It is indeed a sin not to pray! Once the Christian becomes aware of the power and influence lost in not praying, the first thought is to strive to gain victory over the sad condition of prayerlessness. Many of my peers in the ministry openly speak to one another of the seemingly impossibility of attaining a strict life of prayer – I do not know of a present day Pastor who boast of complete victory in his prayer life. It is indeed a constant battle.
Most recently I re-read an account given by Andrew Murray telling how he received a letter from a well known devoted minister of his day who wrote: “As far as I am concerned, it does not seem to help me to hear too much about the life of prayer, about the strenuous exertion for which we must prepare ourselves, and about all the time and trouble and endless effort it will cost us. These things discourage me – I have so often heard them. I have time after time put them to the test, and the result has always been sadly disappointing – It does not help me to be told: “You must pray more, and hold a closer watch over yourself, and become altogether a more earnest Christian. Brother Murray’s reply to him was: “I have never mentioned exertion or struggle, because I am so entirely convinced that our efforts are futile unless we first learn how to abide in Christ by a simple faith.”
Great sympathy must be given to the man who struggles to maintain a daily relationship to our loving Saviour in prayer. Many feel that it is entirely beyond the most sincere efforts of self – Discouraged, the most devoted prayer warrior will often shrink from the effort and struggle of maintaining a proper prayer life. And rightly so, we must come to the understanding that it is beyond fleshly reach.
Victory will only come when one comes to understand that flesh cannot conquer the flesh – it is impossible – Beelzebub cannot cast out Beelzebub. Only Jesus can subdue the flesh – The effort made in our own strength to rise above prayerlessness will surely fail. However, there is a means of victory. God’s word speaks clearly of “the good fight of faith”. Jesus is the Author and Finisher of faith. It is our relationship with Christ our Lord that makes strong our faith to abide in Him. To have victory in the closet of prayer we must not strive in our own strength but by faith in the love of our own Lord Jesus, simply trust Him. This is the only certain method of getting into fellowship with God in prayer.
“But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut the door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” (Matthew 6:6) As we go into the closet of prayer, no matter how cold and dark the heart may be, we must not try in our own effort to force ourself into the right attitude. We must simply bow before Him and tell Him to see the sad state you are in and that our only hope is in Him. Humbleness before Him will soon bring the glory of His presence and the heart will be filled with joy as freedom and ease of prayer will come.
(W. Clyde Martin is editor of THE PRAYER LIFE, a monthly online magazine that promotes closet praying among the redeemed. You may contact him by E-mail )
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