We shall now proceed to consider, in the light of holy scripture, the moral conditions or attributes of prayer. There is nothing like having the authority of the divine word for everything in the entire range of our practical christian life. Scripture must be our one grand and conclusive referee in all our questions. Let us never forget this.
What, then, saith the scripture as to the necessary moral conditions of prayer? Turn to Matt. 18:1919Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 18:19): “Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.”
Here we learn that one necessary condition of our prayers is unanimity—cordial agreement—thorough oneness of mind. The true force of the words is, “If two of you shall symphonize”—shall make one common sound. There must be no jarring note, no discordant element.
If, for example, we come together to pray about the progress of the gospel—the conversion of souls, we must be of one mind in the matter. We must make one common sound before our God. It will not do for each to have some special thought of his own to carry out. We must come before the throne of grace in holy harmony of mind and spirit, else we cannot claim an answer, on the ground of Matt. 18:1919Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 18:19).
Now, this is a point of immense moral weight. Its importance, as bearing upon the tone and character of our prayer-meetings, cannot possibly be over-estimated. It is very questionable indeed whether any of us have given sufficient attention to it. Have we not to deplore the objectless character of our prayer-meetings? Ought we not to come together more with some definite object on our hearts, as to which we are going to wait together upon God? We read, in the first chapter of Acts, in reference to the early disciples, “These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.” And again, in the second chapter, we read, “When the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place”
They were waiting, according to our Lord’s instructions, for the promise of the Father, the gift of the Holy Ghost. They had the sure word of promise. The Comforter was, without fail, to come; but this, so far from dispensing with prayer, was the very ground of its blessed exercise. They prayed; they prayed in one place; they prayed with? one accord. They were thoroughly agreed. They all, without exception, had one definite object before their hearts. They were waiting for the promised Spirit; they continued to on; and they waited with one accord, until He came. Men and women absorbed with one object, waited in holy concord, in happy symphony—waited on, day after day, earnestly, fervently, harmoniously waited until they were endued with the promised power from on high.
Should not we go and do likewise? Is there not a sad lack of this “one accord”— “one place”—principle in our midst? True it is, blessed be God, we have not to ask for the Holy Ghost to come. He has come. We have not to ask for the out-pouring of the Spirit. He has been poured out. But we have to ask for the display of His blessed power in our midst. Supposing our lot is cast in a place where spiritual death and darkness reign. There is not so much as a single breath of life, not a leaf stirring; the heaven above seems like brass; the earth beneath, from such a thing as a conversion is never heard of. A withering formalism seems to have settled down upon the entire place. Powerless profession—dead routine—stupefying mechanical religiousness are the order of the day. What is to be done? Are we to allow ourselves to fall under the fatal influence of the surrounding malaria? Are we to yield to the paralyzing power of the atmosphere that enwraps the place? Assuredly not.
If not, what then? Let us, even if there be but two who really feel the condition of things, get together, with one accord, and pour out our hearts to God. Let us wait on Him, in holy concord, with united, firm purpose, until He send a copious shower of blessing upon the barren spot. Let us not fold our arms and vainly say, “The time is not come.” Let us not yield to that pernicious offshoot of a one-sided theology, which is rightly called fatalism, and say, “God is sovereign, and He works according to His own will. We must wait His time. Human effort is in vain. We cannot get up a revival. We must beware of mere excitement.”
All this seems very plausible; and the more so because there is a measure of truth in it; indeed it is all true, so far as it goes. But it is only one side of the truth. It is truth, and nothing but the truth; but it is not the whole truth. Hence its mischievous tendency. There is nothing more to be dreaded than one-sided truth; it is far more dangerous than positive, palpable error. Many an earnest soul has been stumbled and turned completely out of the way by one-sided or misapplied truth. Many a true-hearted and useful workman has been chilled, repulsed, and driven out of the harvest field, by the injudicious enforcement of certain doctrines having a measure of truth, but not the full truth of God.
Nothing, however, can touch the truth, or weaken the force of Matt. 18:1919Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 18:19). It stands in all its blessed fullness, freeness, and preciousness before the eye of faith; its terms are clear and unmistakable. “If two of you shall agree upon earth, as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.” Here is our warrant for coming together to pray for anything that may be laid on our hearts. Do we mourn over the coldness, barrenness, and death around us? Are we discouraged by the little apparent fruit from the preaching of the gospel—the lack of power in the preaching itself, and the total absence of practical result? Are our souls cast down by the barrenness, dullness, heaviness and low tone of all our reunions, whether at the table of our Lord, before the mercy-seat, or around the fountain of holy scripture?
What are we to do? Fold our arms in cold indifference? Give up in despair? Or give vent to complaining, murmuring, fretfulness or irritation? God forbid! What then? Come together, “with one accord in one place.” Get down on our faces before our God, and pour out our hearts, as the heart of one man, pleading Matt. 18:1919Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 18:19).
This, we may rest assured, is the grand remedy—the unfailing resource. It is perfectly true that “God is sovereign;” and this is the very reason why we should wait on Him. Perfectly true that “Human effort is in vain;” and that is the very reason for seeking divine power. Perfectly true that “We cannot get up a revival;” and that is the very reason for seeking to get it down. Perfectly true that “We must beware of mere excitement.” Equally true that we must beware of coldness, deadness, and selfish indifference.
The simple fact is, there is no excuse whatever—so long as Christ is at the right hand of God—so long as God the Holy Ghost is in our midst and in our hearts—so long as we have the word of God in our hands—so long as Matt. 18:1919Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 18:19) shines before our eyes—there is, we repeat, no excuse whatever for barrenness, deadness, coldness, and indifference—no excuse for heavy and unprofitable meetings—no excuse whatever for lack of freshness in our reunions or of fruitfulness in our service. Let us wait on God, in holy concord, and the blessing is sure to come.
(To be continued if the Lord will.)