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[HOW TO PRAY by R.A.Torrey]
CHAPTER V
PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT
1. Over and over again in what has already been said, we have
seen our dependence upon the Holy Spirit in prayer. This comes out
very definitely in Eph. 6:18, "Praying always with all prayer and
supplication IN THE SPIRIT," and in Jude 20, "Praying IN THE HOLY
GHOST." Indeed the whole secret of prayer is found in these three
words, "in the Spirit." It is the prayer that God the Holy Spirit
inspires that God the Father answers.
The disciples did not know how to pray as they ought, so they
came to Jesus and said,"Lord teach us to pray." We know not how to
pray as we ought, but we have another Teacher and Guide right at hand
to help us (John 14:16,17), "The Spirit helpeth our infirmity" (Rom.
8:26, R.V.). He teaches us how to pray. True prayer is prayer in
the Spirit; that is, the prayer the Spirit inspires and directs.
When we come into God's presence we should recognize "our infirmity,"
our ignorance of what we should pray for or how we should pray for
it, and in the consciousness of our utter inability to pray aright we
should look up to the Holy Spirit, casting ourselves utterly upon Him
to direct our prayers, to lead out our desires and to guide our
utterance of them.
Nothing can be more foolish in prayer than to rush heedlessly
into God's presence, and ask the first thing that comes into our
mind, or that some thoughtless friend has asked us to pray for. When
we first come into God's presence we should be silent before Him. We
should look up to Him to send His Holy Spirit to teach us how to
pray. We must wait for the Holy Spirit, and surrender ourselves to
the Spirit, then we shall pray aright.
Oftentimes when we come to God in prayer, we do not feel like
praying. What shall one do in such a case? cease praying until he
does feel like it? Not at all. When we feel least like praying is
the time when we most need to pray. We should wait quietly before
God and tell Him how cold and prayerless our hearts are, and look up
to Him and trust Him and expect Him to send the Holy Spirit to warm
our hearts and draw them out in prayer. It will not be long before
the glow of the Spirit's presence will fill our hearts, and we will
begin to pray with freedom, directness, earnestness and power. Many
of the most blessed seasons of prayer I have ever known have begun
with a feeling of utter deadness and prayerlessness, but in my
helplessness and coldness I have cast myself upon God, and looked to
Him to send His Holy Spirit to teach me to pray, and He has done it.
When we pray in the Spirit, we will pray for the right things
and in the right way. There will be joy and power in our prayer.
2. If we are to pray with power we must pray WITH FAITH. In
Mark 11:24 Jesus says, "Therefore I say unto you, What things soever
ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall
have them." No matter how positive any promise of God's Word may be,
we will not enjoy it in actual experience unless we confidently
expect its fulfillment in answer to our prayer. "If any of you lack
wisdom," says James, "let him ask of God that giveth to all men
liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." Now that
promise is as positive as a promise can be, but the next verse adds,
"But let him ask in faith, nothing doubting: for he that doubteth is
like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. For let not
that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord." (R.V.)
There must then be confident unwavering expectation. But there is a
faith that goes beyond expectation, that believes that the prayer is
heard and the promise granted. This comes out in the Revised Version
of Mark 11:24, "Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye
pray and ask for, believe that ye HAVE received them, and ye shall
have them."
But how can one get this faith?
Let us say with all emphasis, it cannot be pumped up. Many a
one reads this promise about the prayer of faith, and then asks for
things that he desires and tries to make himself believe that God has
heard the prayer. This ends only in disappointment, for it is not
real faith and the thing is not granted. It is at this point that
many people make a collapse of faith altogether by trying to work up
faith by an effort of their will, and as the thing they made
themselves believe they expected to get is not given, the very
foundation of faith is oftentimes undermined.
But how does real faith come?
Rom 10:17 answers the question: "So then faith cometh by
hearing, and hearing BY THE WORD OF GOD." If we are to have real
faith, we must study the Word of God and find out what is promised,
then simply believe the promises of God. Faith must have a warrant.
Trying to believe something that you want to believe is not faith.
Believing what God says in His Word is faith. If I am to have faith
when I pray, I must find some promise in the Word of God on which to
rest my faith. Faith furthermore comes through the Spirit. The
Spirit knows the will of God, and if I pray in the Spirit, and look
to the Spirit to teach me God's will, He will lead me out in prayer
along the line of that will, and give me faith that the prayer is to
be answered; but in no case does real faith come by simply
determining that you are going to get the thing that you want to get.
If there is no promise in the Word of God, and no clear leading of
the Spirit, there can be no real faith, and there should be no
upbraiding of self for lack of faith in such a case. But if the
thing desired is promised in the Word of God, we may well upbraid
ourselves for lack of faith if we doubt; for we are making God a liar
by doubting His Word.
