A “One Evening” Condensed Book

POWER AND PEACE IN

Prayer

By R. A. TORREY

Author of What the Bible Teaches and How to Pray

GOOD NEWS PUBLISHERS

Westchester, Illinois

Condensed from the book How to Pray, published in the unabridged edition by several publishers in the United States and England. This condensed edition copyrighted by Good News Publishers, Westchester, Illinois.

POWER AND PEACE IN

Prayer

CHAPTER 1

THE IMPORTANCE OF PRAYER

With startling and overwhelming force the tremendous importance of prayer is set forth in Ephesians 6:18: “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.”

When we stop to weigh the meaning of these words, then note the connection in which they are found, the intelligent child of God is driven to say, “I must pray, pray, pray. I must put all my energy and all my heart into prayer. Whatever else I do, I must pray.”

The Revised Version is, if possible, stronger than the Authorized: “With all prayer and supplication praying at all seasons in the Spirit, and watching thereunto in all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.”

Note the alls: “with all prayer,” “at all seasons,” “in all perseverance,” “for all the saints.” Note the piling up of strong words, “prayer,” “supplication,” “perseverance.” Note once more the strong expression, “watching thereunto,” more literally, “being sleepless thereunto.” Paul realized the natural slothfulness of man, and especially his natural slothfulness in prayer. How seldom we pray things through! How often the church and the individual get right up to the verge of a great blessing in prayer and just then let go, get drowsy and quit. I wish that these words “being sleepless unto prayer” might burn into our hearts. I wish the whole verse might burn into our hearts.

But why is this constant, persistent, sleepless, overcoming prayer so needful?

1. Because there is a Devil.

He is cunning, he is mighty, he never rests, he is ever plotting the downfall of the child of God; and if the child of God relaxes in prayer the Devil will succeed in ensnaring him.

This is the thought of the context. Verse 12 reads: “For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (R.V.). Then comes verse 13: “Wherefore take up the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand” (R.V.). Next follows a description of the different parts of the Christian’s armor which we are to put on if we are to stand against the Devil and his mighty wiles. Then Paul brings all to a climax in verse 18, telling us that to all else we must add prayer—constant, persistent, untiring, sleepless prayer in the Holy Spirit or all else will go for nothing.

2. Prayer is God’s appointed way for obtaining things, and the great secret of all ...