The Christian's Vital Breath: An Anthology on Prayer

A praying person is an awful weapon in the hands of God. Prayer—believing, Spirit-directed, truth-based prayer—glorifies God, exalts the Lord Jesus Christ, honors the blessed Holy Spirit, and builds the church up the way Christ intends it to be built. True praying is as necessary to the growth of the Christian and the church as breathing is to the life and health of the human body. Because this is so, Scottish Moravian hymn writer, James Montgomery (1771-1854), wrote, Prayer is the Christian’s vital breath, the Christian’s native air . . . God’s authentic people have always been praying people, following the supreme example of the Lord Jesus. Great works of God have been built through the intercessions of God’s servants. God’s work always moves forward most effectively when the people of God are on their knees as much as they are in business meetings. The church’s wise men have always known the importance of prayer: “The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much” (James 5:16 NASB). Most of the following chapters originally appeared in Life in the Spirit Journal. They are written by a variety of authors, including this editor. How I thank God that the Lord Jesus has shown us the way of prayer, as well as many noble saints who have walked in his footsteps.