Power in PrayerExemplo

I thought of addressing you this morning on the importance of prayer, and I designed to stir you up to pray for me and the Lord’s work in this place. Truly, I do not think I could have had a weightier subject or one that weighs more upon my soul. If I offered one request to you, it would be this: “pray for us.” Of what use can our ministry be without the divine blessing, and how can we expect the divine blessing unless the church seeks it? I would say it even with tears: “pray for us.” Be abundant in intercession, for only so can our prosperity as a church be increased or continued.

The question occurred to me: What if there is something in the church that would prevent our prayers from being successful? That is a previous question that ought to be considered most earnestly even before we exhort you to pray. As Isaiah 1 teaches, the prayers of an unholy people soon become abominations to God. “When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear.”

Churches may fall into such a state that their devotions will be an iniquity. Even the solemn meeting will weary the Lord. There may be evils in our hearts that may render it impossible for God to regard our intercessions. If we have iniquity in our hearts, the Lord will not hear us.

According to our text, some things are essential to prevalence in prayer. God will hear all true prayer, but there are certain things God’s people must possess, or their prayers will fail. The text tells us, “whatever we ask we receive from Him because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.” Our subject is the essentials to power in prayer: what we must do, be, and have if we are to prevail habitually with God in prayer.