Introduction

I. PRAYER-A PRIVILEGE, PRINCELY, SACRED
I am the creature of a day, passing through life as an arrow through the air. I am a spirit come
from God and returning to God; just hovering over the great gulf; till a few moments hence I am
no more seen; I drop into an unchangeable eternity! I want to know one thing, the way to
heaven; how to land safe on that happy shore. God Himself has condescended to teach the way;
for this end He came from heaven. He hath written it down in a book. 0 give me that book! At
any price give me the Book of God! Lord, is it not Thy word-“If any man lack wisdom, let him
ask of God? Thou givest liberally, and upbraidest not. Thou hast said, if any be willing to do
Thy will he shall know. I am willing to do; let me know Thy will.”-JOHN WESLEY
THE word “Prayer” expresses the largest and most comprehensive approach unto God. It gives
prominence to the element of devotion. It is communion and intercourse with God. It is enjoyment
of God. It is access to God. “Supplication” is a more restricted and more intense form of prayer,
accompanied by a sense of personal need, limited to the seeking in an urgent manner of a supply for
pressing need.
“Supplication” is the very soul of prayer in the way of pleading for some one thing, greatly needed,
and the need intensely felt.
“Intercession” is an enlargement in prayer, a going out in broadness and fullness from self to others.
Primarily, it does not centre in praying for others, but refers to the freeness, boldness and childlike
confidence of the praying. It is the fullness of confiding influence in the soul’s approach to God,
unlimited and unhesitating in its access and its demands. This influence and confident trust is to be
used for others.
Prayer always, and everywhere is an immediate and confiding approach to, and a request of, God
the Father. In the prayer universal and perfect, as the pattern of all praying, it is “Our Father, Who
art in Heaven.” At the grave of Lazarus, Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father.” In His
sacerdotal prayer, Jesus lifted up His eyes to Heaven, and said, “Father.” Personal, familiar and
paternal was all His praying. Strong, tool and touching and tearful, was His praying. Read these
words of Paul: “Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications,
with strong crying and tears, unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that
he feared” (Hebrews 5:7)