THE POWER OF PRAYER
“And now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir, whom thou wouldest not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them, and destroyed them not; Behold, I say, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to inherit. O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.”- 2 Chronicles 20:10–12
William Cowper lost his mother when he was very young and grew up struggling with depression. Though a gifted student and poet, Cowper sought in vain for a purpose and direction for his life. Amid his depression, he tried to commit suicide and was sent to an asylum for a time. There at the asylum he heard and understood the gospel and put his faith in Christ. On his release, he moved to Olney, England, where he met John Newton. The former slave trader was a great help to Cowper, and it was during this time that he wrote “There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood.” Cowper was physically weak and often ill, and continued to battle depression. But he learned some deep lessons during his battles. He found himself forced to rely on God for his every need. Cowper wrote:
Restraining prayer, we cease to fight;
Prayer makes the Christian’s armor bright;
And Satan trembles, when he sees
The weakest saint upon his knees.
The constant temptation we face is to go our own way and to work in our own strength. This temptation is especially attractive to those who are trying to make a difference for the Lord, because we fail to realize the subtle pride involved. Yet in truth, we are completely unable to serve and live for God apart from His power. And that power can only be found on our knees. We do not need more strength and ability. We need more prayer. Through prayer we seek and receive God’s power and provision for our daily lives. ( Daily in the Word)
When you have a problem you can’t solve, and you don’t know what to do, do this–fix your focus on Jesus! The power of prayer is greater than any problem you will ever face.- HDS
David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346
