Lay aside every weight; lay aside every weight, just now.

STUDY XII.

PRAYER.

Memory Verse:  “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth
    much.”—­(James v, 16.)

Scripture for Meditation:  Gen. xxxii, 24-30; Luke xi, 1-13.

Nothing is more essential to the soul-winner than prayer.  Prayer will generate a spiritual atmosphere in the individual life.  The prayers of many will generate a spiritual atmosphere in a community.  In answer to prayer, the Holy Spirit will do his office, and produce such pungent conviction of sin that men will carry out, as on the day of Pentecost, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”

In the Life of Mr. Finney it is related that, during a revival at Rome, New York, the air seemed surcharged with Divine power.  A sheriff, who had laughed about the meetings, came over from Utica.  He felt this strange influence when he crossed the old canal, a mile west of town.  When he sat in the hotel dining-room, he had to get up and go to the window two or three times to divert his attention and keep from weeping.  After dinner he hurried away, but was afterwards converted.

See what spiritual triumphs and great revivals the early Church witnessed; but the secret of it all was that “they continued steadfastly in prayers.”  Why is it that to-day many have so little courage and so little power to win others to Christ?  They neglect prayer.  “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint.”  How little time we spend daily in prayer!  Study the life of Paul, and Savonarola, and Catherine of Siena, and Martin Luther, and John Knox, and see how they all gave themselves continually to prayer, and so prevailed.  All they who have become illustrious as great soul-winners have been, without exception, men and women mighty in prayer.  They came to understand that God’s storehouses of wisdom, prayer, and grace are inexhaustible, and with the key of prayer they unlocked every door.

Prayer avails for the salvation of others when every other means seems to fail.  The disciples spent ten days in prayer.  Then came Pentecost and a revival that brought thousands into the kingdom.  John Livingstone, with a few friends, spent a whole night in prayer, and the next day five hundred persons gave themselves to Christ.  Two sisters agreed to spend the night in prayer in behalf of an unconverted brother.  That night, although twenty miles away, the young man tossed on his bed in agony of conviction, and next day started for home, and found salvation.

Prayer is omnipotent; and, if we would see the kingdom of Christ come speedily in the world, we must have a great revival of prevailing prayer.

STUDY XIII.