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from The Prayerline Newsletter by Darrell C. Porter

"Into the Depths of Prayer"

July - September, 2003

The Bible commands believers to walk in God’s Word (Lu.8:21; Rom.6:4) . The Word is as solid ground to the inner man. (cf.Eph.3:16) Yet the world in which we live is like a large sea - fluid and unstable. The choice is to live one’s life according to the fluid, instability of the world or according to the solid, unchanging truths of God. Though we daily live in this world, as believers we are no longer of it. (Jn.15:19)

To walk on Godly ground while still living in the "sea" of this natural and fallen world can be daunting. For the waters of the world move mightily against God.

It’s easier to stand on God’s Word while on the "edge" of this sea than in the very midst of it. Here the waves will rush to your feet with little impact other than to stimulate you. But step out onto more of God’s Word, to do it in the midst of the "sea" then you may quickly lose ground. For as you go into the world - to do God’s work - the world, like waters of the sea, will rush in upon you. Your life could easily be surrounded by waves that toss you to and fro, unless you survive by swimming upon the surface.

Indeed, many Christians do swim in the waters of the world - some quite skillfully. But no one can swim a lifetime. For sure, God never called His people to go before Him "swimming" on waters of the world. He called us to stand up and walk on the ground of His Truth. (Is.2:3,5; Rom.6:4; 2Cor.5:7) In the midst of turbulent waters Peter was commanded by the Lord to stand up and come to Him. (Matt.14:25:29) It makes no difference whether you are on the surface or below the waters of life the command is still the same. Walk upright before God. (Ps.18:21-23)

Deep sea divers, in order to walk on the floor of the sea must wear a heavily weighted suit that will anchor their bodies to the depths. Once suited they can walk securely on the sea floor and go where they need to go. God, in like manner, calls the believer to walk on the ground of His Word. Yet being immersed in this "sea" of worldliness makes this a major, if not seemingly impossible task. For as soon as you step out, to do God’s Word, the waters of the world rapidly rise up against you. The fluid forces of nature - the cares of this carnal world, its trials and troubles, its persecutions and heartaches, the very desires of the flesh – pound against you to lift your feet up off the ground of God.

Many fall prey to these relentless "waters" that continually thrash against them, casting them into the perilous waves of fear and unbelief, doubts and hurts, frustrations and cares of this life. Many end up as lifeless debris, merely "floating" on the surface of their faith.

Because of the fallen nature of flesh people are frail in heart. Even when God is present problems look like giants - big and frightening. (cf. Num.13:32-33) Peter merely looked at the strong wind and started to sink. (Mt 14:30) To stay with God and to continue to walk on His Word, such a one needs an anchor. The anchor of the soul is faith in the written Word of God. This faith anchors your thoughts to Christ as you keep them stayed on Him. (Is.26:3) Being thus anchored to God’s peace frees you from the bully spirit of the world. (Joh 8:36)

Unanchored individuals are ever seen floating on the landscape, bobbing about from place to place, opinion to opinion, person to person. Rather than being still so as to go deeper into Christ, they hurriedly move on their own into the deceptive waters of the world. Nevertheless, one can elect for them self to be grounded in God and His ability by putting on a "deep sea suit" of faith in Christ and staying oneself in Him.

Prayer is one means of grounding yourself in God. It is like a deep sea suit, fitted just for you. It takes you to the "floor of the sea", below the "waters" of the cares of this world. Effectual prayer "anchors" you to God through His Word. This is one reason the apostle wrote of, "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit..." (Eph 6:18) Prayer is effective as you stand on the promises of a powerful God. God’s power is present for everyone who believes in His Son, Jesus. Yet, it can only be yours when your heart desires God and nothing less. It can only be real to you when you decide day by day, situation by situation, trial by trial, to keep your mind on what God says, above all else. (Isa.26:;3) This power is available to those who see Christ as their sole source of reality and truth. It is one’s personal relationship with this heavenly Source - the Savior of your soul - that brings God into your life and the lives of those for whom you pray.

Some situations require more prayer more often than others. It’s during these most difficult times that you must go deeper into prayer, to put your foot down on the promise of Scripture and stay yourself there. It is from this position of faith in the Truth that God will move for you.

Sometimes there’s a heavenly assignment in your life that insists that you secure your feet solidly upon God’s Word before anything happens. The Lord will not "flinch" while you are "floating" on His Word. He will not break through to you while you are up in the "air" of faith. He is not moved by mindless "mouthing" of His Word as though the meaningless mentioning of Scriptures will get you the deliverance. (cf.Matt.6:7) Certain crisis upon your life, instead, require that you humble yourself, dig into His Truth - heart and mind, soul and spirit. It is from this meek, yet firm position of faith in God that the Lord will then move... mountains on your behalf. It is from this position alone that you will get the deliverance only God can give.

Now, our God does not demand such austerity all the time. For He graciously answers many of our "lighter" prayers, even our carnal ones - our silly and selfish prayers. This is His prerogative as a sovereign God. (cf.Rom.9:15-16) Nevertheless, there are times when your LORD requires nothing less of you than to walk in His presence in clear, determined faith in Him and His written Word.

Prayer is a mighty means God gives you to take back ground from the enemy of your soul. That ground has been occupied for a long time by sin. It will not be loosed easily. No light prayer will get it back. No easy Christian living will do it. Jesus said "this kind goeth not out..." easily (Mt 17:21) . It will take more than religion. It will take a Holy Spirit of war to do it. (Ps.144:1) If you are willing to let God use you He will give you not only the top ground but the ground beneath the ground for which you are fighting. (cf.1Tim.6:12) For sin has deep roots; and if your soul is focused on God and if you are willing to stand and be "man-handled" by His Spirit in a rough and rugged way then He will take you with Him into certain depths of prayer so that you can take back that that was taken by sin.

Such prayer is not for the faint of heart or those tender toward the flesh. (1Co.9:27; Ro.8:13) It is for those who love God singly. The faint will lose heart, let go of their anchor. The faithful will stand firm. This is a rugged life of intercession and spiritual warfare that puts a demand upon your soul to stay engaged until the victory is won. (cf. Rev.12:7) Moses held up his hands all night. (Ex.14:21) Daniel prayed twenty one days. (Dan.10:10-13) Jesus Himself prayed and fasted forty days. (Lu.4:1-2) Some things require such prayer and long times of it. Not all prayer ends in two minutes. Some must go for two hours, for two days, for two years, for two decades. Abraham trusted God for twenty five years for an offspring. (cf. Gen.12:1-4,7; 15:1-6; 21:5 ) Yet when God’s answer came an entire world was blessed. (Gen.17:6; Acts 3:25)

Things that demand much prayer also demand focus and persistence of faith. Nothing less will do. Such is not a "My will be done" type of praying. It is solely "Thy will be done" and nothing else. Rees Howells was a man whose soul was stretched out to God in prayer. He would pray for hours, days and months for God to do a thing. Through his selfless intercessions God moved mightily in people, cities and nations.

God takes a man into deep places that he may bring forth from such places treasures that can be brought forth no other way. The rewards for a praying man are indescribable. The treasures are beyond the reaches of this world. God says He even stores them up in heaven. (Rev.8:3-4) Prayers from the heart are laid up in the heights of heaven. (Ps.141:2)

God blesses the man of prayer. He blesses him with strength. He also will not do without that praying woman, that sold out saint whose heart and energies are given out to God through faith in His Word. (Mr. 12:30)

No duty in this life has its equal to the crucial duty of prayer. For this is the noblest work of all. Its charge is upon every Christian child and adult. This mandate is so magnanimous that God even calls us - as His temple, His body, His house - a house of prayer. (Is.56:7)

Those who lose their footing from off the ground of faith end up bobbing up and down and back and forth in the waters of the world. On the other hand, the one who prays from the heart, even enters into the very depths of faith and prayer, becomes stable in heart and mind and cannot be moved. His feet is solid on the Rock of the Word of God.

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The PRAYERLINE Newsletter is a quarterly publication of Darrell C. Porter Evangelistic Assoc., Inc.

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