Plug into the POWER of Prayer & FASTING

 

Introduction on Fasting

Few disciplines for godliness go so radically against the flesh and the mainstream culture as fasting. We tend to emphasize the exceptions of those who can’t fast because of medical or health reasons so much that no one fasts at all! Yet remember that Christ taught fasting and He fasted, setting us both precept and example? Therefore we ought to fast! We should pray and fast because there are situations that require both (Luke 2:37; Acts 13:3; 14:23 Mark 9:29)

What is Fasting?

Fasting is a Christian’s abstinence from food or other fleshly appetites for spiritual reasons. Martyn Lloyd-Jones has a very succinct definition of fasting:

To make the matter complete, we would add that fasting, if we conceive of it truly, must not only be confined to the question of food and drink; fasting should really be made to include abstinence from anything which is legitimate in and of itself for the sake of some special spiritual purpose. There are many bodily functions which are right and normal and perfectly legitimate, but which for special peculiar reasons in certain circumstances should be controlled. That is fasting. There, I suggest, is a kind of general definition of what is meant by fasting.

John Wesley would not ordain a man to the ministry who did not fast regularly!

Types of Fasting:

1.     Normal fasting – abstinence from food, but to drink water or perhaps fruit juices. E.g. Jesus’ fasting speaks of eating nothing, of being hungry. Nothing is said of not drinking. The body cannot function without water/fluids for more than 3 days.

2.     Partial fasting – is a limitation of the diet, or withdrawing from certain foods but not all foods. E.g. Daniel and his three friends in Babylon (Dan. 1:12); John the Baptist who only ate locusts and wild honey (Matt. 3:4)

3.     Absolute fasting – abstinence from all food and liquid, even water. E.g. Ezra ate no food and drank no water, because he continued to mourn over the unfaithfulness of the exiles. (Ez. 10:6) Esther also solicited a similar fast in Esther 4:16. After Paul’s conversion incidence on the Damascus road, he did not eat or drink anything for the three days he was blind (Acts 9:9)

4.     Supernatural fasting – Moses’ encounter with God on Mount Sinai, allowed him to stay on the mountain forty days and forty nights without eating any bread or drinking any water (Deut. 9:9). This was also true of Elijah. See 1 Kings 19:8

5.     Private fasting – The Lord taught that when we fast, it should be private not to draw the attention of others in Matthew 6:16-18.

6.     Congregational fasting – Joel 2:15-16; Acts 13:2-3; 14:23. This is especially necessary when the whole church devotes a day to call upon the Lord in order that He may give them godly, faithful, mature, qualified and sufficiently gifted to serve them as their Elders. Our confession of faith recognizes this in Chapter 27 paragraph 9, where we read,

 

The way appointed by Christ for the calling of any person, fitted and gifted by the Holy Spirit, unto the office of bishop or elder in a church, is, that he be chosen thereunto by common suffrage of the church itself (Acts 14:23) and solemnly set apart by fasting and prayer, with imposition of hands of the eldership of the church, if there by any before constituted therein (1 Tim 4:14); and of a deacon that he be chosen by the like suffrage, and set apart by prayer, and the like imposition of hands (Acts 6:3,5,6)

7.     National fasting – 2 Chronicles 20:3; Nehemiah 9:1; Esther 4:16; Jonah 3:5-8. Such nations like Britain and America have in the past proclaimed days of national fasting.

8.     Regular fasting - God required every Jew to fast on the Day of Atonement. Leviticus 16:29-31; Zechariah 8:19

9.     Occasional fasting – this occurs on special occasions as need arises. Like the need of the day demanded Esther to call the unusual fasting. King Jehoshaphat did the same. See the teaching of the Lord on this one in Matthew 9:15

I do not intend this list of types of fasting to conclusive although these nine types are the clearest for my finite thinking and observation from the Scriptures.

Why do we fast?

Matthew 6:16-18. Here is an explicit passage where the Lord has seen it fit to instruct us on fasting. There are things we must not do when fasting and others that He expects us to do. We have two lessons:

Jesus expects us to fast

The Lord says,

“And when you fast…” (v.16)

“But when you fast…” (v.17)

You may compare this with both giving and prayer, “And when you pray… But when you pray… And when you pray… Pray then like this… “ (vv. 5, 6, 7).

Consider the response that Jesus gave to the disciples of John the Baptist who were not pleased that the disciples of Jesus were not fasting. He said,

And Jesus said to them, "Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. (Matt 9:15) Empasis added

Jesus plainly said that a time was to come when His disciples ‘will fast’. When is that time? It was after the Lord had withdrawn physically on the earth. As long as the Bride-groom of the church has not returned, we are expected to fast.

How do we fast?

We must not be hypocritical in fasting

Fasting must not be noticeable by the public. Religious hypocrites do it for the people to see how religious and spiritual they are. We must not fast in a way that will draw the attention of other people. We must not look gloomy or sombre – people will notice. We must not disfigure our faces – other people will see us and congratulate us.

Therefore, when you fast, it should not be obvious to every Tom, Dick and Harry that you are fasting. Because if they notice and laud you for it, they you will receive your reward from them and not from God.  Therefore, be careful not to neglect your appearance when you are fasting.

Present yourself well outwardly when fasting. Anoint your head, wash your face. This way, your fasting will not be obvious to everyone. Present yourself so well that no human eye can see that you are fasting. Let your fasting be visible to God.

God promises to reward fasting. Your Father who sees in secret will reward you. There is a high level of certainty of reward based on the promise that God has given in His Word.

Fasting is always done along with prayer

How long should we fast? How often should fasting be done? The Lord leaves the matter of length, time, and regularity to our discretion because He expects that God’s children will want to speak with their heavenly Father in prayer and sometimes this communion will be so intense that they will pray with fasting. Where it is corporate (e.g. congregational or national) then the leaders will give guidance.

THE POWER OF PRAYER

 

James says, The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. (5:16)

1.     GOD USES PRAYER

Do we doubt the power of prayer? Is this why we do not pray? James encourages us to consider the example of the prophet Elijah and his prayer. First of all, James emphasis that Elijah was like us in every way – he was a man with nature like ours! There was nothing extraordinary about Elijah except His God, and who is our God and Father.

Elijah prayed fervently, that it might not rain and there was no rain for three and half years. Then Elijah prayed again, and there was rain enough to make crops produce sufficient crop. The key thing is that Elijah prayed and again! Are we praying?

And James’s point is as plain as noonday. Whatever life brings our way – whether suffering or joy, ours is to pray and praise. And even when we are too weak to pray, we should invite others to come and pray with us. Whether we are sick or sinful, the solution is in confidently approaching the throne of grace. After all, by the efficacy of the work of Christ, we are assured of mercy and grace in times of need. Therefore, let’s make sure we do not forget to pray. And let’s make sure that our praying is not merely mouthing words, saying prayers, but a fervently seeking after the heart of God. Only then do we truly pray, and only then do we experience our own great things. As John Bunyan told us here,

Prayer is a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the heart or soul to God, through Christ, in the strength and assistance of the Holy Spirit, for such things as God has promised, or according to His Word, for the good of the church, with submission in faith to the will of God.

2.     PRAYER IS ANSWERED

I love how David addresses the Lord in Psalm 65:2: “O you who hear prayer.”

Perhaps no principle of prayer is more taken for granted than this one—that prayer is answered. Try to read this promise of Jesus as though it were for the first time: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For every- one who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8).

Since God answers prayer, when we “ask and receive not” we must consider the possibility that there is “something amiss or wanting” in our prayer. It may be, remember, that God has indeed answered but not in a way that is obvious to us. And it is possible that nothing is amiss in our praying, but that we haven’t yet seen the answer only because God intends for us to persevere in praying about the matter awhile longer. But we must also learn to examine our prayers. Are we asking for things that are outside the will of God or would not glorify Him? Are we praying with selfish motives? Are we failing to deal with the kind of blatant sin that causes God to put all our prayers on hold? Despite what we see in response to our prayers, however, let’s not become so accustomed to our shortcomings in prayer and to the perception of asking without receiving that our faith in the force of Jesus’ promise is diminished. Prayer is answered.

By the scriptures about prayer and by His Spirit, God does lead us to pray. He does not lead us to pray in order to frustrate us by slamming Heaven’s door in our face. Let’s discipline ourselves to pray and to learn about prayer so that we may be more like Jesus in experiencing the joy of answered prayer.

MORE APPLICATION

·      Since prayer is expected, will you pray?

·      Since prayer is learned, will you learn to pray?

·      Since prayer is answered, will you persistently pray?

The great fault of the children of God is, they do not continue in prayer; they do not go on praying; they do not persevere. If they desire anything for God’s glory, they should pray until they get it. Oh, how good, and kind, and gracious, and condescending is the One with Whom we have to do! He has given me, unworthy as I am, immeasurably above all I had asked or thought! George Muller

PRAYER IN TIMES OF JOY

 

Christians are the happiest and most joyful people on earth. What joys may we expect as believers? How are we to make to make this attitude a part of our prayers? It is especially in prayer that we draw the highest joy as we are in the presence of God where there is the fullness of joy!

1)    Two kinds of joy

 – First, A quiet confidence in the care of Christ - we remember the times God has granted a quiet, peaceful joy to our hearts in the midst of trouble. Deep within our souls God has instilled a confidence that He will never leave us alone. Even when life presents hardships and troubles, we know that Christ is with us: Matt. 28:20; Ps. 23:4. Though difficulties assail us on every side, they can never utterly destroy the possibility of inner peace through faith. (Rom. 8:35-37) Consider Psalm 22:21-31. [Illustrate that ill kids rest on the bosom of their parents]

– Second, an exuberant rejoicing over Christ’s marvellous blessings. The wonder of being a child of God is not merely having an inner peace during hardship. Sometimes God’s blessings are so extraordinary that we are overcome with excitement. Special events like birth of a healthy baby, sudden healing of a sick loved one, major accomplishment in life like graduation from college, wedding, etc. all these serve us with exuberant joy so that the evils of this world seem to vanish before our eyes as we bathe in the splendour of the moment. Consider Psalm 150:1-6. The Psalmist does not just say, “Thank you!” He says far more than that! [The kid is not simply resting peacefully on the bosom of the father but jumping up and down full of joy and excitement of birthday morning]

Most believers can testify to experiencing a quiet time in Christ from time to time, but spirit of full celebration captures the hearts of believers less frequently. Even noteworthy blessings come, they see only the added responsibilities and troubles that are sure to follow. No matter what happens, they can take delight in life.

2) A way to joy

What are some of the barriers keep us from Christian joy?

ü  Traumatic disappointments separate us from full delight in the grace of God

ü  Guilt over sin also dull our appreciation of God’s blessings

ü  Life’s troubles bring us much misery that seems we will be forever under their load

Yet we must not settle for simplistic quick-fix methods given by prosperity preachers in health and wealth heresy – positive confession stuff. They do not work, at best it is burying heads in the sand! So what is the true path to joy, if there is any?

What are some of the ways we can experience real Christian joy?

Prayer as a way to joy: e.g. Psalm 22 begin with sorrow and despair but turns out to praise. Psalm 59 also begins with utter despair (vv.3,4) but a different attitude emerge at the end (see v.17). Psalm 13 also reveals a troubled spirit at first (v.2) but this prayer ends with a joyful exclamation of praise (vv. 5,6). All the Psalms are like this except Psalm 88 that begins and ends with a negative note (see v.1 and 18). This then is to show that prayer is not a magical pill – we must not think that talking with God will automatically bring an end to all of our sorrows. Some troubles stays on for a long time so that we learn patience and perseverance through the “thorn in the flesh to keep us from being conceited” (2Cor. 12:8-9) among other benefits that the Lord has for us. Consider Psalm 73:2-11, on his search for understanding that ends in understanding found in prayer (vv.16, 17). He did not attempt to solve his problems on his own but looked up to the Lord for help and understanding and found the answer. Even now prayer is an excellent way to joy and peace – Phil 4:4-7 in the midst of anxiety, worry and gloom.

3. The expression of joy

Prayer is not only the path to joy but also an opportunity to express joy. We find both quiet and exuberant gladness in biblical prayers. Just as troubles occupy a prominent place in many Psalms, so expressions of happiness appear in many places. Sadly prayers of many believers today do not express joy. At best we casually express thanksgiving and joy in our prayers in a few statements, in the most restrained manner that so much falls short of the biblical examples.

Why is this case?

We can spend hours praying for someone’s healing, but at best a minute to thank the Lord! Could it be that we put our needs higher than praising of the Lord? As much important as are petitions in prayer, we must not allow them to crowd out joy and gladness in prayer. Consider the attitude of Psalm 131 to show an expression of inner peace – like a relaxing baby, who is not pestering the mother with needs!

Consider the attitude of Psalm 9:1a as an expression of enthusiasm and joy in shouting, clapping and dance, all emphasizing an attitude of exuberance. When the football teams score a goal – do you expect them to – score. No it is GOOOOAL!!!!

Note the following:

1)    Joy arises out of reflection on God. His Splendour (Psalm 104:1), His mercy (Ps.117). Thinking about how wonderful God is often fills us with great joy and happiness, for this is the God who has set His redemptive love on us.

2)    Psalmists look at the world around them and see God’s blessings there. Many circumstances and events also create an overwhelming joy in the hearts of the faithful. Ps. 104:24-25

3)    Expression of joy by enumerating the ways God has blessed their personal lives (Ps. 116:12-14). Prayer is an occasion for us to tell God of our joys. We are called upon to display our happiness to Him. Talking about the wonders of God, the world around us and our personal lives gives us the opportunity to express excitement and joy in prayer.

Intercessory Prayers

 

Numbers 14:13-20

 

Here we have a case of interceding for a rebellious people. Have you ever sought to pray for a person who gloats at iniquity? I was faced with a situation of praying for a rebellious pastor for over a year. Every time I opened my mouth to pray for his good, I found it so hard, yet I had no choice but to plead for his welfare. Over two years down the line – I still wait for an answer from God. He is still at large in his gloating in his obstinacy, and gloating about his divisiveness.

Do you pray for people who are openly rebellious to God (even more than to men?) This is the task that Moses is faced with in this passage. What are the lessons for us when we are interceding for such people in open rebellion against God? Since it is so difficult to know exactly what to pray for, why don’t you bear these three invaluable lessons in mind?

1.     Be wholly consumed with God’s glory.

Why was God so enraged with these people? Because of their sins. They provoked or rejected and, reproached the Sovereign God. Their conduct despised God. They disbelieved God’s promises and so accused God of, not being good enough, not powerful enough, and not dependable enough – here is a display of disbelief of the faithfulness and benevolence of God. Yes, it was their unbelief that made this a day of great provocation in the wilderness, (Heb. 3:8).

But further on, we see that the Lord’s wrath was kindled against them for their continuance in their sin and rebellion. The Lord asked Moses, "How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them?” (v.11). In these two things they marred the glory of God with their own iniquity.

The intercessor has to come with a priority of seeking to display the excellency of God’s glory and not his own preference. This is what Moses did for he knew that unbelief is not only a great sin (1 John 5:10), but it is also a root sin, (Heb. 3:12). Moses understood that the God of heaven keeps an account of how long sinners persist in their provocations; and the longer they persist the more he is displeased.

So his priority is not just the pardon for the sins of the people, but to plead with God about His own glory and so he prayed – “No God, please do not annihilate them for the sake of your name and your glory. The heathen will hear and they will think that you became so powerless that you failed to deliver on your own promises. The onus is on you to deliver these people, as rebellious as they are to the land that you promised them.” (Moses’ prayer paraphrased)

Things that show Moses’ priority is God’s glory:

Ø  He argues from what heathens like the Egyptians would hear of an attack on God’s holy attribute - "Then the Egyptians will hear of it…”

Ø  He argues from what they Egyptians are to gossip to the inhabitants of the land, giving occasion to more sin for Egyptians – “…the Egyptians will hear of it … and they will tell the inhabitants of this land.”

Ø  He argues from the fact of God’s presence with His people – “… for you brought up this people in your might from among them … They have heard that you, O LORD, are in the midst of this people…”

Ø  He argues from what the nations who have heard of him are likely to say (these are potential people for evangelism) – “Now if you kill this people as one man, then the nations who have heard your fame will say…”

Ø  He requests for God to display His power – “… And now, please let the power of the Lord be great as you have promised…”

Ø  He refused to have God propagate His name through Mosaic lineage – he did not even make reference to such a possibility. His primary concern was the glory of God, and not his own good.

Ø  He argued from God’s word – not experience. He quoted promise upon promise, precept upon precept!

Ø  He argued from the understanding of who God is, as He had revealed Himself to Moses in Exodus 34 – “'The LORD is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation.'”

The best prayers are those that seek God's glory and honour. Such prayers are in accordance with the first petition of the Lord's Prayer, Hallowed be thy name. God’s glory is our prime business on earth because God created us so that we may glorify and serve Him forever. Pleading with Him to display His glory is our priority. In fact believers are like the beautiful feather of a peacock displaying its beauty when they are upon their knees pleading with the Lord God to show His glory.

 We must therefore evaluate our intercessory prayers and find out whether our prayer for others is simply so that their welfare may come or God’s glory to be manifest, even in the midst of their obstinate rebellion and lawlessness. We are to argue with God from an understanding that God is sovereign. He is in control even of the evil actions of men. God is capable of turning everything for His eternal glory and good of His people. When we pray for others, we are seeking an occasion for God’s name to be glorified in their lives even as He answers prayers and vindicates His purposes.

2.     Be completely saturated with God’s promises

From Moses’ intercession we see that he is standing on the promises of God as He has revealed them in His Word. He prayed, “And now, please let the power of the Lord be great as you have promised, saying…” Moses in this is not asking God to do what He has not said. His prayers are advised and informed by the promises of God. There is no wisdom in asking God to do what He has not promised, if we are concerned to pray according to the will of God. Moses knew that God will do what He has promised and we so we would be wise to emulate this great example.

What is the specific promise that Moses had in mind? He quoted from God’s promise in a time of rebellion over the golden calf in Mt. Sinai… the Lord revealed Himself in this promise: 'The LORD is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation.'

Moses in strengthening His arguments in prayer clings on three things God had solemnly promised:

Ø  The nature of God as good: God is slow to anger or patient. This means that His person and nature is that He is not easily provoked. God abounds in great mercy; He is compassionate towards offenders. God is good and we can fully stand on the promise of His nature as a good God, dependable and absolutely trustworthy God.

Ø  His inclination, even eagerness to forgive sins: Forgiving iniquity and transgression, sins of all sorts to all who ask. He does not account the sins of parents on their children. This is a specific promise to cling to when faced with lawlessness and wickedness of men.

Ø  His unwillingness to proceed to extremity: Of either clearing the guilty or punishing to annihilate. This is a promise anchored on God’s holiness and justice. He is God who will in His own wisdom and grace punish so as to correct and not to destroy. We must never think it is to a sinner’s good to go unpunished – as it is not in accordance to the character of an infinitely holy God. It is for their good, as a demonstration of God’s love to discipline those He loves (Heb.12:6)

In the 2nd commandment God had said that He would visit the iniquity of fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me (EX. 34:6). So is this then according to the promise and will of God? Clearly this petition is very applicable here and it just shows how Moses knew God’s Word.

Two things here:

1) Moses is not asking God not to punish sins. He is requesting that God does not obliterate the whole nation as one man. He is begging that God does not punish the righteous with the wicked just his father Abraham had prayed for the people of Sodom. This is just like Christ prayed, “Please forgive them Father for they do not know what they are doing”. He is asking that they should not be disinherited of their earlier promises.

2)  Although the Israelites had fallen in all sorts of sins and transgression on this day, yet this was not the sin of idolatry that required capital punishment by stoning – the context of Exodus 34.

Here is a clear encouragement to pray from the word of God, standing on divine promises. The prayer that is according to the sovereign will of God is a prayer that stands upon God’s Word. We have to pray with our Bibles open. We have to have the promises expressed in God’s Word close to our chests and lips so that we can make them the podium upon which we stand when in intercession.

3.     Plead God’s mercy as the true welfare of the people

We see here that Moses is truly concerned for the spiritual welfare of the people in the twofold requests that are made. He prayed,

“Please pardon the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of your steadfast love, just as you have forgiven this people, from Egypt until now."

1)    He pleaded the mercy of God for he knew that such a dire situation could only be remedied by God, against whom they had sinned. In this petition we see a sure trust in the pardoning mercy of God. It is also called steadfast love for it is an enduring love. Agape love that bears with the failings of sinners.

2)    He also pleaded with historical mercies of God in forgiveness. The mercy upon which Moses was depending upon has worked in the past and it will certainly work for now. He is calling God to display the same forgiveness again (not just once more because he knew that the failings of men are numerous). I wonder why Moses did not think that having been forgiven in the past is something that could work against them. For why should they be forgiven again? Did they not learn after the forgiveness was extended in the past?

But Moses knew the Lord well enough to know that another extension of divine mercy and forgiveness to the rebels was not an assault at God’s mercy to forgive again. Did not Christ preach that if your brother sins against you seventy times seven times you forgive? And is God’s mercy not bigger than that?

Sin is not just an assault at the holiness of God, but it is also a reproach to God’s justice. Where sin is acknowledged and repented, there is a wealth of God’s mercy, an eager willingness on God’s part to forgive and cleanse from all unrighteousness. Therefore you can pray for your unbelieving husband, your rebellious son and wild daughter with the knowledge that God’s mercy in forgiveness cannot be so abused that anyone falls short when requests are made.

In this passage we see Moses sited on the intercessory position. He takes the place of the Lord Jesus Christ as our Great High Priest whose throne is on high – whoever lives and pleads for us.

When the Israelites were displeased with God they came to Moses and vented their anger against God to him. When God was displeased with the sins of the people, He came to Moses and clearly Moses was a type of Christ in interceding for us. Thankfully we have a better Priest for we read from God’s word,

“Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Heb 4:14-15). And again, “… For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens” And again,  (Heb 7:26).

“Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven,” (Heb 8:1)

The Lord Jesus Christ who intercedes for us is better placed to help us having gone through the same temptations as we have, and being without sin. Moses fell short because he sinned in the matter of the rock of Meribbah so that he was not allowed to enter the promised land.

Our Lord has entered not just the earthly holy of holies, but has gone up and is now seated at the right hand of throne of the Majesty in heaven.

If you live in rebellion against God and His revealed will – the only hope for you is not a man like Moses. It is the Lord Jesus Christ who does not only intercede but will indeed give you true pardon and cleanse you by His blood from all sins and transgression making you to be as white as snow.

Furthermore, He has left us the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit who is the Helper, the Advocate, the Counsellor so that although we do not know how to pray, He helps us for we read,

“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words” (Rom 8:26).

With such help in prayer, how can we be so negligent of prayer? How can we not pray more and better for our dear ones who are still living in sin? In this passage is encouragement for us to pray more and better for them. Listen to John Owen’s counsel;

I believe that no man can have any evidence in his own soul that he doth 
conscientiously perform any ministerial duty toward his flock, who doth not 
continually pray for them. Let him preach as much as he will, visit as much as he 
will, speak as much as he will, unless God doth keep up in him a spirit of prayer 
in his closet and family for them, he can have no evidence that he doth perform 
any other ministerial duty in a due manner, or that what he doth is accepted with 
God. —John Owen

This is what is expected of me as your pastor – to preach and pray for you.

Yet remember that you have a duty to pray for yourself – wait not for Moses, because the Spirit of God who dwells in you helps you so that, as John Smith says,

Every true Christian ought to be a man of prayer. All his views, all his affections, all his desires, hopes, and joys, ought to be constantly mounting on the wings of devotions and flying before him into heaven. Every rub that he meets with in this thorny wilderness, every outward combat, every inward struggle ought to make his groans and prayers rise incessantly, as memorials before that throne from which he expects aid and deliverance. Without this, he is only a nominal, not a real Christian…If [he is] not addicted to prayer, [he] is a man without any interest in Christ, without hope, and without God in the world. —John Smith

If you must have one single addiction, let it be to one thing – to be spiritually minded and addicted to things that add an eternal value to your life. What could be better than to be addicted to prayer? Pray because the Lord answers prayer as we read in verse 20 that the Lord came to Moses after the intercession and said, "I have pardoned, according to your word!”

This is the great joy we have when we pray that the Lord hears our prayers and will in due time show His grace to us and answer in accordance to His divine wisdom and will. I now plead with those of you Christian wives who have drunkard and adulterous husbands – intercede for them. I charge Christian parents who have rebellious teenage children – intercede for them. I plead with churches whose members have unbelieving children – intercede for them. Pray for them. Pray without ceasing. Pray and pray.

4.     Example of intercessory prayer

Sovereign God, we praise your great name for yours is great love. It is love that sent your dear Son to die for the salvation of sinners. Yours is an amazing grace, grace that saved a wretch like me. Yours is rich mercy, mercy that makes rebels to be covenant children. Your cause, not ours, engages our hearts. And we appeal to you with greatest freedom to set up your kingdom in every place where Satan and sin reigns. Dethrone them by your powerful hand. Glorify yourself and we shall rejoice, for to bring honour to your name is our sole desire.

We adore you for you are God, and long that others should know it, feel it, and rejoice in it. O that all men might love and praise you, that you might have all glory from the intelligent world! Let sinners be brought to you for your dear name! To the eye of reason everything respecting the conversion of others is a dark midnight. But you can accomplish great things, the cause is yours; the cause is yours, and it is to your glory that men should be saved.

Lord, there are children who have been born and raised in this church, who departed from the faith of their parents. They came and heard your word preached. They sang the same songs as their saved mothers. They came to Sunday school and were taught how to pray. And now, some of them wallow in sin, drinking their health away and spending their time in unbelief. Save them and bring them back to this church. Make them vessels of honour for the sake of your name. Behold their parents have continue to come, to worship you – to sing to you, to give to you. Have mercy, O Lord, and save their children and their children’s children.

Lord, use us as you will, but, O Lord, promote your cause, let your kingdom come, let your blessed will and interest be advanced in this dark world, let the banner of Christ fly a thousand feet high. O do bring in great numbers to Jesus from the west and east, north and south to prostrate before His throne of grace. Let us see that glorious day when this city will be flocking with Bibline Christians. When the heresy and false teachings of our days will be banished. Give us to see multitudes of souls overflowing in Biblical churches. Help us to be willing to die to that end – of salvation of souls. Help us all to be willing, while we live to labour for you, to the utmost of our strength, spending time profitably in this work of winning souls, both in health and in sickness, in strength and in weakness. It is your cause and kingdom that we long for, not our own. O, answer our request, to the glory of your Name. Amen