Now He who searches
the hearts knows
what the mind of the
Spirit is, because
He makes intercession
for the saints
according to the will
of God.
Romans 8:27
The forming
of Adam by God in which God breathed into him the breath of life and Adam came
to be a living soul. From that time, forward life exists by this process of
breathing. We have the evidence, breathing, that there is life and this life is
separate from all other life that breathes for God breath into man His Spirit
that gives life unlike all other creatures. When we pray to God prayer is an
act of breathing, a spiritual breathing returning back to God that which He
gave to us, life, and by this prayer we communicate our love of God for giving
us life. Paul after his encounter with Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus,
prayed for the Lord spoke to Ananias to go to Paul: “So the Lord said to
him, ‘Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of
Judas for one called Saul to Tarsus, for behold, he is praying” (Acts 9:11). Saul
who became called Paul prayed after his conversion and this is what we are to
do, pray to God, tell Him of your love for Him for He called you, enabled you,
gave you the faith to believe and eternal, immortal life is your sure hope. At
times, our prayers prayed with a hope of receiving, even often with doubt that
God hears and answers prayer. It is true prayer that proceeds from the Holy
Spirit that imparts spiritual life. It is this impartation of spiritual life,
by the Holy Spirit, that becomes our character, our character worked out in
this life and enkindled by spiritual desires, and this found vented in prayer.
The desires or our hearts, to know God, to live for God, breathed into the
bosom of God, in the exercise of filial confidence in Him, and, by this
confidence, not to receive from God, rather to be in accordance with the will
of God. Then God regards our prayers with favor, and we obtain answers of grace
and peace. Many people today are succumbed by the thrill of doing for God. They
run around looking for people for whom they could pray for, for healing, and
giving some revelation they believe they receive from God. This is not
Scriptural. This is not the will of God. There is no command to do such things.
Do we pray for the sick, the downcast, and those in need? Yes! We pray that the
will of God will have its way in the lives for whom we pray. We have faith that
whatever God does for anyone is good for our faith is in a Good God who never
does what is wrong. We pray with faith in God. The Bible tells us to: “Pray
without ceasing” (1Thessalonians 5:17). Does this mean we go off into some
cloister as did many who recluse into monasteries or even caves to pray. No! We
are to be in an attitude of prayer for prayer is our breath of life as we live
each and every moment, to live in the presence of God for to stop praying by
ceasing would be a cessation of spiritual life. It is not a form of words to be
used incessantly, no, it is to ever have spiritual desires in our hearts. It is
our habit to be in a constant attitude of prayer looking to god for the
fulfillment of our desires. Our desires is to serve God in all we do,
housewife, accountant, truck driver, ditch digger, doctor, whatever. We are to
enjoy our communion with Him, and this is possible through the Holy Spirit that
dwells in us.
How often
we complain about unanswered prayers. We then need to inquire why our prayers
and petitions go unanswered. Did we ask for wealth, power, a long life; have we
done what is needed for those things we need; i.e., looking for a job: resumes,
are they being sent out to prospective employers. Your money, is it handled
judiciously? Are the things you desire carnal and have not proceeded from the
Holy Spirit? Learn to examine your prayers and regulate your desires by the
will of God, then we can expect our prayers will have a gracious hearing by
God.
Sincere
prayer must begin at the very commencement of spiritual life. Did not Paul do
this very thing? Yes, why not us? You say that you do not know how to pray or
that you are so immature in your Christian walk that prayer does not come
easily. A baby cries and does not know why. The baby wants and does not know
what will fill his want. A baby cannot express it wants and desires in words. A
mother will understand this inarticulate language. The mother will know what
the groanings, crying, that is uttered means and so to our God. Our God does
understand our groans, our needs, our desires, and our God knows the mind of
the Spirit Who has breathed life into us and helps us: “Likewise the Spirit
also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we
ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which
cannot be uttered” (Romans 8:26). Our Lord understands the groanings of the
Holy Spirit and the Lord as our kind and loving Shepherd, as the baby upon the
breast of the mother, so to those who are spiritual babes are in the bosom of
the kind Shepherd, and in that bosom breathes all its desires. Our spiritual
life is evidence at first by the breathing of prayer and then afterwards our
spiritual life indicated by spiritual growth. We are to always be as babes,
that is desire that pure milk of the word: “As newborn babes, desire the
pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted
that the Lord is gracious” (1Peter 2:2–3). Yes, we grown to be able to eat
meat, the pure meat of the word and we do this by study of His word whereby we
will grow in faith, love, and grace. Unless the truth of God, the assimilating
of God’s word into our souls, then and only then will the Holy Spirit have what
is needed to guide you and remind of those truths. The Holy Spirit is willing
for He indwells you and will strengthen your inner man, your very soul, and
will give to you increased vigor in your Christian life.
I have no greater joy than to
Hear that my children
Walk in truth.
3John 4
Pray to God He will hear you
Richard L. Crumb
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