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“And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing 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.”

1 John 5:14–15

God has given us the right as His children to come into His presence in prayer and ask Him for the things that we need. Yet there are boundaries that God has put in place. James laid some of these out for us quite clearly: “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts” (James 4:3). We have no reason to expect selfish prayers to be answered. Our prayers need to be guided and directed by the will of God. Where do we find His will? It is found in His Word.

John Bunyan wrote that prayer is: “A sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the heart or soul to God, through Christ, in the strength and assistance of the Holy Spirit, for such things as God hath promised, or according to the Word, for the good of the church, with submission, in faith, to the will of God.” When we read in Scripture that something is God’s will or that something is promised to us, we can pray with confidence. The means of God’s direction and revelation to us is not our feelings and emotions, but His written Word.

When we look at the instructions Jesus gave concerning prayer we find, “Thy will be done.” And we see this in Jesus’ own prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. The prayers that we pray must always be subject to the purposes and will of God. When we ask for what we want—and we have the invitation do so as God’s children—we must never insist on having our own way.

“And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.”

Acts 4:29–31

The early church didn’t have a lot of the infrastructure or physical resources that we take for granted. They had no buildings, no buses, and no sound systems. Yet despite what they lacked, they had something that completely revolutionized Jerusalem—and then the world. They had God’s power on their individual witnessing and on their public preaching. When the gospel was preached, something happened. Sometimes the result was revival and sometimes a riot, but either way, God’s Word went forth with power as lives were changed, churches were planted, and the gospel spread.

The key to the power found in the first-century church at Jerusalem is that it was a praying church. The vital importance of prayer is seen in these words of Christ: “Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest” (Luke 10:2). If we were told there was a great harvest but not enough workers, our tendency would be to try to get up earlier and work more to make up the shortfall—but while there is a time and a place for work, it must follow prayer rather than precede it.

Before Jesus returned to Heaven, He told the disciples to go back to Jerusalem and wait. It was while they prayed and tarried in the Upper Room that the power of the Holy Spirit came on them and their very effective ministry began. We will not have powerful churches today unless we have praying churches.

“Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you: And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith. But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.”

2 Thessalonians 3:1–3

Charles Spurgeon said, “Have you diligently done all that you can for your Lord and Master? It was well said, in the prayer-meeting before this service, that there are several thousand members of this church who could not preach, and there were some who did preach of whom the same thing might be said, for it was poor preaching, after all; and our brother said in his prayer, ‘Lord, help us who cannot preach, to pray for the man who does!’ Have you, dear friend, who cannot preach, made a point of praying for the pastor of the church to which you belong? It is a great sin on the part of church-members if they do not daily sustain their pastor by their prayers.”

When the children of Israel were making their way to the Promised Land, they were confronted by the armies of Amalek. While Joshua led the soldiers in battle, Moses stood on the mountain and lifted up the rod that symbolized God’s power. As long as he held it up, Israel was winning, but when he got tired and his arms dropped, Amalek gained the advantage. So Aaron and Hur came beside Moses and held up his arms until the battle was won.

There are many things you can do that will encourage and help your pastor and the work of your church, but there are none more important than prayer. Satan aims special attacks at Christian leaders, and they need a special measure of protection and deliverance. Often the greatest work we do for God is not what is seen, but what is done in secret through prayer.

“And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman’s wife. And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.”

2 Kings 5:2–3

The little Israeli girl who was taken captive to Syria did not leave her faith behind even though she was far from home. Even though she had never seen a leper healed before, she still believed that God had the power to do it, and that if Naaman would visit Elisha, he would be healed. Sometimes after we have been saved for a while, we lose sight of the value of simply trusting in God and believing what He says and then acting on it.

D. L. Moody told the story of a family in desperate straits. The father had been called into the army during the Civil War, and when the landlord came there was no money to pay the rent. Despite the pleas of the desperate mother to keep the home for herself and her daughter, he announced his plan to evict them. Moody said, “The little child went into the next room and began to pray. The door was open, and the mother could hear every word. ‘O God, the landlord will turn us out because we can’t pay, and we will have to sit on the doorstep, and mamma will catch cold. Give us a little home.’ Then she waited, as if for an answer, and then added, ‘Won’t you, please, God?’ She came out of that room quite happy.” Moody said that the Lord touched the heart of the landlord in answer to that simple prayer, and the family stayed in the home rent free until the war was over.

The promises of God regarding prayer are as true today as they were when God first gave them. They are as true today as the first time you heard and believed them! As you pray today, carry with you the faith of a little child to ask your loving Father to meet your needs.

“For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;”

Colossians 1:9–11

There are times when we pray and receive an answer almost immediately. There are other times that receiving the answer requires repeated, persistent, and continued prayer. In those cases we must ask and keep on asking. There are answers to prayer that we do not receive because we stop praying before the answer comes. The answer to Daniel’s prayer for an interpretation of his vision was delayed for twenty-one days because of demonic opposition. Yet throughout that time, Daniel continued to fast and pray, and eventually God’s plan for the future was laid out for him.

While there are times when God’s answer is no, as it was with Paul and his request to have his thorn in the flesh removed, unless the door is firmly closed we should keep asking. Jesus said, “For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened” (Matthew 7:8). All three of these actions words—asketh, seeketh, and findeth—are words that describe continual actions. Prayer is not a one-time event but an ongoing process.

Many people give up in discouragement and stop praying. Sometimes they lose faith in prayer because they did not receive an immediate answer. When you do not receive an answer to prayer right away, remember that God is faithful…and continue asking! He may just be telling you to wait, and the answer to your prayer might be just around the corner.

“Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness.”

Isaiah 59:1–3

In Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s epic poem “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” a ship becomes stranded in the open water when the wind stops blowing. One of those on board, the ancient mariner of the title, killed an albatross which led to the disaster. When the sailor tried to pray for help, he found his crime of killing the innocent bird blocking even his ability to pray. He recounted:

I looked to Heaven, and tried to pray
But or ever a prayer had gusht,
A wicked whisper came, and made
My heart as dry as dust.

Taylor touched on a truth spelled out clearly in Scripture: when we have unconfessed sin our lives, prayer is nothing more than an empty religious ritual. Before we can expect God to work on our behalf, we must deal with the sins that keep Him from responding to our prayers. The notion that we can live any way we want and still expect God to bail us out of whatever goes wrong is not based on Scripture. Samson tried this approach while he was a judge of Israel, but ultimately he found only disaster on the path of sin.

The sins that we may hide from the world are certainly not hidden from God, and they not only hinder our prayers but keep us from enjoying the relationship with our Father that we should. Sin does not take us out of God’s family, but it does take us out of the place of blessing. If there is sin, confession is the only prayer that will be effective.

“And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away! Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”

Matthew 21:20–22

Dr. A. C. Dixon pastored both the Moody Memorial Church in Chicago and Spurgeon’s Metropolitan Tabernacle in London. Speaking on prayer he said, “When we rely upon organization, we get what organization can do, when we rely upon education, we get what education can do; when we reply upon eloquence, we get what eloquence can do; and so on. Nor am I disposed to undervalue any of these things in their proper place. But when we rely upon prayer, we get what God can do.”

The challenges that we face are often great. Sometimes they seem to be insurmountable. When we try to deal with life in our own power and ability, we are not going to succeed. God does not leave us on our own, and He does not expect us to face life without Him. When we pray in faith, great things happen because we are talking to a God who is able to do the impossible.

In the final analysis, the great things that are done for God are not done by great people but by a great God working though normal men and women. Those who seek Him though prayer, fully relying on His resources and power, see His power displayed. This is a doorway to success that many of God’s children never even walk through, simply because they do not pray.

“For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me. And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work is great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from another. In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us.”

Nehemiah 4:18–20

I read a story about one of D. L. Moody’s trips across the Atlantic to preach. During the voyage, a great danger arose as a fire started below decks on the ship. There were not enough members of the crew to make a chain to pass buckets of water below, so they were joined by the passengers to fight the fire. One of those traveling with Moody suggested that they go away from the commotion and pray. Moody replied, “Not so, sir; we stand right here and pass buckets and pray hard all the time.” Moody often said, “Prayer and work are the two hands of one person, and they should never be separated.”

Prayer is vitally important, but it is no substitute for doing what we are able to do. When Nehemiah was leading the people in the work to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, they faced great opposition. The threats were so dire that they carried their weapons with them to the walls while they worked. They prayed often and prayed much, but that did not substitute for their time spent at work. God could have arranged things so that we wake up every morning with all of our work completed and all of our needs met. But He knows that we need the disciplines of work and prayer. So He offers us His help and power while expecting us to do our part.

“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”

Romans 10:1–3

Billy Sunday told a wonderful story that shows the power of prayer for the lost. He said, “An old infidel blacksmith boasted that he could meet any argument that a Christian could make. An old deacon heard this boast and he and his wife spent the night till three o’clock praying for him. That morning the deacon went over to see him. As he entered the shop where the infidel was at work, he said, ‘My wife and I prayed for you until three o’clock this morning.’ Then his eyes filled with tears and he turned away and left the infidel standing there at the forge.

“When the deacon arrived back home he said to his wife: ‘I’ve made an old fool of myself. When I saw him I just broke down and couldn’t talk to him.’ In the meantime the infidel went home. He said to his wife: ‘That old deacon drove in to see me and told me that he and his wife had prayed for us until three o’clock this morning. Then he sobbed and went away. Let’s go over and see him. I’d like to talk to him.’ It was only a few moments until he was on his knees with the old deacon, confessing his sin.”

God has called us to give the gospel to others, but the power that makes our witnessing effective is found in our prayers. We are not prepared to win others to Christ until we have prayed for His power. Praying for the lost is an integral part of our soulwinning efforts.

“And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king’s matter.”

Daniel 2:21–23

When Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that he recognized as being important, he wanted to know what it meant. Although he could not remember the dream, he still insisted on knowing what it meant. The wise men who advised him protested that it was unfair to expect them to interpret a dream without knowing what it was. Yet the king was insistent. In fact, after accusing them of stalling for time and planning to make something up to avoid the difficulty, Nebuchadnezzar threatened to kill all of them unless they could find the answer.

Daniel, as he so often did, went to his knees, asking God for wisdom to answer the impossible challenge he faced. God revealed both the dream and the interpretation to Daniel. Before he went to the king to deliver the message, Daniel stopped and gave thanks. We see this pattern often in Daniel’s life as he stopped to give thanks to God for answered prayers. E. M. Bounds said, “Prayer, praise, and thanksgiving all go in company. A close relationship exists between them. Praise and thanksgiving are so near alike that it is not easy to distinguish between them or define them separately.” The God who hears and answers our prayers deserves our expressions of thanks and gratitude. Every answered prayer is a blessing we do not deserve.

“For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?”

1 Corinthians 14:14–16

Our prayers are not offered in a vacuum. They are meant to be guided and bounded by the Word of God. We are not free to pray outside the revealed will of God for things that are not part of His plan for our lives.

The only way that we can pray as we should is to pray with an understanding of what God has told us in the Bible. That means that we need to be careful students of the Scriptures. Reading, memorizing, and meditating (thinking) on the Bible should be part of our daily lives.

The more time we spend allowing what God says to fill our thoughts and minds, the more in tune with Him our prayers will be. This is the kind of praying that brings results. Because it is in tune with the will of God, this kind of praying receives powerful answers. This is the kind of praying we need in this day.

“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”

Ephesians 6:18–20

When he was on his deathbed, the powerful preacher John Knox, who led the Scottish Reformation, asked his wife to get the Bible and read to him. He said, “Read me that Scripture where I first cast my anchor.” She began reading from the prayer of Jesus in John 17. The old preacher gained new strength and began praying. He asked God to save those who were still lost. He asked for the growth of those who had recently been saved. He asked for the protection of those facing persecution for their faithful witness. While he was praying, Knox died and entered the presence of the One to whom he had just been speaking. It is little wonder that Queen Mary said, “I fear his prayers more than an army of ten thousand men.”

The Christian life must be a life of prayer if it is to have any meaningful and lasting impact on the world. The prayerless Christian will be a powerless Christian. Prayer is not just for those in full time Christian service, but for every believer. It is not just for the young or the troubled. Prayer is intended to be a regular, continual, and consistent practice of the believer. Through prayer we pour out our hearts to God and seek His help. Through prayer we receive the things that we need both physically and spiritually. Through prayer we touch both Heaven and Earth, and accomplish what is impossible without Divine help.

“And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.”

Luke 11:5–8

George Müller said, “The great fault of the children of God is, they do not continue in prayer; they do not go on praying; they do not persevere. If they desire anything for God’s glory, they should pray until they get it. Oh, how good, and kind, and gracious, and condescending is the One with Whom we have to do! He has given me, unworthy as I am, immeasurably above all I had asked or thought!”

Müller’s own life gives great testimony to the power of persistent prayer. For decades, he ran orphanages caring for thousands of children, with all of the financial needs being met through prayer. Before his conversion Müller had been a godless young man; after he was saved he began praying for the salvation of his friends from those days. For more than fifty years Müller prayed specifically for five of them. Four were saved over the years of his prayers (one of these shortly before his death), and the final friend was saved within months of his passing into Heaven. Though the answer was long delayed, Müller never gave up on the power of prayer.

There are cases where God clearly closes a door or changes the desires of our heart. But until and unless that happens, we should continue to pray in faith, even though we have not yet received what we ask God to provide.

“They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”

Psalm 126:5–6

The evangelist L. R. Scarborough told of a revival meeting where many had been converted. One mother became concerned because her two sons showed no evidence of conviction and no interest in salvation. She asked the preacher what the problem was. “Why are not my boys saved? The children of other homes are being converted by the score.” The preacher asked, “Can you stand a little plain talk?” The mother replied, “I can.” The preacher said, “Your boys are dry-eyed and unconcerned because their mother is. Did you ever take either of them aside and teach him and pray with him and for him about his salvation?” The mother admitted that she had not. “Have you spent sleepless nights weeping over their lost condition?” the preacher asked. Again the mother confessed her failure.

Scarborough said that night the mother walked the floor and prayed. She later said, “My boys were on my heart and I could not live unless they are saved.” The next day both boys responded to the message and were born into God’s family. One of them said, “Mother, I heard you when you prayed for us last night. We are saved now in answer to your prayers!”

Knowing all of the verses to present the plan of salvation and having answers ready to common objections to the gospel are wonderful and important. But knowledge is no substitute for a heart that burns with zeal to reach the lost. The eternal destiny of friends, family members, co-workers, and neighbors is an extremely serious matter, and it should be enough to drive us to our knees. If we want to be effective in our witness, we need to begin with prayer for those who will hear.

“And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”

Mark 11:22–24

George Müller once made a commitment to speak in Canada. While crossing the Atlantic Ocean his ship ran into a dense fog bank and had to stop. Another evangelist named Charles Inglis made the same trip a few weeks later and heard the story from the ship’s captain. Müller made his way to the wheelhouse and said, “I have come to tell you that I must be in Quebec on Saturday afternoon. I have never broken an engagement in fifty years.” The captain replied that he could do nothing in light of the bad weather.

“Let us go down to the chart room and pray,” Müller said. As the captain told the story, he said, “I looked at the man of God, and I thought to myself, what lunatic asylum could the man have come from? I never heard of such a thing.” He asked Müller, “Do you know how dense the fog is?”

“No,” Müller replied. “My eye is not on the density of the fog, but on the living God who controls every circumstance of my life.” Müller prayed for the fog to lift in five minutes. The captain asked if he should pray, but Müller said, “I believe God has answered. There is no need to pray.” Within moments the fog was gone, and they were on their way.

Our faith in God’s answers to our prayers should never be dictated by the circumstances we face but by His promises. Be sure that when you pray you are praying with faith in God.

“From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.”

James 4:1–3

D. L. Moody was one of the giants of evangelism. In the age before modern travel and media, he was well-known and traveled across much of the world and preached the gospel to millions of people. He saw God work in great and mighty ways. Needs were miraculously provided and many thousands were saved. Yet later in his life Moody said, “Next to the wonder of seeing my Saviour will be, I think, the wonder that I made so little use of the power of prayer.”

The reality is that a prayer we do not pray will never be answered. There are times when God closes doors or changes our hearts and we do not receive what we originally requested. But those are not tragedies. The tragedy is when we are willing to fight and claw and scratch and do almost anything to get what we want—except pray. The Lord has graciously offered us the privilege of coming into His presence and making our requests directly to him, yet often we simply don’t pray.

So many of God’s children are struggling because of a lack of things that God promises to provide if we pray. Often people struggle with making decisions, despite the fact that God has promised wisdom. Often people go without necessities because they do not faithfully pray for daily bread. The lack that we endure because of our failure to pray not only damages our lives but it also undermines our ability to serve God as effectively as we should.

“Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”

Romans 8:26–27

We often face the challenge when we pray of not knowing exactly what or how to pray. There are times when the need and the answer seem clear, but many times we are left without that sense of direction and certainty. When we pray, we know that we need to ask according to God’s will, but there are times when that is hard for us to discern. In these moments the most important thing to remember is that we still must pray. God knows our limitations and weaknesses, and even when we do not know what is best for us or how to pray, He steps in and in mercy and grace gives us what we need. A halting and uncertain prayer is vastly superior to one that is never offered.

In his lengthy narrative poem on the passing of England’s fabled King Arthur, Morte D’Arthur, Alfred, Lord Tennyson wrote:

More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of:
For what are men better than sheep or goats
If, knowing God, they lift not hands of prayer
Both for themselves and those who call them friend.

If we do not lift our hands in prayer, we are forfeiting not just the help that we receive through prayer, but the help that God gives us to shape and mold our prayers and desires through His Holy Spirit. There are times when the process of praying and listening to God’s voice is far more important than the immediate answer to our prayers.

“Moreover the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah the second time, while he was yet shut up in the court of the prison, saying, Thus saith the LORD the maker thereof, the LORD that formed it, to establish it; the LORD is his name; Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”

Jeremiah 33:1–3

Promises are only as good as the combination of the willingness and the resources of the one who makes the promise, along with their faithfulness to do what they say. If someone with great wealth promised to cover all of our bills, we would not worry about their ability—only their willingness. On the other hand if a person who is living on the street made such a promise, we would doubt their ability, no matter how sincere they were.

The promises that are given to us regarding prayer are backed by unlimited resources. In His words to Jeremiah, God highlights His creation power. The One who formed and established the Earth has the literal ability to do anything that He desires. There is no resource problem. At the same time, because of the faithfulness of God, we can be confident in His willingness to help His children in times of need. He has promised to hear when we cry out to Him.

In light of these two facts, why are many Christians so reluctant to pray? We talk of prayer and read the stories of great men and women of prayer in history. We study prayer and discuss it. Yet far too often we simply do not ask. And as a result, we miss seeing the great and mighty things that God is willing, ready, and able to do for us. What a tragedy! We should be constantly calling out to God and confidently expecting Him to hear and answer us with great things.

“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”

1 Timothy 2:1–4

One of the great missionary heroes of the past was John Hyde. The son of a preacher, Hyde felt the call to the mission field of India. When he went there, he spent so much time in prayer that he became known as Praying Hyde. Often he would pray all night before preaching. If there were few results in an evangelistic campaign, he would recruit others to join him in lengthy prayer meetings because of his burden to reach the lost. One visitor later said, “The victory of the meetings was not won in the pulpit but in the closet.”

Hyde wrote, “When we keep near to Jesus it is He who draws souls to Himself through us, but He must be lifted up in our lives; that is, we must be crucified with Him. It is self in some shape that comes between us and Him, so self must be dealt with as He was dealt with. Self must be crucified. Then indeed Christ is lifted up in our lives, and He cannot fail to attract souls to Himself. All this is the result of a close union and communion, that is fellowship with Him in His sufferings.” When we pray for the salvation of others, we are praying in the will of God. He hears and accepts these prayers, and they have power—power both in and on our lives and power in the lives of those we wish to see saved.

“My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.”

Psalm 62:5–8

I read that a lady once went to Andrew Murray and confessed that she had a difficult time praying. She felt that her heart was not right. Murray responded, “Why then, do you not try this? As you go to your inner chamber, however cold and dark your heart may be, do not try in your own might to force yourself into the right attitude. Bow before Him, and tell Him that He sees in what a sad state you are, and that your only hope is in Him. Trust Him with a childlike trust to have mercy upon you, and wait upon Him. In such a trust you are in a right relationship to Him. You have nothing—He has everything.”

God is not interested in the literary quality of our prayers. He is not looking for eloquence, but heart. Often we think that somehow we must impress God (or others when praying in public) with our words. That is not Bible prayer. The prayers that are recorded in Scripture are filled with emotion, depth of feeling, sorrow, and often pain. Sometimes they are almost complaints about what God is doing or has not done. Yet we do not see these prayers rebuked. Instead we see that when we pour our hearts before God, He hears and in grace answers our prayers and meets our needs. If our prayers acknowledge our utter dependence on Him, we are praying the right kind of prayers.

“As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me. Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice. He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me.”

Psalm 55:16–18

David knew what it was like to be in situations where he urgently needed God’s help. David was not praying for a promotion at work or a parking space or a hangnail—he was facing life and death challenges. Whole armies were searching for him—trying to kill him. Even when he became king he faced enemies, rebellion, and constant threats. In response, David did what he had done from the time he was a young boy. He prayed, crying out to God for help and deliverance. In every situation and circumstance, whether the matter is large or small, we have the promise of God’s help in answer to prayer. Every Christian’s life should be characterized by prayer. It is not empty, rote praying but serious, frequent, and heart-felt prayers that produce results.

In Pilgrim’s Prayer Book, John Bunyan wrote: “Far away from the Bible’s example are most people when they pray! Prayer with earnestness and urgency is genuine prayer in God’s account. Alas, the greatest number of people are not conscious at all of the duty of prayer. And as for those who are, it is to be feared that many of them are very great strangers to sincere, sensible, and affectionate pouring out of their hearts or souls to God. When the emotions are involved in such urgency that the soul will waste itself rather than go without the good desired, there is communion and solace with Christ. And hence it is that the saints have spent their strength, and lost their lives, rather than go without the blessings God intended for them.”

“Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee? Selah. Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction? Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? But unto thee have I cried, O LORD; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee.”

Psalm 88:10–13

There are many things that are important in the Christian life, but prayer is vital. It is essential that our lines of communication with God remain open. Too often we allow the busyness and pressures of life to drive us away from our times of prayer rather than responding to increased demands by increasing our prayers. The psalmist knew the importance of prayer—especially in the morning. It was not by accident that Jesus often went out to pray before sunrise, particularly when He was facing major decisions or challenges. Time spent with God at the beginning of the day has a powerful impact on everything that follows. Nothing should keep us from those prayers.

George Müller was known as a man of great faith who saw God work in a mighty way in his ministry. On the topic of the priority of prayer Müller said, “For more than half a century, I have never known one day when I had not more business than I could get through. For forty years, I have had annually about 30,000 letters, and most of these have passed through my own hands. I have nine assistants always at work corresponding in German, French, English, Danish, Italian, Russian, and other languages. Then, as pastor of a church with 1,200 believers, great has been my care. I have had charge of five orphanages; also at my publishing depot, the printing and circulation of millions of tracts, books, and Bibles. But I have always made it a rule never to begin work till I have had a good season with God.”

“Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?”

Matthew 7:9–11

Our prayers to God do not need to be fancy and eloquent. Charles Spurgeon once said: “There is no need for us to go beating about the bush, and not telling the Lord distinctly what it is that we crave at His hands. Nor will it be seemly for us to make any attempt to use fine language; but let us ask God in the simplest and most direct manner for just the things we want. I believe in business prayers—I mean prayers in which you take to God one of the many promises which He has given us in His Word, and expect it to be fulfilled as certainly as we look for the money to be given us when we go to the bank to cash a check.”

Sometimes I think people pray vaguely because they do not really expect an answer. Then, because they have not prayed for anything definite, they are not disappointed. That is not Bible praying. The men and women of Scripture asked God for exactly what they wanted and needed, and they trusted Him to provide it. When Peter began to sink after taking his eyes off Jesus, he cried out, “Lord, save me” (Matthew 14:30). He knew exactly what his need was, and he prayed for what he needed.

We have confidence in direct and specific prayers not because of our goodness but because of His grace. And as God’s children we should ask Him for exactly what we need in our daily lives.

Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

Matthew 15:25–28

The Jewish people of Jesus’ day were largely contemptuous of those who were from other nations. So when a foreign woman came to ask Jesus for help with her demon possessed daughter, the disciples tried to send her away. They did not want Jesus to waste His time with the foreigner. Yet her need and her faith compelled her to keep asking until she received the answer she needed. This was no casual, passing prayer. It was the intense cry of a burdened heart. The reality is that much of the time our prayers need more intensity.

Martin Luther often talked to friends about spiritual matters at meal times. Once he observed his dog watching those who were eating in hopes of being rewarded with a morsel of food. Luther exclaimed, “Oh, if I could only pray the way this dog watches the meat! All his thoughts are concentrated on the piece of meat. Otherwise he has no thought, wish, or hope.”

Our prayers should be serious and intense, what James called “fervent prayer” (James 5:16). The casual prayer is not a prayer to which we should expect an answer. In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus prayed with such intensity that His sweat fell like large drops of blood. Jacob wrestled with an angel before his meeting with Esau and walked with a limp for the rest of his life. This is the kind of praying we need more of today.

“And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law. Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

Nehemiah 8:9–10

When the Jewish people returned to Jerusalem after their captivity in Babylon, they were in great distress. The walls of the city had been destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar’s army, and they had no protection from their enemies. After Nehemiah went to Jerusalem and led the rebuilding of the walls, their physical situation was improved, but the spiritual problems remained. To address this, Nehemiah and Ezra embarked on a program to instruct them in the Word of God. When the people heard what the Law of God demanded—and what they had been failing to observe—they were heartbroken.

Yet the message of Nehemiah was not one of harshness or condemnation. Instead he told the people to rejoice. The same God who had judged the nation’s sin had brought them back from captivity and offered them an opportunity to begin anew. He then articulated a vital principle—that there is strength in joy. We live in a world filled with sorrow and trouble. Because of sin and the curse, there will always be problems until the Lord returns. Even in the face of this reality, we can have joy, because joy is not a product of our circumstances but a fruit of the Holy Spirit. When our lives are filled with joy, we are not discouraged by trouble, and we present an attractive witness to a lost world.

“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”

Philippians 1:3–6

Adoniram Judson was one of the pioneers of American foreign missions. His task became harder even before it began because his Bible study while he was sailing to the mission field convinced him that obedience to the Bible requires believer’s baptism. When he arrived in Calcutta, he was baptized by a member of William Carey’s missionary team and became a Baptist—cutting off all his financial support. He endured great hardship, sickness, disease and imprisonment. His beloved wife and two of their first three children died on the field. There were few converts at first. After a dozen years of labor, only eighteen believers had been baptized.

Yet despite all that he endured, Judson remained steadfast in the work. Early in his ministry he set a goal of translating the Bible into the Burmese language, and he hoped for one hundred converts. Not only did Judson translate the Bible (a translation still widely used today), but he compiled a Burmese-English dictionary that remained in use for decades. When Judson died, instead of one hundred converts, there were one hundred churches with thousands of converts. Of his years of toil and suffering, he wrote, “If I had not felt certain that every trial was ordered by infinite love and mercy, I could not have survived my accumulated sufferings.”

Serving God does not guarantee that things will always go right. But His faithful presence and blessing offer hope even in the most difficult circumstances. The inward work of the Holy Spirit offers us joy regardless of what is going on around us. And that joy sustains us when the days are dark and encourages us to remain faithful to the end.

“Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.”

Philippians 3:1–3

There are many people facing struggles and trials in life today, but few of us would want to compare our suffering with the Apostle Paul. He was beaten, stoned, whipped, jailed, shipwrecked, and chased out of more than one town. When he wrote his letter to the church at Philippi he was in a Roman prison. A few years later, he would die as a martyr at the hands of an abusive government. Yet throughout this epistle, Paul talks about the importance of rejoicing. Humanly speaking we would think that would have been the furthest thing from his mind. Yet he was focused on God rather than his surroundings, and so Paul rejoiced.

Charles Spurgeon said, “When the heart is full of joy, it always allows its joy to escape. It is like the fountain in the marketplace; whenever it is full it runs away in streams, and so soon as it ceases to overflow, you may be quite sure that it has ceased to be full. The only full heart is the overflowing heart.” Joy is not something that stays on the inside. When it is present, it spills out.

The problem for people who have no joy is that they are cut off from the source. Just as a fountain will quickly dry up if no water comes in but only flows out, our lives will have no joy unless we are walking in a close relationship with God and in the fullness of His Holy Spirit. He renews our strength and replaces our joy with His joy which never fails.

“And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him. Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee. And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.”

Mark 5:18–20

A missionary to India told about a wealthy high caste man who made the decision to accept the gospel and be baptized. As a result he lost everything—his wife, his children, and all of his possessions. That was the expected response to anyone who became a Christian. When the man was asked how he could stand the sorrows of what he had lost. He replied, “I am often asked that, but I am never asked how I bear my joys, for I have joys within with which a stranger intermeddles not. The Lord Jesus sought me and found me, a poor strayed sheep in the jungles, and He brought me to His fold and He will never leave me.”

The greatest source of joy that we will ever find is the grace of God that was extended to us to save us from an eternity in Hell and prepare us for eternity in Heaven. Nothing that happens will ever have a greater effect on our life in this world or the next. Nothing that happens will ever take away that salvation from us. When that is the source of our joy, our joy can never be lost. There are trials and tribulations in the Christian life, but they pale in comparison to the good things that we receive as a result of God’s gift of eternal life. We must never lose sight of salvation.

“Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:”

1 Peter 1:6–8

When Nebuchadnezzar raised his giant idol and commanded everyone in Babylon to bow down to it, there were three Hebrew young men, brought as captives from Israel, who refused to go along with the crowd. Even when they were offered a second chance to reconsider, they remained loyal to the God of Israel. As a result, they were thrown into a furnace heated far beyond its normal limits—so hot that the soldiers who threw them in were killed by the heat. Despite the intensity of the fire, no harm came to the three faithful servants of God, and they received an unexpected benefit.

As Nebuchadnezzar watched, he was astonished because not only were his prisoners not killed, they had been joined by Someone else: “He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God” (Daniel 3:25).

We will never endure a trial alone. We may go through great difficulty and hardship, but God will always be there with us in the middle of the fire. The only way that trials can defeat us is if we allow them to do so. The same Christ who endured the penalty of our sin on the cross, going through a more severe trial than anything we will ever face, is always with us.

“And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.”

Luke 10:17–20

There are a lot of people around us who are unhappy. There is a good reason why mood-altering drugs remain best sellers year after year. There is a reason so many people turn to alcohol, immorality, or illegal drugs to try to cope with their lives. Things go wrong. We live in a fallen world that is suffering the effects of sin and the curse. Yet in the face of very real problems and struggles, we who are children of God have many reasons to rejoice.

The greatest of all reasons for joy is that our eternal destiny is settled. Even if everything else is taken away, that is something we cannot lose. We see this truth illustrated in the life of Job. He had all the trappings of worldly success, yet in a single day all of his wealth and possessions along with his children were taken away. Job did not know that God had allowed Satan to take his goods and destroy his health. All he knew was that God would never fail him. Job said, “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God” (Job 19:25–26). The hope of Heaven is a source of joy that Christians always have.

“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.”

Isaiah 61:1–3

Dr. Lee Roberson experienced one of the worst pains that humans can know—the death of his baby daughter. The broken-hearted pastor and his wife did not understand the purposes of God in their loss, but they knew that He was always faithful. Out of that tragedy, a great camp for children was born where for decades thousands of children attended free of charge and heard the gospel. Rather than being defeated and giving up on God, Dr. Roberson found a way to turn sadness into joy and help others through his pain.

Dr. Roberson said, “The Lord never fails. We do, but He cannot. The world fails, but He cannot. By faith you keep going forward. Keep trusting Him. By faith attempt great things for God. When we lost our baby Joy, God led me to start Camp Joy for children. God supplied the property and the money. Rejoice in your darkest hour. The world may think you crazy, foolish; but keep trusting God, keep building your faith on the Word of God. Rest in that Book. Do what He says do. He will help you, lead you in the same way He led Moses, Elijah, Jeremiah, David, Peter, James and John, and the Apostle Paul.”

Are you going through a time of sorrow right now? Remember God’s promise: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning” (Psalm 30:5).

“Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.”

Matthew 5:10–12

The natural tendency is to equate things going well with God’s blessing. The world’s measure of success often become ours, and as a result we think things are fine when they are not, or we think things are bad when they are really fine. We cannot tell whether our lives are pleasing to God by how easy they are. Facing trouble, opposition, and even persecution does not mean that we are failing to do what we should. Those who give up in the face of difficult circumstances miss the great blessings that come to those who are faithful even during hard times.

Jesus told His disciples to measure by a different standard. Opposition, persecution, and suffering should cause us to rejoice rather than to complain. Through the centuries, the people of God—the men and women of faith who stood for what was right even if it meant they had to stand alone—have been willing to suffer and even die for their faith. They were not shamed or silenced because their witness to the truth provoked opposition.

The world does not know how to treat suffering as a cause for joy. In the temporal setting, it is a cause for grief and avoidance. But when we take a longer view—when we consider the eternal impact of our lives—we can view suffering in a different light. It will never be fun or enjoyable to be falsely accused or persecuted, but we can stand firm and maintain our joy in light of the blessings that will follow.

“Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.”

2 Corinthians 8:1–4

The church at Ephesus was one of the strongest and most fruitful of all the churches Paul established. He spent a great deal of time with them and did his best to instruct them in all that God wanted them to know. On his way back to Jerusalem for the final time, Paul met with the leaders of this great church for a last time of instruction. During that meeting Paul said, “I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

The things that we have are not really ours. We hold them as stewards—it all belongs to God. Yet too often we become so attached to our money and possessions that they become more important to us than they should be. Instead of focusing on the eternal, we become obsessed with the temporal. There are many problems with this approach, but often overlooked is that when we are materialistic and unwilling to give, we lose out on the joy that can only be found in using our resources to help others. There is great joy in knowing that we are being part of God’s work and helping to meet the needs of others.

“Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”

Psalm 100:1–5

All around us there are people looking for joy. Many of them do not really know what they are looking for or where they could actually find it. The reality is that joy is primarily not a destination—instead it is a by-product of a life that is lived in the presence of God. Each believer has the indwelling Holy Spirit from the moment of salvation. And it is only when we are walking in the Spirit that we have the reality of God’s presence, the source of our joy. David put it this way: “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Psalm 16:11).

Andrew Murray wrote, “In trial and weakness and trouble, He seeks to bring us low, until we learn that His grace is all, and to take pleasure in the very thing that brings us and keeps us low. His strength is made perfect in our weakness. His presence filling and satisfying our emptiness, becomes the secret of humility that need never fail.” There is nothing that can substitute for the presence of God being an active reality in our lives. The various alternatives that the world offers are only empty, temporary fixes. Instead of chasing the latest fad or trend, we need to seek God’s face as our source of joy.

“I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.”

Isaiah 61:10–11

Everything that we have in this life is temporal and fleeting. No matter how careful we are to exercise and eat right, our health can be lost in a moment. Even if we are wise with our finances, an unexpected reversal beyond our control can wipe out everything we have gained. Friends can move, or relationships can be broken. Family relationships can be strained, and those we love may go to Heaven before us. If we are seeking our source of joy in any of these things we are doomed to disappointment.

We serve a God, however, who never fails and never changes. James wrote, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (James 1:17). If the focus of our lives is on Him—the grace and goodness that He has freely given to us and the wonderful promises that are ours to claim—we will find a source of joy that will never be lost. The knowledge of God’s unchanging love has sustained His children through the ages even during the most difficult circumstances. Even in prison after a beating, Paul and Silas were singing and praising God. They were filled with joy, because He was the source of that joy.

“And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.”

Luke 15:5–7

Though there were many reasons that Jesus came to the world, the central focus of His ministry was “to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). This mission was the core of the final instruction that He left to His followers. All four of the Gospels end with a version of what we call the Great Commission—the commandment to go throughout the world with the Good News. Sometimes this vital instruction is viewed as an obligation, but in truth if we think about soulwinning the way God does, we see it as a privilege and a joy.

Charles Spurgeon said, “I think beloved, it will not be hard for you to learn. The angels of Heaven rejoice over sinners that repent: saints of God, will not you and I do the same? I do not think the church rejoices enough. We all grumble enough and groan enough: but very few of us rejoice enough. When we take a large number into the church it is spoken of as a great mercy; but is the greatness of that mercy appreciated?”

I love the spirit of the Lancaster Baptist Church. It is a happy, joyous place. A large part of the reason for that is that this is a place where people are winning souls. A church filled with new and growing believers will be a joyous place because there is great joy that comes when the lost are saved—not just in Heaven, but also here on Earth.

“And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded them that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.”

Acts 5:40–42

Despite all of the persecution and opposition that they faced, the early church was characterized by being joyful. They had joy despite their circumstances because they were focused on Jesus. When they were beaten, they still had joy, because they saw it as evidence that they were viewed as worthy by the One who had given His life on the cross. Joy flows from our knowledge of God and a focus on His nature and character.

A. W. Tozer wrote, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us. The history of mankind will probably show that no people has ever risen above its religion, and man’s spiritual history will positively demonstrate that no religion has ever been greater than its idea of God. Worship is pure or base as the worshiper entertains high or low thoughts of God. For this reason the gravest question before the Church is always God Himself, and the most portentous fact about any man is not what he at a given time may say or do, but what he in his deep heart conceives God to be like.”

The source of our joy is not the good things we enjoy or the pleasant circumstances we experience, but instead the God “who giveth us richly all things to enjoy” (1 Timothy 6:17). Being saved does not make Him the center of our thoughts and actions—that is a responsibility we must fulfill as His children.

“Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him: On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him: But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.”

Job 23:8–10

Later in her life, the gifted hymn writer Margaret Clarkson recalled that according to her mother, Margaret’s first complete sentence (as a three year old child) was, “My head hurts.” She suffered from numerous physical ailments that plagued her all of her life. Her parents were divorced when she was a teenager. She struggled with poverty and trying to make a living. Yet despite all of that, she remained faithful to God, and was used in His work, encouraging many through hymns that are still sung today.

Margaret Clarkson wrote: “The sovereignty of God is the one impregnable rock to which the suffering human heart must cling. The circumstances surrounding our lives are no accident: they may be the work of evil, but that evil is held firmly within the mighty hand of our sovereign God… All evil is subject to Him, and evil cannot touch His children unless He permits it. God is the Lord of human history and of the personal history of every member of His redeemed family.”

The dark days that come—and they come to everyone—do not have to steal our joy. Rather than focusing on what is lost or what we don’t have, we should look to God in faith. Even when we do not understand His purposes, we can trust His love and His goodness. Nothing that happens to us takes Him by surprise. When we realize this vital truth, and look forward to the completion of His work in our lives, we have a source of hope and joy, even when things are going wrong.

“For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

Philippians 1:19–21

Many people live in fear of the future. They worry about what is going to happen, how they will pay the bills, if they will get sick, or if their family will be okay. While we should be wise in our planning and acknowledge and prepare for things that could happen, we should regard the future with faith rather than fear. Paul was in prison in Rome when he wrote to the church at Philippi. He knew that any moment Nero could order his execution and there would be no appeal.

Yet despite that unpleasant reality, Paul was joyful as he faced the future. He realized the important truth that God is always in control. Through the prayers of God’s people—it is worth noting that Paul’s prison epistles feature frequent requests for prayers on his behalf—he was hopeful that he would be released to continue his ministry, and confident of his future in Heaven if he was martyred instead.

The expression Paul uses “my earnest expectation” reveals so much about his attitude. The Greek word describes someone stretching out his head to get a good look—like someone at the airport looking down the corridor to catch a glimpse of a passenger who is arriving. There is no fear or dread in Paul’s heart. He doesn’t know what is going to happen, but he knows that God is in control and that what happens will be what God knows is best.

“That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”

1 John 1:3–5

During a long and distinguished career of service to his country, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. gained a reputation as one of the great legal scholars of history. After serving in the Civil War, he began an academic and legal career that saw him spend thirty years on the Supreme Court. His opinions were filled with well-crafted phrases that are still referenced today. At one point Holmes is said to have remarked: “I might have entered the ministry if certain clergymen I knew had not looked and acted so much like undertakers.”

A miserable, depressed, defeated and joyless Christian does not provide a good advertisement for his faith. God has not planned for us to be miserable, but to be joyful. The fact that joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit means that we are not responsible to produce it—instead we are to yield to His control and allow Him to produce joy in our lives. During his pioneering missionary work in Burma, Adoniram Judson was called “Mr. Glory Face” by the people to whom he ministered. What was on the inside showed up on the outside.

God wants us to be witnesses of His love and grace to a lost and dying world. If we appear to have no better hope than those around us, they are unlikely to listen to the message we want to share with them. The joy of the Lord shown in our lives will make our witness much more powerful.

“O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil. Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children. And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.”

Psalm 90:14–17

The early mission work in China faced many obstacles. Westerners like Hudson Taylor were viewed with extreme suspicion, and their message of the gospel was often rejected without being heard. According to one of the missionaries, a man who lived in the town where their work was located violently objected to their presence and refused to come to any of the services. Yet after some time had passed, he came to the missionary and said, “I want to hear about your religion. I never have heard the words of it, but I have heard the laughter in your house and in the houses of my countrymen who have embraced your faith. And if you have anything that makes people so joyous, I want it.”

Of all people, we as Christians have a reason to rejoice regardless of the circumstances of our lives. We have God’s unfailing mercy and grace freely given to us, and blessings abundantly far beyond what we deserve. We have the hope provided by the promise of eternal life. We have God even if we have nothing else. There is always a reason to rejoice. All around us people are hurting. The lost world has no real substitute for joy. They may find temporary diversions and pleasures, but there is no joy apart from God. When they see that joy in our lives, doors will open for us to give them the gospel.

“Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.”

Romans 5:9–11

Franz Joseph Haydn was a giant of the music world. He is sometimes called the “Father of the Symphony.” In addition to being a gifted composer, he was a friend of Mozart and one of Beethoven’s teachers. His influence was vast, and today he is primarily remembered for his classical compositions. Yet Haydn also wrote a great volume of church music. In contrast to much of the style of his day, Haydn’s work had a notably cheerful tone. Asked about the difference he replied: “I cannot make it otherwise; I write according to the thoughts I feel. When I think upon God my heart is so full of joy that the notes dance and leap, as it were, from my pen; and since God has given me a cheerful heart, it will be pardoned me that I serve Him with a cheerful spirit.”

One of the great needs of our day is a renewed appreciation for the amazing blessings God has given to each of us. It is easy for us to focus on what others have and discount our blessings. We live in a culture of discontent and too often take the physical, spiritual, and material blessings that we have for granted. If we take the time to stop and reflect on the bountiful goodness of God given to us completely because of His grace rather than because we deserve it, we would not find it so difficult to find joy in our hearts.

“And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship. For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.”

Acts 27:22–25

Charles Alexander, a student at Moody Bible Institute in the early days, described an interaction with the great evangelist and founder of the institute, D. L. Moody: “I had been studying that sentence in the New Testament where it says that every idle word shall be accounted for. I had usually been of a lively disposition, trying to cheer the fellow who was downhearted, but when I began to study that verse I thought I was wrong. I [began] trying to get my face so that no smile would ever come upon it. In one of his sane morning talks, Mr. Moody spoke about that verse. Looking up with such a bright, happy look, he said, `Do not think that the teaching of this verse means that you shall go around with a long face, and never have a happy word for anyone. A cheerful word is not an idle one.’”

God’s design is for us to encourage and strengthen each other with our words. It is easy to find bad news and discouragement. But some days all we need is a kind and joyful word from someone else. Solomon wrote, “A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!” (Proverbs 15:23). If you set out to be a person who shares joyful words with others, you will be contributing greatly to the work of the Lord.

“Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

Hebrews 10:23–25

Attitudes are contagious. A griping, complaining, critical person is likely to soon be surrounded by others who share his sour outlook. On the other hand, a joyful, happy, encouraging person is going to be a positive influence on those they meet. While there are many reasons Christian fellowship is important, one of the greatest is the impact that we have on each other. The world is filled with discouraging voices. When we come together as a church or as a group of believers in fellowship, we have the opportunity to share our joy and increase our strength. This aspect of joy is vital—it is not just internal, but joy produces great external results as well.

One lady recounted a story from many years ago that illustrates this truth. She wrote: “I remember a day when I had an errand downtown. I caught a streetcar, which was pretty well filled. The seats were the long ones, so we all faced one another, as well as the weather. It was a damp, dismal day and I imagined everyone was going to work, but no one seemed happy about it. Then the miracle—a woman got on the car with a baby about a year old. A little blond baby all smiles and bounce and full of giggles, and do you know that baby put on a show! She clapped her hands with pattycake, laughed and bounced up and down and with that bit of sunshine no one could feel dismal. Soon everyone was laughing and joining the baby in happiness.”

“I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord. And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life. Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.”

Philippians 4:2–4

A divided church is not going to be a powerful church. Unity was one of the most prominent characteristics of the church in Jerusalem. The Bible tells us that on the Day of Pentecost, “They were all with one accord in one place” (Acts 2:1). Yet because churches are filled with people, there are frequently issues that must be addressed. The best solution to bring about unity is not for us to focus on each other, but instead to focus on God. Just as pianos are not tuned to each other but instead to a tuning fork, His joy provides a common thread that will knit disparate hearts together and bring unity.

In his sermon “The Duty of Joy” Charles Spurgeon said, “There is a marvelous medicinal power in joy. Most medicines are distasteful; but this, which is the best of all medicines, is sweet to the taste, and comforting to the heart. We noticed, in our reading, that there had been a little tiff between two sisters in the church at Philippi; as a cure for disagreements, the apostle says, ‘Rejoice in the Lord alway.’ People who are very happy, especially those who are very happy in the Lord, are not apt either to give offence or to take offence. Their minds are so sweetly occupied with higher things, that they are not easily distracted by the little troubles which naturally arise among such imperfect creatures as we are. Joy in the Lord, then, drives away the discords of earth.”

“And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.”

Revelation 21:3–5

T. DeWitt Talmage said, “O Heaven! When my last wound is healed, when the last heart-break is ended, when the last tear of earthly sorrow is wiped away, and when the redeemed of the Lord shall come to Zion, then let all the harpers take down their harps, and all the trumpeters take down their trumpets, and all across Heaven there be chorus of morning stars, chorus of white-robed victors, chorus of martyrs from under the throne, chorus of ages, chorus of worlds, and there be but one song sung, and but one name spoken, and but one throne honored—that of Jesus only.”

We live in a world that has been cursed by the presence of sin. As a result, sorrow and pain are a constant part of our existence. But those of us who know the Lord as Saviour have a wonderful promise for our future—that one day all of that will be taken away and replaced with an eternal joy. There are many wonderful things about Heaven, but one of the most exciting things is the thought that death, sorrow, and tears will be banished forever. Instead we will know unending joy.

“And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”

Acts 1:9–11

Dr. R. G. Lee said that when he was a boy he asked his mother what the happiest day of her life had been. After a moment she said, “When I was a little girl, about the age you are now, we got word that my father who was off fighting in the Civil War had been killed. There was so much sadness in our home. Finally the war ended. Life was very hard and we were poor. One day Mother and I were sitting on the porch shelling beans. As we worked we saw a man walking across the fields. Mother said, ‘That man walks like your father, but he is dead.’ He got closer, and she threw the beans in the air and ran across the field to meet him. He had been badly injured and lost an arm, but he was still alive. That was the happiest day of my life.”

One day we are going to see Jesus. It may be that we will reach the end of our lives and go to Heaven, or it may be that the Rapture will happen and we will enter His presence. But that moment is certain because He has promised it. Jesus said, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:3).

“They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”

John 8:33–36

In 1833 the British government passed the Slavery Abolition Act which phased out slavery in the British Empire over the next several years. In 1838 thousands of slaves in Jamaica gathered for a wonderful celebration. A massive coffin was built, and into it were placed whips, chains, slave garments, and other symbols of the awful ownership of fellow humans. At the stroke of midnight, the lid was screwed on the coffin and it was buried, showing that slavery was dead and freedom had come. The bells rang out across the island and the former slaves rejoiced in their freedom. The power that had kept them from freedom had been overcome by another power.

The Bible uses slavery often as a picture of sin and its effect on our lives. When we were lost, we did not have the freedom to choose whether to quit sinning or not—we were dead and bound by our sins. Paul told Timothy to reach out to those enslaved by sin. He wrote, “And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will” (2 Timothy 2:26). Yet despite the fact that we have been given our release from the bondage of sin through the grace of God and the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, many believers still do not live in freedom. The devil does not give up just because we are saved. If we allow ourselves to be bound by sin, we forfeit the joy of freedom in Christ.

“And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;”

Ephesians 5:18–20

Wilbur Nelson wrote this about one of the best-known and most effective politicians in early America and how he interacted with his constituents: “When Daniel Webster wanted to give a person the impression that he remembered him, but could not recall his name or where they had met before, he would ask, ‘Well, how is the old complaint?’ And nine times out of ten this worked. The person would begin to unfold some grievance that he had discussed with Mr. Webster on a former occasion, and thereby identify himself.”

The reality is that there are always things about which we could complain. None of us have perfect lives. All of us deal with disappointment, failure, and pain. Yet we have a choice. Problems do not require that we spend our lives complaining and bemoaning our circumstances. Our mouths can be filled with praise and joy and words that bring glory to God no matter what is going on around us. On the day when he lost all of his possessions, Job said, “The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21).

When we are walking in the Spirit, one of the evidences will be seen in what comes out of our mouths. Do we sing with joy and give thanks, or do we murmur and complain? Do we appreciate what we have or do we constantly gripe about what is lacking? It is impossible for a grateful heart and a complaining mouth to coexist. Our words should show appreciation for what God has given us.

“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.”

Psalm 51:10–13

Dr. G. Campbell Morgan told of a little boy who went to his mother and asked: “Mother, what does God mean when He says He will blot out my sins? What is He going to do with them? I can’t see how God can really blot them out and put them away. What does it mean—blot out?”

The mother said to the boy, “Didn’t I see, you yesterday writing on your slate?”

“Yes,” he said.

“Well, show it to me.” He brought his slate to his mother, who, holding it out in front of him, said, “Where is what you wrote?”

“Oh,” he said, “I rubbed it out.”

“Well, where is it?”

“Why, mother, I don’t know.”

“But how could you put it away if it was really there?”

“Oh, mother, I don’t know. I know it was there, and it is gone.”

“Well,” she said, “that is what God meant when He said, ‘I will blot out thy transgressions.’”

Part of the great gift of salvation is not only that our sins have been forgiven, but that God never holds them against us again. Once we have confessed and forsaken our sins, God welcomes us back into full fellowship with Him, and He restores the joy that we forfeit when we sin. Satan always tries to obscure what we lose when he tempts us to sin. But God is faithful to forgive, and while there may be lasting consequences for what we have done, He never holds our sin against us again when we seek forgiveness.