Chapter 21—Prayer and Faith
I have frequently seen that the children of the Lord neglect prayer,
especially secret prayer, altogether too much; that many do not exercise
that faith which it is their privilege and duty to exercise, often waiting
for that feeling which faith alone can bring. Feeling is not faith; the
two are distinct. Faith is ours to exercise, but joyful feeling and the
blessing are God’s to give. The grace of God comes to the soul through
the channel of living faith, and that faith it is in our power to exercise.
True faith lays hold of and claims the promised blessing before it
is realized and felt. We must send up our petitions in faith within the
second veil, and let our faith take hold of the promised blessing, and
claim it as ours. We are then to believe that we receive the blessing,
because our faith has hold of it, and according to the word it is ours.
“What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive
them, and ye shall have them.”
Mark 11:24
. Here is faith, naked faith,
to believe that we receive the blessing, even before we realize it. When
the promised blessing is realized and enjoyed, faith is swallowed up.
But many suppose they have much faith when sharing largely of the
Holy Spirit, and that they cannot have faith unless they feel the power
of the Spirit. Such confound faith with the blessing that comes through
faith.
The very time to exercise faith is when we feel destitute of the
Spirit. When thick clouds of darkness seem to hover over the mind,
then is the time to let living faith pierce the darkness and scatter the
clouds.
True faith rests on the promises contained in the word of God, and
those only who obey that word can claim its glorious promises. “If ye
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abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will,
and it shall be done unto you.”
John 15:7
. “Whatsoever we ask, we
receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those
things that are pleasing in His sight.”
1 John 3:22
.
We should be much in secret prayer. Christ is the vine, we are the
branches. And if we would grow and flourish, we must continually
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