To-day a half hour is spent in China, for its missionaries, its native Christians, its millions, the printed page, the personal contact, the telling of the story, the school, the dispensary, the hospital.  And in through the petitions runs this golden thread—­“Victory in Jesus’ name:  victory in Jesus’ name; to-day:  to-day:  Thy will be being done:  the other will undone:  victory in Jesus’ name.”  Tomorrow’s bit of time is largely spent in India perhaps.  And so this man with the narrow outer horizon and the broad inner horizon pushes his spirit-way through Japan, India, Ceylon, Persia, Arabia, Turkey, Africa, Europe’s papal lands, the South American States, the home land, its cities, frontiers, slums, the home town, the home church, the man across the alley; in and out; out and in; the tide of prayer sweeps quietly, resistlessly day by day.

This is the true Christian life.  This man is winning souls and refreshing lives in these far-off lands and in near-by places as truly as though he were in each place.  This is the Master’s plan.  The true follower of Jesus has as broad a horizon as his Master.  Jesus thought in continents and seas.  His follower prays in continents and seas.  This man does not know what is being accomplished.  Yes!  He does know, too.  He knows by the inference of faith.

This room where we are meeting and talking together might be shut up so completely that no light comes in.  A single crack breaking somewhere lets in a thin line of light.  But that line of light shining in the darkness tells of a whole sun of light flooding the outer world.

There comes to this man occasional, yes frequent, evidences of changes being wrought, yet he knows that these are but the thin line of glory light which speaks of the fuller shining.  And with a spirit touched with glad awe that he can and may help God, and a heart full alike of peace and of yearning, and a life fragrant with an unseen Presence he goes steadily on his way, towards the dawning of the day.

Prayer the Deciding Factor in a Spirit Conflict

A Prehistoric Conflict.

In its simplest meaning prayer has to do with a conflict.  Rightly understood it is the deciding factor in a spirit conflict.  The scene of the conflict is the earth.  The purpose of the conflict is to decide the control of the earth, and its inhabitants.  The conflict runs back into the misty ages of the creation time.

The rightful prince of the earth is Jesus, the King’s Son.  There is a pretender prince who was once rightful prince.  He was guilty of a breach of trust.  But like King Saul, after his rejection and David’s anointing in his place, he has been and is trying his best by dint of force to hold the realm and oust the rightful ruler.

The rightful Prince is seeking by utterly different means, namely by persuasion, to win the world back to its first allegiance.  He had a fierce set-to with the pretender, and after a series of victories won the great victory of the resurrection morning.