John Wesley said the following about Prayer "Prayer is where the action is."
" E. M. Bounds "Prayer is not learned in a classroom but in the closet.
William Law “He who has learned to pray has learned the greatest secret of a holy and happy life."
Martin Luther. “Prayer is not overcoming God's reluctance, but laying hold of His willingness."
Spurgeon's "boiler-room
." Five young college students were spending a Sunday in London, so they went to hear the famed C.H. Spurgeon preach. While waiting for the doors to open, the students were greeted by a man who asked, "Gentlemen, let me show you around. Would you like to see the heating plant of this church?" They were not particularly interested, for it was a hot day in July. But they didn't want to offend the stranger, so they consented. The young men were taken down a stairway, a door was quietly opened, and their guide whispered, "This is our heating plant." Surprised, the students saw 700 people bowed in prayer, seeking a blessing on the service that was soon to begin in the auditorium above.
Softly closing the door, the gentleman then introduced himself. It was none other than Charles Spurgeon
.
Prayer is the Boiler room
Of the greatest revivals of all time have been the results of prayer consider
Kenneth Roberts said the following about the welsh revival of 1905
According to Roberts, he had the following experience for three months.
One Friday night last spring, when praying by my bedside before retiring, I was taken up to a great expanse--
without time and space. It was communion with God. Before this I had a far-off God
Charles Finney, Finney firmly believed Prayer was a key to revival.
Finney wrote, all Revival is birthed by prayer. Paul wrote of the Galatians "whom I travail (My prayers are toils, intense, derived from tripalium and instrument of torture
with 3 sticks) in birth again until Christ be formed in you...Gal 4:19" Finney felt without the Spirit of prayer he could do nothing.
Fulton Street Prayer Meeting New York
The Layman's Prayer Revival had the motivation that we must pray one hour. Jesus said, 'Could you not tarry with me one hour?' In 1857, the leadership of the Fulton Street Church in New York City saw a sharp decline in church attendance. They tapped Jeremiah Lanpher to lead the effort to reach the
un-churched of the city. Workers were asked to pray one hour during their break at lunch. The result a great revival broke out
1. Jesus believed strongly that prayer was the boiler Room
Jesus prayer was so different than the normal prayer that the disciple would ask Jesus teach us to pray
Luke 11:1One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples." 2He said to them, "When you pray, say: " Our `Father which art in heaven, A hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, as in heaven so in earth 3Give us day by day our daily bread. and forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone one that is indebted to us and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us form evil.
2. Jesus teaches us to pray with persistence and boldness in the boiler room
Luke 115Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, `Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.' 7"Then the one inside answers, `Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' 8I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs. 9"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
3. In the boiler room Jesus says pray with humility
Luke 18: 11The Pharisee stood up and prayed I am not like other men--robbers, evildoers, adulterers--or even like this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' 13"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven but beat his breast and said, God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' The bible says the tax collector comes down justified
4. In the boiler room Pray with simplicity
Matthew 6:5"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men 6But when you pray, go into your room close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. don’t babble
5. Pray with expectation
Mark 11: 24Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours
John 14:13-14 "And whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Luke 6:12 And it was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God.
James 5:13-15 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praises. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.
Psalm 50:15 And call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me."
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
