The Bumps Are What You Climb On: Encouragement for Difficult Days by Warren W. Wiersbe

Author:Warren W. Wiersbe [Wiersbe, Warren W.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: REL042000
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2003-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

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Essentials of Prayer

One of the greatest privileges we have is prayer. When the disciples saw Jesus at prayer, they said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray.” You and I were taught prayers when we were children, and now we need to be taught how to pray. Prayer is much more than words from the lips; prayer is the expression of the desires of the heart. John Bunyan said, “When you pray, rather let your heart be without words than your words without heart.” The Bible contains many prayer promises, but I’d like us to consider just one—John 15:7: “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”

The disciples were brokenhearted. Jesus had met with them in the upper room, and He had told them that He was going to leave them. For three years He had taught them, guided them, protected them, even fed them, and now He was leaving them. In that last message before the cross, Jesus explained to them how He would care for them from heaven; and one of His promises was that He would answer their prayers. In the wonderful promise of John 15:7 there are three factors involved—abiding, asking, and answering.

At least a dozen times in John 15, Jesus uses this word abide. His illustration is that of a vine and its branches. The branches are united to the vine and draw upon its life and strength. All the branch has to do is abide, stay in contact with the vine, and it will bear fruit. You and I as Christians are united by Christ to the faith. But along with this union there must be communion; we must fellowship with Christ and draw upon His life and power. To abide in Christ simply means to keep in fellowship with Him; and this we do through the Word of God, worship, and obedience. If we disobey Him, we break the fellowship, and we cannot pray. But if we obey Him and allow His Word to control our lives, then we can pray and God will answer.

This abiding has two sides to it: we abide in Christ and His Word abides in us. If you and I spend time every day in the Word of God, then we can talk to God about our needs and ask Him for His help. When I open my Bible, God talks to me. When I pray, I talk to God. It is far more important that I listen to God than He listens to me! One of the secrets of answered prayer is abiding in the Word and letting the Word abide in you. Spending time in the reading of the Bible is like spending time conversing with a dear friend.

It is tragic to see how many Christians neglect fellowship with the Lord. They rush into each new day without taking time to read the Bible or talk to God. Then they wonder why problems develop and why God doesn’t answer their prayers.

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