The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-02-26
PRAYER Of BELIEVER
PREVAILS WITH GOD
DR.. McEaden Declares Prayer Must
Spring From Desire Aroused
by Holy Spirit.
ARE COMMANDED TO PRAY
And tie Attempt to influence the
Heart and Will OF God - Not lr-
reyercnt or Naiu--OT Protection
Against Satan.

"Encouragements and Incentives to
Prayer was the subject of a sermon
delivered yesterday by the Rev. +. T.
McFaden, of the First Presbyterian
church. Dr. McFaden spoke in part
as follows:
The effectual, ferVent PRAYER of
righteous man availeth much. -
James SIG. Two facts stand out in
prayer. One is, there must be a Be
lief in Gods real personal existence:
the other, the actual effectiveness OF
prayer as the power to move His
heart and will. The first fact pre-
SCENTS few difficulties. But against the
second there appear many so-called
objections. They may be divided into
railroads.&c. and practical. The first
goes on the assumption that God is
immutable and II He has long ago
determined to give, IL is needless to
ASK. The answer * that il is conceiv-
able that the conditions upon which,
the fufiilment OF Gods purpose is
suspended, is the act of prayer. II
that sort OF an argument We're valid
il would he equally conclusive against
all human efforts 1t would be need
less to take medicine when sick or
eat food when hungry. 1t is simply
ia talisnl.
Another attempt TO ratoualize is
made in the more plausible form that
the goodness of God will insure His
giving His children what they need,
and to attempt to influence Him is
irreverent, as ii is vain The all
sufficient answer 70 this fair sound
ing argument is that God has COM
handed ms in everything To make our
request known unto Him.
But Satan does not rely upon these
fal!acies to discourage the same He
brings practical difficulties to bear
upon them. You cannot pray accept
ably. You are mocking God. 1t is
mere form. you are sinfu! and cam
not expect holy God 10 answer.
You have prayed and done and lived
your best. but no answer comes, no
relief is granted. So he whispers:
Give it up. There is nothing in II.
Where is thy God?
We lose sight of the fact that the
answer may be delayed for our good.
for Gods glory, for the advancement
OF His kingdom, and are often tempt
But here is a statement from Gods
Word that certain PRAYER does move
God. that it avails much with Him.
1t is prayer of q justified man, a
believer in Christ II is illustrated in
the prayers OF Abraham, Jacob. Mos
es, our own. Faith asks no eXplana-
ton OF the how and the why. and
waits for reason to argue. She re-
ceives the truth aud rests on it, and
is comforted with the thought that
a justified believer in the Master can
prevail with Him. The prayer must
he fervent. The measure OF warmth
in PRAYER is the exact measure of
desire. How importunate was Abra-
ham. How tenacious was Jacob 'fhe
kingdom of heaven sufrereth violence
and the violent take it by force. Col
loves our importantly. When We have
that longing for a blessing which can
not rest until il is grattied. We shall
prevail. for all are fervent It fol-
lows hard after the Master even when
He seems 10 turn away. and like the
Syrophenician woman will be silenced
by no rebuffs.
The other characteristic mentioned
here is the word 'effectual 1t comes
from a Greek word which means EN-
ergized. 'in-wrought' Our infirmitv
in praying is represented in Romans
as twofoiI. We are ignorant of vhat
10 pray for and how to seek them.
In both. We are told. the Spirit help
eth our infirmities by making inter-
cession for us We are to understand
that the Holy Spirit causes the oesire
in our hearts, fosters it, shapes II.
enables us to utter il. Such prayer
is in the truest sense energiZed. in
wrought by the Divine Spirit Such
a prayer must prevail, for it comes
from the Holy Spirit. who reveals the
will of God
How gracious are the methods of
Gods grace. He contends With His
children, and then desiring not to
conquer but to be conquered. He
sends His Spirit to aid them. that az
in Jacobs case. He may be van
quished. The wrought fervent
prayer OF true believer prevails with
God
These are our announcements and
incentives to prayer. These are our
protection from the assaults Of Satan.
all these suggestions OF dependency.
and the murmurings of doubt. They
bid us have faith in God. to rise above
present denial. and to trust even in
the face Of despair. Let unbelief
cavil. and Satan question. but give
this answer to all: I know whom l
have believed and that He cares for
I COLL ~