"PRAY WITHOUT CEASING"
“PRAY WITHOUT CEASING”
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
Sunday, February 24, 2014, the Year of Our Lord
A few decades ago, a lady intercessor asked me how often I pray. I gave her that quizzical look I give when people ask me a question which is irrelevant. My reply was instant, “I pray all the time”. Then I gave her this puzzled look as if to say, “don’t all Christians pray all the time?” I don’t think I actually verbalized the question, but I thought it.
Even when I am not praying with my understanding, the Holy Spirit is praying within me. Even if I am speaking with my understanding, the Holy Spirit continues to pray always in all prayer and supplication. Even if I am sleeping, the Holy Spirit is using my spirit and is praying in the Holy Ghost. My thinking is praying. There is no separation in my thought life and my praying life.
What a mystery of power there is in the fervent prayer of faith. We do not know how or what we should pray for. Except for the grace of God, we are all weak, ignorant, and short-sighted---utterly unable to comprehend the full range of consequences in time and eternity which may follow from our prayers. Left to our own choice, we would have a lifetime without a sorrow---a path without a thorn---a cup without bitterness;--the sea of life without a ripple or a cloud.
The Holy Spirit prays for us and helps our infirmities. When I pray, I want to hear the Holy Spirit and pray the will of God. “Not my will, but thine be done”, is the highest prayer we will ever utter.
The Holy Sprit shows us our real wants; reveals our sin; our weakness; the fullness of Christ Jesus; all abundance of grace; and instructs us in the great purpose of God; the principles on which the Lord acts toward us; or, if these are still left obscure, He bids us trust a Father’s wisdom and a Father’s care, “casting all our care on Him: “even to lie passive in His hands, and know no will but His.”
“The Lord is ever near unto them who are of a broken heart, and save such as are of a contrite spirit.” “In the day when they cry, He will answer, and strengthen them with strength in their soul.” “He shall deliver the needy when he cries; the poor also, and him that has no helper,” for this is God’s promise, “He shall call upon me, says the Lord, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him.”
As we read the pages of the days of the patriarchs, prophets, and righteous men, who, as princes, had power with God, we find that the Lord’s promises have never failed.
We continually discover that prayer---fervent, earnest prayer has accomplished the most wonderful results.
It has divided seas---rolled up flowing rivers, and brought steams of water from the flinty rock.
Prayer has quenched the flames of fire---restrained the fury of lions, and healed the poisonous bite of serpents.
Prayer has marshaled the stars of heaven against the ungodly---arrested the progress of advancing day---burst open the gates of iron---summoned the dead from their tombs---conquered the legions of darkness, and brought angels from their starry thrones.
It has bridled and chained the raging passions of men---routed and destroyed vast armies of the proud and rebellious.
Prayer has delivered one man from the depths of the mighty sea, and carried another in a chariot of fire to the mansions of glory.
Let us go to the Word of God, and there learn the power and effect of prayer. Then as the Word of His promises are mixed with faith, then we enter into the promises:
Jacob wrestles and prays---the angel of the Lord is conquered, and the patriarch obtains his request.
Moses cries to God---the waters of the sea are divided. Moses prays again and Amalek is discomfited.
Joshua prays, Achan is discovered.
Hannah prays---Samuel is born.
David prays---he is rescued from a thousand perils. The wilderness, the rocks, and the outcasts’ cave, as well as the kingly throne of Jerusalem, were witnesses that David was a man of prayer.
Asa prays---a victory is gained.
Jehoshaphat prays---God turns aside the fury of his adversaries. Isaiah and Hezekiah pray---185,000 Assyrians are that very night destroyed by the angel of the Lord.
Daniel prays---the dream is revealed---the lions are restrained---the vision of the Kingdom of God is revealed.
Nehemiah prays, the king’s heart is in a moment softened.
Elijah prays, for three years the windows of heaven are shut up. He prays and rain descends once more upon the earth.
Elisha prays, the Jordan is divided. He prays and a child’s spirit comes again.
The church prays ardently, ---Peter is delivered by an angel.
Paul and Silas pray and sing praises unto God---the prison doors are opened and every man’s bands are loosed.
These are but a few of the countless instances in which prayer has prevailed with God. From age to age there have assembled around His footstool, the multitudes of poor and needy; wretched and guilty; humbly praying. Streams of mercy have been welling forth from the fountain of grace, to refresh, to strengthen, to invigorate, and to purify.
The orphan’s cry has passed the distance between humanity and deity and God has promised to be his Father. The widow’s prayer even if it was unintelligible was understood by God. His comfort to the widow on her knees is “I will be a husband to the widow.”
We, the remnant, have cried out unto the Lord for the murder of innocent babies by abortion. The Lord will hear our cry and the day will come when He will vindicate the innocent blood that cries from the earth and from the hands of brutal abortionists.
Yes, the weak have been strengthened, the downcast encouraged, the helpless relieved, the sorrowful comforted and the poor fed.
The prayer of faith has drawn down the light of the Sun of righteousness and the refreshing showers of the Holy Spirit; healed the sick and saved us from our sins.
James 4:8: “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.”
Prayer is our approach to God to His throne of Grace and mercy. Here in His presence, is our highest enjoyment of Him. Before His throne, we are in our highest state. We are upon the utmost height of human greatness; not before kings and princes, but in the presence and audience of the King of all worlds, and can be no higher, until death is swallowed up in glory.
The High and Holy One, the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, the King of kings and Lord of lords invites and encourages the children of men to draw near to His throne---to approach His sacred presence, and to make know to Him all of our longings and desires.
What is man, O Lord, that you are mindful of him? Or the son of man, that you visit him? It is a solemn thing to pray, to draw near to Him who searches the heart, and tries the reins of the children of men---to enter the Parousia of the Almighty, to stand as on gleaming pavement of heaven, the abode of purity, holiness, and love; to have audience with God before whom the angels veil their faces, and at whose footstool they prostrate themselves.
The blessed Savior through whose blood we are able to draw near has pledged Himself to intercede on our behalf, and to obtain an answer to our prayers. We know we can trust Him with our whole heart, for “he is faithful who has promised”. Jesus has already manifested and proven His love for us. Yes, Jesus has sealed His love with His precious blood with a pledge that He is our friend and intercessor with the Father. He will continue to exhibit that love, in every cross we have to bear; in every cup of sorrow we may have to drink; in every treasure we are called to relinquish; in every lone and dreary path of duty or of trial, by which we journey onward from faith to faith and glory to glory.
He knows our soul in adversities and will be our Savior in the time of trouble. His grace is ours to strengthen and sustain us. His Holy Spirit is our guide, who comforts, and enlightens us. Jesus’ intercession is ours to secure for us all needed blessing. His promises are ours to cling to in our saddest and darkest hours. His power is ours to defend us from our enemies and the enemies of His Kingdom. There is no defeat in Jesus. We live in Him, that where He is, there we may be also.
Are you struggling against sinful desires and habits? He has promised to make His “grace sufficient for us”. He has assured us that the good work which has begun in each of us shall be carried on to perfection.
Are you troubled and distressed about the present transitions round about us? He tells us that if we truly love Him, He will make “all things work together for our good.”
“He will keep in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Him, because we trust in Him.”
Oh, blessed assurance! Jesus will never leave us or forsake us. In John 2:23”… the people believed on Jesus because of the miraculous signs he was doing. But Jesus would not entrust himself to them; for he knew all men. He did not need man’s testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man.”
“Vain is the help of man”; amid doubts, and fears, and sorrows---amid trial, sickness, and distress. The best that man can do is to bandage the wound. He cannot heal it. Man can wipe away your tears, but he cannot heal a broken heart. But oh, when we cast our cares at the throne of grace to the Hearer and the Answerer of prayer, then comfort, joy and the peace that passes all understanding flood our mind and heart with Christ Jesus. “O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. “I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.”
Prayer: “Strengthen, O God, that which you have purposed for us.”
Promise: “He which has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
Prayer: “O satisfy us early with your mercy that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.”
Promise: “My people shall be satisfied with my goodness, says the Lord.
Prayer: “Strengthen me according to your word.”
Promise: “I will strengthen you.”
Prayer: “Help us, O Lord our God, for we rest on you.”
Promise: “The Lord will help and deliver us, because we trust in Him.”
Prayer: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”
Promise: “A new heart will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you.”
Prayer: “Save your people, and bless your inheritance."
Promise: “Thus says the Lord of hosts, Behold, I will save my people.”
Prayer: “ O keep my soul and deliver me.”
Promise: “I the Lord do keep it; lest any hurt it. I will keep it night and day.”
“Prayer is the Christian’s vital breath,
The Christian’s native air,
His watchword at the gates of death;
He enters heaven with prayer.
The saints, in prayer, appear as one
In word, and deed, and mind;
While with the Father and the Son,
Sweet fellowship they find.
Nor prayer is made by man alone;
The Holy Spirit pleads;
And Jesus, on the eternal throne,
For mourners intercedes.
Jesus, by whom we come to God!
The Life, the Truth, the Way!
The path of prayer yourself has trod;
Lord teach us how to pray.”
Montgomery.
“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace.”
“Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord.” (Zech. 4:6)
In approaching the throne of grace, it is the Holy Sprit to bears our prayer.
Tonight I will preach on the Help of the Holy Spirit.
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
Eastgate Ministries, Inc.
Scripture from K.J.V. – I entered into the labors of John Ross MacDuff, the Throne of Grace; Poem by Montgomery.