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Prayer Availeth
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"...And shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith." -- Mark 11:23
These interesting words are a part of the Savior's discourse on the power of faith. The disciples were greatly astonished by the power manifested in the Master's words which dried up the fruitless tree from the roots. When Jesus arrested the attention of His disciples by this unusual miracle, He obviously intended to reveal the power of God made available to His people through the prayer of faith. When Peter called the Lord's attention to the withered tree He said, "...Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith."
In order to understand truth about praying without doubt in our hearts it is necessary to consider the Savior's opening statement, "...Have faith in God." The remarkable discourse following His opening words reveals the fundamental fact relating to the prayer of faith. Our Lord would have us see that we can possess the faith of God. He revealed this fact when He said, "Have faith in God." It would be utterly impossible to believe that those things which we say in prayer shall come to pass unless we had an implicit faith in God. When Jesus said, ''...Have faith in God," He revealed the Source of the priceless possession of the faith which enables us to pray without a doubt in our hearts. His admonition to have faith in God implies that all men have an inherent faith derived from God when He created the first man in His own image. The quality of inherited faith was not destroyed in the fall although it was greatly impaired as a result of disobedience. Jesus disclosed the amazing fact that we can possess a measure of the faith which Almighty God possesses in His own Divine Nature. This fact should not seem incredible since it is true that God did impart a measure of His own faith to man at the beginning of creation.
We do not hesitate to accept the fact that God imparts a measure of His life and love to His redeemed people. Surely it is not impossible for Him to impart a sufficient measure of His faith to His people to sustain them in life in this world of doubt and disbelief. If His people are not able to accomplish His works in the world because of the littleness of their faith, there is no valid reason to doubt that He can and will increase their measure of achieving faith. When the disciples said, "...Lord, Increase our faith," we have reasons to believe that He granted their request. (See Luke 17:5.)
The Savior did not imply that we could possess the same measureless degree of faith which the infinite God possesses in His Divine Person. But He did encourage us to believe that we can receive a measure of God's faith to enable us to accomplish His purpose in redemption. The Savior would have us see that we can enter into the faith of God and become workers together with Him in achieving His eternal purpose in His beloved Son. It is obviously true that God works in His people and through them according to the degree of their faith. He cannot do great things unless His people can believe Him for great things. Christ is made invincible in this world through the unwavering faith of His praying people.
The Scriptures reveal that Christ works according to His own faith, and His people enter into His faith and work with Him in accomplishing His purpose in redemption. The fact that He works according to His own faith is as understandable as the fact that a man works according to his own faith. A man can plan to build his house long before he lays the first stone in the foundation. He can plan for the happiness of a family before a child is born to gladden his heart. It is also true that a man's family can enter into his faith and assist him to achieve his purpose in life. Surely it is possible for the redeemed family of Christ to enter into His faith and participate in His eternal purpose to achieve the final victory over sin and death. The Son of God is not limited by circumstances, neither is He lacking in adequate resources to supply the need of His family on earth. Nothing shall prevent Him from bringing many sons unto glory according to the will of the heavenly Father.
We can pray without a doubt regarding the power of God. We can perceive the truth about Christ's eternal verities when we consider His statement about removing the mountain at the word of command. We are aware that the mountain has no power within itself to obey the word of command, "...Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea..." It is also obvious that the mountain is not removed by the efforts of man. Therefore we must conclude that the person speaking the words that remove the mountain has access to a power sufficient to remove the mountain and have it cast into the sea. The words of Jesus warrant us in saying that this power is made available to His praying people through faith. If this is not the truth then we must conclude that the words of Christ have no meaningful application to the perplexing problems of daily life. We are aware that the Master's words are figurative yet they are factual. The mountain evidently represents something that God will remove in answer to the prayer of faith.
Let us assume that the mountain represents the mass of human misery caused by sin in this troubled earth. It is certainly true that no man has power within himself to remove the mass of physical and mental sufferings caused by sin in this world. It is likewise true that no man has the strength of will to remove the mountain of iniquity which stands between himself and a holy God. Sin rests on his guilty soul like the weight of the hills. A man's load of depravity gives him a heavy heart and a burdened spirit. When we look at the mass of human suffering resulting from sin, we can visualize the insurmountable difficulties confronting humanity in this distressed earth. The bewildering sufferings caused by the sins of men constitute a mountain of misery and woe more formidable and forbidding than all the precipitous heights and impregnable rocks of earth's tallest peaks.
Christ is our only hope for deliverance in this disconsolate world. If faith in Him cannot bring the power necessary to surmount these difficulties, then faith has failed utterly to achieve the victory we have a right to expect in the light of God's unfailing promises. The imperishable Word declares, "...The just shall live by faith." How can we obey this fundamental law of life unless we can avail ourselves of a power sufficient to overcome every opposing force? We cannot doubt God's willingness to impart to His praying saints a sufficiency of spiritual strength to cope with the trials incident to life. The Scriptures record the victories achieved by the saints of God who were made immortal in sacred history by their dauntless courage and unwavering faith.
Let us pray the prayer of faith, not doubting in our hearts, but believing that strength shall be given day by day to surmount our difficulties in life. Let us not falter in the way as we journey toward fadeless dawn of the eternal day.
We can pray without a doubt regarding the purpose of God. The Scriptures reveal that it is God's eternal purpose in Christ to save all men from all sin on the condition of repentance and faith.
Christ has faith in His own ability to accomplish the Father's purpose by restoring a fallen man to the moral image of God. Nothing shall prevent Him from fulfilling His eternal purpose as revealed in the divine plan of salvation. There is not the remotest possibility that His perfect plan of redemption shall fail. We are assured that the gates of hell shall not prevail against Christ's invincible church, purchased by His blood, endowed, and endued by His Spirit.
We do well to ponder Paul's immortal challenge,
"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?" -- Rom. 8:31.
When once we have a proper concept of God's immutable purpose as revealed in His Word, it will not be difficult to pray without a doubt. Let us look again at the Savior's words, "...And shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass..." For the sake of clarity, let us underscore the words, "...Shall come to pass...When shall those things which we say in prayer come to pass? When may we reasonably expect every prayer to be answered? The things we have said in prayer shall come to pass when everything spoken by the Lord shall come to pass. When God's plan of salvation has been consummated, then all things spoken by the Son of God, and all things spoken by the mouth of His holy prophets, and all the things spoken in the prayers of His faithful people shall come to pass.
The Scriptures affirm that it is God's purpose to save them to the uttermost that come unto Him through Christ. God's utmost ability was required to save us from the utmost extent of our sin. To be saved to the uttermost according to the purpose of Christ, means to be delivered from all sin in this present life, and delivered from the effects of sin in the body and mind in the life to come.
We can pray without a doubt in our hearts regarding a complete deliverance from sin in this present life, and it shall come to pass. But we must patiently wait until Christ's final triumph over sin and death before we can be delivered from the results of sin in our bodies and minds. We can pray without a doubt in our hearts regarding our final deliverance, and it shall come to pass according to the purpose of God. When Christ has fulfilled His eternal purpose in redemption, then the mountain of human misery and woe shall be removed from the earth. When we perceive this truth as revealed in the Scriptures, we can understand that every prayer offered without a doubt in our hearts shall surely be answered in full.
The things we say in prayer are powerless and meaningless unless we have Christ's authority to say them. But if the things we say in our prayers are the things which He has said, then we can pray without a doubt in our hearts.
We find this truth revealed in the Master's words concerning the mountain being removed at the word of command. Take note of the fact that Jesus first spoke the words, "...Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea..." Assuming that the mountain symbolizes the mass of human woe and suffering caused by sin, we perceive that it is possible to have this mass of human misery removed by speaking the living words of Jesus in our prayer. It is apparent that we can enter in to His faith and engage His omnipotent power to achieve victory over sin and death. When we pray without a doubt in our hearts, we share Christ's faith to achieve the purpose of the Father. When we speak His words, we have a valid reason to except the things we say to come to pass.
Our prayers can embrace every word of promise and every word of purpose spoken by our Lord. Our faith and prayers can join His faith and prayers and assist Him in the final fulfillment of His Father's will and work. When applying this gracious truth to the things which Christ has spoken in explicit terms of eternal truth, it is not difficult to see that our prayer of faith becomes an integral part of the whole plan of redemption. We are assured that every word spoken in prayer shall be answered in the final restitution of all things. It is written,
"And He shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began." Acts 3:20, 21
Paul vividly revealed the final triumph of Christ when he said,
"Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." -- 1 Cor. 15:24-26
Our hope and expectation for final deliverance from all effects of evil in our bodies and minds shall be realized when He shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all them that believe in that day. When He shall appear we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. We shall share in His final victory over disease and death. We shall hear Him say to the mountain of sufferings, "...Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea...," and it shall come to pass.
In view of this consoling hope let us continue to pray without a doubt in our hearts. Let us rest our faith on the enduring love of Christ, asking nothing more than to be counted worthy of His pleasure throughout all ages, world without end.
"...What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." -- Mark 11:24
These inspiring words of Jesus disclose that He has obligated Himself to satisfy the incessant and insistent desires of His praying people. His words leave no doubt in our minds regarding His willingness to answer our requests. He makes it plain that whatsoever things are required to satisfy our spiritual and temporal needs shall be granted according to the measure of our faith.
We must obey the fundamental law of faith by sincerely believing that we receive the things desired when we pray, otherwise they shall not be granted. It is necessary to do some clear thinking regarding our Lord's promise to give us the things desired when we pray in faith.
Some unwise persons have interpreted Jesus as saying, "When ye pray, believe that you have the things desired, and you have them." It is difficult to accept this concept of the Master's teaching about the prayer of faith. No intelligent man can believe that he has received the things desired unless he has received them. It would be absurd to make such a claim in the light of truth.
It is misleading to tell a sincere seeker after a pure heart to believe that the blessing has been received when that person knows in his own heart that it is not true. This absurd teaching leaves a man confused and disappointed. A man must receive the witness of the Holy Spirit to confirm the work of grace performed in the heart. An honest man cannot affirm that he has obtained the things desired unless he knows that he has received them from God.
We must not assume that we have the things desired. Our faith does not rest on an assumption; our faith rests on an assurance imparted to us by the spirit of truth. When Jesus revealed His provision to satisfy our desires, He disclosed the incentive to pray. He is saying, "Whatsoever things you desire, when you pray, believe that God has provided them, and you shall have them."
We must first believe that the resources of God are made available to us through prayer. If we entertain the slightest doubt in our hearts regarding this fact, we cannot obtain the things desired to satisfy us in life.
While seriously meditating on the remarkable words of Jesus concerning the things desired in prayer, let us not overlook the fact that He is speaking about the mountain being removed at the word of command. If it is God's purpose to remove all sin and sufferings from the earth at His word of command, then it is likewise true that everything required to accomplish His purpose on behalf of His people is made available to them in the provision of redeeming grace. When we see this truth we can understand God's purpose in establishing the throne of grace. Is it any wonder that we are told to come boldly unto the throne of grace? We can readily understand the real incentive to pray when we know that our legitimate desires will be granted when we pray for things pertaining to the plan of redemption as revealed in Christ. There is no provision made to gratify our desires unless the things desired are directly related to Christ's plan of salvation.
The primary purpose of the Savior's sacrifice on the cross was to save us from sin and sufferings. It is His purpose to present us faultless before the presence of the Father with exceeding joy. It is our Lord's purpose to dry our tears for ever, open the gates of pearl, and give us an abundant entrance into the City of God. It is permissible to interpret Jesus as saying, "Whatsoever things are required to satisfy you and sustain you in this holy way of life, when you pray, believe that you can obtain them, and you shall have them."
It has not required one tear of sorrow, nor exacted one drop of our blood, nor cost us one night of sleep to provide the things required to save us from sin and sufferings in this world. The unsparing God gave His only Son to provide the things we need for time and eternity.
There are no unholy and selfish desires in the heart of a Christian. A true Christian is motivated to pray by the normal desires of spiritual life like a hungry son is moved to ask bread of his father. The child's desire for food does not spring from force of habit, it is a desire springing from the natural requirements of daily life. The incentive to pray is as normal as the desire for food and drink. The very fact that the desire exists is positive proof that it can be satisfied in a natural and legitimate manner.
There is an intense longing after Christ like the hunger and thirst of a person requiring food and drink. Such a desire cannot be satisfied with anything less than a manifestation of the living Lord. There is a desire to know more about His enduring love. There is a desire to linger long in sacred worship and holy communion with Him in the quiet place of prayer. A Christian says,
"My soul followeth hard after thee..." -- Psa. 63:8
The inspired writer voiced his desire when he said,
"As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?" -- Psa. 42:1, 2
A man can earn his daily bread by the sweat of his brow, and allay his thirst at the springs flowing out of the earth, but a man that hungers and thirsts after Christ must have the bread from heaven to satisfy his hunger, and drink the living water from the fountain of life to slake his thirst.
We desire a freedom which cannot be obtained while we live in this body. We long to be delivered from our earthly bondage into the glorious liberty of the first resurrection. In this human body we yearn, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven.
"For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life." -- 2 Cor. 5:4
When the eternal purpose of Christ has been completed, the saints shall be delivered from the presence of sin and sorrows which have troubled them in this unhappy earth. In that glad hour they shall experience the glorious liberty of the sons of God.
God's redeemed children have no continuing city in this world. They look for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Their citizenship is in heaven; from whence they also look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change their infirm bodies, that they may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working wherewith He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself. When these things shall come to pass, then shall we obtain the end of our faith, even the salvation of our souls.
"...When they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness." -- Acts 4: 31.
This remarkable manifestation of God reveals the effectiveness of prevailing prayer. It vividly discloses the fact that prayer can accomplish much. It is apparent that neither the apostles, nor the assembled company of devout believers were astonished at the marvelous visitation of God. They had assembled together in one place for the express purpose of achieving victory over the opposition of wicked men, and they fully expected the Lord to answer their united prayers in His own way.
Perhaps the shaking of the place where they were assembled together was an extraordinary occurrence, but receiving a direct answer to their importunate praying was neither unusual nor unexpected. The believers had assembled for the specific purpose of producing a miracle in the spiritual world, and not for the purpose of producing a phenomenon in the natural world. We do not need a manifestation of the supernatural to arrest the attention of a pleasure seeking world. God does not often shake the shackles off His imprisoned saints, and open the doors of the jail with an earthquake. He can do the unusual and the unexpected when necessary. We do not need the Lord to do something to astonish us, but we do need Him to do something to alert us to our dangers.
We cannot ignore the fact that we desperately need a startling manifestation of God to shake us out of our spiritual lethargy and selfish complacency. We cannot substitute a program for power and have the least semblance of hope that the unsaved will be attracted by it.
The believers were praying in a desperate crisis when they said, "...Lord, behold their threatenings..." We are aware that some of the most enduring results recorded in sacred history were obtained when some devout person prayed in an hour of crisis. Abraham prevailed with God in prayer when the angelic messengers told him about the destruction of Sodom. The holy Scriptures reveal that Moses prayed importunately for the people when they incurred the fierce anger of God by worshipping the golden calf. It was a critical time in Israel when Elijah prayed earnestly on mount Carmel. Jesus was praying in an hour of crisis when He said, "...Father, the hour is come..." The believers were confronted by a desperate situation when they said, "...Lord, behold their threatenings..." With them, it was a case of life or death, victory or defeat. The odds against them were tremendous, but the God that was for them was Almighty.
There is nothing in the sacred records to show that they had the slightest intention of compromising the truth in order to have favor with men. They did not call a meeting of the official board to discuss ways and means of evading the fundamental issues involved. They did not take refuge in a stupefying pessimism saying that nothing could be done to remedy the situation confronting them. Neither did they deceive themselves by saying that things would work out satisfactorily to all parties concerned. They were willing to accept the conflict that challenged their faith and hope in God. They did the most natural thing in the sight of the Lord when they assembled together with one accord in prayer, and lifted up their voice in one concerted petition to Him for help.
The believers in this day of grace should be impressed by the victory achieved by this praying company of saints. There are many things which threaten us today. We are confronted with serious situations that cannot be overcome unless we keep our strength renewed through prevailing prayer.
It is written, "...They were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness." A gracious infilling with the Spirit of God is the only solution for our spiritual difficulties in this age of the world. The Lord's holy prophet said,
"...When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him." -- Isa. 59:19
We cannot hope to escape the flood of evil which threatens to overwhelm the believers today unless we are constantly refilled and reinvigorated by the Holy Spirit. When Paul said, "...Be filled with the Spirit," he was stressing the necessity of continuing in the fullness of the Spirit in order to achieve the victory for Christ in this world. This remarkable filling with the Spirit was evidently different in some respects from the epochal filling received on the day of Pentecost. This gracious enablement of the Spirit was obviously one of the times of refreshing to be expected from the presence of the Lord. (Acts 3: 19.)
Unless the believers in the church today have their spiritual strength replenished repeatedly by the Spirit they will not be able to overcome the increasing power of spiritual wickedness threatening them today. The church cannot cope with the menacing threat of worldliness except the company of believers pray for power to meet the insidious threat. The company of believers cannot withstand the subversive teachings of modern Liberalism unless they pray for strength to contend for the faith once delivered to the saints.
It will require much prayer to prevail against the creeping paralysis resulting from meaningless programs and pointless plays promoted by the worldly-minded leaders in the church. Unless the company of believers today are girded with the power of the Holy Spirit they will not be able to cope with the crisis confronting them in this day of formality and unbelief. God did not answer their impassioned prayer in the hour of crisis by miraculously changing the attitude of the determined opposition. He did not remove the threat which endangered them, neither did He destroy the ringleaders responsible for the persecution of the church. It is interesting to note that the company of believers did not ask the Lord to change the attitude of their enemies. They accepted the fact that such persecution had been foreseen and foretold.
"...Thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ." -- Acts 4: 25. (Psalm 2:1-3)
The Lord would have us understand that suffering persecution for His sake is the price to be paid in blood and tears for the unspeakable pleasure of serving Him in the holy way of life.
Our young people should be impressed with the fact that they cannot expect the Lord to change the attitude of their unsaved friends and associates. When once the young converts discover this truth they will not find it difficult to overcome the hardships of life. Pastors find it difficult to get the young people established in the faith because they apparently believe that God should change their environment in answer to prayer. It is apparently difficult for them to understand that a change in their surroundings is not the solution of their spiritual problem. It is likewise true that a change in the moral conditions which environs the church today is not the solution of its spiritual problem.
The company of believers found the solution of their problem when they lifted up their voice with one accord in prayer to God. The answer they received enabled them to cope with the rising tide of spiritual wickedness in high places. The Lord fortified them with a spiritual power that no combination of evil forces could withstand successfully.
The embattled believers were praying with an unwavering faith when they said, "Lord, thou art God." The indisputable fact of God was the basis of the unshakable confidence which inspired them to pray. It is remarkable how impotent and insignificant the feeble efforts of wicked men appear when we realize that God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1.)
The imperishable Word declares,
"The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?" -- Psa. 118:6
God gave us a certified promise when He said, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." The Lord has never deserted His faithful people in the time of conflict. We need to have this blessed truth imbedded in our consciousness, impressed on our minds, and indelibly inscribed in our hearts by the hand of God. When once we grasp the fact of God it is not difficult to pray.
God's everlasting kingdom will never be destroyed by the combined forces of the ungodly. Almighty God is never in jeopardy. He has no fear of mortal man. He shall remain immutable in purpose and invincible in power for evermore.
Consider what the praying company said about God's enemies,
"For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done." -- Acts 4:27, 28
The conscienceless Herod, and the cowardly Pontius Pilate are dead, and their vicious opposition to Christ is dead and buried in the sepulcher of the ages. The aggressive agnosticism and sneering atheism that ran rampant less than a century ago has ceased to occupy a prominent place in the world today. The vicious Liberalism which afflicts the church today will soon be dead, buried together with modern infidels who have advocated its pernicious views.
Perhaps the sands have been washed in the footprints of the Stranger of Galilee, but the world has not forgotten that He lived, loved, and labored to save lost humanity from eternal death. The countless centuries which have hurried into the dateless past have not impaired His strength to save us to the uttermost. The marching millenniums will not erase His matchless Name from the annals of sacred history. The last desolate day of time will not find Him buried in the sepulcher of the ages. The fleeing ghost of eternity will never discover the grave of God. Of Him it is written,
"And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail." -- Heb. 1:10-12.
When we fortify our faith and underscore our thinking with the words, "Lord, thou art God," we can prevail in prayer and overcome the combined forces of evil which threaten us in these trying times. Almighty God will not abandon His eternal purpose because a few wicked men have lifted up their voices against Him. Our God has assured us that all things work together for good to them that love Him, to them who are the called according to His purpose. His imperishable promises give a strong consolation to lay hold of the hope set before us. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for He is faithful that promised.
The assembled company prayed that the messengers of the Word might have courage. They said,
"...Grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word." -- Acts 4:29
The voice of prayer was heard in heaven and the answer granted when the assembled company of devout saints prayed this importunate prayer in the time of crisis. God's people were not praying for boldness because they were moral cowards. They were fearfully aware of the danger which threatened them; but they were not too cowardly to face it with God's help.
The rulers of the people, and the elders in Israel had called Peter and John before the council, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. (Acts 4:18.) God's called servants could not heed this diabolical command and be faithful to the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. To comply with such an unjust demand, not to speak at all nor teach in the Name of Jesus, one must compromise the truth of Christ, and cease to emphasize the central theme of the Gospel message. The very essence of the Gospel is contained in the Name of Jesus.
It is interesting to notice that the believers were praying for the message of divine truth. They said, "With all boldness they may speak thy word." The emphasis is placed on "Thy word." The Christians wanted to hear God's Word declared with firm conviction and unwavering confidence. They evidently wanted to be edified and enlightened by the message of saving truth. They obviously believed that the Gospel was the power of God unto salvation to every one that believed it. It is indeed blessed to discover a people who desire to hear the message of redeeming grace, a people who do not want to be entertained with cheap programs and silly plays in the church, a people hungry for the bread of life which Christ only can give.
The assembled believers prayed for the messengers of the Gospel, saying, "Grant unto thy servants." It is well to notice that the Christians said, "Thy servants." They evidently recognized that the apostles were the servants of God. They were not considered to be servants of an institution, or an organization. They considered the apostles to be the called servants of God, who had commissioned them to serve His redeemed family. These godly men were not hired promoters; they were Christ's holy messengers.
It does not require moral courage to promote a program to entertain a group of nominal Christians. Neither does it require courage to give a book review, or speak on current events; but it does require boldness to press the claims of Christ on men, and demand that they repent of their sins and yield themselves to Him.
It does not require spiritual fortitude to organize a campaign to raise money for the general interests of the church; but it does take much prayer and faithful preaching to precipitate a genuine revival of full salvation.
To raise these issues does not mean that one is indulging in hurtful criticism of God's faithful people and preachers. It does mean that one is gravely concerned about the praying of God's people, who are members of the body of Christ. It is apparent that a devout minister can perform his work for Christ more efficiently when he knows that the Christians want to hear the Word and are supporting him with their prayers and faith. The record shows that Peter and John had joined the company of saints in the fellowship of prayer. This fact discloses that the messengers of Christ realized the necessity of prevailing prayer.
It is not unusual to hear some ministers say they are so burdened with the work of the church that they have very little time to spend in earnest prayer. This is a startling admission for any man to make, especially a minister of the Gospel. It is a serious matter in the life of a preacher when he allows himself to be cumbered with much serving. The results of his neglect of prayer will be revealed by the poverty of his preaching. It is possible for a minister to become so preoccupied with his duties that he will give prayer a place of secondary importance in his life. God's servants should consider that nothing pertaining to the church of Christ is more important than waiting before the Lord in the secret place of prayer. The man of God loses his passion for souls when he willfully neglects to pray. He must wait until his soul is aflame with holy zeal, and his mind stimulated with fresh news from heaven. When he takes proper time to pray, his preaching will edify and enlighten the Christians, and the fruitfulness of his ministry will be increased.
The writer disclosed some remarkable results from this ministry of prayer when he said,
"And with great power gave the Apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all." v.33.
The assembled company prayed for miracles to be performed in the name of Jesus.
"By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus." -- v.30
It is obvious that the Christians expected miracles to accompany the preaching of the Word. It is interesting to note that the prayer for boldness to speak the Word included the petition for healing, and signs and wonders. The order of the prayer places preaching the Word first before the performing of miracles in the name of Jesus.
Our Lord placed more emphasis on preaching and teaching than He did on His gracious ministry of healing the sick, and showing signs and wonders. However, we are not to conclude that such miracles cannot be performed through the power of prayer in this age and generation. The healing of the sick, and the signs and wonders performed in the name of Jesus accompany the preaching of the Word.
This fact is clearly observed when we give thoughtful attention to the import of the prayer. The prayer for miracles reveals the true concept regarding the power of Jesus to heal. They said, "By stretching forth thine hand to heal..." The presence of Jesus was so real to praying saints that they asked Him to stretch forth His nail-scarred hand and heal the people.
Jesus did stretch forth His hand and touched the diseased bodies of men, and they were instantly healed. The fact that Christ has ascended to heaven has not changed our concept of His Divine Person. He is willing and able to stretch forth His hand and heal our broken bodies today like He did in the days of His flesh.
I am persuaded to believe that the professing Christians would see more miracles of healings performed by the hand of Jesus if they would spend more time in earnest prayer for the messengers of the Gospel.
I am convinced that the Lord will work wonders in this age of indifference if we will cease to limit Him by unbelief, and accept the fact that miracles can be performed today by the outstretched hand of the Holy Child Jesus.
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