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Pray that our mission work may all be done in this spirit—waiting on God, hearing the voice of the Spirit, sending forth men with fasting and prayer. Pray that in our churches our mission interest and mission work may be in the power of the Holy Spirit and of prayer. It is a Spirit-filled, praying Church will send out Spirit-filled missionaries, mighty in prayer.
HOW TO PRAY.—Take Time
"I give myself unto prayer."—PS. cix. 4.
"We will give ourselves continually to prayer."—ACTS vi. 4.
"Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God."—ECCLES. v. 2.
"And He continued all night in prayer to God."—LUKE vi. 12.
Time is one of the chief standards of value. The time we give is a proof of the interest we feel.
We need time with God—to realise His presence; to wait for Him to make Himself known; to consider and feel the needs we plead for; to take our place in Christ; to pray till we can believe that we have received. Take time in prayer, and pray down blessing on the mission work of the Church.
SPECIAL PETITIONS
TENTH DAY
WHAT TO PRAY.—For God's Spirit on our Missionaries
"What the world needs to-day is, not only more missionaries, but the outpouring of God's Spirit on everyone whom He has sent out to work for Him in the foreign field."
"Ye shall receive power, when the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be My witnesses unto the uttermost parts of the earth."—ACTS i. 8.
God always gives His servants power equal to the work He asks of them. Think of the greatness and difficulty of this work,—casting out Satan out of his strongholds,—and pray that everyone who takes part in it may receive and do all his work in the power of the Holy Ghost. Think of the difficulties of your missionaries, and pray for them.
HOW TO PRAY.—Trusting God's Faithfulness
"He is faithful that promised." "She counted Him faithful who promised."—HEB. x. 23, xi. 11.
Just think of God's promises to His Son, concerning His kingdom; to the Church, concerning the heathen; to His servants, concerning their work; to yourself, concerning your prayer; and pray in the assurance that He is faithful, and only waits for prayer and faith to fulfil them. "Faithful is He that calleth you" (to pray), "who also will do it" (what He has promised).
Take up individual missionaries, make yourself one with them, and pray till you know that you are heard. Oh, begin to live for Christ's kingdom as the one thing worth living for!
SPECIAL PETITIONS
ELEVENTH DAY
WHAT TO PRAY.—For more Labourers
"Pray ye the Lord of the harvest, that He send forth labourers into His harvest."—MATT. ix. 38.
What a remarkable call of the Lord Jesus for help from His disciples in getting the need supplied. What an honour put upon prayer. What a proof that God wants prayer and will hear it.
Pray for labourers, for all students in theological seminaries, training homes, Bible institutes, that they may not go, unless He fits them and sends them forth; that our churches may train their students to seek for the sending forth of the Holy Spirit; that all believers may hold themselves ready to be sent forth, or to pray for those who can go.
HOW TO PRAY.—In Faith, nothing Doubting
"Jesus saith unto them, Have faith in God. Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that what he saith shall come to pass, he shall have it."—MARK xi. 22, 23.
Have faith in God! Ask Him to make Himself known to you as the faithful, mighty God, who worketh all in all; and you will be encouraged to believe that He can give suitable and sufficient labourers, however impossible this appears. But, remember, in answer to prayer and faith.
Apply this to every opening where a good worker is needed. The work is God's. He can give the right workman. But He must be asked and waited on.
SPECIAL PETITIONS
TWELFTH DAY
WHAT TO PRAY.—For the Spirit to convince the World of Sin
"I will send the Comforter to you. And He, when He is come, will convict the world in respect of sin."—JOHN xvi. 7, 8.
God's one desire, the one object of Christ's being manifested, is to take away sin. The first work of the Spirit on the world is conviction of sin. Without that, no deep or abiding revival, no powerful conversion. Pray for it, that the gospel may be preached in such power of the Spirit, that men may see that they have rejected and crucified Christ, and cry out, What shall we do?
Pray most earnestly for a mighty power of conviction of sin wherever the gospel is preached.
HOW TO PRAY.—Stir up yourself to take hold of God's Strength
"Let him take hold of My strength, that he may make peace with Me."—ISA. xxvii. 5.
"There is none that calleth upon Thy name, that stirreth himself to take hold of Thee."—ISA. lxiv. 7.
"Stir up the gift of God which is in thee."—2 TIM. i. 6.
First, take hold of God's strength. God is a Spirit. I cannot take hold of Him, and hold Him fast, but by the Spirit. Take hold of God's strength, and hold on till it has done for you what He has promised. Pray for the power of the Spirit to convict of sin.
Second, stir up yourself, the power that is in you by the Holy Spirit, to take hold. Give your whole heart and will to it, and say, I will not let Thee go except Thou bless me.
SPECIAL PETITIONS
THIRTEENTH DAY
WHAT TO PRAY.—For the Spirit of Burning
"And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion shall be called holy: when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, by the spirit of judgment and the spirit of burning."—ISA. iv. 3, 4.
A washing by fire! a cleansing by judgment! He that has passed through this shall be called holy. The power of blessing for the world, the power of work and intercession that will avail, depends upon the spiritual state of the Church; and that can only rise higher as sin is discovered and put away. Judgment must begin at the house of God. There must be conviction of sin for sanctification. Beseech God to give His Spirit as a spirit of judgment and a spirit of burning—to discover and burn out sin in His people.
HOW TO PRAY.—In the Name of Christ
"Whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do. If ye shall ask Me anything in My name, that will I do."—JOHN xiv. 13, 14.
Ask in the name of your Redeemer God, who sits upon the throne. Ask what He has promised, what He gave His blood for, that sin may be put away from among His people. Ask—the prayer is after His own heart—for the spirit of deep conviction of sin to come among His people. Ask for the spirit of burning. Ask in the faith of His name—the faith of what He wills, of what He can do—and look for the answer. Pray that the Church may be blessed, to be made a blessing in the world.
SPECIAL PETITIONS
FOURTEENTH DAY
WHAT TO PRAY.—For the Church of the Future
"That the children might not be as their fathers, a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not steadfast with God."—PS. lxxviii. 8.
"I will pour My Spirit upon thy seed, and My blessing upon thy offspring."—ISA. xliv. 3.
Pray for the rising generation, who are to come after us. Think of the young men and young women and children of this age, and pray for all the agencies at work among them; that in association and societies and unions, in homes and schools, Christ may be honoured, and the Holy Spirit get possession of them. Pray for the young of your own neighbourhood.
HOW TO PRAY.—With the Whole Heart
"The Lord grant thee according to thine own heart."—PS. xx. 4.
"Thou hast given him his heart's desire."—PS. xxi. 2.
"I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O Lord."—PS. cxix. 145.
God lives, and listens to every petition with His whole heart. Each time we pray the whole Infinite God is there to hear. He asks that in each prayer the whole man shall be there too; that we shall cry with our whole heart. Christ gave Himself to God for men; and so He takes up every need into His intercession. If once we seek God with our whole heart, the whole heart will be in every prayer with which we come to this God. Pray with your whole heart for the young.
SPECIAL PETITIONS
FIFTEENTH DAY
WHAT TO PRAY.—For Schools and Colleges
"As for Me, this is My covenant with them, saith the Lord: My Spirit that is upon thee, and My words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever."—ISA. lix. 21.
The future of the Church and the world depends, to an extent we little conceive, on the education of the day. The Church may be seeking to evangelise the heathen, and be giving up her own children to secular and materialistic influences. Pray for schools and colleges, and that the Church may realise and fulfil its momentous duty of caring for its children. Pray for godly teachers.
HOW TO PRAY.—Not Limiting God
"They limited the Holy One of Israel."—PS. lxxviii. 41.
"He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief."—MATT. xiii. 58.
"Is anything too hard for the Lord?"—GEN. xviii. 14.
"Ah, Lord God! Thou hast made the heaven and the earth by Thy great power; there is nothing too hard for Thee. Behold, I am the Lord: is there anything too hard for Me?"—JER. xxxii. 17, 27.
Beware, in your prayer, above everything, of limiting God, not only by unbelief, but by fancying that you know what He can do. Expect unexpected things, above all that we ask or think. Each time you intercede, be quiet first and worship God in his glory. Think of what He can do, of how He delights to hear Christ, of your place in Christ, and expect great things.
SPECIAL PETITIONS
SIXTEENTH DAY
WHAT TO PRAY.—For the Power of the Holy Spirit in our Sabbath Schools
"Thus saith the Lord, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children."—ISA. xlix. 25.
Every part of the work of God's Church is His work. He must do it. Prayer is the confession that He will, the surrender of ourselves into His hands to let Him, work in us and through us. Pray for the hundreds of thousands of Sunday-school teachers, that those who know God may be filled with His Spirit. Pray for your own Sunday school. Pray for the salvation of the children.
HOW TO PRAY.—Boldly
"We have a great High Priest, Jesus the Son of God. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace."—HEB. iv. 14, 16.
These hints to help us in our work of intercession—what are they doing for us? Making us conscious of our feebleness in prayer? Thank God for this. It is the very first lesson we need on the way to pray the effectual prayer that availeth much. Let us persevere, taking each subject boldly to the throne of grace. As we pray we shall learn to pray, and to believe, and to expect with increasing boldness. Hold fast your assurance: it is at God's command you come as an intercessor. Christ will give you grace to pray aright.
SPECIAL PETITIONS
SEVENTEENTH DAY
WHAT TO PRAY.—For Kings and Rulers
"I exhort therefore, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions, thanksgiving, be made for all men; for kings, and all that are in high places; that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and gravity."—1 TIM. ii. 1, 2.
What a faith in the power of prayer! A few feeble and despised Christians are to influence the mighty Roman emperors, and help in securing peace and quietness. Let us believe that prayer is a power that is taken up by God in His rule of the world. Let us pray for our country and its rulers; for all the rulers of the world; for rulers in cities or districts in which we are interested. When God's people unite in this, they may count upon their prayer effecting in the unseen world more than they know. Let faith hold this fast.
HOW TO PRAY.—The Prayer before God as Incense
"And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should add it unto the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel's hand. And the angel taketh the censer; and he filled it with the fire upon the altar, and cast it upon the earth: and there followed thunder, and voices, and lightning, and an earthquake."—REV. viii. 3-5.
The same censer brings the prayer of the saints before God and casts fire upon the earth. The prayers that go up to heaven have their share in the history of this earth. Be sure that thy prayers enter God's presence.
SPECIAL PETITIONS
EIGHTEENTH DAY
WHAT TO PRAY.—For Peace
"I exhort therefore, first of all, that supplication be made for kings and all that are in high places; that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and gravity. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour."—1 TIM. ii. 1-3.
"He maketh wars to cease to the end of the earth."—PS. xlvi. 9.
What a terrible sight!—the military armaments in which the nations find their pride. What a terrible thought!—the evil passions that may at any moment bring on war. And what a prospect the suffering and desolation that must come. God can, in answer to the prayer of His people, give peace. Let us pray for it, and for the rule of righteousness on which alone it can be stablished.
HOW TO PRAY.—With the Understanding
"What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding."—1 COR. xiv. 15.
We need to pray with the spirit, as the vehicle of the intercession of God's Spirit, if we are to take hold of God in faith and power. We need to pray with the understanding, if we are really to enter deeply into the needs we bring before Him. Take time to apprehend intelligently, in each subject, the nature, the extent, the urgency of the request, the ground and way and certainty of God's promise as revealed in His Word. Let the mind affect the heart. Pray with the understanding and with the spirit.
SPECIAL PETITIONS
NINETEENTH DAY
WHAT TO PRAY.—For the Holy Spirit on Christendom
"Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof."—2 TIM. iii. 5.
"Thou hast a name that thou livest, and thou art dead."—REV. iii. 1.
There are five hundred millions of nominal Christians. The state of the majority is unspeakably awful. Formality, worldliness, ungodliness, rejection of Christ's service, ignorance, and indifference—to what an extent does all this prevail. We pray for the heathen—oh! do let us pray for those bearing Christ's name, many in worse than heathen darkness.
Does not one feel as if one ought to begin to give up his life, and to cry day and night to God for souls! In answer to prayer God gives the power of the Holy Ghost.
HOW TO PRAY.—In deep Stillness of Soul
"My soul is silent unto God: from Him cometh my salvation."—PS. lxii. 1.
Prayer has its power in God alone. The nearer a man comes to God Himself, the deeper he enters into God's will; the more he takes hold of God, the more power in prayer.
God must reveal Himself. If it please Him to make Himself known, He can make the heart conscious of His presence. Our posture must be that of holy reverence, of quiet waiting and adoration.
As your month of intercession passes on, and you feel the greatness of your work, be still before God. Thus you will get power to pray.
SPECIAL PETITIONS
TWENTIETH DAY
WHAT TO PRAY.—For God's Spirit on the Heathen
"Behold, these shall come from far; and these from the land of Sinim."—ISA. xlix. 12.
"Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall haste to stretch out her hands to God."—PS. lxviii. 31.
"I the Lord will hasten it in His time."—ISA. lx. 22.
Pray for the heathen, who are yet without the word. Think of China, with her three hundred millions—a million a month dying without Christ. Think of Dark Africa, with its two hundred millions. Think of thirty millions a year going down into the thick darkness. If Christ gave His life for them, will you not do so? You can give yourself up to intercede for them. Just begin, if you have never yet begun, with this simple monthly school of intercession. The ten minutes you give will make you feel this is not enough. God's Spirit will draw you on. Persevere, however feeble you are. Ask God to give you some country or tribe to pray for. Can anything be nobler than to do as Christ did? Give your life for the heathen.
HOW TO PRAY.—With Confident Expectation of an Answer
"Call unto Me, and I will answer thee, and will shew thee great things and difficult, which thou knowest not."—JER. xxxiii. 3.
"Thus saith the Lord God: I will yet be inquired of, that I do it."—EZEK. xxxvi. 37.
Both texts refer to promises definitely made, but their fulfilment would depend upon prayer: God would be inquired of to do it.
Pray for God's fulfilment of His promises to His Son and His Church, and expect the answer. Plead for the heathen: plead God's Promises.
SPECIAL PETITIONS
TWENTY-FIRST DAY
WHAT TO PRAY.—For God's Spirit on the Jews
"I will pour out upon the house of David, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and Supplication; and they shall look unto Me whom they pierced."—ZECH. xii. 10.
"Brethren, my heart's desire and my supplication to God is for them, that they may be saved."—ROM. x. 1.
Pray for the Jews. Their return to the God of their fathers stands connected, in a way we cannot tell, with wonderful blessing to the Church, and with the coming of our Lord Jesus. Let us not think that God has foreordained all this, and that we cannot hasten it. In a divine and mysterious way God has connected His fulfilment of His promise with our prayer. His Spirit's intercession in us is God's forerunner of blessing. Pray for Israel and the work done among them. And pray too: Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
HOW TO PRAY.—With the Intercession of the Holy Spirit
"We know not how to pray as we ought; but the Spirit Himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."—ROM. viii. 26.
In your ignorance and feebleness believe in the secret indwelling and intercession of the Holy Spirit within you. Yield yourself to His life and leading habitually. He will help your infirmities in prayer. Plead the promises of God even where you do not see how they are to be fulfilled. God knows the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. Pray with the simplicity of a little child; pray with the holy awe and reverence of one in whom God's Spirit dwells and prays.
SPECIAL PETITIONS
TWENTY-SECOND DAY
WHAT TO PRAY.—For all who are in Suffering
"Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; them that are evil entreated, as being yourselves in the body."—HEB. xiii. 3.
What a world of suffering we live in! How Jesus sacrificed all and identified Himself with it! Let us in our measure do so too. The persecuted Stundists and Armenians and Jews, the famine-stricken millions of India, the hidden slavery of Africa, the poverty and wretchedness of our great cities—and so much more: what suffering among those who know God and who know Him not. And then in smaller circles, in ten thousand homes and hearts, what sorrow. In our own neighbourhood, how many needing help or comfort. Let us have a heart for, let us think of the suffering. It will stir us to pray, to work, to hope, to love more. And in a way and time we know not God will hear our prayer.
HOW TO PRAY.—Praying always, and not fainting
"He spake unto them a parable to the end that they ought always to pray, and not to faint."—LUKE xviii. 1.
Do you not begin to feel prayer is really the help for this sinful world? What a need there is of unceasing prayer? The very greatness of the task makes us despair! What can our ten minutes of intercession avail? It is right we feel this: this is the way in which God is calling and preparing us to give our life to prayer. Give yourself wholly to God for men, and amid all your work, your heart will be drawn out to men in love, and drawn up to God in dependence and expectation. To a heart thus led by the Holy Spirit, it is possible to pray always and not to faint.
SPECIAL PETITIONS
TWENTY-THIRD DAY
WHAT TO PRAY.—For the Holy Spirit in your own Work
"I labour, striving according to His working, which worketh in me mightily."—COL. i. 29.
You have your own special work; make it a work of intercession. Paul laboured, striving according to the working of God in him. Remember, God is not only the Creator, but the Great Workman, who worketh all in all. You can only do your work in His strength, by Him working in you through the Spirit. Intercede much for those among whom you work, till God gives you life for them.
Let us all intercede too for each other, for every worker throughout God's Church, however solitary or unknown.
HOW TO PRAY.—In God's very Presence
"Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you."—JAS. iv. 8.
The nearness of God gives rest and power in prayer. The nearness of God is given to him who makes it his first object. "Draw nigh to God"; seek the nearness to Him, and He will give it; "He will draw nigh to you." Then it becomes easy to pray in faith.
Remember that when first God takes you into the school of intercession it is almost more for your own sake than that of others. You have to be trained to love, and wait, and pray, and believe. Only persevere. Learn to set yourself in His presence, to wait quietly for the assurance that He draws nigh. Enter His holy presence, tarry there, and spread your work before Him. Intercede for the souls you are working among. Get a blessing from God, His Spirit into your own heart, for them.
SPECIAL PETITIONS
TWENTY-FOURTH DAY
WHAT TO PRAY.—For the Spirit on your own Congregation
"Beginning at Jerusalem."—LUKE xxiv. 47.
Each one of us is connected with some congregation or circle of believers, who are to us the part of Christ's body with which we come into most direct contact. They have a special claim on our intercession. Let it be a settled matter between God and you that you are to labour in prayer on its behalf. Pray for the minister and all leaders or workers in it. Pray for the believers according to their needs. Pray for conversions. Pray for the power of the Spirit to manifest itself. Band yourself with others to join in secret in definite petitions. Let intercession be a definite work, carried on as systematically as preaching or Sunday school. And pray, expecting an answer.
HOW TO PRAY.—Continually
"Watchmen, that shall never hold their peace day nor night."—ISA. lxii. 6.
"His own elect, that cry to Him day and night."—LUKE xviii. 7.
"Night and day praying exceedingly, that we may perfect that which is lacking in your faith."—1 THESS. iii. 10.
"A widow indeed, hath her hope set in God, and continueth in supplications night and day."—1 TIM. v. 5.
When the glory of God, and the love of Christ, and the need of souls are revealed to us, the fire of this unceasing intercession will begin to burn in us for those who are near and those who are far off.
SPECIAL PETITIONS
TWENTY-FIFTH DAY
WHAT TO PRAY.—For more Conversions
"He is able to save completely, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession."—HEB. vii. 25.
"We will give ourselves continually to prayer and the ministry of the word.... And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied exceedingly."—ACTS vi. 4, 7.
Christ's power to save, and save completely, depends on His unceasing intercession. The apostles withdrawing themselves from other work to give themselves continually to prayer was followed by the number of the disciples multiplying exceedingly. As we, in our day, give ourselves to intercession, we shall have more and mightier conversions. Let us plead for this. Christ is exalted to give repentance. The Church exists with the Divine purpose and promise of having conversions. Let us not be ashamed to confess our sin and feebleness, and cry to God for more conversions in Christian and heathen lands, of those too whom you know and love. Plead for the salvation of sinners.
HOW TO PRAY.—In deep Humility
"Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs.... O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt."—MATT. xv. 27, 28.
You feel unworthy and unable to pray aright. To accept this heartily, and to be content still to come and be blest in your unworthiness, is true humility. It proves its integrity by not seeking for anything, but simply trusting His grace. And so it is the very strength of a great faith, and gets a full answer. "Yet the dogs"—let that be your plea as you persevere for someone possibly possessed of the devil. Let not your littleness hinder you for a moment.
SPECIAL PETITIONS
TWENTY-SIXTH DAY
WHAT TO PRAY.—For the Holy Spirit on Young Converts
"Peter and John prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost; for as yet He was fallen upon none of them: only they had been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus."—ACTS viii. 15, 16.
"Now He which establisheth us with you in Christ, and anointed us, is God; who also gave us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts."—2 COR. i. 21, 22.
How many new converts who remain feeble; how many who fall into sin; how many who backslide entirely. If we pray for the Church, its growth in holiness and devotion to God's service, pray specially for the young converts. How many stand alone, surrounded by temptation; how many have no teaching on the Spirit in them, and the power of God to establish them; how many in heathen lands, surrounded by Satan's power. If you pray for the power of the Spirit in the Church, pray specially that every young convert may know that he may claim and receive the fulness of the Spirit.
HOW TO PRAY.—Without Ceasing
"As for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you."—1 SAM. xii. 23.
It is sin against the Lord to cease praying for others. When once we begin to see how absolutely indispensable intercession is, just as much a duty as loving God or believing in Christ, and how we are called and bound to it as believers, we shall feel that to cease intercession is grievous sin. Let us ask for grace to take up our place as priests with joy, and give our life to bring down the blessing of heaven.
SPECIAL PETITIONS
TWENTY-SEVENTH DAY
WHAT TO PRAY.—That God's People may Realise their Calling
"I will bless thee; and be thou a blessing: in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed."—GEN. xii. 2, 3.
"God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause His face to shine upon us. That Thy way may be known upon earth, Thy saving health among all nations."—PS. lxvii. 1, 2.
Abraham was only blessed that he might be a blessing to all the earth. Israel prays for blessing, that God may be known among all nations. Every believer, just as much as Abraham, is only blessed that he may carry God's blessing to the world.
Cry to God that His people may know this, that every believer is only to live for the interests of God and His kingdom. If this truth were preached and believed and practised, what a revolution it would bring in our mission work. What a host of willing intercessors we should have. Plead with God to work it by the Holy Spirit.
HOW TO PRAY.—As One who has Accepted for Himself what he Asks for Others
"Peter said, What I have, I give unto thee.... The Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.... God gave them the like gift, as He gave unto us."—ACTS iii. 6, xi. 15, 17.
As you pray for this great blessing on God's people, the Holy Spirit taking entire possession of them for God's service, yield yourself to God, and claim the gift anew in faith. Let each thought of feebleness or shortcoming only make you the more urgent in prayer for others; as the blessing comes to them, you too will be helped. With every prayer for conversions or mission work, pray that God's people may know how wholly they belong to Him.
SPECIAL PETITIONS
TWENTY-EIGHTH DAY
WHAT TO PRAY.—That all God's People may know the Holy Spirit
"The Spirit of truth, whom the world knoweth not; but ye know Him; for He abideth with you, and shall be in you."—JOHN xiv. 17.
"Know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Ghost?"—1 COR. vi. 19.
The Holy Spirit is the power of God for the salvation of men. He only works as He dwells in the Church. He is given to enable believers to live wholly as God would have them live, in the full experience and witness of Him who saves completely. Pray God that every one of His people may know the Holy Spirit!—That He, in all His fulness, is given to them! that they cannot expect to live as their Father would have, without having Him in His fulness, without being filled with Him! Pray that all God's people, even away in churches gathered out of heathendom, may learn to say: I believe in the Holy Ghost.
HOW TO PRAY.—Labouring fervently in Prayer
"Epaphras, who is one of you, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God."—COL. iv. 12.
To a healthy man labour is a delight; in what interests him he labours fervently. The believer who is in full health, whose heart is filled with God's Spirit, labours fervently in prayer. For what? That his brethren may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God; that they may know what God wills for them, how He calls them to live, and be led and walk by the Holy Ghost. Labour fervently in prayer that all God's children may know this, as possible, as divinely sure.
SPECIAL PETITIONS
TWENTY-NINTH DAY
WHAT TO PRAY.—For the Spirit of Intercession
"I chose you, and appointed you, that ye should go and bear fruit; that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give it you."—JOHN xv. 16.
"Hitherto ye have asked nothing in My name. In that day ye shall ask in My name."—JOHN xvi. 24, 26.
Has not our school of intercession taught us how little we have prayed in the name of Jesus? He promised His disciples: In that day, when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, ye shall ask in My name. Are there not tens of thousands with us mourning the lack of the power of intercession? Let our intercession to-day be for them and all God's children, that Christ may teach us that the Holy Spirit is in us; and what it is to live in His fulness, and to yield ourselves to His intercession work within us. The Church and the world need nothing so much as a mighty Spirit of Intercession to bring down the power of God on earth. Pray for the descent from heaven of the Spirit of Intercession for a great prayer revival.
HOW TO PRAY.—Abiding in Christ
"If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done to you."—JOHN xv. 7.
Our acceptance with God, our access to Him, is all in Christ. As we consciously abide in Him we have the liberty, not a liberty to our old nature or our self-will, but the Divine liberty from all self-will, to ask what we will, in the power of the new nature, and it shall be done. Let us keep this place, and believe even now that our intercession is heard, and that the Spirit of Supplication will be given all around us.
SPECIAL PETITIONS
THIRTIETH DAY
WHAT TO PRAY.—For the Holy Spirit with the Word of God
"Our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance."—1 THESS. i. 5.
"Those who preached unto you the gospel with the Holy Ghost sent forth from heaven."—1 PET. i. 12.
What numbers of Bibles are being circulated. What numbers of sermons on the Bible are being preached. What numbers of Bibles are being read in home and school. How little blessing when it comes "in word" only; what Divine blessing and power when it comes "in the Holy Ghost," when it is preached "with the Holy Ghost sent forth from heaven." Pray for Bible circulation, and preaching and teaching and reading, that it may all be in the Holy Ghost, with much prayer. Pray for the power of the Spirit with the word in your own neighbourhood, wherever it is being read or heard. Let every mention of "The Word of God" waken intercession.
HOW TO PRAY.—Watching and Praying
"Continue steadfastly in prayer, watching therein with thanksgiving; withal praying for us also, that God may open for us a door for the word."—COL. iv. 2, 3.
Do you not see how all depends upon God and prayer? As long as He lives and loves, and hears and works, as long as there are souls with hearts closed to the word, as long as there is work to be done in carrying the word—Pray without ceasing. Continue steadfastly in prayer, watching therein with thanksgiving. These words are for every Christian.
SPECIAL PETITIONS
THIRTY-FIRST DAY
WHAT TO PRAY.—For the Spirit of Christ in His People
"I am the Vine, ye are the branches."—JOHN xv. 5.
"That ye should do as I have done to you."—JOHN xiii. 15.
As branches we are to be so like the Vine, so entirely identified with it, that all may see that we have the same nature, and life, and spirit. When we pray for the Spirit, let us not only think of a Spirit of power, but the very disposition and temper of Christ Jesus. Ask and expect nothing less: for yourself, and all God's children, cry for it.
HOW TO PRAY.—Striving in Prayer
"That ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me."—ROM. xv. 30.
"I would ye knew what great conflict I have for you."—COL. ii. 1.
All the powers of evil seek to hinder us in prayer. Prayer is a conflict with opposing forces. It needs the whole heart and all our strength. May God give us grace to strive in prayer till we prevail.
SPECIAL PETITIONS
TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES
Bold and italic words in the original text have been marked in this version with equals signs and underscores respectively.
Minor errors and inconsistencies in punctuation and hyphenation have been silently corrected.
On page 6, the original text had "we the trust in our own diligence".
On page 93, "WHAT THE HEALTH THAT JESUS OFFERS." is as in the original.
As explained in the section on "Answers to Prayer", on each daily page in the tract "Pray Without Ceasing", several lines are ruled to leave room for the reader's "SPECIAL PETITIONS". In this version, these are represented by six lines of underscores.
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