Potent Prayers
We can achieve great things through prayer and faith, tapping into the same spiritual forces that empowered the greatest saints.
Charles E. Cowman preaches on the power of deep, persistent prayer, encouraging believers to trust God for more than they can imagine, to wait with faith and perseverance for His answers, and to position themselves to receive His mighty blessings. He emphasizes the importance of calling on God like Elijah did, believing in the same wonders and miracles that were performed in the past, and tapping into the same spiritual forces available to all believers.
Text
"Make thy petition deep" (Isa. 7:11, margin).
Make thy petition deep, O heart of mine,
Thy God can do much more
Than thou canst ask;
Launch out on the Divine,
Draw from His love-filled store.
Trust Him with everything;
Begin today,
And find the joy that comes
When Jesus has His way!
--Selected
We must keep on praying and waiting upon the Lord, until the sound of a mighty rain is heard. There is no reason why we should not ask for large things; and without doubt we shall get large things if we ask in faith, and have the courage to wait with patient perservance upon Him, meantime doing those things which lie within our power to do.
We cannot create the wind or set it in motion, but we can set our sails to catch it when it comes; we cannot make the electricity, but we can stretch the wire along upon which it is to run and do its work; we cannot, in a word, control the Spirit, but we can so place ourselves before the Lord, and so do the things He has bidden us do, that we will come under the influence and power of His mighty breath. --Selected
"Cannot the same wonders be done now as of old? Where is the God of Elijah. He is waiting for Elijah to call on Him."
The greatest saints who ever lived, whether under the Old or New Dispensation, are on a level which is quite within our reach. The same forces of the spiritual world which were at their command, and the exertion of which made them such spiritual heroes, are open to us also. If we had the same faith, the same hope, the same love which they exhibited, we would achieve marvels as great as those which they achieved. A word of prayer in our mouths would be as potent to call down the gracious dews and melting fires of God's Spirit, as it was in Elijah's mouth to call down literal rain and fire, if we could only speak the word with that full assurance of faith wherewith he said it. --Dr. Goulburn, Dean of Norwich
Sermon Outline
- Make Thy Petition Deep
- Prayer and Waiting
- The Power of Faith
- The Potency of Prayer
- A word of prayer can call down the Spirit's power
- Speak the word with full assurance of faith
- Have the courage to wait with patient perseverance
Key Quotes
“Make thy petition deep, O heart of mine, Thy God can do much more Than thou canst ask;” — Charles E. Cowman
“Cannot the same wonders be done now as of old? Where is the God of Elijah. He is waiting for Elijah to call on Him” — Charles E. Cowman
“A word of prayer in our mouths would be as potent to call down the gracious dews and melting fires of God's Spirit, as it was in Elijah's mouth to call down literal rain and fire” — Charles E. Cowman
Application Points
- We should pray for large things, trusting in God's power to do more than we ask.
- We can achieve marvels by having the same faith, hope, and love as the greatest saints.
- Speaking the word of prayer with full assurance of faith is key to tapping into the spiritual forces that empower us.