should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which can not be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God."

It is necessary then if we desire to have power with God that we be found in earnest fervent prayer, because "the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much," and there is great power in prayer. It moves the mighty arm of God, and he manifests his power and shows his strength to those who trust him. An earnest petition sent to him in faith and confidence will bring deliverance in time of trouble, will turn aside the tempter and cause him to flee, and will enable one to be filled with the blessings of God and enjoy the ways of his truth. When Peter was cast into prison and there with his chains and fetters bound in the inner prison, ready soon to be delivered into the hands of those who would take his life, the church met together in earnest prayer and prayed without ceasing. Acts 12:5. This prayer was not without effect. Even while these prayers were being offered up, God sent his angel, who caused the chains to fall from the hands of Peter, and the prison doors were opened, and soon Peter was standing by the door where the children of God were sending up their petitions. So marvelous was this answer to prayer that they could scarcely believe that it was he.

We do not always know how God is going to answer our prayers, neither is it any of our business. We are to send up the petitions in faith, and let him send the answers as seemeth best unto him. Sometimes people send up an earnest prayer to the Lord for some certain thing they may desire, and also they have it fixed in their mind how they expect the Lord to answer, so much so that ofttimes their views of the matter not being exactly in line with God's ways, is a hindrance to their receiving the answer. When a prayer is sent up in confidence that God hears, then we should let him answer in his own way: if we have prayed the prayer of faith, God knows just how to answer, and we need not worry about the matter; whether it is sent immediately, or whether for some reason he sees fit to defer the answer for some special purpose that would be more to his glory. When we have the evidence that he hears our prayer then we know the answer will come by fulfillment of the same. Ofttimes we get the evidence that God hears and answers long before the thing itself is performed. But perfect trust and faith in God will not be turned away by him without notice.

It was when the company of saints were gathered together in earnest prayer upon the day of Pentecost that the power of God was manifest. Shortly after this when the persecution had begun and the apostles were threatened for preaching the Word, they went in earnest prayer again, insomuch that the place was shaken where they were assembled together, and they

were all filled with the Holy Ghost. Acts 4:31 At another time we see the power of prayer manifest when Paul and Silas were thrust "into the inner prison, and their feet made fast in the stocks. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God; and the prisoners heard them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake so that the foundations. of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors of the prison were opened, and every one's bands were loosed."-Acts 16:25, 26. Although they had been beaten with many stripes, yet as they prayed their souls were filled with glory, insomuch that they "sang praises unto God." How wonderful it is that God will show himself merciful and bestow such blessings even in such great times of peril and persecution!

Ofttimes through trueness to God and prayer the enemy becomes alarmed and brings great opposition and persecution, but God is always a very present help in time of need and one who is mighty to deliver. The wicked people of Daniel's time tried to keep him from sending up his petitions to God. So they had the king sign a decree that if any one petitioned any except the king for thirty days he should be cast into the den of lions. Now Daniel knew that this decree had gone forth and had been signed by the king, but did he stop his praying? By no means. He opened his window toward Jerusalem and prayed three times a day the same as before. No doubt he also prayed so they could hear him from the outside. He did not

close the window and pull down the blinds and then silently send up a petition, but he opened the window and did not try to hide himself in the least. He knew that his God was able to deliver. And he was taken for this and cast into the den of lions, but God kept him from all harm and danger. But now what was the result of his trueness to God? It resulted in another decree being made by the king, that everybody under the dominion of his kingdom should serve Daniel's God. This is a wonderful illustration of being true to God, and we can see the effects of the

same.

When the Hebrew children were cast into the fiery furnace, no doubt there had been earnest prayers going up, and as the furnace had been heated seven times hotter than before, and as the door was opened to see what had become of them, behold, not only the three were there unharmed in the midst of that fiery furnace, but there was also the form of the fourth. The Lord was in their midst, who was mighty to deliver and protect them from the fiery flames.

God can hear the most simple prayer, even though it be nothing more than the moving of the lips like Hannah, whose prayer was not left unanswered. God loves to have us come and offer our humble petitions, and he will not turn us away without his notice.

PREVAILING PRAYER.

When our petitions are sent up to the throne of grace it is necessary for us either to know what God desires us to have before we pray, or get to him with such earnestness and fervent prayer, that he will let us know his will. "Wherefore be not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is."-Eph. 5: 17. It is our privilege to know the will of God, and when we once learn what he desires to do then we can not only pray intelligently, but effectually, and pray in a way that our prayers will prevail. There is much meaning in the words "prevailing prayer." It not only means importunity, but it means something more. Importunity means continuous asking; a pressing, urgent request. But prevail means to have victory, and prevailing prayer is the prayer that gains the victory, or brings an answer. In order to prevail it does not always take a long siege of continuous asking, or importunity, but it is the prayer that takes God at his word, whether it be instantly, or through long supplication.

We will now refer to a few instances of importunity in which we can learn some precious lessons for ourselves. In Luke 18:1-8 we have the case of the widow and the unjust judge. "And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: and