outside the enemy's camp if we wish to accomplish anything for those who are still

inside it.

3. There must be no self motive in prayer.

The Greek word hedone translated lust is elsewhere rendered "pleasure" and is used in

the parable of the Sower to describe those who fall among thorns and are choked with

cares, and riches and pleasures of this life and bring no fruit to perfection (Luke 8: 14).

Sometimes it is a good thing to take stock of ourselves, searching our hearts and asking

whether the things we constantly ask of God are for His glory, the blessing of others, or

are they for the gratification of our desires?

Is He and His service first and last and self excluded?

4. Undispensational praying.

We have before commented on this very prevalent source of denied petitions. If

dispensational truth means anything at all it will have a practical bearing upon every

phase of our life including our praying. We must learn to pray in harmony with our

calling. It is not sufficient basis for the Lord to answer our requests. How many

believers have claimed such promises as Matt. 21: 20-22. "And all things whatsoever

ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall received", only to reap disappointment which

has staggered them!  It is easy to explain the failure by reading into the promise

conditions which are not there. The answer to the problem is to be found, not in

tampering with the Lord's words, but in rightly dividing the Word of Truth. Again, if

instead of a slavish adherence to the "Lord's prayer", the magnificent prayers of Eph. 1:

and 3: were used by God's people more frequently, would there not be a greater growth

in grace and a deeper appreciation of His will?

5. There must be perseverance with our praying.

The Apostle Paul exhorted the saints at Colosse to continue in prayer (4: 2). The

word here is proskartereo. It occurs in Mark 3: 9, "And He spake to His disciples that

a small ship should wait on Him because of the multitudes lest they should throng Him".

Just as the purpose of this little ship was to be put at the Lord's disposal and wait for Him

to use as He willed, so the believer, when he reaches the point in his spiritual growth

where he earnestly longs for God's will, will likewise wait upon Him by continued prayer

and watch for every indication of His hand to this end.

However, we must utter a word of warning. Persevering prayer to know our heavenly

Father's will is one thing, but persistent praying that is outside His will may bring an

answer that is terrible in the extreme. We think back on Israel's experience when, not

satisfied with the gracious provision of the manna--"angel's food" as Scripture terms

it--they longed for flesh such as they had in Egypt. The whole of Numbers chapter 11: