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THE NEED TO PREVAIL IN PRAYER
This article was posted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008
The Need to Prevail
Samuel Chadwick wrote, “There is no power like that of a prevailing prayer. It turns ordinary mortals into men of power. It brings life. It brings GOD. To Prevail in a task is to be victorious in that endeavor. To prevail in prayer, then, is to pray victoriously. Whereas “travail” would seem to include how we “feel” in prayer, “prevail” would seem to involve how we “fight” in prayer. A closer look at the need to prevail in prayer should strengthen the warrior’s prayer life.
1. To prevail in prayer is to fight until an answer comes. To prevail in prayer is as arguing our cause before the High Court of Heaven. It is to keep on going on in our prayer, as someone has suggested. Prevailing prayer has the patience to wait until an answer comes. This praying will not retreat until all of Satan’s demons are moved aside, heaven’s gates are opened, and GOD’s promises are poured forth.
2. To prevail in prayer is to fight the real enemy of prayer.
Some misunderstood this matter of wrestling in prayer, taking it to mean that we are wrestling against GOD. They picture GOD as withholding good gifts from His children in such a manner that only prevailing prayer can wrestle these gifts away. Such is not the case at all, and much spiritual damage can be done through this interpretation. Our warfare is not against GOD but against Satan. Prevailing prayer is really our refusal to allow the enemy to advance. Example: In 1540 Martin Luther’s friend, Frederick Myconius, became extremely ill. He wrote a farewell letter to Luther but Luther replied. “I command thee in the name of GOD to live because I still need thee in the work of reforming the church….The LORD will never let me hear you dead but permit you to survive me For this I am praying that, this my will, and my will be done because I seek only to glorify the name of GOD.” History reveals that when Luther wrote this letter, Myconius’ condition had deteriorated beyond natural restoration. He had even lost his ability to speak. Death was imminent. Then miracle happened. Slowly new life began to flow into Luther’s friend and soon was completely well. He actually outlived Martin Luther by two months. Luther’s prayer had prevailed. Prayer can change the world!
3. To prevail in prayer is to pray with intense earnestness. In travail we deeply want a thing; in prevailing prayer we earnestly fight for that thing. Dr. Torrey Have labeled this praying –“praying through.” Torrey meant we were not to cease praying until the answer came. He prayed for two persons from his pastorate and prayed for their salvation for many years. He faithfully prayed for them everyday. He went to Germany for further studies. When He finished he was invited to do a series of meetings to his first pastorate. He never missed a day praying for those two persons. One night in that series of meetings, he gave an invitation for all who would accept JESUS CHRIST as their LORD and SAVIOR. These two people did. That was an answer to prevailing prayer.
4. To prevail in prayer is to be fixed in our prayer purpose.
To prevail in prayer demands a solid commitment to the purpose of that prayer. It is saying with the Psalmist, “My heart is fixed, oh GOD, my heart is fixed” (Psalm57:7). Daniel declared, “I set my face unto the LORD GOD…”(Daniel 9:3). Even our LORD gives an example of the determination we need to prevail in prayer. The bible says JESUS “set HIS face to go to Jerusalem” as HE faced crucifixion on a cross (Luke 9:51). Such determination is closely related to prevailing prayer. It is a determination that refuses to give up no matter the cost.
(Above information are excerpts from Literature World Crusade)
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