WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO PRAYER AND BIBLE STUDY IN OUR HOMES, CHURCHES, AND COMMUNITIES WORLDWIDE? PART TWO

          Prayer is the vital life element to breathing spiritually and Bible study is the vital food element to growing spiritually. Prayer without Bible study leads to ignorance, stunted growth and spiritual starvation of the soul and spirit.  Bible study without prayer leads to an empty lifeless spirit and soul with only intellectual growth in the head. Both are equally important in the Christian's life and must be maintained in order to make spiritual progress. This can only be accomplished through the anointing of the Holy Spirit. (Read I John 2:25-27) We have lost much sight of what the early Christians practiced consistently and spiritually in the first few centuries. Many have thought that a revival meeting or prayer meeting might do the trick. But it has resulted in much heartless ritualism that makes God sick and pious platitudes that tickles the ears. We seem to take these precious things for granted by wasting them and only using them at our convenience. 
     The majority of preaching and teaching today takes a different tone than that of the Bible. For example, extreme (or you could call it off balance) teaching and preaching is taking place on prophecy today. Seminar after seminar, conference after conference, sermon after sermon, etc. on prophecy and end times, etc. is drawing crowds and wasting most of their precious time. True, so many are fascinated with prophecy today that they run to and fro going from meeting to meeting desiring to learn as much as they can.  Prayer may be sometimes preached and taught about much within a limited time segment but very little real solid preaching and teaching on prayer for long time periods is penetrating the heart to apply it. Prayer is a long forgotten subject of the modern day Evangelical church. More Bible knowledge seems to be more important than power through prayer in the Holy Ghost.  Too many so-called *Christian's are being educated beyond their intelligence while prayer takes the back burner. But the fact is that many fail to acknowledge the real source (God) and instrument (prayer) through which a balanced Christian life is lived for the glory of God. Both, (God & prayer) are inseparable.
     If you've read the entire Bible through, I'm sure you would agree with me that prayer has priority over prophecy. But not according to many booksellers it don't. In our post-modern society prophecy sells. Beware lest you be hooked by crooks with their books. There are many books on prayer but they don't seem to take the spot light in the Evangelical world. People are naturally aroused by external things and signs, etc. while the internal lies dead in the heart of the soul without a praying sob. Alas! True Christians are in the minority. And sad to say, most of us are losing our ground because we do not pray fervently and stand to the end. Running the race is not a competition against the other Christian but a battle which involves many dangers, toils and snares to hinder us from finishing well. (Read I Cor. 9:24-27) God has fully equipped us. (Read Eph. 6:10-18) What  What will we do? Prepare to fight the serpent and the lion, etc. as we run or will we go run and hide which will take us off the track and bring us to utter defeat? Some would think that if a Christian runs the race  facing the serpent in physical death, he did not finish well. Did he go run and hid? No! Was God smiling on him? If so, he is victorious in the Victor Who brought him through. If you don't believe me, read the story of Bill Borden.
      I also encourage everyone reading this article to purchase or borrow a classic book called: "An autobiography of George Muller: A million and an half in answer to prayer." The words "prayer and faith" is mentioned numerous times throughout the book. Prayer and faith are the keys to God and His Word alone that produces a vital Christian witness. Faith is what the Holy Spirit uses in the heart of the believer to stir him to action in prayer. The Word of God is the food that supplies the Spirit with what the believer needs. No wonder we are so weak in Faith! We must start out with the Word of God and prayer every day. Romans 10:17: "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Reading out loud to ourselves can be a way of strengthening our faith. When our faith is strengthened, the Holy Spirit will help us to pray more fervently, etc. even when infirmities seem to overwhelm us (Read Rom. 8:26-27) Now don't misunderstand me. Faith is not a power we somehow stir up within ourselves, and when we somehow muster enough of it, God responds and answers our prayers. Faith is "the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Heb. 11:1)   The Word of God is revealed to us by the Spirit through the Word alone John 7:17: "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself." Verse 27 explains how the Holy Spirit works John 7:17 out in our lives. Man is incapable of doing God's will without revelation. Speculation and curiosity may arouse him to try. But all is in vain lest the Spirit draws and reveals Christ through His Word alone to the sinner. Faith is the vehicle through which grace works to saves us. So likewise faith is the vehicle through which prayer moves through. When our faith is strengthened through the Word of God, the Holy Spirit activates it in our prayer lives which divinely enables us to grow in sanctification as well as closer communion with God. Without faith, it is impossible to please God. (Heb. 11:6)
     Solid Bible study is a spiritual battle to the serious Bible student because our faith is only strengthened by it. Stedfast prayer is also a spiritual battle because our spirit depend on the indwelling Holy Spirit to help us. How do we exercise faith through the Word alone and prayer in the Spirit? It is not through some emotional experience. It is by an act of the human will that submits to the divine will of God according to His providential plan and purpose for our lives. We can not make it happen by just believing it as some heretics would think. We must continue to read God's Word expecting His surprise visits, and humbling ourselves under His mighty hand to go forward. Adrian Rogers once said, "Satan can never take any ground in your life that you do not give Him." II Tim. 2:25-26: "In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;  And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will." When we are taken captive by God at His will, the human will comes under the divine control of the Holy Spirit. He constrains us to do things that we would not naturally do. It seems to me that the battles lies in keeping our wills straight as a plumbline under the authority of His will. Our wills by birth and choice are naturally crooked as a corkscrew. When we step out of God's boundaries, we give the devil certain ground to conquer and possess. Faith in THE VICTOR, CHRIST ALONE, is the one who gives the victory to overcome the world which satan so desperately seeks to ensnare us with (Read I John 5:4-5) Beware and prepare!      

WRITTEN BY BROTHER MATTHEW C. ALTMAN