This is most surely a spiritual baptism on believing, and is only a figurative way of

setting forth the eternal unity of the believer with Christ in His crucifixion, death,

resurrection and ascension, again most obviously the work of God alone (Rom. 6: 1-11;

Col. 2: 10-12; Eph. 2: 4-6; 4: 5). This complete identification with Christ, this one-ness

is little known or understood among believers today. A shallow evangelism so often

prevails which is only a travesty of the glorious position and privilege of each member of

Christ's Body. The lack of full and deep Bible exposition, together with the neglect of

the Word of God by the individual believer is surely one of the chief causes of this

lamentable condition in the religious world around us. The result is that those who in

Christ are spiritual millionaires, are living like spiritual paupers because all this

tremendous wealth is unknown to them!

(5) The Holy Spirit is not only the Author of God's Word, He "opens the eyes",

gives divine understanding and reveals the Truth contained in the holy Scriptures

(I.Cor.ii.9-14). This cannot be obtained in any other way, certainly not by intellectual

attainment or education as we have seen.

(6) The Holy Spirit gives the earnest, a foretaste now of the coming glory of our

heavenly inheritance to be enjoyed eternally in resurrection (Eph. 1: 13, 14).

(7) The Holy Spirit strengthens the believer, not only for service, but as a preparation

for the indwelling of the Lord Jesus Christ (Eph. 3: 16).

(8) The Holy Spirit constantly intercedes for the saints and fills up the deficiency of

their own praying (Rom. 8: 26, 27). How true it is that "we know not what should pray

for as we ought" (Rom. 8: 26)! Believers who have no problems regarding prayer must

be ignorant of this fact. The disciples felt their inadequacy, for they said to the Lord,

"Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples" (Luke 11: 1), and in response

the Lord gave them the earthly kingdom prayer (11: 2-4). This was not given to be

repeated over and over again mechanically as is so often done today, with the result that

the words have little meaning. It was a model on which members of God's earthly

kingdom could base their praying.

If we are troubled with our prayer life, two things can help us. Prayer is not always

asking God for something. True prayer is often praise, and we shall not have to think

long before we can find something for which we thank and praise the Lord. A thankful

and prayerful heart is such a wonderful antidote to spiritual declension. The nations of

old sank into their darkness because they not only refused to give God His rightful place,

but also they were not thankful (Rom. 1: 20, 21). A thankless mind is one that has

forgotten God, His boundless love and overwhelming blessings. No wonder the Psalmist

exhorts us to `forget not all His benefits' (Psa. 103: 1, 2).

The second thing is to be delivered from self and remember the needs of someone

else.  This is true intercession where self is forgotten and the needs of others are

paramount. We must always remember though, that all our praying must be subject to

God's will. No believer is in the position to force God to do anything, though some seem