Lesson 62: Power for Praying and Working, part 3
To every complaint as to weakness or unfitness, as to difficulties or want of success, Jesus gives this one answer: “He that believes on me shall do greater works, because I go to the Father, and whatsoever you shall ask in my Name, that will I do.” We must understand that the first and chief thing for everyone who would do the work of Jesus is to believe, and so to get linked to Him, the Almighty One, and then to pray the prayer of faith in His Name. Without this our work is but human and carnal; it may have some use in restraining sin, or preparing the way for blessing, but the real power is lacking. Effectual working needs first effectual prayer.
And now the second lesson: He who would pray must work. It is for power to work that prayer has such great promises. It is in working that the power for the effectual prayer of faith will be gained. In these parting words of our blessed Lord we find that He no less than six times (John 14:13, 14; 15:7, 16; 16:23, 24) repeats those unlimited prayer-promises which have so often awakened our anxious questionings as to their real meaning: “whatsoever,” “anything,” “what you will,” “ask and you shall receive.” How many a believer has read these over with joy and hope, and in deep earnestness of soul has sought to plead them for his own need…and he has come out disappointed. The simple reason was this: he had separated the promise from its surrounding. The Lord gave the wonderful promise of the free use of His Name with the Father regarding the doing of His works. It is the disciple who gives himself wholly to live for Jesus’ work and kingdom, for His will and honor, to whom the power will come to appropriate the promise. He that would grasp the promise when he wants something very special for himself will be disappointed because he would make Jesus the servant of his own comfort.
But to him who seeks to pray the effectual prayer of faith, because he needs it for the work of the Master, to him it will be given to learn it, because he has made himself the servant of his Lord’s interests. Prayer not only teaches and strengthens us to work: work teaches and strengthens us to pray.
This is in perfect harmony with what holds good both in the natural and the spiritual world. Whosoever hath, to him shall be given; or, He that is faithful in a little, is faithful also in much. Let us with the small measure of grace already received, give ourselves to the Master for His work: work will be to us a real school of prayer. It was when Moses had to take full charge of a rebellious people that he felt the need, but also the courage, to speak boldly to God and to ask great things of Him (Exodus 33:12, 15, 18). As you give yourself entirely to God for His work, you will feel that nothing less than these great promises are what you need, that nothing less is what you may most confidently expect.
Believer in Jesus! You are called, you are appointed, to do the works of Jesus, and even greater works, because He has gone to the Father to receive the power to do them in and through you. Whatsoever you shall ask in my Name, that will I do. Give yourself, and live, to do the works of Christ and you will learn to pray so as to obtain wonderful answers to prayer. Give yourself, and live, to pray and you will learn to do the works He did, and greater works. With disciples full of faith in Himself, and bold in prayer to ask great things, Christ can conquer the world.
Prayer: Blessed Lord, teach me to pray so that I may prove that Your Name is indeed all-prevailing with God and men and devils. Yes, teach me so to work and so to pray that You can glorify Yourself in me as the Omnipotent One, and do Your great work through me too. Amen.