Torch, Fall 1996

expect conflict to break out at any given moment. When a baby kicks in a mother's womb, the discomfort at least reveals that the baby is actually there and alive. Similarly, I rejoice in the proof of life revealed by the kicking going on between these two competitors within me! So what else do you do? I realize my weakness. It's actually healthy for me to admit to myself and before the Lord that I cannot do this on my own. I don't even want to! Perhaps it's at that point that my praying really begins as I voice these words to the Lord. "Lord, I don't even feel like praying today. I'm not willing to invest the time and energy that it takes to pray. But I'm willing to be made willing. I'm asking you to motivate me and to energize me right now; I'm too weak to do this on my own. Enable me from So it is through weakness that we find our Strength. Our weakness must drive us to the Source living within. "O Holy Spirit, enable me, motivate me. I need You right now to cause me to do what I know I should be doing anyway. Help me to pray." Remember, He actually lives within us and we are told to depend consciously upon Him. We can carry on a dialogue with Him and discover Him to be a deep source of inner strength. By no means will we fulfill the lusts of the flesh while we are being energized by this wonderful Person. OK, where d you go there? I reme er the other of he spiritual life ha -God's part ~..,. ...,.,,..,-human deep within by your Spirit, so that em~:~r0d•.s wer wit n I may end up doing what I ought me; that' s 'vine half of the to do. Help!" equation. Once that takes place, I In and of itself, weakness is have the- energy to activate my not a sin; it's a part of being part in the proce~ . I now can human. To admit our weakness discipl'ne myself to do what I and to call out to God for strength need t do. Prayer demands is simply being realistic. If I both-dependence and discipline. refuse to admit my weakness or Dependence enables and insist on battling against it on my ennobles the discipline; discipline own, I fail to catch the impact of activates the dependence. what Paul said about walking in What discipline do you have the Spirit. His words are .-. irrmind? Something as basic as me. To walk in the Spirit n rganized prayer list in which to depend conscious Ou pp__y for friends in a Holy Spirit. Just as welle;De.1110 s~matic and regular way. A our feet and legs to & ll!lfJi'(!a · will help us expand along successfully i -....... ,.,." ,._· ~·~.llJtlUJatlzons, extending our we believers are to epend far beyond our own little Him to move us ahead in our wor . Missionaries, schools, walk with the Lord. We cast t pastors, friends, family, the weight of our torso on our feet unsaved are all legitimate entities and legs and discover they do a to include in our regular praying. good job of causing us to Discipline also includes progress; in the same way we working our way through regular must cast the weight of our formats without allowing them to spiritual struggle onto the Spirit become merely routine. A-C-T-S and we discover the same thing exemplifies such a format. happens. Progress. Victory in the Adoration, Confession, battle! Thanksgiving, and Supplication will not become hackn~ed expressions when eqipoiered by the freshness of the Spirit. I have also disc ered that prayer experience. is, to part of the human sid of it. is a healthy thing to lay aside the prayer list and the normal format occasionally and to devote an entire session to praise or thanksgiving or to petition about a difficult matter. Some find that writing out their prayers is ersonally meaningful and even uge for measuring ived. The disciplines ffectiveness for us as g are energized by the pint in using them. SO what does it take to xperience a victorious prayer · e? Rej.o ' · m our weakness, re · g on the indwelling Spirit for e lement, and realizing the place ana need for personal discipline. Praying that flows out of these understandings will be both vital and answerable. You will enjoy praying without ceasing! .zJ David Warren, professor of Bible at Cedarville, holds degrees from Cedarville College and Dallas Theological Seminary. He did postgraduate study at the Institute of Holy Land Studies in Jerusalem and has served as a pastor and in several interim pastorates. An author of Sunday school material for Regular Baptist Press, Professor Warren is a popular speaker for church conferences, camps, pastors fellowships, and conferences for missionaries on the field. He serves as director of pastoral internships for Bible majors. Torch 7