Part 1
This is an article that appeared in the January 1965 and the February 1973 issues of The Pentecostal Herald which is the official publication of The United Pentecostal Church. I thought you might find it interesting and some of you might even recognize the author's name.
THE IMPORTANCE OF PRAYER
by James Ellis
Cincinnati, Ohio
One of the most important elements in a Christian's life, and one of the easiest to neglect, is prayer. Most of us fail to devote the the time and effort to prayer that we should. Perhaps if we realized how important prayer actually is, we could better find time to spend before the throne of God.
The Lord Jesus Christ, leaving us an example that we should follow His steps, considered prayer of utmost importance in His life. We have several instances of His praying recorded in the Bible.
He began His public ministry with prayer. "It came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized and praying, the heaven was opened and the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon Him" (
Luke 3:21-22). Immediately afterward He retired to the wilderness to spend forty days in fasting and prayer (
Mark 1:12).
Throughout His public ministry we find Jesus praying. Although He was the Almighty God He was also human, as we, and had to maintain a personal spiritual life. When a person is having great success, it is easy for him to slacken up and let down in his prayer life. This was not so with our Lord. At a time when followers were thronging Him and miracles were occurring on every side, "He withdrew Himself into the wilderness and prayed" (
Luke 5;16). When He was so pressed for time, we find that, "...rising up a great while before day, He went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed" (
Mark 1;35).
The work became so great that Jesus could no longer handle it by Himself. He must choose some to help carry the load. He went out and "...continued all night in prayer to God" (
Luke 6:12) for wisdom in selecting the right individuals.
Jesus' prayer life was so blessed of God that others wished to have the same life of communion. "It came to pass that, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, one of His disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray" (
Luke 11:1) Does our prayer life bring such evident blessing that others seek to imitate it in their own lives?
One of the most outstanding experiences in the life of Christ was His transfiguration. This occurred when He "...went up into a mountain to pray" (
Luke 9:28). Leaving that mountain top experience, He went down into the valley below. There He expelled a demon from a boy. His disciples had been powerless before this demon. When they later questioned Him as to why they were unable to cast the spirit out, He told them, "This kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting" (
Matthew 17:21). When confronted with the spirit, Jesus did not have to retire from the scene to get "prayed up" or to fast. He had been living a prayerful life and constantly stayed in tune with God.
As the time drew near for His sacrificial death, Jesus gathered His disciples around them and told them of the trying time which was to come upon them. He warned Peter, "Simon, Simon, behold Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat," and then added encouragingly, "but I have prayed for thee" (
Luke 22:31-32).
On the way to the garden of Gethsemane, He prayed for all of those who would later become His followers (
John 17:1-26). Then, alone in the garden, Jesus faced His impending death. As the cup of suffering and sin-bearing came into view, He shrank from it and prayed that it might be avoided. But, through prayer He received the grace to consign Himself to the Father's will (
Matthew 26:38-42). When Judas came with the Roman soldiers to betray Him, Judas knew where to look for Him. He "knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither" (
John 18:2). Judas knew how faithful and consisted the Lord was in His prayer life.
As Christ writhed in pain upon the cross, He prayed for the forgiveness of those who so wrongfully put Him to death (
Luke 23:34). But our Lord's praying did not stop with His death. The writer of our New Testament Book of Hebrews says that "He ever liveth to make intercession for us" (
Heb 7:25) and that His blood still cries out on our behalf for mercy (
Heb 12:24). Also, His Spirit within us helps us in our inadequacy and prays through us for our edification (
Romans 8:26-27;
Jude 20;
Eph 6:18).
The early Christians recognized the importance of prayer. They had been commissioned to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. But, before they were to go out preaching, they were to wait in the city of Jerusalem until they were "endued" or "clothed" with the power of the Holy Spirit (
Luke 24:49;
Acts 1:4-9 ). It is recorded that they were "continually in the temple praising and blessing God" (
Luke 24:53). On the feast day of Pentecost, 120 followers of Jesus were gathered together. While praying there in one accord, they were baptized with the Holy Ghost (
Acts 2;1-40. Peter, under the anointing of God's Spirit preached a sermon and three thousand were converted and baptized in water in the name of Jesus Christ (
Acts 2:37-41). The historian records that "they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers" (
Acts 2:43). We pride ourselves in being apostolic in doctrine, but are we apostolic in our prayers?
The first miracle of healing recorded in the Book of Acts occurred at the Temple gate as Peter and John were on their way in to pray (Acts chapter 3). When persecution came, they prayed for more of God's blessing and power in their midst (
Acts 4:23-31) and as a result, they were filled again with the power of the Holy Spirit and they spoke the word with boldness.
When material duties became too great for the Apostles to handle by themselves, they appointed "deacons" to assist them. They said, "We will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the Word" (
Acts 6:4). They wished to keep the blessing and anointing of God in their lives. Perhaps we would see more apostolic results in our assemblies and personal ministries if we would "give ourselves" to prayer.
According to tradition, the Apostle Paul was saved on January 25, A.D. 32. When the risen Lord appeared to him, he was told that he was a chosen vessel to bear the name of Jesus to "Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel" (
Acts 9:15-16; 26:12-18). Then after spending three days in prayer he was filled or baptized with the Holy Spirit and baptized in water in the name of His Lord. We don't read a whole lot about him or his ministry for a while but then about 15 years later we find him in a predominantly Gentile church in Antioch. There he is listed among some who are called "prophets and teachers." While they were in a prayer meeting, the Spirit spoke and said, "Separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them" (
Acts 13:1-2). In response it is recorded that they "fasted and prayed and laid hands on them and sent them away" (
Acts 13:3). This was the beginning of what we refer to as Paul's three missionary journeys which were followed later by his journey to Rome. Throughout his ministry we find Paul in his writings both telling folks that he was praying for them and asking for their prayers for him (
Romans 1:8-10; 15:30-32;
1 Cor. 1:4-9;
Eph 1:15-23; 6:18-20; Phil 1:3-6;
Col. 1:3-6; 4:12;
1 Thess 1:2-4; 5:16-25;
2 Thess 1:3;
1 Tim 2:1-8;
2 Tim. 1:3).
to be continued in part 2
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