Secondly, believers keep up their walk with God by private, personal prayer.
The spirit of grace is always accompanied with the spirit of supplication. It is the very breath of the new creature, the fan of the divine life.
By it, the spark of holy fire, kindled in the soul by God, is not only kept in, but raised into a flame.
Neglect of private prayer has been frequently an inlet to many spiritual diseases, and has been attended with fatal consequences.
Origen observed that on the day a certain Christian offered incense to an idol, "he went out of his closet without making use of private prayer."
Prayer is one of the most noble parts of the believer's spiritual armor. "Praying always," says the apostle, "with all manner of supplication"
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. - Eph. 6:18
“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” - Matt. 26:41
And he spoke a parable, that his disciples should pray, and not faint.
Not that our Lord would have us always upon our knees or in our closets, to the neglect of our other relative duties.
But he meant that our souls should be kept in a praying frame, so that we might be able to say, as a good man in Scotland once said to his friends on his death-bed, "Could these curtains, or could these walls speak, they would tell you what sweet communion I have had with my God here."
0 prayer! Prayer!
It brings and keeps God and man together.
It raises man up to God, and brings God down to man.
If you would therefore, 0 believers, keep up your walk with God; pray, pray without ceasing.
Be much in private, written prayers.
And when you are about the common business of life be much in extemporaneous prayer.
Send, from time to time, short letters speedily to heaven upon the wings of faith.
They will reach the very heart of God, and return to you again loaded with spiritual blessings.
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