Three Difficult Requirements For Effective Prayer

INTRO: Over the past number of years, when we come to September and we begin our regular Wednesday night prayer meeting I have given a message on prayer. But this year I had not planned to give a message on prayer at this time. And then, just before we left on a few weeks of holidays, again I felt I should encourage prayer. From now until June we will meet for serious prayer. It is the hardest battle we face as a church and the number of those who are consistent at it is not high. Yet I believe it is very crucial. Although I will not center our thoughts this morning on united prayer, united prayer is very important according to the New Testament and I have spoken on that in the past.

Just as I was beginning to write this message I was reading through the Midnight Call Christian publication and Arno Froese, the editor was promoting Wim Malgo's book, "Called To Pray." This is what he said, "This is one of our least popular, but most important books." We could say that about our prayer meeting. It is the least popular but the most important. Then he said, "Few topics are as talked about, yet practiced so little, as prayer. It is said to be at the heart of the Christian faith. And yet, even the most ardent, devoted followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, if truthful, would have to admit that they have neglected prayer" (Aug. 2013).