Corrie ten Boom, Her Story
Then another angel with a golden censer came and stood at the altar; and a great quantity of incense was given to him to mix with the prayers of God's people, to offer upon the golden altar before the throne. And the perfume of the incense mixed with prayers ascended up to God from the altar where the angel had poured them out.
Revelation 8:3, 4
8. Prayer
SOMETIMES WE UNDERESTIMATE the value of our prayers. In the Book of Revelation, we read how precious they are in God's eyes. They are so precious that they are all preserved there.
When I read this text, I understand a little bit of the great value that our prayers have in the eyes of the heavenly Father. Look back on the prayers you have prayed for that person you are worrying about. Not one of those prayers is lost. They are kept in heaven. What a comfort. What an encouragement!
When Do God's Answers Come?
The Bible says that by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving we should let our requests be made known unto God. Have you ever been discouraged about your praying? Does it seem your prayers are never answered? Much of our anxiety comes as we worry about others. This isn't helped, it seems, if we pray for others and then do not see our prayers answered. However, let me tell you a few stories that I think will give you encouragement to go on, despite seeming failure.
Not very long ago, I had a wonderful experience in my home country of Holland. I was invited to appear on national television, to bring the Easter message. More than six million people heard my message, I was told. But the most wonderful result was hearing from some people I had not heard from in years—people I had prayed for many years ago.
One man wrote to me and said, "Twenty-five years ago I came out of a concentration camp, into the house you opened for ex-prisoners. You brought me the Gospel. I thought I was not ready for it, but you told me you were going to keep on praying, anyway. Last night I saw you on TV, and now I can say with all my heart, 'I have accepted the Lord.'" It took twenty-five years, but God answered my prayer for that man's salvation!
Another man telephoned. "Forty-five years ago, you told me exactly the same thing you said tonight on TV—that Jesus was the Son of God and is still alive. I always refused to accept Jesus as my personal Saviour. Now | am ready to say yes to Him. May I come to see you?"
Of course I replied, "Please come." We talked and prayed together. "Now," I said, "ask Jesus to come into your heart."
He prayed, "Jesus, I cannot open my heart. Please, won't You force the door?" And Jesus did a miracle in the life of that man—an answer to my prayer after fortyfive years.
When I was fifteen years of age, I spent some time at a secular domestic-science school. Most of the teachers and students did not want me to talk about the Lord. Therefore I spent time praying for them. Following the TV broadcast, I received a letter saying, "Sixty years ago we were together at the domestic-science school. I suddenly remembered that you often talked about the Lord Jesus when we were together. I saw and heard you on TV. I just want to write and tell you thatl ama follower of Jesus Christ." Another answer to prayer—sixty years after.
But the most amazing answer caine the week after the TV broadcast. When I was five years old, I accepted the Lord Jesus as my Saviour. After that I developed a burden for the people in my town. We lived in Haarlem, quite near the Smedestraat. In this street there were many pubs. Because of the pubs, I often saw many drunken people, some of whom were dragged into the police station on the same street. | wanted so badly to do something to help, but what can a little girl do in such a sad situation? All I could do was pray—and I did a lot of that.
Mother told me later that for a long time every prayer of mine ended with the words, "Lord Jesus, please save those people in the Smedestraat. And save the policemen, too."
Following my TV appearance, I received a letter. "My husband said that it was so nice to hear that you lived in Haarlem. He lived for seventeen years in the Smedestraat, and he worked in the police station in that street. After I heard you on TV, I knew that you would be interested to know that we now know the Lord personally." It took over seventy years for me to hear that my prayer was answered!
Why do I tell you this? To let you know that no matter how discouraged you may be over your prayers, God never lets you down.
JESUS IS VICTOR 479
Pray Alone and Together
Prayer is the sturdy answer to worry. I urge you to find a place where you can be alone with the Lord. Let it be your own little private prayer chapel.
I understand that Susanna Wesley, mother of Charles Wesley, had her own little private prayer closet. When things got bad in the Wesley household—the children screaming, money scarce, the roof leaking—she would reach down and grab the hem of her long skirt. Separating it from the many long petticoats women wore in those days, she would pull the outer skirt up over her head and close herself in. There she would meet the Lord and commune with Him, returning to her hectic world refreshed and revived.
Prayer should be informal and to the point: conversations with God, so to speak. Nice words do not count. Be definite. If you have a nervous tummy, do not ask the Lord to take it away. Rather, confess where you got it and ask Him to shut the door on the source of your worry.
Pray specific prayers. God does not give stones for bread. If you ask for specific things, you will receive specific answers. Most of us receive not because we ask not, or if we do ask, we ask amiss.
Go to God the same way you would go to your father or mother. Tell Him about your worries. Tell Him you are a sinner because you are anxious and nervous. Be definite. Prayer opens doors to the power that relieves us from anxiety, for God's power is demonstrated in our weakness.
Remember, prayer is not one-way traffic. If it were, it would be similar to someone coming into your house, asking a question, and then leaving without waiting for an answer. Prayer is both asking and receiving, speaking and listening. Yes, that takes time. But you can learn how to converse with God secretly.
But there is more. Not only do we find help for our anxiety by praying alone, but also when we pray with others and have others pray for us. Jesus says He enjoys joining a small group of even two or three who are praying in His name. ".. . I will be right there among them" (Matthew 18:20). What a marvelous promise! But how many take advantage of it? The best place for group prayer is in the family. Are youa mother? Call the children and ask them to pray with you. Tell them you are anxious and worried, and ask them to join you in prayer.
The devil smiles when we make plans. He laughs when we get too busy. But he trembles when we pray—especially when we pray together. Remember, though, that it is God who answers, and He always answers in a way that He knows is best for everybody.
From My Notebook
PRAYER IS THE signature of the soul on the correspondence with our Creator.
Prayer changes our attention from the problem to the Power, from anxiety to the Almighty.
Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire? Keep on top of your circumstances by keeping the morning watch. Don't allow the circumstances to come on top of you.
We mutter, we sputter— We fume and we spurt. We mumble and grumble— Our feelings get hurt.
We can't understand things— Our vision gets dim, When all that we need— Is a moment with Him.
To pray only when in peril is to use safety belts only in heavy traffic.
Fear knocked at the door.
Faith-answered. No one was there.