;13.2..............................................1(
+he 0ord*s O'n #oura3eously %n Preparation, (vv. 1(;1<.2..........................................1=
+he 0ord*s O'n #o/petently %n Pla.e. (vv. 18;19.2.....................................................1>
#hapter %: +he #urri.ulu/ O, %nter.ession.....................................................................1<
%nspired )aitin3.............................................................................................................1<
%ntelli3ent )itnessin3....................................................................................................19
%n8iolable )al?in3.........................................................................................................95
#hapter : A,ter God*s Silen.e;)hat-...............................................................................91
+he Absen.e O, Audible 6esponse...............................................................................91
+he Attitude O, A',ul 6epose.......................................................................................99
+he Ans'er*s A/a@in3 6e8elation................................................................................99
#hapter :% "o' +his !Aplains %t......................................................................................93
+he Sub/issions O, 0i,e...............................................................................................93
+he Solitarinesses O, 0i,e.............................................................................................9(
+he Subli/ity O, 0i,e...................................................................................................9=
#hapter :%% Prayin3 %n +he Boly Ghost............................................................................9=
Prayer Per8aded By Pente.ost.......................................................................................9=
Pe.uliar Sense O, "eed.................................................................................................9>
Per/eatin3 Sense O, 6estraint......................................................................................9>
Pro,ound Sense O, #hrist*s )or?..................................................................................9>
Apprehension O, God*s 6esour.es................................................................................9<
At/osphere &or )or?....................................................................................................9<
Apostoli. Babit..............................................................................................................98
Attitude O, Daily 6ea.tion............................................................................................98
9
#hapter :%%% St. Paul*s %nter.ession &or %nstantaneous %nsistent San.ti,i.ation..............99
+he :alue O, #al/........................................................................................................35
:alue O, assi8e +ruth.................................................................................................31
1a2 ysti.al...............................................................................................................31
1b2 oral...................................................................................................................39
1.2 aterial...............................................................................................................33
#hapter %C +his Day %s +hat Day......................................................................................33
UnperpleAed 6ealisation................................................................................................3(
UnDuestioned 6e8elation...............................................................................................3(
Unde,le.ted 6e,le.tion..................................................................................................3(
Undisturbed 6elation.....................................................................................................3=
Undis3uised 6e.o3nition...............................................................................................3=
#hapter C %nter.ession......................................................................................................3>
+he Stren3th And Sel,;0i/itation O, %nter.ession................................................3>
+he Sa3a.ity And Sub/issi8eness O, %nter.ession...................................................38
+he Sha/elessness And Strenuousness O, %nter.ession...............................................38
+he Sa.ra/ent And Substitution O, %nter.ession..........................................................39
#hapter C% +he 7ey +o Ser8i.e.........................................................................................(5
Our aster*s Orders.......................................................................................................(5
Our aster*s O'nership................................................................................................(1
Our aster*s Option.......................................................................................................(9
#hapter C%% +he Unrealised 0o3i. O, Prayer....................................................................(9
+he Unrealised Philosophy O, Prayer........................................................................(3
1a2 +he Un.o8ered +ruth o, Our %n,ir/ities..............................................................(3
1b2 +he Unsyllabled +or/ent o, Our %n;Ability.......................................................(3
1.2 +he Unutterable +enderness o, the %nter.ession.................................................((
+he Unri8alled Po'er O, Prayer,..................................................................................((
1a2 +he Uni/a3ined %nterest o, God........................................................................((
1b2 +he Undis.o8ered %nter.ession Be,ore God........................................................(=
1.2 +he Unsurpassed %denti,i.ation )ith God.........................................................(=
+he Unre.o3nised Pro8iden.e o, Prayer.......................................................................(>
1a2 +he Unde,iled Shrine o, #ons.iousness..............................................................(>
1b2 +he Undete.ted Sa.redness o, #ir.u/stan.es.....................................................(>
1.2 +he Unde8iatin3 Se.urity o, Bis #allin3.............................................................(<
3
Foreword
%t is 'ith real /is3i8in3 as to any ability to 'orthily eApress /y 3ratitude to Al/i3hty
God ,or brin3in3 /e into .onta.t 'ith Bis ser8ant Os'ald #ha/bers, that % respond to
the reDuest that % should 'rite a ,ore'ord to this boo?.
r. #ha/bers 'as the .lose personal ,riend o, /y /ature /anhood, 'ith 'ho/ the /ost
inti/ate .on,iden.es 'ere shared. Under God, % o'e to his ,riendship not only the
openin3 out o, a ,uller apprehension o, the 6ede/ption o, our 0ord Eesus #hrist, but also
the a.Duire/ent o, the /ental de8elop/ent ne.essary to enable /e, in so/e /easure, to
state intelli3ibly to others the results o, the ?no'led3e i/parted to /ysel,.
A/on3 the /any aAio/ati. state/ents that ,ell ,ro/ his lips, the ,ollo'in3 'as
parti.ularly enli3htenin3, FAl'ays distin3uish .learly the di,,eren.e bet'een God*s order
and God*s per/issi8e 'ill.F And in this boo? he sho's so .on.isely and si/ply that under
God*s dispensational so8erei3nty, deli8eran.e ,ro/ sin now is Bis eApressed 'ill, 'hile
si.?ness and li/itation are subGe.t to God*s so8erei3nty a.ti8e in pre-dispensational
e,,i.a.y. +al?ed out 'ith God Bi/sel, until that per,e.t har/ony bet'een God and our
o'n hearts is an unsha?able ,a.t, these lines o, thou3ht enable us to arri8e at a rest,ul
eAplanation o, /ost o, our di,,i.ulties .on.ernin3 prayer.
Os'ald #ha/bers* prayer;li,e 'as one o, inter.ession ,or others. Seldo/ did he as?
spe.i,i.ally ,or anythin3 /aterial ,or hi/sel,. Bis 'hole personal attitude to'ards God
'as that o, har/onious relationship, and absolute .hildli?e dependen.e upon his
hea8enly &ather.
+he pre.ious 3e/s in.luded in this boo? are /ore in the nature o, eGa.ulatory response to
,resh 3lea/s o, li3ht, or ,resh insi3ht into personal needs as he enGoyed that .lose
inter.ourse 'ith his belo8ed aster.
)hile /any other /essa3es on prayer ha8e already been in.luded in so/e o, his other
boo?s, this is .on,ined /ainly to the tal?s not other'ise in boo? ,or/. %t 'ill be
interestin3 to ?no' that the ,irst tal? 'as one 3i8en to the soldiers at Heitoun, and
eAplains the si3ni,i.an.e o, the outline, also sho'in3 the ?ind o, /essa3e the /en 3ot
there.
% .annot 'ish better ,or all 'ho read these God;3i8en /essa3es, than that they ha8e the
e,,e.t o, leadin3 the/ also into that real ,ello'ship that he hi/sel, habitually enGoyed
'ith the 0ord he lo8ed so /u.h.
Eohn S. S?id/ore
Bri/,ield, 0udlo', Shropshire.
18th Septe/ber, 193<
Chapter I What's The Good Of Prayer?
1+i/othy 9I1;8
(
B!#AUS! )! "!!D +O;0u?e 11I1.
&or Bu/an )its ha8e an !ndJPsal/ 15<I13,19,98.
&or Bu/an )ills ha8e an !ndJ6o/ans 8I9>.
&or Bu/an )isdo/ has an !ndJEa/es 1I=.
Prayer alters !.
B!#AUS! )! US+ DO;Ea/es =I1>.
%, 'e 'ould ?no' GodJatthe' >I8.
%, 'e 'ould help enJEohn 1(I19;13.
%, 'e 'ould do God*s )illJ1 Eohn =I1(;1>.
Prayer alters O+B!6S.I
B!#AUS! )! #A" DO;0u?e 18I1
By As?in3
By See?in3 0u?e 9I 9;13K Eohn 1=I <.
By 7no.?in3
Prayer alters #%6#US+A"#!S throu3h /e.
%t is only 'hen a /an ,lounders beyond any 3rip o, hi/sel, and .annot understand thin3s
that he really prays. %t is not part o, the natural li,e o, a /an to pray. By *natural* % /ean
the ordinary sensible, healthy, 'orldly;/inded li,e. )e hear it said that a /an 'ill su,,er
in his li,e i, he does not prayK % Duestion it. Prayer is an interruption to personal a/bition,
and no /an 'ho is busy has ti/e to pray. )hat 'ill su,,er is the li,e o, God in hi/,
'hi.h is nourished not by ,ood but by prayer. %, 'e loo? on prayer as a /eans o, de;
8elopin3 oursel8es, there is nothin3 in it at all, nor do 'e ,ind that idea o, prayer in the
Bible. Prayer is other than /editationK it is that 'hi.h de8elops the li,e o, God in us.
)hen a /an is born ,ro/ abo8e, the li,e o, the Son o, God be3ins in hi/, and he .an
either star8e that li,e or nourish it. Prayer is the 'ay the li,e o, God is nourished. Our
0ord nourished the li,e o, God in Bi/ by prayerK Be 'as .ontinually in .onta.t 'ith Bis
&ather. )e 3enerally loo? upon prayer as a /eans o, 3ettin3 thin3s ,or oursel8es, 'hereas
the Bible idea o, prayer is that God*s holiness and God*s purpose and God*s 'ise order
/ay be brou3ht about, irrespe.ti8e o, 'ho .o/es or 'ho 3oes. Our ordinary 8ie's o,
prayer are not ,ound in the "e' +esta/ent.
)hen a /an is in real distress he prays 'ithout reasonin3K he does not thin? thin3s out,
he si/ply spurts it outJF+hen they .ried unto the 0ord in their trouble, and Be sa8ed
the/ out o, their distresses.F )hen 'e 3et into a ti3ht pla.e our lo3i. 3oes to the 'inds,
and 'e 'or? ,ro/ the i/pli.it part o, oursel8es.
F$our &ather ?no'eth 'hat thin3s ye ha8e need o,, be,ore ye as? Bi/.F +hen 'hy as?-
:ery e8idently our ideas about prayer and Eesus #hrist*s are not the sa/e. Prayer to Bi/
is not a /eans o, 3ettin3 thin3s ,ro/ God, but in order that 'e /ay 3et to ?no' God.
Prayer, that is, is not to be used as the petted pri8ile3e o, a spoiled .hild see?in3 ,or ideal
=
.onditions in 'hi.h to indul3e his spiritual propensities ad lib.K the purpose o, prayer is to
re8eal the Presen.e o, God, eDually present at all ti/es and in e8ery .ondition.
A /an /ay say, *)ell, i, the Al/i3hty has de.reed thin3s, 'hy need % pray- %, Be has
/ade up Bis /ind, 'hat is the use o, /e thin?in3 % .an alter Bis /ind by prayer-* )e
/ust re/e/ber that there is a di,,eren.e bet'een God*s order and God*s per/issi8e 'ill.
God*s order re8eals Bis .hara.terK Bis per/issi8e 'ill applies to 'hat Be per/its. &or
instan.e, it is God*s order that there should be no sin, no su,,erin3, no si.?ness, no
li/itation and no deathK Bis per/issi8e 'ill is all these thin3s. God has so arran3ed
/atters that 'e are born into Bis per/issi8e 'ill, and 'e ha8e to 3et at Bis order by an
e,,ort o, our o'n, 8i@., by prayer. +o be .hildren o, God, a..ordin3 to the "e'
+esta/ent, does not /ean that 'e are .reatures o, God only, but that 'e 3ro' into a li?e;
ness to God by our o'n /oral .hara.ter.
% Duestion 'hether the people 'ho .ontinually as? ,or prayer /eetin3s ?no' the ,irst
ele/ent o, prayer. %t is o,ten an abortion o, reli3ious hysteri.s, a disease o, the ner8es
ta?in3 a spiritual t'ist. Eesus says 'e are to pray in Bis na/e, i.e., in Bis nature, and Bis
nature is shed abroad in our hearts by the Boly Ghost 'hen 'e are born ,ro/ abo8e. 1See
0u?e 11I13K 6o/ans =I=.2 A3ain, Eesus did not pro/ise to be at e8ery prayer /eetin3, but
only at those F'here t'o or three are 3athered to3ether in y na/e,F i.e., in Bis nature.
1atthe' 18I95.2 Eesus #hrist does not pay any attention to the 3i,t o, *reli3ious 3ab,4 and
Bis 'ordsJFBut 'hen ye pray, use not 8ain repetitions, as the heathen doI ,or they thin?
that they shall be heard ,or their /u.h spea?in3,F re,er not to the /ere repetition and
,or/ o, 'ords, but to the ,a.t that it is ne8er our earnestness that brin3s us into tou.h
'ith God, but our 0ord Eesus #hrist*s 8itali@in3 death. 1See Bebre's 15I19.2
Our 0ord in Bis tea.hin3 re3ardin3 prayer ne8er on.e re,erred to unans'ered prayerK Be
said God al'ays ans'ers prayer. %, our prayers are in the na/e o, Eesus, i.e., in
a..ordan.e 'ith Bis nature, the ans'ers 'ill not be in a..ordan.e 'ith our nature, but
'ith Bis. )e are apt to ,or3et this, and to say 'ithout thin?in3 that God does not al'ays
ans'er prayer. Be does e8ery ti/e, and 'hen 'e are in .lose .o//union 'ith Bi/, 'e
realise that 'e ha8e not been /isled.
FAs?, and it shall be 3i8en you.F )e 3rouse be,ore God, and are apolo3eti. or apatheti.,
but 'e ask 8ery ,e' thin3sK yet 'hat a splendid auda.ity a .hild;li?e .hild hasL and our
0ord says, F!A.ept ye ... be.o/e as little .hildren ...F Eesus says, *As?, and God 'ill do.*
Gi8e Eesus #hrist a .han.e, 3i8e Bi/ elbo';roo/, and no /an e8er does it until he is at
his 'its* end. Durin3 the 'ar /any a /an prayed ,or the ,irst ti/e in his li,e. )hen a /an
is at his 'its* end, it is not a .o'ardly thin3 to pray, it is the only 'ay to 3et in tou.h 'ith
6eality. As lon3 as 'e are sel,;su,,i.ient and .o/pla.ent, 'e don*t need to as? God ,or
anythin3, 'e don*t 'ant Bi/K it is only 'hen 'e ?no' 'e are po'erless that 'e are
prepared to listen to Eesus #hrist and to do 'hat Be says.
+hen a3ain our 0ord says, F%, ye abide in e, and y 'ords abide in you, ye shall as?
'hat ye will," i.e., 'hat your 'ill is in. +here is 8ery little our 'ills are in, .onseDuently
it is easy to 'or? up ,alse e/otions. )e inter.ede in a /e.hani.al 'ay, our /inds are not
in it. )hen 'e see a /an 3oin3 'ron3, it is a ,alse 'ay to *buttonhole* hi/ and tell hi/
about itK Eesus #hrist says, *#o/e and tell e, and % 'ill 3i8e you li,e ,or hi/ that sins
not unto death.* 1See 1 Eohn =I1>.2
>
Be yoursel, eAa.tly be,ore God, and present your proble/s, the thin3s you ?no' you
ha8e .o/e to your 'its* end about. As? 'hat you will, and Eesus #hrist says your prayers
'ill be ans'ered. )e .an al'ays tell 'hether our 'ill is in 'hat 'e as? by the 'ay 'e
li8e 'hen 'e are not prayin3.
+he "e' +esta/ent 8ie' o, a #hristian is that he is one in 'ho/ the Son o, God has
been re8ealed, and prayer deals 'ith the nourish/ent o, that li,e. One 'ay it is nourished
is by re,usin3 to 'orry o8er anythin3, ,or 'orry /eans there is so/ethin3 o8er 'hi.h 'e
.annot ha8e our o'n 'ay, and is in reality personal irritation 'ith God. Eesus #hrist says,
*Don*t 'orry about your li,e, don*t ,ear the/ 'hi.h ?ill the bodyK be a,raid only o, not
doin3 'hat the Spirit o, God indi.ates to you.*
F%n e8ery thin3 3i8e than?s.F "e8er let anythin3 push you to your 'its* end, be.ause you
'ill 3et 'orried, and 'orry /a?es you sel,;interested and disturbs the nourish/ent o, the
li,e o, God. Gi8e than?s to God that He is there, no /atter 'hat is happenin3. any a
/an has ,ound God in the belly o, hell in the tren.hes durin3 the days o, 'ar, i.e., they
.a/e to their 'its* end and dis.o8ered God. +he se.ret o, #hristian Duietness is not
indi,,eren.e, but the ?no'led3e that God is /y &ather, Be lo8es /e, % shall ne8er thin? o,
anythin3 Be 'ill ,or3et, and 'orry be.o/es an i/possibility.
%t is not so true that FPrayer .han3es thin3sF as that prayer .han3es me, and then % .han3e
thin3sK .onseDuently 'e /ust not as? God to do 'hat Be has .reated us to do. &or
instan.e, Eesus #hrist is not a so.ial re,or/erK Be .a/e to alter us ,irst, and i, there is any
so.ial re,or/ to be done on earth, 'e /ust do it. God has so .onstituted thin3s that prayer
on the basis o, 6ede/ption alters the 'ay a /an loo?s at thin3s. Prayer is not a Duestion
o, alterin3 thin3s eAternally, but o, 'or?in3 'onders in a /an*s disposition. )hen you
pray, things re/ain the sa/e, but you be3in to be di,,erent. +he sa/e thin3 'hen a /an
,alls in lo8e, his .ir.u/stan.es and .onditions are the sa/e, but he has a so8erei3n
pre,eren.e in his heart ,or another person 'hi.h trans,i3ures e8erythin3. %, 'e ha8e been
born ,ro/ abo8e and #hrist is ,or/ed in us, instantly 'e be3in to see thin3s di,,erently
JF%, any /an is in #hrist, there is a ne' .reation.F
Bea8en abo8e is bri3hter blue,
!arth around is s'eeter 3reenL
So/ethin3 li8es in e8ery hue
#hristless eyes ha8e ne8er seenI
Birds 'ith 3ladder son3s o*er,lo',
&lo'ers 'ith deeper beauties shine,
Sin.e % ?no', as now % ?no',
% a/ Bis, and Be is /ine.
+he 3ood o, prayin3 is that it 3ets us to ?no' God and enables God to per,or/ Bis order
throu3h us, no /atter 'hat Bis per/issi8e 'ill /ay be. A /an is ne8er 'hat he is in spite
<
of his .ir.u/stan.es, but because o, the/. #ir.u/stan.es, as 6eader Barris on.e said, are
li?e ,eather bedsJ8ery .o/,ortable to be on top o,, but i//ensely s/otherin3 i, they
3et on top o, you. Eesus #hrist, by the Spirit o, God, al'ays ?eeps us on top o, our
.ir.u/stan.es.
O 0ord, this day /y soul 'ould stay upon +hee as #reator o, the 'orld, and upon our
0ord Eesus #hrist as #reator o, Bis li,e in /e. Oh ,or the po'er o, +hy Spirit to adore
+hee in ,uller /easureL
F)hat shall % render unto the 0ord ,or all Bis bene,its to'ard /e- % 'ill ta?e the .up o,
sal8ation . . .F #an % thin? o, anythin3 so 3ra.ious and .o/plete in surrender and de8otion
and 3ratitude as to ta?e ,ro/ +hee- O 0ord, % 'ould that % had a li8elier sense o, +hee
and o, +hy bounties .ontinually 'ith /e.
O 0ord, this day /ay +hy beauty and 3ra.e and soothin3 pea.e be in and upon /e, and
/ay no 'ind or 'eather or anAiety e8er tou.h +hy beauty and +hy pea.e in /y li,e or in
this pla.e.

Chapter II The Secret Of The Sacred Simplicity Of
Prayer
F)at.h and pray, that ye enter not into te/ptationI the spirit indeed is 'illin3, but the
,lesh is 'ea?.F atthe' 9>I(1.
+hese 'ords 'ere spo?en in the supre/e /o/ent o, our 0ord*s a3onyK 'e are i//ensely
,lippant i, 'e ,or3et that. "o 'ords our 0ord e8er spo?e ou3ht to 'ei3h 'ith us /ore
than these 'ords. )e are dealin3 'ith the sa.red si/pli.ity M o, prayer. %, prayer is not
easy, 'e are 'ron3K i, prayer is an e,,ort, 'e are out o, it. +here is only one ?ind o,
person 'ho .an really pray, and that is the .hildli?e saint, the si/ple, stupid, supernatural
.hild o, GodK % do /ean *stupid.* %//ediately you try to eAplain 'hy God ans'ers
prayer on the 3round o, reason, it is nonsenseK M- God ans'ers prayer on the 3round o,
6ede/ption and on no other 3round. 0et us ne8er ,or3et that our prayers are heard, not
be.ause 'e are in earnest, not be.ause 'e su,,er, but be.ause Eesus su,,ered. %t is be.ause
our 0ord Eesus #hrist 'ent throu3h the depths o, a3ony to the last ebb in the Garden o,
Gethse/ane, be.ause Be 'ent throu3h #al8ary, that 'e ha8e Fboldness to enter into the
holy pla.e.F
0et us ta?e oursel8es a.ross 7edron to the Garden o, Gethse/ane. )e .an ne8er ,atho/
the a3ony in Gethse/ane, but at least 'e need not /';understand. +his is not the a3ony
o, a /anI this is the distress o, God in an, or rather the distress o, God as an. %t is not
hu/an in any phase, it is ,atho/less to a hu/an /ind, but 'e ha8e 3ot se8eral lines to 3o
on so as not to mis-understand. Al'ays be'are o, the tenden.y to thin? o, our 0ord as an
eAtraordinary hu/an bein3K Be 'as not, Be 'as God %n.arnate.
8
The Line Of The Undiscerned Word Of Or Lord
F)at.h and pray. . . .F
F+arry ye here, and 'at.h 'ith e.F %s /y idea o, prayer based on the ?een 'at.hin3 that
Eesus #hrist as?ed o, Bis dis.iples- Be did not say, *pray ,or anythin3,* or, *as? God ,or
anythin3*K the 'hole o, Bis attitude to'ard the/ 'as 'rapped up in the 'ords, F'at.h
'ith e.F Our 0ord did not say senti/ental thin3s or pious thin3s about prayer, Be said
pra.ti.al and intensely real thin3s, and this is one o, the/. +his is a line o, thin3s that
opens up nothin3 to us until it does, be.ause 'e brin3 in our o'n ideas o, prayer and do
not ta?e into a..ount the astership o, our 0ord. Probably that is our bi33est di,,i.ultyJ
that our 0ord is not really aster. )e use the phrase *aster,* but 'e use it in a /ore or
less pious 'ay, 'e do not intend to /a?e Bi/ aster pra.ti.allyK 'e are /u.h /ore
,a/iliar 'ith the idea that Eesus is our Sa8iour, our San.ti,ier, anythin3 that puts Bi/ in
the relationship o, a supernatural #o/rade. )e ad8o.ate anythin3 that Eesus does, but 'e
do not ad8o.ate Bi/.
!a" The #ppropriate Place Of Or Lord's #rran$in$%
FSit ye here, 'hile % 3o yonder and pray.F %t is .usto/ary, and in one sense Duite ri3ht, to
ta?e our 0ord as an eAa/ple o, ho' to pray, but in the ,unda/ental sense Be is not. +he
relationship 'e ha8e to God is not the sa/e as Eesus #hrist*s relationship to Bis &atherJ
espe.ially on this o..asionK Bis is not a relationshipI it is a 6ede/ption. So until you are
sure about our 0ord*s 6ede/ptionJ*sit here, 'ait.* People say, *)hy do you 'aste your
ti/e in a Bible +rainin3 #olle3e- &an.y spendin3 all your ti/e studyin3 the BibleL +hin?
o, the people 'ho need to be loo?ed a,terK thin? o, the thousand and one thin3s there are
to doL* )ell, they ha8e to be done, but that is not the point. +he point is, are 'e prepared
,or our 0ord to say to us, FSit ye here, 'hile % 3o yonderF- Are 'e prepared to 3i8e due
'ei3ht to the ,a.t that 'e are not our o'n /asters- Are 'e de8otees to a .ause or dis.i;
ples o, the 0ord Eesus #hrist- Be said to the dis.iples, FSit ye hereFK i, they had been li?e
so/e o, us they 'ould ha8e said, *"o, it is absurd, 'e /ust 3o and do so/ethin3.*
+he /ore 'e 3et into the at/osphere o, the "e' +esta/ent the /ore 'e dis.o8er the un;
,atho/able and unhastin3 leisure o, our 0ord*s li,e, no /atter 'hat Bis a3ony. +he
di,,i.ulty is that 'hen 'e do 'hat God 'ants us to do, our ,riends say, *%t is all 8ery 'ell,
but suppose 'e all did thatL* Our 0ord did not tell all the dis.iples to sit there 'hile Be
prayedK Be told only three o, the/. +he point is that 'e /ust ta?e the dis.ernin3 o, the
hapha@ard arran3e/ents o, our li8es ,ro/ God. %, on.e 'e a..ept the 0ord Eesus #hrist
and the do/ination o, Bis 0ordship, then nothin3 happens by .han.e, be.ause 'e ?no'
that God is orderin3 and en3ineerin3 .ir.u/stan.esK the ,uss has 3one, the a/ateur
pro8iden.e has 3one, the a/ateur disposer has 3one, and 'e ?no' that Fall thin3s 'or?
to3ether ,or 3ood to the/ that lo8e God.F %, Eesus says, FSit ye here, 'hile % 3o yonder
and pray,F the only appropriate thin3 'e .an do is to sit there.
9
!&" The #ppointed Place of Or Lord's #ssociates%
FAnd Be too? 'ith Bi/ Peter and the t'o sons o, Hebedee, . . .F Our 0ord opened Bis
sorro' to these three, as ,ar as hu/an bein3s .ould appre.iate it. Peter /ay stand 'ell ,or
the phase o, the ,irst te/ptation that betoo? our 0ord Jthe sensible, /aterial side o,
thin3s, ,or help and assistan.e. Ea/es /ay stand ,or the se.ond te/ptation that betoo?
our 0ordJthe intensely ritualisti.K and Eohn /ay stand ,or the last te/ptationJthe
te/ptation to .o/pro/ise 'ith e8erythin3 in order to 'in, a 3reat lo8in3 /onopoly.
+hese three /en 'ere ta?en and appointed by our 0ord ,or one purposeJto see Bis
a3ony. F+arry ye here, and 'at.h 'ith e.F Be did not put the/ there to 3o to sleepK Be
put the/ there to 'ait and 'at.h. 6e/e/ber, the t'el8e dis.iples 'ere all Be hadK Be
?ne' one had 3one to betray Bi/, and that Peter 'ould shortly deny Bi/ 'ith oaths and
.urses, and that all o, the/ 'ould ,orsa?e Bi/ and ,leeK but Be too? these three 'ith
Bi/ to see the un8eilin3 o, Bis heartJ and they slept ,or their o'n sorro'.
!c" The #to&io$raphic Place of Or Lord's #$ony%
Fand be3an to be sorro',ul and sore troubled.F Our 0ord said to these dis.iples 'hat Be
ne8er said to the othersK in Eohn 19I9<, Be M said in soliloDuy so/ethin3 si/ilar 1F"o'
is y soul troubledK and 'hat shall % say-F2, but here Be really said to these three, Fy
soul is eA.eedin3 sorro',ul, e8en unto death.F Ba8e 'e ,or one se.ond 'at.hed Eesus
pray- Ba8e 'e e8er understood 'hy the Boly Ghost and our 0ord Bi/sel, 'ere so
eA.eptionally .are,ul about the re.ordin3 o, the a3ony in Gethse/ane- +his is not the
a3ony o, a /an or a /artyrK this is the a3ony o, God as an. %t is God, as an, 3oin3
throu3h the last lap o, the supre/e, supernatural 6ede/ption o, the hu/an ra.e. )e
ou3ht to 3i8e /u.h /ore I ti/e than 'e doJa 3reat deal /ore ti/e than 'e doJto
broodin3 on the ,unda/ental truths on 'hi.h the Spirit o, God 'or?s the si/pli.ity o,
our #hristian eAperien.e. +he ,unda/ental truths areJ6ede/ption and the personal
presen.e o, the Boly Ghost, and these t'o are ,o.used in one /i3hty Personality, the
0ord Eesus #hrist. +han? God ,or the e/phasis laid by the Pente.ostal 0ea3ue o, Prayer
on the e,,i.a.y o, the Boly Ghost to /a?e eAperi/entally real the 6ede/ption o, Eesus
#hrist in indi8idual li8es.
6e/e/ber, 'hat /a?es prayer easy is not our 'its or our understandin3, but the
tre/endous a3ony o, God in 6ede/ption. A thin3 is 'orth Gust 'hat it .osts. Prayer is not
'hat it .osts us, but 'hat it .ost God to enable us to pray. %t .ost God so /u.h that a little
.hild .an pray. %t .ost God Al/i3hty so /u.h that anyone .an pray. But it is ti/e those o,
us 'ho na/e Bis "a/e ?ne' the se.ret o, the .ost, and the se.ret is here, Fy soul is
eA.eedin3 sorro',ul, e8en unto death.F +hese 'ords open the door to the autobio3raphy
o, our 0ord*s a3ony. )e ,ind the real ?ey to Gethse/ane in atthe' i8., 'hi.h re.ords
the te/ptations o, our 0ord. Bere they .o/e a3ain in a deeper and /ore appallin3
/anner than e8er be,ore. )e are not loo?in3 here 1as 'e do 'hen 'e deal 'ith the
te/ptations2 at the type o, te/ptation 'e ha8e to 3o throu3hK 'e are dealin3 here 'ith
the 3rapplin3 o, God as an in the last rea.hes o, histori. 6ede/ption.
*But these truths are so bi3.* )hy shouldn*t they be- Ba8e 'e to be ,ed 'ith spooned
/eat all the ti/e- %s it not ti/e 'e paid /ore attention to 'hat it .ost God to /a?e it
possible ,or us to li8e a holy li,e- )e tal? about the di,,i.ulty o, li8in3
15
a holy li,eK there is the absolute si/ple ease o, Al/i3hty God in li8in3 a holy li,e be.ause
it .ost Bi/ so /u.h to /a?e it possible. Be'are o, pla.in3 the e/phasis on 'hat prayer
.osts usK it .ost God e8erythin3 to /a?e it possible ,or us to pray. Eesus did not say to
these /en, *a3onise*K Be said, F)at.h 'ith e.F Our 0ord tried to li,t the 8eil ,ro/ be,ore
these dis.iples that they /i3ht see 'hat Be 'as 3oin3 throu3h. +hin? )ho Be 'as Jthe
Son o, GodI Fy soulFJthe reasonin3 ind o, the 0ord Eesus #hristJFis eA.eedin3
sorro',ul, e8en unto deathI tarry ye here, and 'at.h 'ith e.F
The Lre Of Wron$ (oads To The )in$dom
Fthat ye enter not into te/ptationI . . .F
)hene8er Eesus tal?ed about Bis ?in3do/ the dis.iples /isinterpreted 'hat Be said to
/ean a /aterial ?in3do/ to be established on this earthK but Eesus said, Fy ?in3do/ is
not o, this 'orldI i, y ?in3do/ 'ere o, this 'orld, then 'ould y ser8ants ,i3ht, that %
should not be deli8ered to the Ee's.F And a3ain Be said, F+he ?in3do/ o, God .o/eth
not 'ith obser8ation . . . ,or loL the ?in3do/ o, God is 'ithin you.F +he only 'ay in
'hi.h 'e .an be sa8ed ,ro/ the lure o, the 'ron3 roads to the ?in3do/ is by doin3 'hat
our aster tells us, 8i@., F)at.h and pray, that ye enter not into te/ptation.F %, 'e do not
'at.h and pray 'e shall be led into te/ptation be,ore 'e ?no' 'here 'e are. FBo'beit
'hen the Son o, /an .o/eth, shall Be ,ind the ,aith on the earth-F said Eesus. Be 'ill
,ind ,aith in indi8idual /en and 'o/en, but the 3eneral or3anised ,or/ o, the #hristian
#hur.h has slipped al/ost 'holesale on to 'ron3 roads to the ?in3do/.
!a" The *aterial (oad of +eli,erance
F%, +hou art the Son o, God, .o//and that these stones be.o/e bread.F 1atthe' (I1;
(.2 +his te/ptation is pro,oundly hu/an. %, 'e .ould only ,ind so/e /eans o, .urin3
e8erybody o, disease, o, ,eedin3 the/ and puttin3 the/ on a 3ood so.ial basis, 'hat a
/ar8ellous thin3 it 'ould be. +hat is the 'ay 'e are bein3 told that the ?in3do/ o, God
is to be established on this earth. *)e do not need any /ore o, this tal? about the
Atone/ent, and the sheddin3 o, bloodK 'hat is needed to;day is to spend oursel8es ,or
others.* +hat is the lure o, the 'ron3 road to the ?in3do/, and 'e .annot ?eep out o, it i,
'e ,or3et to 'at.h and pray. *)at.h 'ith e,* said EesusK */ine is the only road to the
?in3do/.* )e ha8e to .ontinue 'ith Bi/ in Bis te/ptations. F#o//and that these stones
be.o/e breadFJ*satis,y $our o'n needs and the needs o, /en and $ou 'ill 3et the
?in3ship o, /en.* )as Satan ri3ht- 6ead Eohn >I1=, F)hen Eesus there,ore per.ei8ed that
they 'ould .o/e by ,or.e to /a?e Bi/ a ?in3 . . .F )hy- Be had Gust ,ed ,i8e thousand
o, the/L yes, but 'e read that Eesus Fdeparted a3ain into a /ountain Bi/sel, aloneFK Be
'ould not be ?in3 at that pri.e.
!&" The *ysterios (oad of +e,otion%
1atthe' (I=;<.2 6e/e/ber, 'e are dealin3 'ith our 0ord*s presentation o, Bis o'n
te/ptationK in the /ost sa.red /atters rely only on the Boly Ghost, trust no one else.
11
+his te/ptation presents a 'ild rea.h o, possibilityJ*$ou are the Son o, God, do
so/ethin3 supernatural that 'ill sta33er /en, and the 'orld 'ill be at your ,eet.* )as
Satan ri3ht- Absolutely. %s there not a lure alon3 that road sprin3in3 up today /ore than
e8er- +here are /ira.ulous dealin3s 'hi.h lure to destru.tion, the ton3ues /o8e/ent, the
see?in3 ,or si3ns and 'onders. Al/ost 'ithout eA.eption the people 'ho are lured on
this 'ron3 road are those 'ho ha8e been told to ,ast and .on.entrate ,or so/ethin3 ,or
the/sel8es 'hereby the 0ord /ay sho' ho' /ar8ellous Be is. %t does loo? ri3ht to
hu/an reason 'hen it is Gust tou.hed on the ,irst outer ,rin3e by the Boly Ghost, but it
.ontradi.ts e/phati.ally 'hat our 0ord tea.hes, 8i@., that i/portunity in inter.ession is
ne8er ,or oursel8es but ,or others.
F+he ?in3do/ o, God .o/eth not 'ith obser8ationFI it is at 'or? no'K the /ani,estation
o, the ?in3do/ o, God eAternally is another thin3. +he dis.iples had still 3ot their o'n
ideas o, the ?in3do/, they 'ere blind to 'hat Eesus #hrist*s ?in3do/ /eant, and they
'ere so totally depressed that they slept ,or their o'n sorro'. F)at.h 'ith e.F Bo'
.ould they- +hey had no idea 'hat Be 'as a,ter.
!c" The *ental (oad Of +ominion%
1atthe' (I8;15.2 +his is the te/ptation to .o/pro/iseJ*!8il is in the 'orld,
.o/pro/ise 'ith it, 'or? 'ith it Gudi.iously.* FAll these thin3s 'ill % 3i8e +hee, i, +hou
'ilt ,all do'n and 'orship e.F +his te/ptation is the /ost subtle o, all. *Don*t be so
strait;la.edK 'e ha8e passed the day 'hen 'e belie8e in a personal de8il.* ay God
,or3i8e us, % a/ a,raid 'e are past that sta3e. )ill the #hur.h that bo's do'n and
.o/pro/ises su..eed- O, .ourse it 'ill. %t is the 8ery thin3 that the natural /an 'ants,
but it is the lure o, a 'ron3 road to the ?in3do/. Be'are o, puttin3 anythin3 s'eet and
'inso/e in ,ront oN the One )ho su,,ered in Gethse/ane.
The Li$ht Of Undisciplined -ision
Fthe spirit indeed is 'illin3, but the ,lesh is 'ea?.F
%t is so easy 'hen 'e see thin3s in 8ision to start out and do the/. )e are .au3ht up into
the se8enth hea8en, ,ar abo8e all the 3rubby thin3s o, earth and it is /a3ni,i.ent ,or a
ti/e, but 'e ha8e 3ot to .o/e do'n. A,ter the ount o, +rans,i3uration .o/es the pla.e
'here 'e ha8e to li8e, 8i@., the de/on;possessed 8alley. +he test o, reality is our li,e in
the 8alley, not that 'e ,ly up a/on3 the 3olden pea?s o, the early /ornin3.
!a" The Trimphant *inte%
FBlessed art thou, Si/on BarGona.F 1atthe' 1>I1<K .,. Eohn 91I1=;19.2 Peter had his
triu/phant /inute, but he had to 3o throu3h the /ill a,ter itK he 'ent throu3h a
tre/endous heartbrea? be,ore he 'as ,it to hear Eesus say, F&eed y sheep.F Peter 'ould
ha8e done anythin3 ,or his 0ord, the spirit 'as 'illin3, but the ,lesh 'as 'ea?. )e /a?e
allo'an.es ,or the ,lesh, but 'e ha8e no business toK 'e ha8e to /a?e /ani,est in the
,lesh the 8isions o, the spirit. +han? God 'e are 3oin3 to Bea8en 'hen 'e die, but than?
God 'e are not 3oin3 be,ore 'e die. )e 3et 3li/pses o, Bea8en, then 'e are brou3ht
do'n instantly into a.tual .ir.u/stan.es. Do not 3o too lon3 in the li3ht o, undis.iplined
19
8ision. +han? God ,or the triu/phant /inute, but 'e ha8e to 'al? on earth a..ordin3 to
'hat 'e sa' in 8ision.
!&" The Transfi$ration *oment%
FAnd Be 'as trans,i3ured be,ore the/.F 1atthe' 1<I9.2 Put alon3side that /o/ent on
the ount, Eesus standin3 a,ter the 6esurre.tion on the sea shore in the early /ornin3
'ith Fa ,ire o, .oals there, and ,ish laid thereon, and bread.F +han? God ,or seein3 Eesus
trans,i3ured, and ,or the al/i3htiness o, the 8isions Be does 3i8e, but re/e/ber that the
8ision is to be /ade real in a.tual .ir.u/stan.esK the 3lory is to be /ani,ested in earthen
8essels. %t has to be eAhibited throu3h ,in3ertips, throu3h eyes and hands and ,eetK
e8ery'here 'here Eesus eAhibited it. )e are so li?e Peter on the ount and say, *O 0ord,
let /e stay here.*
!c" The Transcendent *oment%
F!8en i, % /ust die 'ith +hee, yet 'ill % not deny +hee.F 1atthe' 9>I3=.2 Peter /eant it
e8ery bit, it 'as a trans.endent /o/ent to hi/, he 'ould ha8e done anythin3 ,or Eesus
#hristK and yet he denied 'ith oaths and .urses that he e8er ?ne' Bi/. Peter 'as no
hypo.rite, but he did not 'at.h and pray. Peter based his de.laration on the ?een
3enerosity o, his o'n heart, but he did not understand that he needed to be on another
basis alto3ether, the basis o, 6ede/ption.
+han? God ,or the heroi. /o/ents o, li,eL %t is .o/parati8ely easy to li8e in the heroi.
/o/ents. )e .an all ha8e haloes at ti/esK i, 'e stand in the ri3ht pla.e, 'ith stained;
3lass 'indo's behind us, and ha8e the ri3ht ?ind o, dress on, it is not at all di,,i.ult to
loo? re/ar?ably ,ineK but there is nothin3 in it, not only is there nothin3 in it, but
eA.essi8e dan3ers arise out o, it. Be'are o, the trans.endent /o/ent that is a pose. A hu;
/orous sense o, .riti.is/ is 'holeso/e. So/e people 3et to a trans.endent /o/ent and
so/eone tells the/ they loo? re/ar?ably ,ine, and e8erlastin3ly a,ter'ards they try to
li8e in that trans.endent /o/ent. )e ha8e to 3et do'n to the le8el 'here the reality
'or?s out, and the 'hole .ounsel .o/es ba.? to this, F)at.h and prayFJthe se.ret o, the
sa.red si/pli.ity o, prayer. Prayer i/parts the po'er to 'al? and not ,aint, and the
lastin3 re/e/bran.e o, our li8es is o, the 0ord, not o, us.
O 0ord , unto +hee do % .o/e that % /i3ht ,ind 3ra.e to praise and 'orship +hee ari3ht.
0ord, li,t up the li3ht o, +hy .ountenan.e upon usK send po'er and /aGesti. 3ra.e.
O 0ord, ho' 3ood it is ,or /e to ?no' +heeK ho' essentially ne.essary it is ,or /e to
dra' ni3h to +hee. Bo' .an % ,alter 'hen +hou art /y 0i,eL
0ord, our God, the &ather o, our 0ord Eesus #hrist, o, )ho/ Eesus is the 8ery i/a3e, %
loo? to +hee and /a?e /y prayer. Bless /e this hour 'ith the ,eelin3 o, +hy presen.e
and the 3lo' o, +hy nearness, ,or % do trust +hee and hope only in +hee.
13
Chapter III The Secret Of The Sacred Str$$le For
Prayer
!phesians >I19;19
Paul ta?es the illustration o, battle and applies it at on.e to 'hat 3oes on in a saint*s li,eK
the 'hole /eanin3 o, ta?in3 the ar/our o, God is ,or prayer. Prayer is the position the
de8il is stru33lin3 ,orK the stru33le is around the position o, prayer and the si/pli.ity o,
prayer. Prayer is easy to us be.ause o, 'hat it .ost God to enable us to pray. %t is the
6ede/ption o, God, the a3ony o, our 0ord, that has /ade our sal8ation so easy and
prayer so si/ple. )hen 'e put the e/phasis on the line o, prayer bein3 a .ost to us, 'e
are 'ron3. +he .ost to us is nothin3, it is a supre/e and superb pri8ile3e /ar?ed by
supernatural ease be.ause o, 'hat it .ost God. +he tenden.y no'adays is to 'orship
prayer, stress is put on ni3hts o, prayer and the di,,i.ulty and .ost o, prayer. %t is not
prayer that is strenuous, but the o8er.o/in3 o, our o'n la@iness. %, 'e /a?e the basis o,
prayer our e,,ort and a3ony and ni3hts o, prayer, 'e /ista?e the basis o, prayer. +he
basis o, prayer is not 'hat it .osts us, but 'hat it .ost God to enable us to pray.
The Lord's Own Continosly In Practice. (vv. /01/2%"
%t is all 8ery 'ell to ha8e 8ision, but 'e /ust be in .ontinual pra.ti.e so that 'hen 'e
,ind oursel8es in a ti3ht pla.e 'e are per,e.tly ,it to /eet the e/er3en.y. One o, the
3reatest di,,i.ulties in ti/e o, 'ar is to ,ind a /an 'ho .an ?eep his head 'hen e8eryone
else is losin3 theirs. %t is only done by steady pra.ti.e. F)here,ore ta?e unto you the
'hole ar/our o, GodFJnot to ,i3ht, but to stand. )e are not told to atta.?, to stor/ the
,orts o, dar?nessK 'e are told to stand, unpani.?y and unbud3ed, /ore than .onDuerors. A
.onDueror is one 'ho ,i3hts and 'ins, a */ore than .onDueror* is one 'ho easily and
po'er,ully o8er.o/es. +he stru33le is not a3ainst ,lesh and blood, it is a3ainst
prin.ipalities and po'ers. )e .annot tou.h the/ by intelle.t or or3anisation, by .oura3e
or ,oresi3ht or ,orethou3ht, 'e .annot tou.h the/ at all unless 'e are based on the 6e;
de/ption.
F)here,ore ta?e unto you the 'hole ar/our o, God.F %t is not 3i8en, 'e ha8e to ta?e itK it
is there ,or us to put it on, understandin3 'hat 'e are doin3. )e ha8e the idea that prayer
is ,or spe.ial ti/es, but 'e ha8e to put on the ar/our o, God ,or the .ontinual pra.ti.e o,
prayer, so that any stru33lin3 onslau3ht o, the po'ers o, dar?ness .annot tou.h the
position o, prayer. )hen 'e pray easily it is be.ause Satan is .o/pletely de,eated in his
onslau3htsK 'hen 'e pray di,,i.ultly it is be.ause Satan is 3ainin3 a 8i.tory. )e ha8e not
been .ontinuously pra.tisin3, 'e ha8e not been ,a.in3 thin3s .oura3eously, 'e ha8e not
been ta?in3 our orders ,ro/ our 0ord. Our 0ord did not say, *Go* or *Do*K Be said, F)at.h
and pray.F
1(
%, 'e stru33le in prayer it is be.ause the ene/y is 3ainin3 3round. %, prayer is si/ple to
us, it is be.ause 'e ha8e the 8i.tory. +here is no su.h thin3 as a holiday ,or the beatin3 o,
your heart. %, there is, the 3ra8e .onies neAt. And there is no su.h thin3 as a /oral or
spiritual holiday. %, 'e atte/pt to ta?e a holiday, the neAt ti/e 'e 'ant to pray it is a
stru33le be.ause the ene/y has 3ained a 8i.tory all round, dar?ness has .o/e do'n and
spiritual 'i.?edness in hi3h pla.es has en,olded us. %, 'e ha8e to ,i3ht, it is be.ause 'e
ha8e disobeyedK 'e ou3ht to be /ore than .onDuerors.
F... and ha8in3 done all, to standFJa /ental state as re3ards .on,iden.e, no pani.. )hat
is it puts us into a pani.- +he de8il is a bully, but he .annot stand ,or a se.ond be,ore
God. )hen 'e stand in the ar/our oN God he pays no attention to us, but i, 'e ta.?le the
de8il in our o'n stren3th 'e are done ,or. %, 'e stand in God*s ar/our 'ith the stren3th
and .oura3e o, God, he .annot 3ain one in.h o, 'ay, and the position o, prayer is held, as
,ar as 'e are .on.erned, untou.hed by his 'iles. #on,iden.e in the natural 'orld is sel,;
relian.e, in the spiritual 'orld it is God;relian.e. )e run a'ay 'hen 'e ha8e not been
pra.tisin3, 'hen 'e ha8e not been doin3 anythin3 in pri8ate, then 'hen there is a ne'
onslau3ht o, the 'iles o, the de8il 'e lose heart instantly. %nstead o, standin3 'e
s.uttle, and others ha8e to ,ill the 3ap until 'e are su,,i.iently asha/ed to .o/e ba.?.
)e .annot stand a3ainst the 'iles o, the de8il by our 'its. +he de8il only .o/es alon3
the lines that God understands, not alon3 the lines 'e understand, and the only 'ay 'e
.an be prepared ,or hi/ is to do 'hat God tells us, stand .o/plete in Bis ar/our, ind'elt
by Bis Spirit, in .o/plete obedien.e to Bi/. )e ha8e not to 'ait ,or so/e 3reat
onslau3ht o, the ene/y, he is here all the ti/e and he is 'ily. +he se.ret o, the sa.red
stru33le ,or prayer lies in the ,a.t that 'e /ust stand in the ar/our o, God, pra.tisin3
'hat God 'ould ha8e us do, then 'e .an hold the position o, prayer a3ainst all the
atta.?s o, the de8il.
%, 'e are stru33lin3 in prayer it is be.ause the 'iles o, the ene/y are 3ettin3 the upper
hand, and 'e /ust loo? ,or the .ause o, it in the la.? o, dis.ipline in oursel8es. +here are
so/e thin3s 'e ha8e not been strenuously pra.tisin3J'e used to pray in the /ornin3,
do 'e no'- )e used to .o//une 'ith God o8er the Bible, do 'e no'- )e used to be in
.onta.t 'ith God 'here8er 'e 'ent, are 'e no'- Put on the 'hole ar/our o, God and
?eep .ontinuously pra.tisin3, then the 'iles o, the de8il .annot 3et you una'ares.
The Lord's Own Cora$eosly In Preparation. (vv. /31/4%"
FStand there,ore, ha8in3 your loins 3irt about 'ith truthFJall a.ti8e, sensible 'or? is
sy/bolised by 3irt loinsJFand ha8in3 on the breastplate o, ri3hteousnessFK no inordinate
,ear, no Duestionable a,,inities, no ta/perin3 'ith 'inso/enessK all that brea?s the
ar/our do'n. 6i3hteousness /eans *ri3htness* in /y relationship to other people and
their best interests.
F... and your ,eet shod 'ith the preparation o, the 3ospel o, pea.e.F )hat ?ind o, shoes
do you 'ear- Bo' /any .an say o, us, *As soon as % heard your step % ,elt better- Or do
they say, *%t 'as 'hen your step .a/e into /y li,e that all 'ent 'ron3K it 'as 'hen the
step o, your ,riendship be3an 'ith /e that % be3an to lose out 'ith God- Put on the
ar/our o, God, ?eep the heart ri3ht 'ith God, and 'here8er you 3o, you 'ill shed the
1=
preparation o, the 3ospel o, pea.e. )here8er the saint 3oes there is the sheddin3 o, the
benedi.tion o, the blessin3 o, God, or there is the .o/in3 o, the .on8i.tion o, the Spirit
o, God.
FAbo8e all, ta?in3 the shield o, ,aith.F &aith is unbrea?able .on,iden.e in the Personality
o, God, not in Bis po'er. +here are so/e thin3s o8er 'hi.h 'e /ay lose ,aith i, 'e ha8e
.on,iden.e in God*s po'er only. +here is so /u.h that loo?s li?e the /i3hty po'er o,
God that is not. )e /ust ha8e .on,iden.e in God o8er and abo8e e8erythin3 Be /ay do,
and stand in .on,iden.e that Bis .hara.ter is unsullied. &aith stands under all tests
JF+hou3h Be slay /e, yet 'ill % trust in Bi/.F )hen 'e ta?e the shield o8er;all o, ,aith,
none o, these thin3s .an 3et throu3h 'ithout brea?in3 the shield, 'e are prote.ted by the
.o8erin3 shield.
FAnd ta?e ... the s'ord o, the Spirit.F +he Spirit brin3s to our re/e/bran.e 'hat the
0ord Eesus has said. %n e8ery onslau3ht o, the ene/y around us, that is the position he is
stru33lin3 ,or. %n order to be able to 'ield the s'ord o, the Spirit, 'hi.h is the )ord o,
God, 'e /ust obey, and it ta?es the .oura3eous heart to obey. %, 'e try to apply the
tea.hin3 o, our 0ord apart ,ro/ the i/parted nature o, our 0ord to our souls, 'e 'ill
/a?e a /uddle. %t is not that 'e ta?e the Ser/on on the ount as pre.epts and try to li8e
up to the/, but that 'hen the Spirit o, God. brin3s so/e 'ord o, God ba.? to our
re/e/bran.e in .ertain .ir.u/stan.esJ'ill 'e obey it- %t 'ill ta?e .oura3e, but as 'e
obey, the 'iles o, the de8il are 'ithstood all the ti/e and 'e stand.
The Lord's Own Competently In Place% (vv. /51/6%"
+hat is, the pla.e 'here God puts Bis soldiers, .lad in Bis ar/our, and ind'elt by Bis
Spirit. #an 'e pray in prayer, or are 'e bein3 be3uiled by the de8il- Ba8e 'e been lured
into a Gudi.ious 'inso/eness- Are 'e not Duite so intense as 'e used to be- Ba8e bla.?
and 'hite be.o/e a neutral 3rey- Are 'e no lon3er so intense about sin as 'e used to be-
+hen 'e are out o, pla.e, 'e are eAa.tly in the relationship o, traitors, 'e .an /a?e
?no'n the position that .an easily be ta?en by the de8il una'ares.
F)at.h and pray,F said Eesus in the .entre o, Bis o'n a3ony. %, 'e don*t, 'e shall slip
into the lure o, 'ron3 roads 'ithout ?no'in3 it. +he only 'ay to ?eep ri3ht is to 'at.h
and pray. Prayer on any other basis than that on 'hi.h it is pla.ed in the "e' +esta/ent
is stupid, and the basis o, prayer is not hu/an earnestness, not hu/an need, not the
hu/an 'ill, it is 6ede/ption, and its li8in3 .entre is a personal Boly Ghost. A .hild .an
pray. +hrou3h Bis o'n a3ony in 6ede/ption, God has /ade it as easy to pray as it
sounds. +here is nothin3 a rationally;/inded bein3 .an ridi.ule /ore easily than prayer.
FPrayin3 al'aysFJthe unutterable si/pli.ity o, itL "o pani., no ,lurry, al'ays at leisure
,ro/ oursel8es on the inside.
F... 'at.hin3 thereunto 'ith all perse8eran.e and suppli.ation ,or all saints.F %t is all 8ery
'ell to ha8e prayer /eetin3s, but are 'e .ontinually pra.tisin3 in the ar/our o, God,
?eepin3 our hearts stout in the .oura3e o, God*s Spirit and ta?in3 our orders ,ro/ Bi/-
Or are 'e /a?in3 an in3enious .o/pro/ise- +here is only one ser8i.e that has no
snares, and that is prayer. Prea.hin3 has snares to the natural heartK so has publi. ser8i.e.
1>
Prayer has no snare be.ause it is based on the 6ede/ption o, the 0ord Eesus #hrist /ade
e,,i.a.ious all the ti/e by the Boly Spirit. F. . . and ,or /e, that utteran.e /ay be 3i8en
unto /e, . . .F )e naturally suppose it is no use prayin3 ,or *Paul,* ,or pro/inent people,
God 'ill loo? a,ter the/ all ri3ht. +he pro/inent people ,or God are /ar?ed ,or the 'iles
o, the de8il, and 'e /ust pray ,or the/ all the ti/eK God 3i8es us e8ery no' and a3ain
an alar/in3 eAhibition o, 'hat happens i, 'e don*t.
0ord God O/nipotent, ho' /y soul deli3hts to ?no' that +hou dost .are ,or sparro's
and nu/berest the hairs o, our headL 0ord, breathe on /e till % a/ in the ,ra/e o, /ind
and body to 'orship +hee.
O 0ord, % 'ould see? +hy ,a.e no', but 'hat a8ail is /y see?in3 i, +hou re8ealest not
+hysel,- Sho' /e +hy ,a.e, O 0ord. 7eep /e e8er seein3 +hee.
O 0ord, to praise +hee ari3ht is a 3reat desire o, /ine, .reated and ,ostered by +hy Spirit
and 3ra.e. +his /ornin3, O 0ord, % praise +hee ,or all the pastJso 'ay'ard on /y part,
so 'onder,ul and 3ra.ious and lon3;su,,erin3 and ,or3i8in3 and tender and inspirin3 on
+hine.
Chapter I- The Crriclm Of Intercession%
F% 'ill stand upon /y 'at.h, and set /e upon the to'er, and 'ill 'at.h to see 'hat Be
'ill say unto /e, and 'hat % shall ans'er 'hen % a/ repro8ed. And the 0ord ans'ered
/e and said, )rite the 8ision, and /a?e it plain upon tables, that he /ay run that readeth
it.F Baba??u? 9I1;9.
Inspired Waitin$
F% 'ill stand upon /y 'at.h, and set /e upon the to'er, . . .F
Bo' steadily all throu3h the Old and "e' +esta/ent God .alls us to stand on the 'at.h
and 'ait ,or Bis indi.ations, and ho' o,ten God*s ans'ers to our prayers ha8e been
sDuandered be.ause 'e do not 'at.h and 'ait. y brother or sister, are you thorou3hly
perpleAed o8er God*s 'ay-Jyou .annot re.on.ile God*s .lear 'ay as re8ealed in Bis
Boo? 'ith the 'ay Be is leadin3 you. +a?e the line o, this prophet durin3 his perpleAity,
stand and 'at.h to see 'hat God 'ill sayJ'at.h at the ri3ht pla.e.
+here is a di,,eren.e in the prayers o, the Old and the "e' +esta/ent. %n .hapter iii the
prophet bases his prayer on the .hara.ter o, God, and appeals to God*s 3reat /er.ies. %n
the "e' +esta/ent, prayer is based on a relationship 'ith God throu3h Eesus #hristI
F)hen ye pray, say, Our &ather.F +here is another di,,eren.eJthe prayers in the Old
+esta/ent ha8e to do 'ith an earthly people in an earthly settin3K the prayers in the "e'
+esta/ent ha8e to do 'ith a hea8enly state o, /ind in a hea8enly people 'hile on this
earth. )e are .ontinually bein3 re/inded that 'e 'restle not a3ainst ,lesh and blood, but
1<
a3ainst prin.ipalities and po'ers and the rulers o, this 'orld*s dar?ness. +he ,irst thin3 to
re/e/ber is that 'e 'at.h at the ri3ht pla.e, i.e., the pla.e God has put us in. )at.h ,or
God*s ans'er to your prayers, and not only 'at.h, but 'ait. )hen God .alls upon you to
pray, 'hen Be 3i8es the 8ision, 'hen Be 3i8es an understandin3 o, 'hat Be is 3oin3 to
do throu3h you in your Sunday;s.hool .lass, in your #hur.h, or ho/eJ'at.h. Bo'
/any o, us ha8e had to learn by God*s reproo,, by God*s .hastise/ent, the blunder o,
.on,errin3 'ith ,lesh and blood. Are you dis.oura3ed 'here you are, 'or?er- +hen 3et
upon this to'er 'ith God, and 'at.h and 'ait. +he /eanin3 o, 'aitin3 in both the Old
and "e' +esta/ent is *standin3 under,* a.ti8ely endurin3. %t is not standin3 'ith ,olded
ar/s doin3 nothin3K it is not sayin3, *%n God*s 3ood ti/e it 'ill .o/e to pass*Jthat o,ten
/eans in /y abo/inably la@y ti/e % let God 'or?. )aitin3 /eans standin3 under, in
a.ti8e stren3th, endurin3 till the ans'er .o/es.
"e8er /a?e the blunder o, tryin3 to ,ore.ast the 'ay God is 3oin3 to ans'er your prayer.
)hen God /ade a tre/endous pro/ise to Abraha/, he thou3ht out the best 'ay o,
helpin3 God to ,ul,il Bis pro/ise and did the 'isest thin3 he ?ne' a..ordin3 to ,lesh and
blood .o//on;sense reasonin3. But ,or thirteen years God ne8er spo?e to hi/ until
e8ery possibility o, his relyin3 on his o'n intelli3ent understandin3 'as at an end. +hen
God .a/e to hi/ and said, F% a/ God Al/i3htyFKJ!l ShaddaiJF'al? be,ore e, and
be thou per,e.t.F O8er and o8er a3ain God has to tea.h us ho' to stand and endure,
'at.hin3 a.ti8ely and 'onderin3. %t is al'ays a 'onder 'hen God ans'ers prayer. )e
hear people say, *)e /ust not say it is )onder,ul that God ans'ers prayer*K but it is
'onder,ul. %t is so 'onder,ul that a 3reat /any people belie8e it i/possible. 0istenL
JF)hatsoe8er ye shall as? in y na/e, that 'ill % do.F %sn*t that 'onder,ul- %t is so
'onder,ul that % do not suppose /ore than hal, o, us really belie8e it. F!8ery one that
as?eth re.ei8eth.F %sn*t that 'onder,ul- %t is so 'onder,ul that /any o, us ha8e ne8er
e8en as?ed God to 3i8e us the Boly Spirit be.ause 'e don*t belie8e Be 'ill. F%, t'o o,
you shall a3ree on earth as tou.hin3 any thin3 that they shall as?, it shall be done ,or
the/ o, y &ather 'hi.h is in hea8en.F %sn*t that 'onder,ul- %t is tre/endously
'onder,ul. F+he e,,e.tual ,er8ent prayer o, a ri3hteous /an a8ail;eth /u.h.F %sn*t that
'onder,ul-
#hristian 'or?er, you ha8e had 8isions o, ho' 'onder,ully God .an ans'er prayer, are
you 'at.hin3 to;day ,or Bi/ to ans'er prayer alon3 Bis line- Are you on your to'er,
'at.hin3 sted,astly e8ery si3n o, God*s 3oin3s- Or are you .o/in3 under the bitter bli3ht
that .a/e on ero@- )hen the Spirit o, the 0ord .a/e on Deborah, the prophetess o, the
0ord, 'hat 'as her .ry- F#urse ye, ero@, . . . #urse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereo,K
be.ause they .a/e not to the help o, the 0ord . . . a3ainst the /i3hty.F +he ,irst .hapter o,
Baba??u? spea?s o, the tre/endous de8astations that are to .o/e upon %srael 1see 88. 1;
1.i2K apply it spiritually to our o'n day. +he /aGority o, us as saints are sound asleep to
the de8astation 3oin3 on, and 'e shall .o/e under the bitter .urse o, ero@ i, 'e do not
rouse oursel8es up and stand 'ith God a3ainst the /i3htyJspiritualis/, super;
naturalis/, #hristian S.ien.e, illennial;da'nis/Jall terribly 'idespread, s'eepin3,
de8ourin3 errors. Are 'e thorou3hly a'a?e and 'at.hin3, or are 'e .ryin3 in a .o'ardly
'ay, *+ell us the thin3 that lea8es us as 'e areK tell us the thin3s that please us, that rouse
us up and ?indle us on our o'n linesK don*t tell us about the perpleAities you ha8e as a
prophet or hand/aid o, God re3ardin3 Bis 'or?- God 3rant that e8ery .hild o, Bis /ay
3et on the 'at.h;to'er and stand and 'at.h. %//ediately a di,,i.ulty .o/es on the
18
hori@on and .louds 3ather, 'here is the intense 'at.hin3- )e sul? and turn aside, 'e turn
our ba.?s on God and on Bis /essen3ers, and say, *+hou hast not brou3ht us into a land
that ,lo'eth 'ith /il? and honey.* God 3rant that in ti/es o, perpleAity 'e /ay 3et ba.?
a3ain to the 'at.h;to'er, ba.? a3ain to inspired 'aitin3, Fba.? a3ain to the 'ide;eyed
'onder o, a .hild at God*s ans'ers to our prayers.
Intelli$ent Witnessin$
FAnd 'ill loo? ,orth to see 'hat Be 'ill spea? 'ith /e,F 16.:.2
% do not thin? 'e ha8e su,,i.iently the 'onderin3 spirit that the Boly Ghost 3i8es. %t is
the .hild;spirit. A .hild is al'ays 'ide;a'a?e 'ith 'onder at the thin3s it sees, and so/e
o, us as 'e 3et older are apt to ,or3et that a .hild*s 'onder is nearer the truth than our
older ?no'led3e. )hen throu3h Eesus #hrist 'e are ri3htly related to God, 'e learn to
'at.h and 'ait, and 'ait 'onderin3ly. *% 'onder ho' God 'ill ans'er this prayer.* *%
'onder ho' God 'ill ans'er the prayer the Boly Ghost is prayin3 in /e.* *% 'onder 'hat
3lory God 'ill brin3 to Bi/sel, out o, the stran3e perpleAities % a/ in.* *% 'onder 'hat
ne' turn Bis pro8iden.e 'ill ta?e in /ani,estin3 Bi/sel, in /y 'ays.*
+he .hild;'onderin3 ind o, the Boly Ghost, i, % /ay say so re8erently, 'as eAhibited in
the 0ord Eesus #hrist, e8erlastin3 'onder and eApe.tan.y at Bis &ather*s 'or?in3. F&or %
ha8e not spo?en o, ysel,FK and, Fthe &ather that d'elleth in e, Be doeth the 'or?s.F
Our 0ord said that 'hen the Boly Ghost is .o/e, FBe shall not spea? o, Bi/sel,K but
'hatsoe8er Be shall hear, that shall Be spea?.F +he 0ord Eesus spo?e and 'or?ed ,ro/
the 3reat bi3 .hild;heart o, God. God Al/i3hty be.a/e %n.arnate as a little #hild, and
Eesus #hrist*s /essa3e is, *$ou /ust be.o/e as little .hildren.* God al'ays ?eeps the
/inds o, Bis .hildren open 'ith 'onder, 'ith open;eyed eApe.tan.y ,or Bi/ to .o/e in
'here Be li?es. % 'onder ho' /any o, us ha8e been 3ettin3 our ideas and .on8i.tions
and notions t'isted. +han? God ,or the .on,usion i, it is 3oin3 to dri8e us strai3ht to the
'at.h;to'er 'ith God 'here our do.trines and .reeds are 3oin3 to be God*s, not
do.trines and .reeds out o, God*s Boo? t'isted to suit our pre.on.ei8ed ideas, but the
do.trines o, God 'o8en into the ,lesh and blood tissues o, our li8es by the ind'ellin3
Boly GhostJ'at.hin3, 'aitin3, 'onderin3 and 'itnessin3.
+a?e all the Old +esta/ent prophets, God ne8er spo?e 'ith the/ 'ithout a .orrespondin3
'onder on their part. O8er and o8er a3ain the prophets 'ere sta33ered 'ith 'onder at the
stran3e thin3s God did, and i, they leaned to their o'n intelli3en.e 'ithout su,,i.iently
relyin3 on the tre/endous po'er o, God, there 'as instant .on,usion. )e ha8e to
*re.ei8e, re.o3nise and rely on the Boly Ghost,* and ne8er 3et beyond that sta3e. God
3rant 'e /ay ha8e the 'onder o, the .hild;heart 'hi.h the Boly Ghost 3i8es, and that Be
/ay ?eep our /inds youn3 and 8i3orous and un;sta3nant, ne8er asleep, but al'ays
a'a?e 'ith .hild;eyed 'onder at the neAt 'onder,ul thin3 God 'ill do. F+he 0ord
rei3neth, let the earth reGoi.eLF
God 3rant 'e /ay 3et to the pla.e 'here the only thin3 'e ta?e seriously is the pla.e
God has put us in, 'at.hin3, 'aitin3 sted,astly ,or God*s 3oin3s. "e8er ta?e anythin3 that
is said by any /an or 'o/an, or in any boo?, 'ithout 'aitin3 and 'at.hin3 be,ore God.
F+ry the spirits,F test the/, see i, they be o, God. % 'ant you to be'are o, a /ista?e %
ha8e /ade o8er and o8er a3ain in days 3one by, o, tryin3 to interpret God*s plan ,or other
19
li8es alon3 the 'ay Be has led /e. "e8erL 7eep open;eyed in 'onder. y brother, /y
sister, .an God do 'hat Be li?es in your li,e- #an Be help Bi/sel, liberally to you- #an
Be ta?e you up and put you do'n- #an Be introdu.e Bis s.he/es throu3h you, and
ne8er tell you the reason 'hy- #an Be /a?e you a spe.ta.le to /en and an3els, as Be
did Eob, 'ithout 3i8in3 you any eAplanation- #an Be /a?e you a 'onder to yoursel, and
to others, 'hile Be 3i8es you the i/pli.it .hild;li?e understandin3 that so/eho' or other
thin3s are 'or?in3 out all ri3ht-
In,iola&le Wal7in$
F)rite the 8ision, and /a?e it plain upon tables., that he /ay run that readeth it.F
"o lon3er 'at.hin3 and 'aitin3, but a.ti8ely set to'ards the Di8ine 3oal to 'hi.h God is
.allin3.
Ba8e you e8er noti.ed the *'onderin3;ness* 1i, % /ay .oin a 'ord2 o, the people 'ho 3o
on 'ith God- +hey ne8er see/ to be o8er;anAious or o8er;.on.erned, and they al'ays
see/ to be 3ettin3 youn3er. )hat is the .hara.teristi. o, the people o, this 'orld 'ho
ha8e not 3ot the .hild;heart- +hey are al'ays si3hin3K they ha8e /ental and spiritual
rheu/atis/ and neural3ia, /oral t'ists and per8ersities, and nothin3 .an rouse the/.
)hy- +hey 'ant the .hild;spirit, the Spirit that 'as 3i8en to the dis.iples a,ter the
6esurre.tion, and in its ,ullness at Pente.ost, then nothin3 'ill turn the/ aside. A,ter
Pente.ost there 'as the s'ord and 3reat perse.ution, and they 'ere all s.attered abroad,
but nothin3 .ould stop the/ prea.hin3 the 'ord. +here 'as a hilarious shout all throu3h
these /en*s li8es be.ause o, the /i3hty baptis/ o, the Boly Ghost and ,ire. +here 'as
runnin3 thenL "o po'er on earth or hea8en abo8e or hell beneath .ould stop the
tre/endous stren3th o, the .hild;li,e o, the Boly Ghost in the/. Ba8e you 3ot the 'onder
in your heart toni3ht, /y brother, or are you si3hin3, *+han? God % ha8e /ana3ed to
sDuee@e enou3h 3ra.e out o, God to last throu3h this day- Blessed be the "a/e o, God,
all the unsear.hable ri.hes o, #hrist are at your disposalL
+han? God ,or e8ery li,e that is runnin3 in the stren3th o, the tre/endous 8ision. 7eep
your eyes on your ,ile 0eader, Eesus only, Eesus e8er, Fand /a?e strai3ht paths ,or your
,eet.F )at.h ,or Bis 3oin3s. )hen Be stands and hides Bi/sel, in a .loudJstand, 'at.h
and 'ait. )hen the /eanin3 is .lear, then you 'ill run. A 8ision puts enthusias/ into
you, a thrillin3 understandin3 o, God*s )ord and you soar abo8e in a tre/endous e.stasyK
then you .o/e do'n and run 'ithout bein3 'eary, and then you .o/e to the 3randest
days and 'al? 'ithout ,aintin3.
F&or the 8ision is yet ,or an appointed ti/e, but at the end it shall spea?, and not lieI
thou3h it tarry, 'ait ,or itK be.ause it 'ill surely .o/e, it 'ill not tarry.F (v. 3.2 F% heard
the 8oi.e o, the 0ord, sayin3, )ho/ shall % send, and 'ho 'ill 3o ,or us-F +hat is a
'onder,ul pointJF)ho 'ill 3o ,or us-F *0ord, there is rs. So;and;so, she is ready, send
her.* %s that the ans'er you 3i8e- *O 0ord, % ?no' there ou3ht to be a /o8e/ent in /y
#hur.h, and there is r. So;and;so, he*s Gust the one, send hi/.* %, you ha8e been
'at.hin3, 'aitin3 and 'onderin3, you 'ill sayI FBere a/ %K send /e.F %, God .a/e to
you toni3ht, 'ould you say, FBere a/ %F- Do you ?no' 'here you are- So/e /en li8e in
95
a ,o3, they don*t ?no' 'here they are, but i, you ?no' anythin3 about 'aitin3 on God
and 'al?in3 be,ore Bi/, you 'ill say, *Bere a/ %, do 'hat $ou li?e 'ith /e.*
O 0ord, eAplore do'n to the deepest sprin3s o, /y spirit 'here +hy Spirit 'or?s, and
read /y deepest prayers % .annot pray in eApression. 0ord, tou.h /y body, it is +hy
te/ple, shine out in and throu3h it, O 0ord.
O 0ord, li,t +hou up the li3ht o, +hy .ountenan.e upon us this day, and /a?e us to ,it in
'ith +hy plans 'ith 3reat s'eetness and li3ht and liberty, and a lilt to +hee all day.
O God /y &ather, the .louds are but the dust o, +hy ,eet. 0et /e dis.o8er in e8ery .loud
o, pro8iden.e or nature or 3ra.e no /an sa8e Eesus only a,ter the ,ear, till there be no
,ear.
Chapter - #fter God's Silence1What?
F"o' Eesus lo8ed artha, and her sister, and 0a@arus. )hen Be had heard there,ore that
he 'as si.?, Be abode t'o days still in the sa/e pla.e 'here Be 'as.F Eohn 11I=;>.
The #&sence Of #di&le (esponse
Eesus stayed t'o days 'here Be 'as 'ithout sendin3 a 'ord. )e are apt to sayJ*% ?no'
'hy God has not ans'ered /y prayer, it is be.ause % as?ed ,or so/ethin3 'ron3.* +hat
'as not the reason Eesus did not ans'er artha and aryJ they desired a ri3ht thin3. %t
is Duite true God does not ans'er so/e prayers be.ause they are 'ron3, but that is so
ob8ious that it does not need a re8elation ,ro/ God to understand it. God 'ants us to stop
understandin3 in the 'ay 'e ha8e understood and 3et into the pla.e Be 'ants us to 3et
into, i.e., Be 'ants us to ?no' ho' to rely on Bi/.
God*s silen.es are Bis ans'ers. %, 'e only ta?e as ans'ers those that are 8isible to our
senses, 'e are in a 8ery ele/entary .ondition o, 3ra.e. #an it be said o, us that Eesus so
lo8ed us that Be stayed 'here Be 'as be.ause Be ?ne' 'e had a .apa.ity to stand a
bi33er re8elation- Bas God trusted us 'ith a silen.e, a silen.e that is absolutely bi3 'ith
/eanin3- +hat is Bis ans'er. +he /ani,estation 'ill .o/e in a 'ay beyond any pos;
sibility o, .o/prehension. Are 'e /ournin3 be,ore God be.ause 'e ha8e not had an
audible response- ary a3dalene 'as 'eepin3 at the sepul.hreJ'hat 'as she as?in3
,or- +he dead body o, Eesus. O, )ho/ did she as? it- O, Eesus Bi/sel,, and she did not
?no' Bi/L Did Eesus 3i8e her 'hat she as?ed ,or- Be 3a8e her so/ethin3 in,initely
3rander than she had e8er .on.ei8edJa risen, li8in3 i/possible;to;die 0ord. Bo' /any
o, us ha8e been blind in our prayers- 0oo? ba.? and thin? o, the prayers you thou3ht had
not been ans'ered, but no' you ,ind God has ans'ered the/ 'ith a bi33er /ani,estation
than you e8er drea/ed. God has trusted you in the /ost inti/ate 'ay Be .ould trust you,
'ith an absolute silen.e, not o, despair but o, pleasure, be.ause Be sa' you .ould stand a
91
/u.h bi33er re8elation than you had at the ti/e. So/e prayers are ,ollo'ed by silen.e
be.ause they are 'ron3, others be.ause they are bi33er than 'e .an understand. Eesus
stayed 'here Be 'asJa positi8e stayin3, be.ause Be lo8ed the/. Did they 3et 0a@arus
ba.?- +hey 3ot in,initely /oreK they 3ot to ?no' the 3reatest truth /ortal bein3s e8er
?ne'Jthat Eesus #hrist is the 6esurre.tion and the 0i,e. %t 'ill be a 'onder,ul /o/ent
,or so/e o, us 'hen 'e stand be,ore God and ,ind that the prayers 'e .la/oured ,or in
early days and i/a3ined 'ere ne8er ans'ered, ha8e been ans'ered in the /ost a/a@in3
'ay, and that God*s silen.e has been the si3n o, the ans'er. %, 'e al'ays 'ant to be able
to point to so/ethin3 and say, *+his is the 'ay God ans'ered /y prayer,* God .annot
trust us yet 'ith Bis silen.e. Bere is 'here the de8il .o/es in and says, *"o' you ha8e
been prayin3 a 'ron3 prayer.* $ou .an easily ?no' 'hether you ha8eJtest it by the 'ord
o, God. %, it has been a prayer to ?no' God better, a prayer ,or the baptis/ o, the Boly
Ghost, a prayer ,or the interpretation and understandin3 o, God*s 'ord, it is a prayer in
a..ordan.e 'ith God*s 'ill. $ou say, *But Be has not ans'ered.* Be has, Be is so near to
you that Bis silen.e is the ans'er. Bis silen.e is bi3 'ith terri,i. /eanin3 that you .annot
understand yet, but presently you 'ill. +i/e is nothin3 to God. Prayers 'ere o,,ered
years a3o and God ans'ered the soul 'ith silen.eK no' Be is 3i8in3 the /ani,estation o,
the ans'er in a re8elation that 'e are s.ar.ely able to .o/prehend.
The #ttitde Of #wfl (epose
Pi.ture artha and ary 'aitin3 day a,ter day ,or Eesus to .o/e, yet not till 0a@arus*s
body had been in the 3ra8e ,our days does Eesus #hrist appear on the s.ene. Days o,
absolute silen.e, o, a',ul repose on the part o, GodL %s there anythin3 analo3ous to it in
your li,e- #an God trust you li?e that, or are you still 'antin3 a 8isible ans'er- F!8ery
one that as?eth re.ei8eth.F %, God has 3i8en you a silen.e, praise Bi/. +hin? o, the
thin3s you prayed to God about and tried to hold and, be.ause o, Bis lo8e, Be dare not let
you hold the/ and they 'ent. &or a ti/e you said, *% as?ed God to 3i8e /e bread and Be
3a8e /e a stone*K Be did not, and you ,ind today Be 3a8e you the bread o, li,e. $ou
prayed that you /i3ht ?eep the thin3 that see/ed to /a?e your li,e as a #hristian
possible, you as?ed that it /i3ht al'ays be preser8ed by God, and suddenly the 'hole
thin3 'ent to pie.es. +hat 'as God*s ans'er. A,ter the silen.e o, God, i, 'e are spiritual
and .an interpret Bis silen.e, 'e al'ays 3et the trust in God that ?no's prayers are
ans'ered e8ery ti/e, not so/eti/es. +he /ani,estation o, the ans'er in pla.e and ti/e is
a /ere /atter o, God*s so8erei3nty. Be earnest and ea3er on the line o, prayin3. One
'onder,ul thin3 about God*s stillness in .onne.tion 'ith your prayers is that Be /a?es
you still, /a?es you per,e.tly .on,ident, the .onta3ion o, Eesus #hrist*s stillness 3ets into
youJ*% ?no' Be has heard /e*Jand Bis silen.e is the proo, Be has heard.
The #nswer's #ma8in$ (e,elation
#ould the ans'er that Eesus #hrist 3a8e e8er ha8e entered into the heart o, artha and
ary Ja raised brother, the /ani,estation o, the 3lory o, God, and the understandin3 o,
Eesus #hrist in a 'ay that has blessed the #hur.h ,or t'enty .enturiesL
99
6e/e/ber that Eesus #hrist*s silen.es are al'ays si3ns that Be ?no's 'e .an stand a
bi33er re8elation than 'e thin? 'e .an. %, Be 3i8es you the eAa.t ans'er, Be .annot trust
you yet. F. . . i, t'o o, you shall a3ree on earth as tou.hin3 any thin3 that they shall as?, it
shall be done ,or the/ o, y &ather 'hi.h is in hea8en.F +hat is stated ,or people 'ho
are not spiritual. Our 0ord*s re8elations about prayer in 0u?e 11 and 0u?e 18 are ,or
those 'ho are spiritualJre/ain in .on,iden.e in prayer. Be.ause Eesus #hrist ?eeps
silen.e it does not /ean that Be is displeased, but eAa.tly the opposite, Be is brin3in3 us
into the 3reat run o, Bis purpose, and the ans'er 'ill be an a/a@in3 re8elation. "o
'onder our 0ord said, F. . . 3reater 'or?s than these shall he doK . . . And 'hatsoe8er ye
shall as? in y na/e, that 'ill % doF 1Eohn 1(I19;132. +hat is 'hat prayer /eans, not that
God /ay bless us. As lon3 as 'e ha8e the idea only that God 'ill bless us in ans'er to
prayer, Be 'ill do it, but Be 'ill ne8er 3i8e us the 3ra.e o, a silen.e. %, Be is ta?in3 us
into the understandin3 that prayer is ,or the 3lori,yin3 o, Bis &ather, Be 'ill 3i8e us the
,irst si3n o, Bis inti/a.yJsilen.e. +he de8il .alls it unans'ered prayerK in the .ase o,
artha and ary the Spirit o, God .alled it a si3n that Be lo8ed the/, and be.ause Be
lo8ed the/ and ?ne' they 'ere ,it to re.ei8e a bi33er re8elation than e8er they drea/ed
o,, Be stayed 'here Be 'as. God 'ill 3i8e us the blessin3s 'e 'ant i, 'e 'on*t 3o any
,urther, but Bis silen.e is the si3n that Be is brin3in3 us into this /ar8ellous
understandin3 o, Bi/sel,.
O 0ord, ,or the po'er o, +hy Spirit to adore +hee in ,uller 'ays. 7eep /y spirit bri3htly
in,used by +hy Boly Spirit, O 0ord, that thus ener3ised, /y 0ord Eesus #hrist and Bis
per,e.tions /ay be /ani,ested in /y /ortal ,lesh.
O 0ord, breathe on /e till % a/ one 'ith +hee in the te/per o, /y /ind and heart and
disposition, unto +hee do % turn. Bo' .o/pletely a3ain % realise /y lost;ness 'ithout
+hee.
O 0ord, % ha8e no in?lin3 o, +hy 'ays in eAternal details, but % ha8e the eApe.tan.y o,
+hy 'onders soon to be. /ade 8isible. 0ord, % loo? to +hee, ho' .o/pletely at rest % a/,
yet ho' ,ree ,ro/ seein3 +hy 'ay. +hou art God and % trust in +hee,
Chapter -I 9ow This :;plains It
FAs +hou, &ather, art in e, and % in +hee, that they also /ay be one in us.F Eohn 1<I91.
The S&missions Of Life%
10u?e 9I=1K Eohn 19I11.2
)e are not built ,or oursel8es, but ,or God, not ,or ser8i.e ,or God, but ,or GodK that
eAplains the sub/issions o, li,e.
FAnd Be 'ent do'n 'ith the/, . . . and Be 'as subGe.t unto the/.F An a/a@in3
sub/ission. &or thirty years Eesus li8ed at ho/e 'ith brothers and sisters 'ho did not
belie8e in Bi/, and 'hen Be be3an Bis /inistry they said Be 'as /ad. FAs Be is, so are
93
'e in this 'orld.F )e say, *)hen % 'as born a3ain % thou3ht it 'ould be a ti/e o, 3reat
illu/ination and ser8i.e, and instead o, that % ha8e had to stay at ho/e 'ith people 'ho
ha8e .riti.ised /e and li/ited /e on the ri3ht hand and on the le,tK % ha8e been /is;
understood and /isrepresented.* F+he dis.iple is not abo8e his /aster.F Do 'e thin? our
lot ou3ht to be better than Eesus #hrist*s- )e .an easily es.ape the sub/issions i, 'e li?e,
but i, 'e do not sub/it, the Spirit o, God 'ill produ.e in us the /ost 3hastly hu/iliation
be,ore lon3. 7no'in3 that Eesus has prayed ,or us /a?es us sub/it.
God is not .on.erned about your ai/s and /ine. Be does not say, *Do you 'ant to 3o
throu3h this berea8e/ent, this upset-* Be allo's these thin3s ,or Bis o'n purpose. )e
/ay say 'hat 'e li?e, but God does allo' the de8il, Be does allo' sin, Be does allo'
bad /en to triu/ph and tyrants to rule, and these thin3s either /a?e us ,iends or they
/a?e us saints, it depends entirely on the relationship 'e are in to'ards God. %, 'e say,
F+hy 'ill be done,F 'e 3et the tre/endous .onsolation o, ?no'in3 that our &ather is
'or?in3 e8erythin3 a..ordin3 to Bis o'n 'isdo/. %, 'e understand 'hat God is a,ter,
'e shall be sa8ed ,ro/ bein3 /ean and .yni.al.
+he thin3s 'e are 3oin3 throu3h are either /a?in3 us s'eeter, better, nobler /en and
'o/en, or they are /a?in3 us /ore .aptious and ,ault;,indin3, /ore insistent on our o'n
'ay. )e are either 3ettin3 /ore li?e our &ather in hea8en,, or 'e are 3ettin3 /ore /ean
and intensely sel,ish. Bo' are 'e beha8in3 oursel8es in our .ir.u/stan.es- Do 'e
understand the purpose o, our li,e as ne8er be,ore- God does not eAist to ans'er our
prayers, but by our prayers 'e .o/e to dis.ern the /ind o, God, and that is de.lared in
Eohn 1<, F+hat they /ay be one, e8en as )e are one.F A/ % as .lose to Eesus as that- God
'ill not lea8e /e alone until % a/. God has one prayer Be /ust ans'er, and that is the
prayer o, Eesus #hrist. %t does not /atter ho' i/per,e.t or i//ature a dis.iple /ay be, i,
he 'ill han3 in, that prayer 'ill be ans'ered.
The Solitarinesses Of Life%
10u?e (I1;9, 99I(9.2
+here 'as nothin3 to /ar? our 0ord out ,ro/ ordinary /en sa8in3 that Be 'as insulated
'ithin. Be did not .hoose the solitary pla.es, Be 'as dri8en by the Spirit o, God into the
'ilderness. %t is not 3ood ,or a /an to be alone. !8il 'ill /a?e a /an 'ant to be alone.
Eesus #hrist does not /a?e /on?s and nuns, Be /a?es /en and 'o/en ,it ,or the 'orld
as it is 1see Eohn 1<I1=2. )e say, *% do 'ish Eesus did not eApe.t so /u.h o, /e.* Be
eApe.ts nothin3 less than absolute oneness 'ith Bi/sel, as Be 'as one 'ith Bis &ather.
God does not eApe.t us to 'or? for Bi/, but to 'or? with Bi/.
!8ery /an .arries his ?in3do/ 'ithin, and no one ?no's 'hat is ta?in3 pla.e in
another*s ?in3do/. *"o one understands /eL* O, .ourse they don*t, ea.h one o, us is a
/ystery. +here is only One )ho understands you, and that is God. Band yoursel, o8er to
Bi/.
Are you bein3 subGe.ted in this internal ?in3do/ to tre/endous te/ptations- Eesus 'as
te/pted o, the de8il, perhaps you are also, but no one 3uesses it. +here is ne8er any
.o/rade ,or your soul 'hen you are te/pted. +e/ptation is the testin3 o, the thin3 heldK
'e hold ,ro/ God the possibility o, the ans'er to our 0ord*s prayer, and that is the line
9(
alon3 'hi.h the te/ptation 'ill .o/e. +his eAplains itJEesus has prayed Fthat they /ay
be one, e8en as )e are one.F +hin? o, bein3 one 'ith Eesus, one in ai/ and purposeL
So/e o, us are ,ar o,, ,ro/ this, and yet God 'ill not lea8e us alone until 'e are one 'ith
Bi/, be.ause Eesus has prayed that 'e /ay be. +here is a ris? in dis.ipleship be.ause
God ne8er shields us ,ro/ the 'orld, the ,lesh and the de8il. #hristianity is .hara.ter, not
a *sho';business.*
%, you are 3oin3 throu3h a solitary 'ay, read Eohn 1<, it 'ill eAplain eAa.tly 'hy you are
'here you are. "o' you are a dis.iple you .an ne8er be as independent as you used to
be. Eesus has prayed that you /i3ht be one 'ith the &ather as Be isK are you helpin3 God
to ans'er Bis prayer, or ha8e you another end ,or your li,e-
The S&limity Of Life%
1Eohn 1<I99.2
FAnd the 3lory 'hi.h +hou 3a8est e % ha8e 3i8en the/.F +he 3lory o, our 0ord 'as the
3lory o, a holy li,e, and that is 'hat Be 3i8es to us. Be 3i8es us the 3i,t o, holiness, are
'e eAer.isin3 it-
F+he hope o, Bis .allin3F is re8ealed in Eohn 1<, and it is the 3reat li3ht on e8ery
proble/. God 3rant that 'e /ay re/ain true to that .allin3. F)e 'ill .o/e unto hi/, and
/a?e Our abode 'ith hi/,F the triune God abidin3 'ith the saint. )hat does a /an need
to .are a,ter thatL
O 0ord, 'hen % a'a?e % a/ still 'ith +hee. Oui.?en /y /ortal body 'ith +hy /i3hty
resurre.tion li,eK rouse /e 'ith a 3ra.ious ,loodin3 o, +hy Di8ine li,e ,or this day.
P P P
0ord, so /u.h a.ti8ity, so /any thin3s, so nu/berless the people, and yet +hou re;
/ainestL Bless to;day 'ith lar3eness o, heart and beauty o, .hara.ter ,or +hy 3lory.
O 0ord, unto +hee do % loo? up. !nli3hten /e, .ause /e to be radiant 'ith +hy .oun;
tenan.e. % praise +hee ,or +hy 3ra.e and ,or seein3 a little o, +hy /ar8ellous doin3sK
enable /e /ore and /ore to /ani,est the li,e hid 'ith #hrist in God.
0ord, throu3h the di/ness, .o/e 'ith da'nin3 and dra'in3 li3ht. Breathe on /e till %
a/ in a pure radiant ,ra/e o, body and /ind ,or +hy 'or? and ,or +hy 3lory this day.
Chapter -II Prayin$ In The <oly Ghost
FPrayin3 in the Boly Ghost.F Eude 95.
FPrayin3 al'ays 'ith all prayer and suppli.ation in the Spirit.F !phesians >I18.
Prayin3 in the Boly Ghost /eans the po'er 3i8en to us by God to /aintain a si/ple
relationship to Eesus #hrist, and it is /ost di,,i.ult to realise this si/ple relationship in
the /atter o, prayer.
9=
Prayer Per,aded =y Pentecost
)e ha8e to pray relyin3 upon 'hat has been re8ealed by the Sent;do'n Boly Ghost, and
the ,irst re8elation is that 'e do not ?no' ho' to pray 1see 6o/ans 8I9>2. )e ha8e to
learn to dra' on our relationship to Eesus #hrist, and as 'e do, 'e realise that the Boly
Ghost ?eeps us in si/ple relationship to our 0ord 'hile 'e pray. )hen 'e pray in the
Boly Ghost 'e are released ,ro/ our petitions. F$our &ather ?no'eth 'hat thin3s ye
ha8e need o,, be,ore ye as? Bi/.F +hen 'hy as?- +he 'hole /eanin3 o, prayer is that
'e /ay ?no' God. +he *as?in3 and re.ei8in3* prayer is ele/entary, it is the part o, prayer
'e .an understand, but it is not ne.essarily prayin3 in the Boly Ghost. +hose 'ho are not
born a3ain /ust as? and re.ei8eK but 'hen 'e ha8e re.ei8ed and ha8e be.o/e ri3htly
related to God, 'e /ust /aintain this si/pli.ity o, belie, in Bi/ 'hile 'e pray. Our
/inds /ust be saturated by the Pente.ostal re8elation o, prayer until 'e learn in e8ery
detail to pray in the Boly Ghost. Prayer is not an eAer.ise, it is the li,e.
Pecliar Sense Of 9eed
A 3reat /any people do not pray be.ause they do not ,eel any sense o, need. +he si3n
that the Boly Ghost is in us is that 'e realise, not that 'e are ,ull, but that 'e are e/pty,
there is a sense o, absolute need. )e .o/e a.ross people 'ho try us, .ir.u/stan.es that
are di,,i.ult, .onditions that are perpleAin3, and all these thin3s a'a?en a du/b sense o,
need, 'hi.h is a si3n that the Boly Ghost is there. %, 'e are e8er ,ree ,ro/ the sense o,
need, it is not be.ause the Boly Ghost has satis,ied us, but be.ause 'e ha8e been satis,ied
'ith as /u.h as 'e ha8e. FA /an*s rea.h should eA.eed his 3rasp.F A sense o, need is
one o, the 3reatest benedi.tions be.ause it ?eeps our li,e ri3htly related to Eesus #hrist.
Permeatin$ Sense Of (estraint
)hen 'e learn to pray in the Boly Ghost, 'e ,ind there are so/e thin3s ,or 'hi.h 'e
.annot pray, there is a sense o, restraint. "e8er push and say, *% ?no' it is God*s 'ill and %
a/ 3oin3 to sti.? to it.* Be'are, re/e/ber 'hat is re.orded o, the .hildren o, %sraelI FBe
3a8e the/ their reDuestK but sent leanness into their soulF 1Psal/ 15>I1=2. 0et the Spirit
o, God tea.h you 'hat Be is dri8in3 at and learn not to 3rie8e Bi/. %, 'e are abidin3 in
Eesus #hrist 'e shall as? 'hat Be 'ants us to as?, 'hether 'e are .ons.ious o, doin3 so
or not. 1Eohn 1=I<2.
Profond Sense Of Christ's Wor7
)hen 'e pray relyin3 on the Boly Ghost, Be 'ill al'ays brin3 us ba.? to this one point,
that 'e are not heard be.ause 'e are in earnest, or be.ause 'e need to be heard, or
9>
be.ause 'e 'ill perish i, 'e are not heardK 'e are heard only on the 3round o, the
Atone/ent o, our 0ord 1Bebre's 15I192.
+he e,,i.a.y o, the atonin3 'or? o, #hrist is the one thin3 that the Boly Ghost 'or?s into
our understandin3, and as Be interprets the /eanin3 o, that 'or? to us 'e shall ne8er
ban? on our o'n earnestness, or on our sense o, need, nor shall 'e e8er ha8e the idea that
God does not ans'er, 'e shall be so rest,ully .ertain that Be al'ays does.
+he Boly Ghost 'ill .ontinually interpret to us that the only 3round o, our approa.h to
God is "by the blood of Jesus.," and by no other 'ay. As 'e learn the spiritual .ulture o,
prayin3 in the Boly Ghost, 'e shall ,ind that the .o//on;sense .ir.u/stan.es God puts
us in, and the .o//on;sense people Bis pro8iden.e pla.es us a/on3st, are used by Bi/
to enable us to realise that the one ,unda/ental thin3 in prayer is the atonin3 'or? o,
Eesus #hrist.
#pprehension Of God's (esorces
)hen 'e pray in the Boly Ghost 'e be3in to ha8e a /ore inti/ate .on.eption o, GodK
the Boly Ghost brin3s all throu3h us the sense o, Bis resour.es. &or instan.e, 'e /ay be
.alled to a de,inite purpose ,or our li,e 'hi.h the Boly Ghost re8eals and 'e ?no'
that it /eans a de.ision, a re.?less ,lin3 o8er on to God, a burnin3 o, our brid3es behind
usK and there is not a soul to ad8ise us 'hen 'e ta?e that step sa8in3 the Boly Ghost. Our
.lin3in3s .o/e in this 'ayJ'e put one ,oot on God*s side and one on the side o, hu/an
reasonin3K then God 'idens the spa.e until 'e either drop do'n in bet'een or Gu/p on to
one side or the other. )e ha8e to ta?e a leap, a re.?less leap, and i, 'e ha8e learned to
rely on the Boly Ghost, it 'ill be a re.?less leap on to God*s side. So /any o, us li/it our
prayin3 be.ause 'e are not re.?less in our .on,iden.e in God. %n the eyes o, those 'ho
do not ?no' God, it is /adness to trust Bi/, but 'hen 'e pray in the Boly Ghost 'e
be3in to realise the resour.es o, God, that Be is our per,e.t hea8enly &ather, and 'e are
Bis .hildren.
Al'ays ?eep an inner re.olle.tedness that God is our &ather throu3h the 0ord Eesus
#hrist.
#tmosphere For Wor7
Prayin3 in the Boly Ghost 3i8es us a true insi3ht into 'hy Paul said 'e 'restle not
a3ainst ,lesh and blood, but a3ainst prin.ipalities and po'ers, a3ainst spiritual
'i.?edness in hi3h pla.es.
%, the Boly Spirit is ha8in3 Bis 'ay in us, Be 'ill .har3e the at/osphere round about us.
+here are thin3s that ha8e to be .leared a'ay by the Boly Ghost. "e8er ,i3htK stand and
'restle. )restlin3 is not ,i3htin3, it is .losin3 'ith the anta3onist on your o'n 3round,
and /aintainin3 a steady, all e/bra.in3 *stand* and *'ithstand.* Bo' /any o, us su..u/b
to ,lesh and blood .ir.u/stan.esJ*% did not sleep 'ell*K or, *% ha8e indi3estion*K or, *% did
not do Duite the ri3ht thin3 there.* "e8er allo' any o, these thin3s to be the reason to
9<
yoursel, 'hy you are not pre8ailin3 in prayer. +here are hundreds o, people 'ith i/;
paired bodies 'ho ?no' 'hat it is to pray in the Boly Ghost.
%n 'or? ,or God ne8er loo? at ,lesh and blood .ausesK /eet e8ery arran3e/ent ,or the
day in the po'er o, the Boly Ghost. %t /a?es no di,,eren.e 'hat your 'or? is, or 'hat
your .ir.u/stan.es areK i, you are prayin3 in the Boly Ghost, Be 'ill produ.e an
at/osphere round about you, and all these thin3s 'ill redound to the 3lory o, God.
#postolic <a&it
FPray 'ithout .easin3.F 7eep the .hild;li?e habit o, .ontinually eGa.ulatin3 in your heart
to God, re.o3nise and rely on the Boly Ghost all the ti/e. %narti.ulate prayer, the
i/pulsi8e prayer that loo?s so ,utile, is the thin3 God al'ays heeds. +he habit o,
eGa.ulatory prayer ou3ht to be the persistent habit o, ea.h one o, us.
#ttitde Of +aily (eaction
+he 'ay 'e rea.t durin3 the day 'ill either hinder or help our prayin3. %, 'e allo' a
state o, rea.tion not born o, a si/ple relationship to Eesus #hrist, 'e shall ha8e so /u.h
'ilderness 'aste to 3et throu3h be,ore 'e .an .o/e to God, /ists and shado's 'hi.h
.o/e bet'een our .ons.ious li,e and the inter.edin3 Boly Ghost. +he Boly Ghost is there
all the ti/e, but 'e ha8e lost si3ht o, Bi/ by allo'in3 thin3s that ha8e not sprun3 ,ro/
our si/ple relationship to Eesus #hrist. Anythin3 that is so .ontinually 'ith us, e8en our
reli3ious li,e itsel,, that 'e ne8er really pray in the Boly Ghost, /ay be a hindran.e. +he
only one 'ho prays in the Boly Ghost is the .hild, the .hild;spirit in us, the 3ay spirit o,
utter .on,iden.e in God. )hen 'e pray in the Boly Ghost, 'e brin3 to God the thin3s
that .o/e Duite naturally to our /inds, and the Boly Ghost )ho F/a?eth inter.ession ,or
the saints a..ordin3 to the 'ill o, GodF enables God to ans'er the prayer Be Bi/sel,
prays in your bodily te/ple and /ine. F. . . that ye /ay be the .hildren o, your &ather
'hi.h is in hea8en.F +he Boly Ghost .annot deli3ht in our 'isdo/K it is the 'isdo/ o,
God Be deli3hts in.
Ba8e 'e re.o3nised that our body is the te/ple o, the Boly Ghost- %, so, 'e /ust be
.are,ul that 'e ?eep it unde,iled ,or Bi/. Fy house shall be .alled a house o, prayer,F
said Eesus.
0ord, ho' % desire to see +hee, to hear +hee, to /editate on +hee and to /ani,estly 3ro'
li?e +heeL And +hou hast said, FDeli3ht thysel, also in the 0ord, and Be shall 3i8e thee
the desires o, thine heart.F
O 0ord, % ?no' +hy blessin3 and % praise +hee, but it is the indes.ribable tou.h and
en'heelin3 as +hy ser8ant that % see? ,orJ % ?no' not 'hat % see? ,or, but +hou
?no'est. Bo' % lon3 ,or +heeL
98
0ord, % still /o8e and li8e in a di/ 'orld, ,eelin3 +hee near by ,aith, but % 'ill not
presu/e. % 'ould hide in +hee in se.urity and patien.e until % a/ as +hou 'ouldst ha8e
/e to be.
Chapter -III St% Pal's Intercession For Instantaneos
Insistent Sanctification
1+hessalonians =I93;9(.
All throu3h the Bible the separation o, a people by God is re8ealed, and the indi8idual
/e/bers o, that people ha8e to separate the/sel8es to God*s ser8i.e. )e are set apart
that 'e /ay set oursel8es apart. God )ho reDuires the separation reDuires also that the
person be san.ti,ied intrinsi.ally too.
+'o ideas are brou3ht out in re3ard to our 0ordI ,irst, the &ather separatin3 Eesus ,or Bis
rede/pti8e 'or?, FSay ye o, Bi/, )ho/ the &ather san.ti,ied and sent into the 'orld,
+hou blasphe/estK be.ause % said, % a/ the Son o, God-F 1Eohn 15I3>2K se.ond, Eesus
san.ti,yin3 Bi/sel, ,or the 'or? o, God, FAnd ,or their sa?es % san.ti,y ysel,, that they
also /i3ht be san.ti,ied throu3h the truthF 1Eohn 1<I192. But our 0ord 'as holy, 'hy did
Be say F% san.ti,y ysel,F- +o .oin a phrase, Eesus #hrist *san.ti,ied Bis san.ti,i.ation,*
that is, Be deter/inedly sa.ri,i.ed Bis holy Sel, to Bis &ather. Eesus #hrist separated, or
san.ti,ied, Bi/sel, by sa.ri,i.in3 Bis holy Sel, to the 'ill o, Bis &atherK Be san.ti,ied
Bis intelli3en.e by sub/ittin3 Bis intelli3en.e to the 'ord o, Bis &ather, and Be
san.ti,ied Bis 'ill by sub/ittin3 Bis 'ill to the 'ill o, Bis &ather. As the san.ti,ied
.hildren o, God 'e need to bear in /ind that a,ter the eAperien.e o, san.ti,i.ation 'e
ha8e to separate our holiness to God. )e are not /ade holy ,or oursel8es, but ,or God,
there is to be no insubordination about us.
+he /aGority o, us are too indi,,erent, too reli3iously senti/ental, to be .au3ht up into the
s'eep o, the Apostle Paul*s inter.ession. Ba8e 'e a lesser idea than that God should do
in us 'hat Be 'ants to do- Are 'e prepared to pray 'ith urray .#heyne, F0ord,
/a?e /e as holy as +hou .anst /a?e a sinner sa8ed by 3ra.eF-
So/e people pray and lon3 and yearn ,or the eAperien.e o, san.ti,i.ation, but ne8er 3et
any'here near itK others enter in 'ith a sudden /ar8ellous realisation. San.ti,i.ation is an
instantaneous, .ontinuous 'or? o, 3ra.eK ho' lon3 the approa.h to it ta?es depends upon
oursel8es, and that leads so/e to say san.ti,i.ation is not instantaneous. +he reason 'hy
so/e do not enter in is be.ause they ha8e ne8er allo'ed their /inds to realise 'hat
san.ti,i.ation /eans. )hen 'e pray to be .au3ht up into God*s purpose behind this
inter.ession o, the Apostle Paul, 'e /ust see that 'e are 'illin3 to ,a.e the standard o,
these 8erses. Are 'e prepared ,or 'hat san.ti,i.ation 'ill .ost- %t 'ill .ost an intense
narro'in3 o, all our interests on earth, and an i//ense broadenin3 o, our interest in God.
%n other 'ords, san.ti,i.ation /eans an intense .on.entration on God*s point o, 8ie'J
e8ery po'er o, spirit, soul and body .hained and ?ept ,or God*s purpose only. San.ti;
,i.ation /eans bein3 /ade one 'ith God, e8en as the 0ord Eesus #hrist 'as oneJFthat
99
they /ay be one, e8en as )e are one.F +hat is /u.h /ore than union, it is one in identityK
the sa/e disposition that ruled in Eesus rules in /e. A/ % prepared ,or 'hat that 'ill
.ost- %t 'ill .ost e8erythin3 that is not God in /e. A/ % prepared ,or God to separate /e
,or Bis 'or? in /e, as Be separated Eesus, and a,ter Bis 'or? is done, a/ % prepared to
separate /ysel, to God e8en as Eesus did- %t is this settlin3 do'n into God*s truth that is
needed.
+he type o, san.ti,ied li,e is the 0ord Eesus #hrist, and the .hara.teristi. o, Bis li,e 'as
subordination to Bis &ather. +he only 'ay to 3et ri3ht 'ith God is to soa? in the
at/osphere o, the li,e o, the 0ord Eesus.
+he one /ar? o, spiritual people today is insubordination. )e ha8e 'ild spiritual
i/pulses that 'ould 3i8e an opportunity to Satan as an an3el o, li3ht to s'it.h the 8ery
ele.t, i, it 'ere possible, a'ay ,ro/ God*s plan. %, you 'ant to ?no' the result o,
spiritual insubordination, read 1 #orinthians 19. +here you 'ill see a portrait o, spiritual
luna.y, absolute insubordination to the do/inant sanity o, the Spirit o, God. +he .hara.;
teristi. o, the Boly Ghost in a /an is a stron3 ,a/ily li?eness to Eesus and ,reedo/ ,ro/
e8erythin3 unli?e Eesus.
+he best o, us are all too shallo' and ,lippant in our attitude to this tre/endous se.ret o,
san.ti,i.ation. Are 'e prepared to let the Spirit o, God 3rip us and put us under Bis
sear.hli3ht, and then do a 'or? in us that is 'orthy o, God- San.ti,i.ation is not our idea
o, 'hat 'e 'ant God to do ,or us, san.ti,i.ation is 'hat God does ,or us, and Be has to
3et us into the ri3ht relationship, the ri3ht attitude o, /ind and heart, 'here at any .ost
'e let Bi/ do it. Are 'e prepared to .on.entrate on the Boly Spirit*s /inistration-
+he Apostle Paul is not tal?in3 about s.ienti,i. truth, or intelle.tual truth he is tal?in3
about spiritual truth, and the only 'ay 'e .an pro8e spiritual truth is by eAperien.e.
People say, *% don*t understand this do.trine o, san.ti,i.ation.* )ell, 3et into the
eAperien.e ,irst. $ou only 3et ho/e by 3oin3 there. $ou /ay thin? about 3ettin3 there,
but you 'ill ne8er 3et there till you 3o. A/ % prepared to do 'hat Eesus saidJF#o/e
unto eF- A/ % prepared to let God /a?e /e real- 6eality is the proo, in /y o'n
eAperien.e that this thin3 is true. God 3rant that e8ery 'or?er /ay see the peril o, not
applyin3 this spiritual lo3i.J*Pro8e it.* !8ery ti/e 'e 3i8e a /essa3e that 'e ha8e no
eAperien.e o,, the Spirit o, God 'ill brin3 it ba.? to youJ*)here are you in re3ard to
this /atter-*
The -ale Of Calm
FAnd the God o, pea.e Bi/sel, . . .F
%t is 'onder,ul that by the 3uidan.e o, the Boly Spirit, Paul puts the subsidin3 o,
suspi.ion in the ,irst pla.e. +he 8ery nature o, the old disposition is an in.urable
suspi.ion that Eesus #hrist .annot do 'hat Be .a/e to do. Ba8e you the tiniest suspi.ion
that God .annot san.ti,y you in Bis Al/i3hty 'ay- +hen you need to let the God o,
pea.e slip Bis 3reat .al/ all throu3h your insidious unbelie, till all is Duiet and there is
one thin3 onlyJGod and your soulK not the pea.e o, a .ons.ien.e at rest only, but the
8ery pea.e o, God 'hi.h 'ill ?eep you ri3htly related to God. Fy pea.e % 3i8e unto
35
you,F said Eesus. )hen on.e you let the God o, pea.e 3rip you by sal8ation and sDuee@e
the suspi.ion out o, you till you are Duiet be,ore Bi/, the belie8in3 attitude is born, there
is no /ore suspi.ion, you are in /oral a3ree/ent 'ith God about e8erythin3 Be 'ants to
do.
One o, the thin3s 'hi.h 'e need to be .ured o, by the God o, pea.e is the petulant
stru33le o, doin3 thin3s ,or oursel8esJ*% .an san.ti,y /ysel,K i, % .ut o,, this and that and
the other % shall be all ri3ht.* "o, Paul says "the very od of peace san.ti,y you 'holly.F
Bas the God o, pea.e brou3ht you into a .al/, or is there a .la/our and a stru33le
still- Are you still han3in3 on to so/e obstinate .on8i.tion o, your o'n-Jstill
stru33lin3 'ith so/e parti.ular line o, thin3s you 'ant- F+he God o, pea.e Bi/sel,
san.ti,y you 'holly.F %, 'e are to be san.ti,ied, it /ust be by the God o, pea.e Bi/sel,.
+he po'er that /a?es the li,e o, the saint does not .o/e ,ro/ our e,,orts at all, it .o/es
,ro/ the heart o, the God o, pea.e. A/eri.a has a phraseJ+ray throu3h.* )hat 'e ha8e
to *pray throu3h* is all our petulant stru33lin3 a,ter san.ti,i.ation, all the in8eterate sus;
pi.ion in our hearts that God .annot san.ti,y us. )hen 'e are rid o, all that and are ri3ht
be,ore God, then God lets us see ho' Be alone does the 'or?.
)hen 'e stay our ,eeble e,,orts,
And ,ro/ stru33lin3 .ease,
Un.onditional surrender
Brin3s us God*s o'n pea.e.
+he 3reat /i3hty po'er o, the God o, pea.e is slipped into the soul under the .all ,or
supre/e san.ti,i.ation. So/e o, us are ,ar too turbulent in spirit to eAperien.e e8en the
,irst 3li/pse o, 'hat san.ti,i.ation /eans. People noisy in 'ords are not al'ays turbulent
in spiritK eA.essi8ely Duiet people 'ho ha8e nothin3 to eApress in Goy and shoutin3, /ay
be suspi.ious in heart.
-ale Of *assi,e Trth
Fsan.ti,y you 'holly.F
)hen on.e 'e 3et .al/ be,ore God and are 'illin3 to let Bi/ do 'hat Be .hooses, Be
3i8es us an outline o, so/e o, Bis /assi8e truths. FAnd the 8ery God o, pea.e san.ti,y
you wholly"!preserve you in unspotted inte3rity. %nte3rity is the uni/paired state o, a
thin3, unbla/eable, undeser8in3 o, .ensure in God*s si3ht. Paul*s inter.ession is ,or an
instantaneous and insistent san.ti,i.ation that 'ill preser8e a /an in unspotted inte3rity
Funto the .o/in3 o, our 0ord Eesus #hrist.F +he /aGority o, us ha8e ne8er allo'ed our
/inds to d'ell as they should on these 3reat /assi8e truthsK .onseDuently san.ti,i.ation
has been /ade to /ean a se.ond dose o, .on8ersion. San.ti,i.ation .an only be na/ed in
the presen.e o, God, it is sta/ped by a li?eness to #hrist.
F)hollyFJe8ery detail, /ysti.al, /oral, /aterial.
31
!a" *ystical%
""nd I pray od your whole spirit . . . be preserved blameless . . ." +he 'ord *spirit*
here is not the sa/e as in 8erse 19. F$our 'hole spirit, i.e., the personality o, a /an
i/bued by the Spirit o, God, the t'o ne8er be.o/e identi.al, they be.o/e identi,ied. A
/an*s spirit is i/bued 'ith the Spirit o, God till all the hi3hest /ysti.al rea.hes o, his
personality are li8in3 in God. )here are our i/a3inations- 'here are all the ,an.ies that
brea? throu3h lan3ua3e and es.ape- 'here do they li8e- 'here are our drea/s that /a?e
us a,raid o, oursel8es- +he /odern psy.holo3i.al phrase is sub;.ons.ious, super;
.ons.ious, beyond the ran3e o, 'hat 'e are able to 3rasp. +he 3reat /ysti. 'or? o, the
Boly Ghost is in those di/ re3ions o, personality 'here 'e .annot 3o. %, you 'ant to
?no' 'hat those re3ions are li?e, read Psal/ 199. +he Psal/ist i/plies,J*+hou art the
God o, the early /ornin3s, the God o, the late;at;ni3hts, the God o, the /ountain pea?s,
the God o, the seaK but, /y God, /y soul has ,urther hori@ons than the early /ornin3s,
deeper dar?ness than the ni3hts o, earth, hi3her pea?s than any /ountain, 3reater depths
than any sea .an ?no'. y God, +hou art the God o, these, be /y GodL % .annot rea.h to
the hei3hts or depths, there are /oti8es % .annot tou.h, drea/s % .annot ,atho/, God
sear.h /e, 'inno' out /y 'ay.*
)hen God 3i8es Bis .al/, do 'e realise the /a3nitude o, san.ti,i.ation throu3h Bis
o/nipotent /i3ht- Do 'e belie8e that God .an 3arrison our i/a3inations, .an san.ti,y us
,ar beyond 'here 'e .an 3o- Ba8e 'e realised that i, 'e 'al? in the li3ht, as God is in
the li3ht, the blood o, Eesus #hrist .leanses us ,ro/ all sin- %, that /eans .leansin3 ,ro/
sin in .ons.ious eAperien.e only, God Al/i3hty ha8e /er.y on usL +he /an 'ho has
be.o/e obtuse throu3h sin is un.ons.ious o, sin. Bein3 .leansed by the blood o, Eesus
/eans .leansin3 to the 8ery hei3hts and depths o, our spirit i, 'e 'al? in the li3ht as God
is in the li3ht. "one o, us soa? su,,i.iently in the terri,i. God;li?e re8elation o,
san.ti,i.ation, and /any a .hild o, God 'ould ne8er ha8e been led astray by the
.ounter,eits o, Satan i, they had allo'ed their /inds to be bent on that 3reat .on.eption
o, Paul*s, Fyour 'hole spiritFJ,ro/ the 8a3ue be3innin3s o, personality ?no'n only to
God, to the top/ost rea.h, preser8ed entire, 3arrisoned by the God o, pea.e.
!&" *oral%
"#our whole . . . soul preserved blameless . . ." +here are those 'ho 'ant to ,or/ reli3ion
on /ysti.is/Jli8e a..ordin3 to your te/pera/ent. !8ery san.ti,ied soul is a /ysti., but
he does not li8e in that re3ion only, he is soul and body as 'ell as spirit, and 'hat is true
in the /ysti.al sphere is true in the /oral sphere. Soul is /an*s spirit be.o/in3 rational
in the body, eAplainin3 itsel,. )hen a little .hild 'ants to say so/ethin3 and has not a
8o.abulary, it spea?s throu3h 3esti.ulations and ,a.ial 'or?in3s, it has not the po'er o,
soul to eApress itsel, in 'ords. Paul says not only *your 'hole spirit preser8ed bla/eless,*
but *your 'hole soul.$ Are 'e ,or/in3 the /ind o, #hrist- A /an has the Spirit o, Eesus
3i8en to hi/, but he has not Bis /ind until he ,or/s it. Bo' are 'e to ,or/ the /ind o,
#hrist- By lettin3 Bis Spirit i/bue our spirit, our thin?in3, our reasonin3 ,a.ulties, then
'e shall be3in to reason as Eesus did, until slo'ly and surely the 8ery Spirit that ,ed the
li,e o, Eesus 'ill ,eed the li,e o, our soul.
San.ti,i.ation .o8ers not only the narro' re3ion 'here 'e be3in the spiritual li,e, but the
'hole rational /an, san.ti,ied 'holly in i/a3ination and reasonin3 po'er. Bo' do you
39
read history- Do you dis.ern the ar/ o, the 0ord behind it- Bo' do you su/ up the
.ir.u/stan.es o, your o'n li,e- F+he sun shall no /ore be thy li3ht by dayK neither ,or
bri3htness shall the /oon 3i8e li3ht unto theeI but the 0ord shall be unto thee an
e8erlastin3 li3ht, and thy God thy 3lory.F +he li3ht on the inside 'ill 3uide you, a
reasonin3 soul, to understand the ,a.ts re8ealed by .o//on days and ni3hts you .annot
understand other'ise. A hu/ble, i3norant /an or 'o/an dependin3 on the /ind o, God
has an eAplanation ,or thin3s that the rational /an 'ithout the Spirit o, God ne8er has.
!c" *aterial
"#our whole . . . body preserved blameless . . ." an is not only /ysti.al and /oral, but
/aterialK ne8er say be.ause you ha8e a body you .annot pro3ress. A..ordin3 to the
Apostle Paul the body is unutterably sa.red.
+he Bible does not say that the body is a .urse and a hindran.e, it says it is Fthe te/ple o,
the Boly Ghost.F F)hat- ?no' ye not that your body is the te/ple o, the Boly Ghost-F %t
is only 'hen 3arrisoned by the God o, pea.e that the stupendous san.tity o, the Boly
Ghost preser8es a /an, spirit, soul and body, in unspotted inte3rity, 'ithout bla/e, unto
the .o/in3 o, Eesus. Our 'hole body is preser8ed as 'e .o/e into .onta.t 'ith all the
di,,erent relationships o, li,e. %n the be3innin3 o, spiritual edu.ation 'e are apt to pay too
/u.h attention to one o, these spheres and Satan 3ets his .han.e 'ith the others. %, 'e
pay attention to the spiritual, Satan 'ill pay attention to the ner8es.
San.ti,i.ation is an instantaneous, .ontinuous 'or? o, GodK i//ediately 'e are related
ri3htly to God it is /ani,ested instanter in spirit, soul and body. +he reason the #hur.h as
a 'hole does not belie8e it is be.ause they 'ill not soa? in the /assi8e truths o, God,
.onseDuently e8ery no' and a3ain in the history o, the #hur.h, God has had to raise up
so/e ser8ant o, Bis to e/phasise a,resh this intense, 8i8id san.ti,i.ation o, the 'hole
spirit, the 'hole soul, and the 'hole body, preser8ed bla/eless unto the .o/in3 o, our
0ord Eesus #hrist.
O 0ord, /y approa.h to +hee is dulled be.ause o, /y physi.al di/ness, but /y spirit and
heart reGoi.e in +hee and /y ,lesh shall rest in hope. +ou.h /e bodily, O 0ord, till %
ans'er in thrillin3 health to +hy tou.h.
%nsulate /e, O 0ord, ,ro/ the thin3s o, sense and ti/e, and usher /e into the presen.e o,
the 7in3.
O 0ord, % a/ distressed at /y slo' /ani,estation o, any o, the beauty o, holiness that
/i3ht eApress /y unspea?able 3ratitude ,or +hy sal8ation, su.h la.? o, the 'inso/e. O
0ord, .ause /e by loo?in3 to +hee to be radiant.
O 0ord, % 'ould bless and praise +hee. Bo' hard % ,ind it to praise +hee 'hen % a/ not
physi.ally ,it, and yet 'hy should itJthat /eans that % praise +hee 'hen it is a pleasure
to /e physi.ally. O 0ord, that /y soul 'ere one .ontinual praise to +hee.
33
Chapter I> This +ay Is That +ay
FAnd in that day ye shall as? e nothin3. :erily, 8erily, % say unto you, )hatsoe8er ye
shall as? the &ather in y na/e, Be 'ill 3i8e it you.F Eohn 1>I93.
Unperple;ed (ealisation
+hat Qday4 eAtends ,ro/ Pente.ost to the day o, our 0ord*s return. Our 0ord had Gust been
tellin3 Bis dis.iples that Be is 3oin3 to Bis &ather, and eAplainin3 to the/ 'hat this
3oin3 /eant. %t /eant, as ,ar as Be 'as .on.erned, that Be 'ould be o/nipresent,
o/nipotent and o/nis.ient. 6e.all ho' the dis.iples had Duestioned our 0ord Eesus
#hrist up till then, but Eesus said, F%n that day ye shall as? e no Duestion.F +he day our
0ord 'as re,errin3 to 'as the day 'e ?no' in the annals o, the #hur.h as the Day o,
Pente.ost, that is, the Day o, the Spirit o, God. )hat a 'onder,ul day to li8e inL
Un?estioned (e,elation
A,ter the 6esurre.tion our 0ord breathed on these Duestionin3, perpleAed, .on,used, loyal
dis.iples, and said, F6e.ei8e ye the Boly SpiritFK i, you read the a..ounts in St. Eohn and
St. 0u?e you 'ill ,ind it re.orded that their eyes 'ere opened and they ?ne' Bi/K their
understandin3s 'ere opened and they ?ne' the S.ripturesK their inner .ons.ien.es 'ere
opened and they ?ne' that they had re.ei8ed ,ro/ their 6isen 0ord the 8ery Spirit that
ruled Bi/.
%s it possible to sit do'n unperpleAed 'hile li8es are bein3 blasted in the /ost terrible
'ay ri3ht in our 8ery .ities- Does it /ean that 'e are to sit 'ith ,olded hands and as? no
Duestions- "o, it /eans so/ethin3 /u.h /ore subli/e and pra.ti.al than that. %t /eans
that in the pro,ound re3ions o, our li8es 'e ?no' that God is at 'or?, the Boly Spirit has
re8ealed Bi/, and Be is ta?in3 us slo'ly into Bis .ounsels. F)hatsoe8er Be shall hear,
that shall Be spea?I and Be 'ill sho' you thin3s to .o/eF 1Eohn A8i. 132.
Undeflected (eflection
+his does not /ean that the soul 'ho has re.ei8ed the Boly Spirit .an de/and that God
tell hi/ Bis se.rets, it /eans that he is li,ted to the pri8ile3e o, enterin3 into God*s
.ounsels 'ith #hrist Eesus. Great dar?ness, eAasperatin3 pro8iden.es, but the inner se.ret
o, the 0ord is 'ith those 'ho ha8e Bis Spirit.
6ead Eohn 1> and you 'ill ,ind our 0ord did not /ean that li,e 'ould be ,ree ,ro/
eAternal perpleAities, be.ause Be says, F+hey shall put you out o, the syna3o3uesI yea,
the ti/e .o/eth, that 'hosoe8er ?illeth you 'ill thin? that he doeth God ser8i.eF (v. 92.
+hrou3h it all .o/es the unDuestionin3 re8elation that as #hrist ?ne' Bis &ather*s /ind
3(
and heart, by the /i3hty baptis/ o, the Boly Ghost Eesus .an li,t any soul into the
hea8enly pla.es 'ith Bi/ so that the .ounsel and understandin3 o, God*s /ind /i3ht be
re8ealed.
%, 'e ha8e been 3oin3 on 'ith Eesus #hrist 'e ha8e .o/e to the day o, unDuestionin3
re8elation, that is, 'e ?no' 'hat Eohn /eant 'hen he said, FBut ye ha8e an un.tion ,ro/
the Boly One, and ye ?no' all thin3s,F and, Fthe sa/e anointin3 tea.heth you o, all
thin3s.F +he /eanin3 o, that is 8ery pra.ti.al and saneJ+est all you hear, all you read,
by this inner anointin3, by the ind'ellin3 SpiritK Be 'ill test all the truth o, God.
Undistr&ed (elation
F:erily, 8erily, % say unto you, )hatsoe8er ye shall as? the &ather in y na/e . . .F
+hat day is not only a day o, unDuestionin3 re8elation, but a day o, undisturbed
relationship bet'een God and oursel8es. Eust as Eesus stood unsullied in the presen.e o,
Bis &ather, so by the /i3hty e,,i.a.y o, the ind'ellin3 Boly Ghost 'e .an be li,ted up
into the sa/e relationship. F+hat they /ay be one, e8en as )e are one.F F)hatsoe8er ye
shall as? the &ather in y na/eFJi.e., in y natureJFBe 'ill 3i8e it you.F
)hen 'e are born o, the Boly Ghost, 'hen 'e are related to God and bear the sa/e
,a/ily li?eness to God that Eesus boreJ'hi.h, blessed be the "a/e o, God, 'e /ay do
by the 'onder,ul Atone/ent o, the 0ord Eesus #hrist /ade li8in3 and e,,i.a.ious in us
by this /i3hty Spirit o, God Jin that day 'e, too, .an ha8e this undisturbed relation to
God.
Undis$ised (eco$nition
FBe 'ill 3i8e it you.F
Eesus said that God 'ill re.o3nise our prayers. )hat a .hallen3eL Bad Eesus any ri3ht to
say it- Ba8e 'e ,a.ed it ,or one /o/ent- %s it possible that the 0ord Eesus #hrist /eans
that by Bis 6esurre.tion po'er, by Bis As.ension po'er, by the po'er o, the Sent;do'n
Boly Ghost, Be .an li,t us into su.h a relationship 'ith God that 'e are at one 'ith the
per,e.t so8erei3n 'ill o, God by our ,ree .hoi.e as Eesus 'as- Does Be /ean 'hat Be
says-
FBitherto ha8e ye as?ed nothin3 in y na/eF JBo' .ould they as? anythin3 in Bis
na/e 'hen Be had not yet sent ,orth that /ar8ellous Boly Spirit- FAs?, and ye shall
re.ei8e, that your Goy /ay be ,ull.F "o' 'e be3in to understand 'hy Eesus said, F$e
shall as? e no Duestion,F be.ause the Boly Spirit in that day 3lori,ied Eesus and
re8ealed Bi/ to the/, and brou3ht ba.? to their re/e/bran.e Bis 'ords and led the/
into their /eanin3.
+han? God, 'hen .louds are around the saint ?no's that they are but the dust o, the
&ather*s ,eet, and 'hen the shado's are dar? and terrible and the soul see/s to ,ear
eAternally as it enters the .loud, he ,inds Fno /an any /ore, sa8e Eesus only 'ith
the/sel8es.F %n that 'onder,ul position, pla.ed there in that Day, this day, 'e .an pray to
3=
God in the nature o, Eesus #hrist, 3i,ted to us by the Boly Ghost, and Eesus #hrist*s so8;
erei3n .hara.ter is tested by Bis o'n state/ent, F:erily, 8erily, % say unto you,
'hatsoe8er ye shall as? the &ather in y na/e., He will give it you."
O 0ord, +hou art God, Boly and Al/i3hty, and +hou doest all thin3s 'ell. Sho' +hysel,
to us this day. 0ord, ,or /ysel, % 'ould /a?e petition to see +heeK dra' /e near to +hee
that % /ay ?no' +hee and ha8e rare .o//union 'ith +hee.
0ord, ,or the days o, the past holiday % praise and than? +hee, ,or /y lyin3 ,allo' to +hy
3ra.eK ,or the /any prayers that ha8e surrounded /e li?e an at/osphere o,
hea8en.
O 0ord, sa8e us ,ro/ the /ur/urin3 spirit 'hi.h 'ith the /aGority o, us is /erely s?in
deep, but it is har/,ul, hurtin3 the bloo/ o, spiritual .o//union. 7eep our li,e hid 'ith
#hrist in God.
Chapter > Intercession
enesis %&' 93;33
FAnd the 0ord 'ent Bis 'ay . . . I and Abraha/ returned unto his pla.e.F 8. 33.
+he 3reat di,,i.ulty in inter.ession is /ysel,, nothin3 less or /ore. +he ,irst thin3 % ha8e
to do is to ta?e /ysel, to s.hool. y ,irst duty is not to assert ,reedo/, but to ,ind an
absolute aster. )e thin? that to be 'ithout a /aster is the si3n o, a hi3h type o, li,eK
insur3ent, i/pertinent hu/an bein3s ha8e no /aster, noble bein3s ha8e. % /ust learn not
to ta?e /ysel, too seriously. ysel, is apt to be /y /aster, % pray to /ysel,. )e are all
Pharisees until 'e are 'illin3 to learn to inter.ede. )e /ust 3o into hea8en ba.?'ards,
that phrase /eans 'e /ust 3ro' into doin3 so/e de,inite thin3 by prayin3, not by
seein3. +o learn this lesson o, handlin3 a thin3 by prayer properly is to enter a 8ery
se8ere s.hool. A #hristian*s duty is not to hi/sel, or to others, but to #hrist. )e
thin? o, prayer as a preparation ,or 'or?, or a .al/ a,ter ha8in3 done 'or?, 'hereas
prayer is the essential 'or?. %t is the supre/e a.ti8ity o, e8erythin3 that is noblest in our
personality. )e 'on*t brin3 do'n to earth 'hat 'e see in 8ision about our aster, 'e
*/oon* around it in de8otional spe.ulations, but 'e 'on*t brin3 it strai3ht do'n to /other
earth and 'or? it out in a.tualities.
The Stren$th #nd Self1Limitation Of Intercession
%, any /an see his brother sin a sin 'hi.h is not unto death, he shall as?, and Be shall
3i8e hi/ li,e ,or the/ that sin not unto death. +here is a sin unto deathI % do not say that
he shall pray ,or it.F 1 Eohn =I1>.
3>
Bo' are 'e 3oin3 to ?no' 'hen a /an has sinned a sin unto death and 'hen he has not-
Only throu3h inter.ession. %, 'e /a?e our o'n dis.ern/ent the Gud3e, 'e are 'ron3. )e
base it all on an abstra.t truth di8or.ed ,ro/ God, 'e pin our ,aith on 'hat God has done
and not on the God )ho did it, and 'hen the .ase be3ins to 3o 'ron3 a3ain, 'e do not
inter.ede, 'e be3in to s.old God. )e 3et ,anati.al, 'e upset the .ourt o, hea8en by
sayin3, *% /ust do this thin3.* +hat is not inter.ession, that is rushin3 in 'here an3els ,ear
to tread. %t is ,anati.al ,ren@y, stor/in3 the throne o, God and re,usin3 to see Bis
.hara.ter 'hile sti.?in3 true to our assertions o, 'hat Be said Be 'ould do. Be'are o,
/a?in3 God run in the /ould o, Bis o'n pre.edent, that /eans, be.ause Be did a .ertain
thin3 on.e, Be is sure to do it a3ain, 'hi.h is so /u.h o, a truth that it be.o/es an
i/per.eptible error 'hen 'e subtly lea8e God Bi/sel, out o, it. &ren@yJno stren3th and
no sel,;li/itation. )e ha8e ta?en oursel8es so seriously that 'e .annot e8en see God, 'e
are di.tatin3 to God.
+he 6ede/ption o, our 0ord Eesus #hrist /irrored in the Atone/ent e/bra.es
e8erythin3. Sin, si.?ness, li/itation and death are all done a'ay 'ith in 6ede/ptionK but
'e ha8e to re/e/ber the Atone/ent 'or?s under God*s dispensational so8erei3nty. %t is
not a Duestion o, 'hether God 'ill so8erei3nly per/it us to be deli8ered ,ro/ sin in this
dispensation, it is Bis distin.t eApressi8e 'ill that 'e should be deli8ered. )hen it .o/es
to the Duestion o, si.?ness and li/itation, it is not a Duestion o, 'hether 'e 'ill a3ree
'ith God*s 'ill, but 'hether God*s so8erei3nty is a.ti8eJthat predispensational e,,i.a.y
o, the Atone/ent on our behal, Gust no'. )hen people .o/e to the Atone/ent and say
J*"o' % ha8e deli8eran.e in the Atone/ent, there,ore % ha8e no business to be si.?,*
they /a?e a ,unda/ental .on,usion, be.ause there is no .ase o, healin3 in the Bible that
did not .o/e ,ro/ a dire.t inter8ention o, the so8erei3n tou.h o, God. )hen it .o/es to
deli8eran.e ,ro/ sin, it is not a Duestion o, 3oin3 to God to as? Bi/ to deli8er us ,ro/
sin, it is a Duestion o, a..eptin3 Bis deli8eran.e. %, 'e ,or3et that, 'e ta?e the 0ord out o,
the Atone/ent and /a?e it an abstra.t state/ent and instantly do the Pharisai. dod3e o,
puttin3 burdens on people that they .annot bear. 0o3i.ally they are per,e.tly .orre.t, it is
all in the Atone/ent, but i, it is true that in the Atone/ent there should be no si.?ness, it
is also true that there should be no death, then 'e ha8e no business to dieL )e ha8e no
business to ha8e any hu/an li/itations, 'e should be in .o/plete unbro?en .o//union
'ith God, and the people 'ho tea.h the present resurre.tion are lo3i.ally .onsistent 'ith
the ,ol?s 'ho say the health o, the body depends entirely on our a..eptan.e o, the
Atone/ent. +o say 'e are in resurre.tion bodies no' /eans a /oral pi3sty, and /a?es a
burlesDue o, the 'hole thin3K the /ista?e is puttin3 an abstra.t truth dedu.ed ,ro/ God
in the pla.e o, God Bi/sel,. Abraha/ had none o, the ,anati.al in hi/, he did not stand
true to 'hat God said, but to God )ho said it. God said, *O,,er up %saa.,* and then God
said, *Don*t.* A ,anati. 'ould ha8e said, *% 'ill sti.? to 'hat God has said, this other 8oi.e
is o, the de8il.* )at.h 'hen so/e pro8iden.e o, God is 3oin3 a3ainst 'hat 'e ha8e
asserted God 'ill al'ays do. One o, the /ost si3ni,i.ant lessons is to see the rod o,
rebu?e .o/e on the people 'ho insist on assertin3 that they ?no' the /eanin3 o, the
pro8idential 'or?in3 o, #hrist*s Atone/ent in the ti/es in 'hi.h 'e li8e. +hat God does
3i8e 'onder,ul 3i,ts o, the Atone/ent be,ore their dispensation is .lear, there are
innu/erable .ases o, healin3, but i, % /a?e that the 3round on 'hi.h God /ust 'or?, %
inter.ede no lon3er, % .annot, % be.o/e a di.tator to God. )hen anyone is si.?, % do not
3<
pray, % say, *+hey ha8e no business to be si.?,* and that /eans % ha8e destroyed alto3ether
/y .onta.t 'ith God.
The Sa$acity #nd S&missi,eness Of Intercession
"(e not ye therefore like unto them' for your )ather knoweth what things ye have need of,
before ye ask Him." *atthew+'8. Our understandin3 o, God is the ans'er to prayerK
3ettin3 thin3s ,ro/ God is God*s indul3en.e o, us. )hen God stops 3i8in3 us thin3s, Be
brin3s us into the pla.e 'here 'e .an be3in to understand Bi/. As lon3 as 'e 3et ,ro/
God e8erythin3 'e as? ,or, 'e ne8er 3et to ?no' Bi/, 'e loo? upon Bi/ as a blessin3;
/a.hine that has nothin3 to do 'ith God*s .hara.ter or 'ith our .hara.ters. F$our &ather
?no'eth 'hat thin3s ye ha8e need o,, be,ore ye as? Bi/.F +hen 'hy pray- +o 3et to
?no' your &ather. %t is not su,,i.ient ,or us to say, *Oh yes, God is lo8e,* 'e ha8e to ?no'
Be is lo8e, 'e ha8e to stru33le throu3h until 'e do see Be is lo8e and Gusti.e, then our
prayer is ans'ered.
+he nearer Abraha/ .o/es to God in his inter.ession, the /ore he re.o3nises his entire
un;'orthiness. +here is a subtle thin3 that 3oes by the na/e o, un'orthiness 'hi.h is
petulant pride 'ith God. )hen 'e are shy 'ith other people it is be.ause 'e belie8e 'e
are superior to the a8era3e person and 'e 'on*t tal? until they realise our i/portan.e.
Prayerlessness 'ith God is the sa/e thin3, 'e are shy 'ith God not be.ause 'e are
un'orthy, but be.ause 'e thin? God has not 3i8en enou3h .onsideration to our .ase, 'e
ha8e so/e pe.uliar ele/ents Be /ust be pleased to .onsider. )e ha8e to 3o to s.hool in
order to learn not to ta?e oursel8es seriously and to 3et the 3enuine un'orthiness 'hi.h
no lon3er is shy be,ore God. A .hild is ne8er shy be,ore its /other, and a .hild o, God is
not, it is .ons.ious o, its 'orthiness, i.e., its entire dependen.e.
FAnd he said, Oh let not the 0ord be an3ry, and % 'ill spea? yet but this on.eI
Perad8enture ten shall be ,ound there. And Be said, % 'ill not destroy it ,or ten*s sa?eF (v.
392. Abraha/ does the inter.edin3 'hile the an3els 3o ,or the ,inal test, a,ter the ,inal
test, prayer is i/possible. +he 'ay Abraha/ rea.hed the stoppin3;point is indi.ated by
the ,a.t that he 'as in .o/plete and entire .o//union 'ith God throu3h the pro3ress o,
his inter.ession. )hen 'e .o/e up a3ainst thin3s in li,e, are 'e 3oin3 to .a8e in and say
'e .annot understand the/- )e understand the/ by inter.ession, and by our inter.ession
God does thin3s Be does not sho' us Gust no', althou3h Be re8eals /ore and /ore o,
Bis .hara.ter to us. Be is 'or?in3 out Bis ne' .reations in the 'orld throu3h Bis
'onder,ul 6ede/ption and our inter.ession all the ti/e, and 'e ha8e to be sa3a.ious, not
i/pudent.
The Shamelessness #nd Strenosness Of Intercession
F% say unto you, +hou3h he 'ill not rise and 3i8e hi/, be.ause he is his ,riend, yet
be.ause o, his i/portunity he 'ill rise and 3i8e hi/ as /any as he needeth.F 0u?e 11I8.
38
Strenuousness /eans 'hippin3 oursel8es up, and Geerin3 at oursel8es till 'e sit do'n no
/ore. "e8er 3i8e yoursel, any en.oura3e/ent, only en.oura3e yoursel, in God. FAnd Be
spa?e a parable unto the/ to this end, that /en ou3ht al'ays to pray, and not to ,aint.F
10u?e 18I1.2 %t is a pleasant business to ,aint, e8eryone else has all the bother. *God 'ill
3i8e it to /e in Bis 3ood ti/e.* Be .annot until 'e inter.ede. Be at the business, use
so/e perspiration o, soul, 3et at the thin3, and all o, a sudden you 'ill .o/e to the pla.e
'here you 'ill say, *"o' % see,* but % de,y you to tell anyone 'hat you sa' until they
.o/e to 'here you areJ
Oh .ould % tell, ye surely 'ould belie8e itL
Oh .ould % only say 'hat % ha8e seenL
Bo' should % tell or ho' .an ye re.ei8e it,
Bo', till Be brin3eth you 'here % ha8e been-
+he point is that 'e ha8e .o/e to understand God. %t is ne8er God*s 'ill ,or us to be
du//ies or babies spiritually, it is God*s 'ill ,or us to be sons and dau3hters o, God, but
Be does not pre8ent us payin3 the pri.e o, bein3 sons and dau3hters. Be /a?es us sons
and dau3hters potentially, and then sends us out to be sons and dau3hters a.tually. Are 'e
prepared to 3o into the sha/eless business o, prayer- +hat is, are 'e prepared to 3et to
the ri3ht understandin3 o, God in this /atter- )e .an only 3et it by one 'ay, not by
disputin3 or .ontro8ersy, but by prayer. 7eep at it. )e ha8e no business to re/ain in the
dar? about the .hara.ter o, our &ather 'hen Be has /ade Bis .hara.ter 8ery .lear to us.
+he Ser/on on the ount has /ore to do 'ith prayer than anythin3 else. %t /eans an end
o, sel,;indul3en.e in the body, in the /ind, in the spirit, sel,;indul3en.e in anythin3 and
e8erythin3 and a strenuous deter/ination to 3et to understand God in this /atter.
The Sacrament #nd S&stittion Of Intercession
FAnd Be .o/eth unto the dis.iples, and ,indeth the/ asleep, and saith unto Peter, )hat,
.ould ye not 'at.h 'ith e one hour-F atthe' 9>I(5. %t is a 3reat thin3 to 'at.h 'ith
God rather than put God to the trouble o, 'at.hin3 /e in .ase % burn /ysel,. )e taA the
'hole arran3e/ent o, hea8en to 'at.h us, 'hile God 'ants us to .o/e and 'at.h 'ith
Bi/, to be so identi,ied 'ith Bi/ that 'e are not .ausin3 Bi/ any trouble, but 3i8in3
Bi/ per,e.t deli3ht be.ause Be .an use us no' instead o, taAin3 so/e other ser8ants o,
hea8en to loo? a,ter us.
O 0ord, /y 0ord, % .o/e to +hee this /ornin3 'ith a sense o, spiritual ,ailure. #leanse
/e by +hy 3ra.e and restore /e to the hea8enly pla.es in #hrist Eesus. O that the s'eet
?indness o, Eesus 'ere /ore and /ore /ani,est in /e.
O 0ord, +hou ?no'est, in ea3er helpless trust % loo? up. O that in po'er and pea.e and
purity and 3ra.e +hou 'ouldst shine ,orth in po'er, in 3ra.e and 3lory this day.
39
O 0ord, the ran3e o, +hy po'er, the tou.h o, +hy 3ra.e, the breathin3 o, +hy Spirit, ho'
% lon3 ,or these to brin3 /e ,a.e to ,a.e 'ith +heeK 0ord, by +hy 3ra.e .ause /e to
appear be,ore +hee.
Chapter >I The )ey To Ser,ice
FPray ye there,ore the 0ord o, the har8est., that Be 'ill send ,orth labourers into Bis
har8est.F atthe' 9I38.
+his is the ?ey to the 'hole proble/ o, #hristian 'or?. %t is si/ple in 'ords, but
a/a@in3ly pro,ound, be.ause our 0ord Eesus #hrist said it.
Or *aster's Orders
FPray ye there,ore . . .F
Prayer is usually .onsidered to be de8otional and /ore or less unpra.ti.al in ordinary li,e.
Our 0ord in Bis tea.hin3 al'ays /ade prayer, not preparation ,or 'or?, but the 'or?.
+han? God ,or all the /ar8ellous or3anisation there is in #hristian 'or?, ,or /edi.al
/issions and ,inely edu.ated /issionaries, ,or a33ressi8e 'or? in e8ery shape and ,or/K
but these are, so to spea?, but 'ards to the lo.?, the ?ey is not in any o, our or3anisations,
the ?ey lies eAa.tly to our hand by our 0ord*s instru.tion, FPray ye thereP ,ore.F
F:erily, 8erily, % say unto you, Be that belie8eth on e, the 'or?s that % do shall he do
alsoK and 3reater 'or?s than these shall he doK be.ause % 3o unto y &ather. And
'hatsoe8er ye shall as? in y na/e, that 'ill % do, that the &ather /ay be 3lori,ied in the
Son.F 1Eohn 1(I19;13.2 Ba8e the F3reater 'or?sF been done- +hey .ertainly ha8e. +he
/en our 0ord said these 'ords to 'rote the "e' +esta/ent, and the reason they 'rote it
is that our 0ord 'hen Be 'as 3lori,ied sent ,orth the personal Para.lete, the Boly Ghost
not only in Bis po'erJBis po'er and in,luen.e 'ere at 'or? be,ore Pente.ostJbut Be
sent Bi/ ,orth on to this earth personally 'here Be is to this hour, and throu3h Bis /i3ht
and inspiration 'ere produ.ed the F3reater 'or?s,F i.e., the "e' +esta/ent.
But 'hat does it /ean ,or us- Ba8e 'e also to do 3reater 'or?s than Eesus did- #ertainly
'e ha8e, i, our 0ord*s 'ords /ean anythin3, they /ean thatK and the 3reat basis o, prayer
is to realise that 'e /ust ta?e our orders ,ro/ our aster. Be put all the e/phasis on
prayer, and Be /ade prayer not preparation ,or the 'or?, not a senti/ent nor a de8otion,
but the 'or?. +here is a real dan3er oN 'orshippin3 prayer instead o, prayin3 be.ause 'e
'orship. %t is easy to do it i, on.e 'e lose si3ht o, our 0ord and the e/phasis is put not
on Bis .o//and, but on the thin3 'hi.h Be .o//ands.
)e pray on the 3reat ,unda/ental basis o, 6ede/ption, and our prayers are /ade
e,,i.a.ious by the 'onder,ul presen.e o, the personal Boly Ghost in the 'orld. Prayer is
si/ple, prayer is supernatural, and to anyone not related to our 0ord Eesus #hrist, prayer
is apt to loo? stupid. %t does sound unreasonable to say that God 'ill do thin3s in ans'er
to prayer, yet our 0ord said that Be 'ould. Our 0ord bases e8erythin3 on prayer, then the
?ey to all our 'or? as #hristians is, FPray ye there,ore.F
(5
)hen 'e pray ,or others the Spirit o, God 'or?s in the un.ons.ious do/ain o, their
bein3 that 'e ?no' nothin3 about, and the one 'e are prayin3 ,or ?no's nothin3 about,
but a,ter the passin3 o, ti/e the .ons.ious li,e o, the one prayed ,or be3ins to sho' si3ns
o, unrest and disDuiet. )e /ay ha8e spo?en until 'e are 'orn out, but ha8e ne8er .o/e
any'here near, and 'e ha8e 3i8en up in despair. But i, 'e ha8e been prayin3, 'e ,ind on
/eetin3 the/ one day that there is the be3innin3 o, a so,tenin3 in an enDuiry and a desire
to ?no' so/ethin3. %t is that ?ind o, inter.ession that does /ost da/a3e to Satan*s
?in3do/. %t is so sli3ht, so ,eeble in its initial sta3es that i, reason %s not 'edded to the
li3ht o, the Boly Spirit, 'e 'ill ne8er obey it, and yet it is that ?ind o, inter.ession that
the "e' +esta/ent pla.es /ost e/phasis on, thou3h it has so little to sho' ,or it. %t
see/s stupid to thin? that 'e .an pray and all that 'ill happen, but re/e/ber to )ho/
'e pray, 'e pray to a God )ho understands the un.ons.ious depths o, personality about
'hi.h 'e ?no' nothin3, and Be has told us to pray. +he 3reat aster o, the hu/an heart
said, FGreater 'or?s than these shall he do. . . . And 'hatsoe8er ye shall as? in y na/e,
that 'ill % do.F
"ot only is prayer the 'or?, but prayer is the 'ay 'hereby ,ruit abides. Our 0ord puts
prayer as the /eans to ,ruit produ.in3 and ,ruit;abidin3 'or?K but re/e/ber, it is prayer
based on Bis a3ony, not on our a3ony. F$e ha8e not .hosen e, but % ha8e .hosen you,
and ordained you, that ye should 3o and brin3 ,orth ,ruit, and that your ,ruit should
re/ainI that 'hatsoe8er ye shall as? o, the &ather in y na/e, Be /ay 3i8e it you.F
1Eohn 1=I1>.2
Prayer is not only the 'or? and the 'ay ,ruit abides, but prayer is the battle. FPut on the
'hole ar/our o, God, . . . Stand there,ore, ...F and then pray. Paul says, FPrayin3 al'ays .
. . ,or all saints, and ,or /e.F 1!phesians >I11;19.2 Do 'e re/e/ber to pray on the
3round o, our 0ord*s orders ,or all 'ho /inister in Bis "a/e- %, the Apostle Paul
earnestly soli.ited prayer on his behal, that he /i3ht F/a?e ?no'n 'ith boldness the
/ystery o, the Gospel,F surely it beho8es us to re/e/ber that this is the ?ey our 0ord
puts into our hands ,or all #hristian 'or?K not prayer be.ause 'e are helpless, but prayer
be.ause God is Al/i3hty.
Or *aster's Ownership
Fthe 0ord o, the har8est . . .F
Eesus did not say, *Go into the ,ield,* Be said, FPray ye there,ore the 0ord o, the
har8est, . . .F +hat does not so /u.h /ean that the har8est is the 'orld, it /eans that there
are innu/erable people 'ho ha8e rea.hed a .risis in their li,e, they are F'hite already to
har8est.F )e ,ind the/ e8ery'here, not only in the ,orei3n ,ield, but in the people li8in3
beside us, and the 'ay 'e dis.ern it is not by intelle.t, not by su33estions, but by prayer.
+hin? o, the .ountless .rises in people*s li8es at this ti/eK they are at the partin3 o, the
'ays. FSay not ye, +here are yet ,our /onths, and then .o/eth har8est- behold, % say
unto you, 0i,t up your eyes, and loo? on the ,ieldsK ,or they are 'hite already to har8est.F
FPray ye there,ore the 0ord o, the har8est, that Be 'ill send ,orth labourers into Bis
har8est.F
)hen 'e read the .on.ludin3 8erses in St. atthe'*s Gospel, 'e are apt to put the
e/phasis on the ,a.t that Eesus said, FGo ye there,ore, and tea.h all nations,F 'hereas the
(1
e/phasis should be on FGoF be.ause FAll po'er is 3i8en unto e in hea8en and in
earth.F +hen the *3oin3* is in per,e.t order, puttin3 the e/phasis 'here our 0ord puts it.
FGo ye there,ore, . . . and, lo, % a/ 'ith you al'ay,F that Be /ay 'or? Bis /i3hty 'or?s
throu3h us.
Or *aster's Option
Fthat Be 'ill send ,orth labourers into Bis har8est.F
+here is only one ,ield o, ser8i.e that has no snares, and that is the ,ield o, inter.ession.
All other ,ields ha8e the 3lorious but ris?y snare o, publi.ityK prayer has not. +he ?ey to
all our 'or? ,or God is in that one 'ord 'e are apt to despiseJ
FPray.F And prayer is labourer* 'or?.
+he reason prayer is so i/portant is, ,irst o, all, be.ause our 0ord told us that prayer on
the 3round o, Bis 6ede/ption is the /ost /i3hty ,a.tor Be has put into our hands, and
se.ond, be.ause o, the personal presen.e o, the Boly Ghost in the day in 'hi.h 'e li8e.
)e re.ei8e our ?no'led3e o, the Boly Ghost not by eAperien.e ,irst, but by the
testi/ony o, the 0ord Eesus #hrist. +he testi/ony o, Eesus #hrist re3ardin3 the Boly
Ghost is that Be is here, and the real li8in3 eAperien.e the Boly Spirit 'or?s in us is that
all Bis e/phasis is laid on 3lori,yin3 our 0ord Eesus #hrist. )e ?no' the Boly Spirit ,irst
by the testi/ony o, Eesus, and then by the .ons.ious enGoy/ent o, Bis presen.e.
FPray ye there,ore.F Prayer is labour, not a3ony, but labour on the 3round o, our 0ord*s
6ede/ption in si/ple .on,iden.e in Bi/. Prayer is si/ple to us be.ause it .ost Bi/ so
/u.h to /a?e it possible to us. God 3rant that 'e /ay 'or? Bis 8i.tories ,or Bi/ by
ta?in3 Bis 'ay about it.
O 0ord, this /ornin3 disperse e8ery /ist, and shine .lear and stron3 and in8i3oratin3ly.
&or3i8e /y tardiness, it ta?es /e so lon3 to a'a?en to so/e thin3s.
0ord God O/nis.ient, 3i8e /e 'isdo/ this day to 'orship and 'or? ari3ht and be 'ell
pleasin3 to +hee. 0ord, interpret +hysel, to /e /ore and /ore in ,ulness and beauty.
Dar? and appallin3 are the .louds o, 'ar and 'i.?edness and 'e ?no' not 'here to turn,
but, 0ord God, +hou rei3nest.
Chapter >II The Unrealised Lo$ic Of Prayer
,omans 8I9>;98
FPrayin3 al'ays 'ith all prayer and suppli.ation in the Spirit.F !phesians >I18.
FPrayin3 in the Boly Ghost.F Eude 95.
(9
!phesians >I18 and Eude 95 are not Duite identi.al 'ith 6o/ans 8I9>. %n the ,or/er it is
/an prayin3 in the at/osphere produ.ed by the Boly Spirit ind'ellin3 and surroundin3
hi/K in the latter the Boly Spirit Bi/sel, is prayin3 in /an. +he si/ilarity is ob8ious, but
the point o, di,,eren.e is o,ten /issed in thin?in3 about prayer. )e realise that 'e are
ener3ised by the Boly Spirit ,or prayer, 'e ?no' 'hat it is to pray in the at/osphere and
the presen.e o, the Boly SpiritK but 'e do not so o,ten realise that the Boly Spirit Bi/sel,
prays in us 'ith prayers that 'e .annot utter.
The Unrealised Philosophy Of Prayer%
(v. 9>.2
+he 3reat thou3ht 'hi.h 'e do not realise su,,i.iently is the inter.han3in3 a.tion o, the
Di8ine Spirit and the hu/an spirit. +his inter.han3in3 a.tion o, the Di8ine and hu/an at
e8ery sta3e o, our reli3ious li,e is 8i8idly eApressed here. +he best eAa/ple o, the Di8ine
Spirit 'or?in3 in a hu/an spirit is seen in our 0ord Eesus #hrist in the days o, Bis ,lesh.
A..ordin3 to so/e eApositors, 'e are so in,ir/ that the Spirit o, God brushes aside all
our in,ir/ities and prays irrespe.ti8ely o, us, but 'e ,ind that our 0ord re.o3nised the
di,,eren.e bet'een Bis o'n Spirit and the Spirit o, God, and that Bis /ind 'as al'ays in
subordination to the /ind o, God. F% .an o, ine o'n sel, do nothin3.F
!a" The Unco,ered Trth of Or Infirmities%
R0i?e'ise the Spirit also helpeth our in ,ir/itiesIS
+o as? ho' 'e are to 3et our prayers ans'ered is a di,,erent point o, 8ie' ,ro/ the
"e' +esta/ent. A..ordin3 to the "e' +esta/ent, prayer is God*s ans'er to our po8erty,
not a po'er 'e eAer.ise to obtain an ans'er. )e ha8e the idea that prayer is only an
eAer.ise o, our spiritual li,e. FPray 'ithout .easin3.F )e read that the dis.iples said to our
0ord, F0ord, tea.h us to pray.F +he dis.iples 'ere 3ood /en and 'ell;8ersed in Ee'ish
prayin3, yet 'hen they .a/e in .onta.t 'ith Eesus #hrist, instead o, realisin3 they .ould
pray 'ell, they .a/e to the .on.lusion they did not ?no' ho' to pray at all, and our 0ord
instru.ted the/ in the initial sta3es o, prayer. ost o, us .an probably re/e/ber a ti/e
'hen 'e 'ere reli3ious, be,ore 'e 'ere born a3ain o, the Spirit o, God, 'hen 'e .ould
pray ,airly 'ellK but a,ter 'e 'ere born a3ain 'e be.a/e .ons.ious o, 'hat Paul
/entions here, our utter in,ir/ityJ *% do not ?no' ho' to pray.* )e be.o/e .ons.ious
not only o, the po'er God has 3i8en us by Bis Spirit, but o, our o'n utter in,ir/ity. )e
hinder our li,e o, de8otion 'hen 'e lose the distin.tion in thin?in3 bet'een these t'o.
6elian.e on the Boly Spirit ,or prayer is 'hat Paul is brin3in3 out in this 8erse. %t is an
unrealised point, 'e state it 3libly enou3h, but Paul tou.hes the thin3 'e need to
re/e/ber, he un.o8ers the truth o, our in,ir/ity. +he 'hole sour.e o, our stren3th is
re.ei8in3, re.o3nisin3 and relyin3 on the Boly Spirit.
!&" The Unsylla&led Torment of Or In1#&ility%%
F,or 'e ?no' not 'hat 'e should pray ,or as 'e ou3htIF
(3
+he only plat,or/ ,ro/ 'hi.h the holiest saint on earth is e8er heard is the plat,or/
/entioned in Bebre's 15I19, 8i@., 'e ha8e Fboldness to enter into the holiest by the
blood o, Eesus.F +here is no other 'ay. )hen 'e .o/e into the presen.e o, God, the
hu/an side o, our prayin3 /a?es us realise 'hat Paul is tryin3 to tea.h, that i, 'e are
e8er 3oin3 to approa.h God and pray a..eptably, it /ust be by the *pie.e o, God* in us
'hi.h Be has 3i8en us. So/e o, the Dualities o, God /ust be /er3ed into us be,ore our
prayers .an be ,it ,or Bis a..eptan.e. )e are all ,a/iliar 'ith 0u?e 11I13, but 'e do not
al'ays re/e/ber that our 0ord spo?e the 'ords in .onne.tion 'ith re.ei8in3 the Boly
Spirit ,or prayer. Paul in 6o/ans 8I9> beats out into 3old lea, the nu33et that our 0ord
3i8es in 0u?e 11I13. )hen % realise that % .annot approa.h God, that % .annot see as God
sees, that % a/ .ho?ed up 'ith thin3s /y eyes see and /y ,lesh 'ants, and the e/pty
spa.es round /y heart 'ant, then Eesus says, *%, you, bein3 e8il,*Jyou ?no' that is your
in,ir/ityJ*i, you as? God ,or the Boly Spirit, Be 'ill 3i8e Bi/ to you.* +hat is, God 'ill
be /er3ed into /e, and % .an be3in to thin? about real prayer, relyin3 on 'hat God has
planted in /e ,or prayer. Other'ise 'e .ould ne8er 3et near Bi/, the .rush o, our
in,ir/ities 'ould paralyse the 'ords on our lips. )e .an only pray a..eptably in the
Spirit, that is, by the Boly Spirit in us, all the rest is bein3 *.u/bered about.* +he
disposition o, sin is re/o8ed in san.ti,i.ation, there is no doubt about thatK but Paul
insists that the body is not .han3ed, the body 'e had and 'hi.h 'as ruled by the 'ron3
disposition o, sin still re/ains 1see 6o/ans >I19;192. )e ha8e to use that body no' and
/a?e it a sla8e to the ne' disposition, and 'e ha8e to realise the need to do it /ore in
prayer than in anythin3 else.
!c" The Unttera&le Tenderness of the Intercession%
Fbut the Spirit %tsel, /a?eth inter.ession ,or us 'ith 3roanin3s 'hi.h .annot be uttered.F
+he spirit o, a /an, 'hether it be ener3ised by the Spirit o, God or not, is bound to try
and eApress itsel, in the body, 'hi.h be.o/es its soul /ani,estK i, it re,uses to eApress
itsel, in a rational 'ay, it 'ill eApress itsel, in an irrational, stupid 'ay. )hen the Spirit
o, God .o/es in and ener3ises the spirit o, a /an, 'hat happens is that he is ta?en up
into the 3reat /ystery o, the Boly Ghost inter.edin3 in hi/ alon3 a parti.ular line. %, the
Boly Spirit is allo'ed to d'ell in the hu/an spirit Be has ener3ised, Be 'ill eApress the
unutterable. +hin? 'hat that /eans. %t /eans bein3 Dui.?ened by the in.o/in3 o, the
Boly Spirit )ho .o/es in to d'ell supre/ely, and the a/a@in3 re8elation is that Be
inter.edes in us, ,or us, 'ith a tenderness eAa.tly in a..ordan.e 'ith the ind o, God.
Ba8e 'e e8er allo'ed our /inds to d'ell on this ele/ent o, prayer- F+he sinner out o,
heart 'ith sel, is nearest God in prayer.F %t is a /ista?e to interpret prayer on the natural
instead o, on the spiritual line, to say that be.ause prayer brin3s us pea.e and Goy and
/a?es us ,eel better, there,ore it is a Di8ine thin3. +his is the /ere a..ident or e,,e.t o,
prayer, there is no real God;3i8en re8elation in it. +his is the God;3i8en re8elationI that
'hen 'e are born a3ain o, the Spirit o, God and ind'elt by the Boly Spirit, Be inter.edes
,or us 'ith a tenderness and an understandin3 a?in to the 0ord Eesus #hrist and a?in to
God, that is, Be eApresses the unutterable ,or us.
((
The Unri,alled Power Of Prayer.
(v. 9<.2
!a" The Unima$ined Interest of God%
FAnd Be that sear.heth the hearts ?no';eth 'hat is the /ind o, the Spirit,F
+he Boly Spirit 'hen Be .o/es in to the hidden sphere o, our li,e applies the Atone/ent
to us in the un.ons.ious real/ as 'ell as in the real/ o, 'hi.h 'e are .ons.ious, that is,
Be 'or?s out in us the understandin3 o, sin that God hasK and it is only 'hen 'e 3et a
3rasp o, the unri8alled po'er o, the Spirit in us that 'e understand the /eanin3 o, 1 Eohn
1I<, Fthe blood o, Eesus #hrist Bis Son .leanseth us ,ro/ all sin.F
+his does not re,er to .ons.ious sin only, but to the tre/endously pro,ound understandin3
o, sin 'hi.h only the Boly Ghost in us realises, and God sear.hes our hearts to ,ind out
'hat the inter.ession o, Bis Spirit is.
+here are tre/endous thou3hts eApressed in God*s Boo?, and unless 'e ha8e learned to
rely on the Boly Spirit 'e shall say, *Oh, % shall ne8er understand that,* but the Boly Spirit
in us understands it, and as 'e re.o3nise and rely on Bi/, Be 'ill 'or? it out, 'hether
'e .ons.iously understand or not. +he point ,or us to re/e/ber is that 'e /ust 3et to the
ri3ht basis o, thin?in3 spiritually as 'ell as o, li8in3. "e8er .lose do'n on your personal
eAperien.e, ne8er ri8et your attention on the ,a.t that you ha8e had the eAperien.e o,
sal8ation or san.ti,i.ation, or the baptis/ o, the Boly GhostK these eAperien.es are si/ply
door'ays into a li,e. )e ha8e to /a?e our /inds realise this 3reat re8ealed thou3ht
underneath, that the Boly Spirit is 'or?in3 out in us the ind o, God e8en as Be 'or?ed
out the ind o, God in #hrist Eesus.
!&" The Undisco,ered Intercession =efore God%
Fbe.ause Be /a?eth inter.ession ,or the saints.F
)ho does- +he Boly Spirit in us, and God sear.hes our hearts, not to ?no' 'hat our
.ons.ious prayers are, but to ,ind out 'hat the prayer o, the Boly Spirit is in and behind
all our .ons.ious prayin3. %n the 8ision o, !@e?iel 'in3s are used as the sy/bol o,
aspiration in prayin3, FAnd the sound o, the 'in3s o, the .herubi/ 'as heard e8en to the
outer .ourt, as the 8oi.e o, God Al/i3hty 'hen Be spea?ethF 1!@e?iel 15I=2. +he 8oi.e
o, prayin3 in the saints is eAa.tly identi.al 'ith the 8oi.e o, Al/i3hty God, and slo'ly
and surely God dis.erns in the li,e o, the indi8idual saint 'hat Be dis.erned al'ays in
Bis Son, )ho said, F% .a/e do'n ,ro/ hea8en not to do ine o'n 'ill, but the 'ill o,
Bi/ that sent e.F As 'e rely on the Boly Spirit 'e learn to brood alon3 the line o, Bis
eApression o, the unutterable in us.
!c" The Unsrpassed Identification With God%
Fa..ordin3 to the 'ill o, God.F
0oo? ba.? o8er your o'n history 'ith God in prayer, and you 'ill ,ind that the 3lib days
o, prayer are done. )hen 'e dra' on the hu/an side o, our eAperien.e only, our prayers
be.o/e a/a@in3ly ,lippant and ,a/iliar, and 'e oursel8es be.o/e a/a@in3ly hard and
(=
/etalli.K but i, alon3 'ith the hu/an ele/ent 'e rely on the Boly Spirit, 'e shall ,ind
that our prayers be.o/e /ore and /ore inarti.ulateK and 'hen they are inarti.ulate,
re8eren.e 3ro's deeper and deeper, and undue ,a/iliarity has the e,,e.t o, a sudden blo'
on the ,a.e. +here is so/ethin3 hopelessly in.on3ruous in a ,lippant state/ent be,ore
God. )e .an al'ays /easure our 3ro'th in 3ra.e by 'hat Paul is statin3 here. A/ %
3ro'in3 slo'ly to lisp the 8ery prayers o, God- %s God 3rati,ied 1i, % /ay use the phrase2
in seein3 that Bis Spirit is ha8in3 Bis 'ay at last in a li,e, and turnin3 that li,e into 'hat
'ill 3lori,y Bis Son-
The Unreco$nised Pro,idence of Prayer%

(-. 98, 6.:.2
At the ,irst 3lan.e this 8erse see/s to ha8e nothin3 to do 'ith the pre8ious 8erses, but it
has an a/a@in3ly .lose .onne.tion 'ith the/.
!a" The Undefiled Shrine of Consciosness%
FAnd 'e ?no' that to the/ that lo8e GodF
Do you re/e/ber ho' Paul ne8er 'earied o, sayin3, *Don*t you ?no' that your body is
the te/ple o, the Boly Ghost- 6e.all 'hat Eesus #hrist said about the histori. te/ple
'hi.h is the sy/bol o, the bodyK Be ruthlessly turned out those that sold and bou3ht in
the te/ple, and said, F%t is 'ritten, y house shall be .alled the house o, prayerK but ye
ha8e /ade it a den o, thie8es.F 0et us apply that to oursel8es. )e ha8e to re/e/ber that
our .ons.ious li,e, thou3h only a tiny bit o, our personality, is to be re3arded by us as a
shrine o, the Boly Ghost. +he Boly Ghost 'ill loo? a,ter the un.ons.ious part 'e do not
?no', 'e /ust see 'e 3uard the .ons.ious part, ,or 'hi.h 'e are responsible, as a shrine
o, the Boly Ghost. %, 'e re.o3nise this as 'e should, 'e shall be .are,ul to ?eep our body
unde,iled ,or Bi/.
!&" The Undetected Sacredness of Circmstances%
Fall thin3s 'or? to3ether ,or 3ood,F
+he .ir.u/stan.es o, a saint*s li,e are ordained by God, and not by happy;3o;lu.?y
.han.e. +here is no su.h thin3 as .han.e in the li,e o, a saint, and 'e shall ,ind that God
by Bis pro8iden.e brin3s our bodies into .ir.u/stan.es that 'e .annot understand a bit,
but the Spirit o, God understandsK Be is brin3in3 us into pla.es and a/on3 people and
under .onditions in order that the inter.ession o, the Boly Spirit in us /ay ta?e a par;
ti.ular line. Do not, there,ore, suddenly put your hand in ,ront o, the .ir.u/stan.es and
say, F"o, % a/ 3oin3 to be /y o'n a/ateur pro8iden.e, % a/ 3oin3 to 'at.h this and
3uard that.* F+rust in the 0ord 'ith all thine heartK and lean not unto thine o'n
understandin3.F +he point to re/e/ber is that all our .ir.u/stan.es are in the hand o,
God. +he Spirit i/parts a sole/nity to our .ir.u/stan.es and /a?es us understand
so/ethin3 o, the tra8ail o, Eesus #hrist. %t is not that 'e enter into the a3ony o,
inter.ession, it is that 'e utilise the .o//on;sense .ir.u/stan.es into 'hi.h God has put
us, and the .o//on;sense people Be has put us a/on3 by Bis pro8iden.e, to present
their .ases be,ore Bi/ and 3i8e the Boly Spirit a .han.e to inter.ede ,or the/. )e brin3
(>
the parti.ular people and .ir.u/stan.es be,ore God*s throne, and the Boly Spirit in us has
a .han.e to inter.ede ,or the/. +hat is ho' God is 3oin3 to s'eep the 'hole 'orld by
Bis saints. Are 'e /a?in3 the Boly Spirit*s 'or? di,,i.ult by bein3 inde,inite, or by
tryin3 to do Bis 'or? ,or Bi/- )e /ust do the hu/an side o, the inter.ession, and the
hu/an side is the .ir.u/stan.es 'e are in, the people 'e are in .onta.t 'ith. )e ha8e to
use our .o//on sense in ?eepin3 our .ons.ious li,e and our .ir.u/stan.es as a shrine o,
the Boly Ghost, and as 'e brin3 the di,,erent ones be,ore God, the Boly Spirit presents
the/ be,ore the +hrone all the ti/e. +he Boly Spirit does the inter.edin3, but 'e /ust do
our partK 'e /ust do the hu/an side 'hile Be does the Di8ine. So ne8er thin? it stran3e
.on.ernin3 the .ir.u/stan.es you are in.
!c" The Unde,iatin$ Secrity of <is Callin$%
Fe8en to the/ that are .alled a..ordin3 to Bis purpose.F
+o tal? about our inter.ession ,or another soul bein3 the /eans o, doin3 'hat the Bible
says, Fthe e,,e.tual ,er8ent prayer o, a ri3hteous /an a8aileth /u.h,F sounds utterly
ridi.ulous until 'e 3et the basal thin?in3 re8ealed throu3h the Atone/ent and the
ind'ellin3 Boly Ghost, then it is an a/a@in3 re8elation o, the /ar8ellous lo8e and
.ondes.ension o, GodJthat in #hrist Eesus and by the re.eption o, the Boly Spirit, Be
.an ta?e us, sin;bro?en, sin;diseased, 'ron3 .reatures, and re;/a?e us entirely until 'e
are really the ones in 'ho/ the Boly Spirit inter.edes as 'e do our part. Are 'e /a?in3
it easy ,or the Boly Spirit to 'or? out God*s 'ill in us, or are 'e .ontinually puttin3 Bi/
on one side by the e/pty reDuests o, our natural hearts, #hristians thou3h 'e be- Are 'e
learnin3 to brin3 oursel8es into su.h obedien.e that our e8ery thou3ht and i/a3ination is
brou3ht into .apti8ity to the 0ord Eesus #hrist, and is the Boly Spirit ha8in3 an easy 'ay
throu3h us /ore and /ore- 6e/e/ber, your inter.essions .an ne8er be /ine, and /y
inter.essions .an ne8er be yours, but the Boly Ghost /a?es inter.ession in our parti.ular
editions, 'ithout 'hi.h inter.ession so/eone 'ill be i/po8erished. 0et us re/e/ber the
depth and hei3ht and sole/nity o, our .allin3 as saints.
(<