Spurgeon on Worry and Prayer

A farmer stood in his fields and said,

I do not know what will happen to us all.

The wheat will be destroyed if this rain keeps on.

We shall not have any harvest at all unless we have some fine weather.

 

He walked up and down, wringing his hands, fretting and making his whole household uncomfortable.

And he did not produce one single gleam of sunlight by all his worrying—he could not puff any of the clouds away with all his petulant speech, nor could he stop a drop of rain with all his murmurings.

What is the good of it, then, to keep gnawing at your own heart, when you can get nothing by it? . . . .

In the same sermon Spurgeon offers another illustration:

I have often used the illustration (I do not know a better) of taking a telescope, breathing on it with the hot breath of our anxiety, putting it to our eye and then saying that we cannot see anything but clouds!

Of course we cannot, and we never shall while we breathe upon it.

- Charles Spurgeon 

Teach Us To Pray: A Prayer From John Stott

"Heavenly, Father, You have told us through Your Son Jesus Christ that we ought always to pray and not to faint; teach us to pray. Our spirit is willing but our flesh is weak. Give us grace each day to be concerned as much for Your glory as for our need; and in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving to make our requests known to You, until all our lives are gathered up into Your presence and every breath is prayer, through Jesus Christ Your Son, our ransom and mediator."

- John Stott

A Prayer of Amy Carmichael

“Give me the Love that leads the way
The Faith that nothing can dismay
The Hope no disappointments tire
The Passion that'll burn like fire
Let me not sink to be a clod
Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God” 

― Amy Wilson-Carmichael

Kingdom Prayer by Jack Hayford: Part 2

"Your kingdom come … on earth." - (Luke 11:2)

"We cannot leave the matter of kingdom praying without being clear about its pivotal place in the affairs of this world. Jesus’ lesson on prayer, which we call the Lord’s Prayer, not only issues a call to our worship and surrender before God’s throne—to submission. He also issues an incredible directive, an assignment that we accept a decisive role as intercessors. In short, our intervention in prayer, calling “Your kingdom come,” is that action which refuses to surrender this present world to the adversary’s devices and destruction. In World War II, artillery firepower from giant guns situated miles away was directed by advance “spotters.” These military personnel were in a position to see the target, then to radio the position where needed firepower could be directed to destroy the enemy’s encampments.This is the same as Jesus’ assignment that we pray, “Father, Your kingdom come on earth.” It is our Savior’s way of saying, “Just as you have welcomed the Father’s rule in your hearts, now extend that kingdom rule in prayer.” Point to earth’s needy places and invite heaven’s forces to break hell’s strongholds and bring hearts, homes and nations into His freedom."

 - Jack Hayford

Kingdom Prayer by Jack Hayford: Part 1

"Your kingdom come, your will be done." - (Luke 11:2)


C. S Lewis said, “There are only two kinds of people: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done;’ and those to whom God ultimately says, ‘Thy will be done.’ ” How startling it is to weigh the implications of our seeking and surrendering to the rule of God in our hearts. To invite His kingly reign is to receive its forgiving, freeing and enobling purposes for each of our lives. To ignore Him assures our self-rule, and thereby its pitiful, painful, and destructive results. Kingdom praying begins to find its power when we have come to the place of clear priority: “Your kingdom come!” It’s often difficult to come to God’s throne without my own “wish list”—my personal agenda of how I think things ought to be, and whom I think God ought to change to suit my tastes. But true kingdom praying comes to its highest possibility when I bow my lowest in surrender. “Lord, You help me think Your thoughts about the circumstances and the people surrounding me—and let me serve Your purposes in this present world. Your kingdom come here at my small spot on earth—as You will it in heaven. Amen.”   

- Jack Hayford

Jack Hayford on Kingdom Praying

"We are called to transmit through prayer the invitation: "Let Your Kingdom come! Enter into this circumstance, that problem, that soul, that home! Let your will be done in our family, our town, our nation-exactly as You, Father, will it in heaven. Release it in Jesus' name. Shed forth the blessing of His victory-apply what He has 'finished'!"   

Penetrating The Darkness, page 69.

- Jack Hayford

Dallas Willard on Kingdom Praying

“Kingdom praying and its efficacy is entirely a matter of the innermost heart's being totally open and honest before God. It is a matter of what we are saying with our whole being, moving with resolute intent and clarity of mind into the flow of God's action.” 

― Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life In God