Prayer and the Word of God
Arthur B. Pollock
Table of Contents
Prayer and the Word of God
Prayer and the Word of God are frequently mentioned together in the gospels and epistles. Their importance cannot be too forcibly impressed upon the saints. The writer does not doubt that very many are far more diligent in this respect than himself, but he is encouraged to make the following remarks, being assured that those who are the most earnest in prayer, and the study of the Word, will be the foremost to approve of, and have communion with anything that may tend to remind the saints of the importance and more diligent observance of these things.
They are, as remarked above, often mentioned together in the Scriptures. When the Word of God joins together things in themselves distinct, the one from the other, it is not only important to notice the things themselves, but also to notice the connection in which they are found. Thus it is with faith and love; the former to the Lord, the latter to the saints.
In like manner as faith and love are joined together, so also prayer and the Word of God are joined together. From among the passages where prayer and the Word thus occur, I quote the three following — Acts 6:4; Luke 10:38-42 with Luke 11:1-13; and Ephesians 6:17-18.
The first occurs at a memorable epoch in the history of the assembly of God here upon earth. Acts 6 makes mention of the first failure collectively of the saints. Individual sin had occurred in the case of Ananias and Sapphira, but now the change from the freshness and devotedness of chapters 2 and 4 begins to mark the saints in their collective character. How sad this scene! The blessed Lord had suffered, had been crucified, had risen from among the dead, and ascended on high; thence He had shed forth the Holy Ghost, the power that wrought in His disciples, so as to make them vessels of testimony in Jerusalem, both for the conversion of thousands and also for bringing home to the consciences of rulers and people that there was a power in these witnesses which was superior to all the power that was of the world; the apostles were faithful, the blessing was abundant, the proof that the Lord was working with them was manifested to the least as well as to the most spiritual (Acts 4:31), and yet, with all this grace and privilege before their eyes, there was a murmur among some as regarded the manner of distributing the food. Even in early days how soon thoughts similar to those which influence man in his natural state entered into and had power over the minds of those who were the first fruits of the grace of God and the work of Christ! The attack of the enemy, as is always the case, was directed against those who were foremost in the battle, for from Acts 6:2 it is clear, that the apostles themselves might have been taken from their hitherto glorious testimony to Christ in heaven, in order to bestow their time and labor upon that which might serve to lessen the murmurings of saints on earth. Wisdom was given to the apostles to meet the danger and to still the murmurings, “Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them and said, it is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables,” (Acts 6:2), and again, “But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word,” (Acts 6:4). If in these early days prayer and the ministry of the word was needed for the work, how needful in these days that the saints should continue steadfastly in both prayer and the reading of the Word!
Although occupied in the daily business engagements of this life (engagements doubtless for the most part necessary), the earnest Christian will when such engagements are fulfilled, find time for prayer and reading the Word. He is thus refreshed and strengthened, and keeps fresh in his own spirit, while performing that which relates to his calling to perform; but when the energy of his first love is tested by time, there is a danger of his gradually ceasing this habit of prayer and study of the Word, and at length he may find himself passing day after day, and the Bible hardly looked at; and even where the reading and prayer with the family continues, he is aware that, though the form is the same, the freshness and power is gone. What is the remedy? Let him judge himself, and he will find he will again have recourse to prayer and the Word, the former making him humbly feel his dependence from moment to moment upon God, and the latter ministering to him refreshment and strength in his own soul. Again, as regards the assemblies of the saints; sometimes after years of testimony and blessing, the work in its active form ceases, the older saints leave this world, and their places are not supplied by others, the attendance at the meetings for reading the Word and prayer diminish, and the meetings themselves are at length discontinued. The light is no longer the same in the village or town. And why is this? The answer given is, “Because there are so few who attend.” But this is no reason why the two or more who desire to go on with prayer and the Word of God, should not habitually continue to meet together. The failure in such cases is owing to our thoughts being more occupied with the things which are seen than with the things which are not seen. Matthew 18:19, shows us that two are enough for prayer, and experience has often shown the earnest Christian how much blessing can be obtained in reading the Word alone or with but one other Christian.
The second occasion of this joining together of the Word and prayer is in Luke 10:38-42 and Luke 11:1-13. In Luke 10, while Martha serves, it is her sister Mary who sits at the feet of Jesus, and hears His word. When Martha complains about her sister leaving her to do all the work alone, the Lord replies, “Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her.” Immediately afterward in Luke 11, the Lord is in prayer, and the disciples also ask Him to teach them to pray, and thereupon He teaches them the prayer so well known to all: “Our Father which art in heaven, etc.” This prayer commences with the desire for the glory of the Father before any mention is made of the wants of those who are the objects of His love; and thus we have another lesson as regards these things, first that to listen to the word is choosing “the good part,” and secondly, that in our prayers the glory of the Father and the Son should ever take precedence over those things of which we have need while here.
The third and last portion of the Word referred to above, is Ephesians 6:17-18. In Acts 6 it was the work upon earth, here it is the combat in the heavenly places. For this contest the Christian requires the whole armor of God, first, to escape the wiles of the enemy (Eph. 6:11), and afterward, to oppose him in the combat (Eph. 6:13). The different weapons for this warfare are enumerated in Ephesians 6:14-17; all are defensive, excepting the one mentioned last, “the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” (Eph. 6:17). But as soon as the saint being completely equipped for defense, receives the Word of God, immediately prayer is mentioned. “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints” (Eph. 6:18).
Thus we have the Word of God and prayer set before us in close relationship together again and again in the blessed testimony which God has been pleased to give us. There are other passages where they are joined together, but I give only these three, being the full number given by Scripture itself for testimony to the truth (2 Cor. 13:1). I add some remarks, however, as to Psalm 119:105, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Sometimes wrongly quoted as a light to the feet and a lamp to the path. The difference is important, the Word of God being a light for the whole course of the believer, and a lamp for each particular step that he should take. The darker the night, the more valuable the light which a wayfarer sees in the distance, and to which his steps are directed, the more valuable also the lamp which gives him guidance for each step. The lamp warns him of dangers which are between him and the light, and it may be necessary for him to stop, or alter the course for a time, to avoid some snare or pit on the path, but as soon as the lamp shows that the direct course towards the light may again be taken, the wayfarer makes straight for the light. But for the believer there is another thing needed—dependence; and though he may have the lamp and the light, yet, in a pathway full of snares, pits, and other dangers, he needs the aid and strength of Him who knows every portion of the path (Heb. 4:16). Here is the importance of prayer. Prayer is the expression of our dependence, and the Word is the weapon which overcomes the enemy (Luke 4:1-13; 1 John 2:14).