Calling All Saints!
By W. C. Moore
"Thus saith the Lord . . . Ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein ..." (Jer. 6:16).
The old paths that the saints have walked in down through the ages, holy paths – paths of simple, childlike trust in God, paths of humility, paths of faithfulness unto the Lord.
The old paths of holy violence (Matt. 11:12), where men cried out to God with such desperate faith and utter determination that God must answer! "I will not let Thee go, except Thou bless me," cries Jacob (Gen. 32:26) – and not only does he get blessed, and get full deliverance from his offended brother, Esau, but Jacob’s very name was changed to Israel, a prince who prevailed with God and with men (Gen. 32:27-28).
The old paths that Daniel followed, when he set his face unto the Lord God, "to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: and I prayed unto the Lord my God, and made my confession...We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly" (Dan. 9:1-5).
And while Daniel was speaking, and praying, and confessing his own sin and the sin of his people, Israel – Gabriel was swiftly dispatched to his aid (Dan. 9:20-27).
The old paths of fervent prayer that Hannah followed, when she prayed and prayed that God would give her a man child; and finally she got to the place of unselfishness – and promised God that if He would grant her request, she would give the boy "unto the Lord all the days of his life" – and then God answered and gave her not only a man child, but a prophet – Samuel! (1 Sam. 1:5-28).
"The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much" (Jas. 5:16).
Since the effectual fervent prayer of even one righteous person availeth MUCH, according to God’s own Word, and "the Scripture cannot be broken," (John 10:35) – then MUCH remains undone if even one righteous person fails to pray effectually, fervently!
Pray Clear Through!
It is one thing to have pious wishes, to have high ideals, to "want" God to do things. It is quite another thing to pitch into the prayer battle with all our might, with all our resources – and pray clear through!
When we know that a thing is in God’s will, sometimes we have to throw the "want" out the window – as "want" is too mild a word – and then PRESS our petition through the opposing forces of wickedness (Eph. 6:10-20).
Pray "more earnestly," as did our Lord (Luke 22:44), go "a little farther," as He did (Matt. 26:39), and fall on our face, and seek Him "till He come and rain righteousness" upon us! (Hos. 10:12).
When we know positively, from the Scriptures, and from the clear witness of the Holy Spirit to our own heart – that a thing is the will of God – then it is not presumption to press our petition clear through.
It is unbelief or downright laziness that prevents us from coming boldly unto the Throne of Grace (Heb. 4:16), and getting what God has provided for us at the tremendous cost of the Blood of His only begotten Son, and what He wants us to have! (Matt. 11:12; Luke 11:1-13; Luke 18:1-8).
God’s Word says "Come boldly!" Are you going to listen to God, or are you "open for suggestions" from some hypocrite by your side who feels you are "going too far"? (Heb. 4:16).
"God is no respecter of persons" (Acts 10:34). So when you find what God has done for someone else – either in the Bible record or out of it – that is a direct challenge to you to meet God’s conditions and get what He has, in His love and wisdom, provided for you!
The powers of the devil may withstand your prayers for a while, as they did Daniel’s (Dan. 10:12-13; Eph. 6:12). But there is such a thing as getting into a frame of mind in prayer where you simply will not be denied, but will hold right on in faith, with importunity (Luke 11:8), until God either answers manifestly or gives you such a clear assurance that your prayer is heard that you begin to praise God in advance for the answer!
God answers prayer! Brother, Sister, PRAY THROUGH!