We have been touching on importance of "in
everything by prayer" in our service for God.
But how should we pray?
As Tozer put it in his dry wit, there can be
"a great deal of praying being done that doesn't
amount to anything."
This sort of praying, in his words, can have
"a very injurious effect" upon the church.
It is "detrimental to solid spiritual growth."
Members get discouraged and filled with un-
belief, they stop praying and start to believe
that the whole thing is unreal.
"Having no prayers answered - having prayers
sent up to Heaven that come back empty - is
like sending an army out without weapons. It
is like setting a pianist without fingers down
to a piano..."
The missing piece, according to Tozer, is
faith defined as "confidence in God"; not faith
in faith which is the spiritual fad of the day.
There is a lot of preaching on that subject.
Going back to the Bible which says, "This is the
confidence we have in Him", Tozer reminds us that
"There is the origin and source and foundation
and resting place for all our faith."
"Faith does not rest upon promises. Faith rests
upon character. Faith rests upon the One who
made the promise."
Take the example of Abraham. Abraham "staggered
not at the promises of God through unbelief, but
waxed strong in faith, giving glory to God."
"So," Tozer pointed out, "the glory went to God,
not the promise."
"Faith always rests upon the character of God."
If that being the case, then we should start by
knowing God better.That is why Tozer was lamenting,
"Why aren't we telling our evangelical people once
more, 'You must get to know God?"
Most times,we start with the exercise of praying,
then we add in faith if they are not answered,
but hardly do we return to first base - knowing
God better so we know what He wants us to pray
for.
"And if we ask anything according to His will,
He heareth us: And if we know that He hear us,
whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the
petitions that we desired of him." (1John 5:14 )
