Tune and Prepare!

The Prayers of the Bible, from the book: "Prevailing Prayer" by D. L. Moody T hose who have left the deepest impression on this sin-cursed earth have been men and women of prayer. You will find prayer has been the mighty power that has moved not only God, but also man. Prayers of the Faithful Throughout history, all God’s people have been praying people. Look, for instance, at Richard Baxter.[1] He stained his study walls with praying breath, and after he was anointed with the Holy Spirit, he sent a river of living water over the city of Kidderminster in England, and converted hundreds. Martin Luther[2] and his companions were men of such mighty pleading with God that they broke the spell of ages, and laid nations subdued at the foot of the cross. John Knox grasped all of Scotland in his strong arms of faith; his prayers terrified tyrants. George Whitefield,[3] after much holy, faithful, closet pleading, went to the Devil’s fair, and took more t...

The Prayers of the Bible, from the book: "Prevailing Prayer" by D. L. Moody T hose who have left the deepest impression on this sin-cursed earth have been men and women of prayer. You will find prayer has been the mighty power that has moved not only God, but also man. The prayers of Jesus I want to call special attention to Christ as an example for us in all things – in nothing greater than in prayer. We read that Christ prayed to his Father for everything. Prayer preceded every great crisis in his life. Let me share a few examples from Scripture. I never noticed until a few years ago that Christ was praying at his baptism. Jesus was also baptized, and while He was praying, heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove (Luke 3:21-22) . Another great event in his life was his trans­figuration, when Jesus took along Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while He was praying, the appearance...

The Prayers of the Bible, from the book: "Prevailing Prayer" by D. L. Moody T hose who have left the deepest impression on this sin-cursed earth have been men and women of prayer. You will find prayer has been the mighty power that has moved not only God, but also man. New Testament Prayers In Acts 10, Cornelius, who was a centurion in the Italian regiment, prayed to God regularly. During one of those prayers, he had a vision and saw an angel of the Lord. The angel told him to summon the apostle Peter. When Peter arrived, Cornelius said, Now then, we are all here present before God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord (Acts 10:33). Although Cornelius was a worshipper of the true God, he lacked faith in Christ. Peter taught the truth about how Jesus had been crucified and raised from the dead. While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. All the circumcised believer...

The Prayers of the Bible, from the book: "Prevailing Prayer" by D. L. Moody T hose who have left the deepest impression on this sin-cursed earth have been men and women of prayer. You will find prayer has been the mighty power that has moved not only God, but also man. Old Testament prayers Abraham was a man of prayer, and angels came down from heaven to converse with him. Jacob’s prayer was answered when he wrestled with God at the place he named Peniel, which means “face of God.” His meeting with the Lord resulted in Jacob having a mighty blessing, and even his brother Esau’s heart was softened towards him. The Lord gave Samuel as an answer to Hannah’s prayer for a child. Elijah’s prayer closed up the heavens for three years and six months, and when he prayed again, the heavens gave rain. The apostle James calls the prophet Elijah a man with a nature like ours. James also says, the effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much (James 5:16-17). El...

The two first and essential means of grace are the Word of God and prayer. Conversion comes through these, for we are born again through the living and enduring(abiding) word of God (1 Peter 1:23), and whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved (Romans 10:13). By the Word of God and prayer, we also grow. Scripture tells us we should desire, or crave, the pure spiritual milk of the Word so we may grow by it (1 Peter 2:2), and we cannot grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ unless we also speak to him in prayer. It is by the Word that the Father sanctifies us (purifies and sets us apart) but we are also instructed to watch and pray to avoid falling into temptation. These two instruments of grace must be applied in the right proportion. If we read the Word and do not pray, we may become puffed up with knowledge, without the love that builds others up. If we pray without reading the Word, we will be ignorant of the mind and will of God, an...