The latest course I am studying at TNARS, is PY110 - Fundamentals of Prayer I. One of the books I have read in this course is "Power through Prayer" by E. M. Bounds. This book is an amazing read.
I have included a link to the book, so that you can read this absolute wonder on the subject of prayer.
It states that God is looking for Christians who will pray. He is quick to state that he is not talking about a 15 minute devotional period in the morning, that type of prayer does not grab hold of God. He also states that Preachers must be men who pray, and pray much. He talks about Martin Luther, who stated that he had to pray for 3 to 4 hours each day for the work he had to do. Bounds give the example of Paul who prayed for all the Churches, spending hours praying and not only praying but pleading for others to pray for him. Bounds states that is the duty of the Church. It must have a praying preacher in order to have people in the pews who will also pray. Christians do not pray much because the preachers over them do not pray much. He tells us that Jesus many times prayed all night. One point he makes is that if Paul and Christ prayed much as a course of Christian living, we need to follow that example. The flesh does not want to pray, the devil does not want the Christian to pray, because the Christian is joined to power, when he prays much, he is joined by the Holy Spirit as he humbles himself to secure something from God and he does not give up until he gets what he wants from God. Bounds states that the Father wants his children to delight in spending time with him. I could go on and on, but, I just want to impress on you, that you should read this book, it will move you to pray, it will explain why there is no power in most of our churches, because prayer is a form, a professional, cold duty, that doesnt move anybody or anything. Its not backed by hours on knees in secret prayer, before coming to church. The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. He is looking for Christians who will diligently pursue him. We have to spend hours seeking God in prayer each day. This book has changed my prayer time. I am a retiree so I have much time that I can spend in prayer. I believe thats why God worked it so that I could retire when I did, and I made a promise to God, that I would pursue him, when I moved to Richmond, my attempts have not matched the examples that the Bible gives, so I have changed and now spend hours in the morning and in the evening in prayer, bible-reading, meditation, it is working in me something that I have not experienced before in my christian life - it is not always pleasant, it is agnozing, pleading with God for power over sin in my life, and for the salvation of the souls around me - but it is a sweet agonizing, a sweet-sin hating, holiness loving time.
Colossians 1:27 states in the New Living Translation ...and this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.
Colossians 1: 28-29 states: So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ. That's why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ's mighty power that works within me.
These verses explain how we overcome, how we overcome anything. We have Christ in us, by his Holy Spirit, and as we struggle and struggle hard, like Paul struggled, with the things in our life that hinders our walk with Christ, we are joined in our struggle by the Holy Spirit to overcome whatever it is that hinders, it does not matter what it is, sin, temptation, the devil, whatever, we have a responsibilitity and the Holy Spirit has to come alongside our struggle, granting the overcoming victory. The struggle is ardent, fervant, prayer, that is where satan is driven out, where temptation and sin loses their appeal, where the Spirit ignites the soul, branding it with holiness, Christlikeness. We need people who pray, not praying in the Church, but praying in their prayer closet, we need preachers who get their sermons while in intense struggle in their prayer closet. Prayer is essential, it is the lifeblood of the Christian life. We need to examine our prayer lives, because how much time we spend in our prayer closet in secret prayer is the level of victory we have in our lives.
E. M. Bounds book is here:
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/bounds/power.toc.html
This is also a link to what people of God have stated about prayers, very good stuff:
http://www.christian-prayer-quotes.christian-attorney.net/
Read the book, it will be a blessing, it will change your life. To God be the Glory!!
I have included a link to the book, so that you can read this absolute wonder on the subject of prayer.
It states that God is looking for Christians who will pray. He is quick to state that he is not talking about a 15 minute devotional period in the morning, that type of prayer does not grab hold of God. He also states that Preachers must be men who pray, and pray much. He talks about Martin Luther, who stated that he had to pray for 3 to 4 hours each day for the work he had to do. Bounds give the example of Paul who prayed for all the Churches, spending hours praying and not only praying but pleading for others to pray for him. Bounds states that is the duty of the Church. It must have a praying preacher in order to have people in the pews who will also pray. Christians do not pray much because the preachers over them do not pray much. He tells us that Jesus many times prayed all night. One point he makes is that if Paul and Christ prayed much as a course of Christian living, we need to follow that example. The flesh does not want to pray, the devil does not want the Christian to pray, because the Christian is joined to power, when he prays much, he is joined by the Holy Spirit as he humbles himself to secure something from God and he does not give up until he gets what he wants from God. Bounds states that the Father wants his children to delight in spending time with him. I could go on and on, but, I just want to impress on you, that you should read this book, it will move you to pray, it will explain why there is no power in most of our churches, because prayer is a form, a professional, cold duty, that doesnt move anybody or anything. Its not backed by hours on knees in secret prayer, before coming to church. The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. He is looking for Christians who will diligently pursue him. We have to spend hours seeking God in prayer each day. This book has changed my prayer time. I am a retiree so I have much time that I can spend in prayer. I believe thats why God worked it so that I could retire when I did, and I made a promise to God, that I would pursue him, when I moved to Richmond, my attempts have not matched the examples that the Bible gives, so I have changed and now spend hours in the morning and in the evening in prayer, bible-reading, meditation, it is working in me something that I have not experienced before in my christian life - it is not always pleasant, it is agnozing, pleading with God for power over sin in my life, and for the salvation of the souls around me - but it is a sweet agonizing, a sweet-sin hating, holiness loving time.
Colossians 1:27 states in the New Living Translation ...and this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.
Colossians 1: 28-29 states: So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ. That's why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ's mighty power that works within me.
These verses explain how we overcome, how we overcome anything. We have Christ in us, by his Holy Spirit, and as we struggle and struggle hard, like Paul struggled, with the things in our life that hinders our walk with Christ, we are joined in our struggle by the Holy Spirit to overcome whatever it is that hinders, it does not matter what it is, sin, temptation, the devil, whatever, we have a responsibilitity and the Holy Spirit has to come alongside our struggle, granting the overcoming victory. The struggle is ardent, fervant, prayer, that is where satan is driven out, where temptation and sin loses their appeal, where the Spirit ignites the soul, branding it with holiness, Christlikeness. We need people who pray, not praying in the Church, but praying in their prayer closet, we need preachers who get their sermons while in intense struggle in their prayer closet. Prayer is essential, it is the lifeblood of the Christian life. We need to examine our prayer lives, because how much time we spend in our prayer closet in secret prayer is the level of victory we have in our lives.
E. M. Bounds book is here:
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/bounds/power.toc.html
This is also a link to what people of God have stated about prayers, very good stuff:
http://www.christian-prayer-quotes.christian-attorney.net/
Read the book, it will be a blessing, it will change your life. To God be the Glory!!
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