On Prayer...

On the power of prayer:

Prayer girds human weakness with divine strength, turns human folly into heavenly wisdom, and gives to troubled mortals the peace of God. We know not what prayer can do. ~Charles Spurgeon

Prayer is of transcendent importance. Prayer is the mightiest agent to advance God's work. Praying hearts and hands only can do God's work. Prayer succeeds when all else fails. ~ E. M. Bounds

The man who mobilizes the Christian church to pray will make the greatest contribution to world evangelization in history. ~Andrew Murray

Prayer at its best is the expression of the total life, for all things else being equal, our prayers are only as powerful as our lives. ~A. W. Tozer

Every great movement of God can be traced to a kneeling figure. ~D. L. Moody

Prayer is our strength; Prayer generates strength; it generates vision; it generates power; and the devil wilI drive you away from the prayer closet more than anything. ~Leonard Ravenhill

In the war upon the powers of darkness, prayer is the primary and mightiest weapon, both in aggressive war upon them and their works; in the deliverance of men from their power; and against them as a hierarchy of powers opposed to Christ and His Church. ~Jessie Penn-Lewis

Spiritual sounding chitter-chatter tends to be self-centric in its banter, begging for comforts to be protected, deadlines to be met, surgeon’s hands to be guided, test so be passed, and food to be blessed. It’s always about us. And, whereas there is nothing wrong with praying about our own personal needs, prayer—real-life historic prayer—is otherworldly and built upon the notion of a forgotten self. It’s aggressive, growling, attacking, commanding, persevering, passionate, and feverishly unrelenting—it’s battlefield firing, as if every utterance is chipping away at enemy stronghold and every petition is moving God’s indomitable purposes forward in this natural realm. ~Eric Ludy, Wrestling Prayer

On specific prayer:

There is a general kind of praying which fails for lack of precision. It is as if a regiment of soldiers should all fire off their guns anywhere. Possibly somebody would be killed, but the majority of the enemy would be missed. ~Charles Spurgeon

Here is a crucial truth: Specific praying is the key to building faith. It's the way Christ asks us to pray. It's the pattern of Scripture. And when we are willling to go out on a limb and make a specific request for God, our faith grows as we see Him come through for us. ~Leslie Ludy, Wrestling Prayer

On overcoming prayer:

He who knows how to overcome with God in prayer has heaven and earth at his disposal. ~Charles Spurgeon 

Negligence in prayer withers the inner man. Nothing can be a substitute for it, not even Christian work. Many are so preoccupied with work that they allow little time for prayer. Hence they cannot cast out demons. Prayer enables us first inwardly to overcome the enemy and then outwardly to deal with him. ~Watchman Nee

And there you have the reason why many people pray for the power of the Holy Ghost, and they get something, but oh, so little! because they prayed for power for work, and power for blessing, but they have not prayed for power for full deliverance from self. ~Andrew Murray

On praying for God's Will:

Believers must persevere in prayer that they may see clearly their own pitiful state and understand the indwelling, working, and demands of the Holy Spirit. ~Watchman Nee

When an answer I did not expect comes to a prayer which I believed I truly meant, I shrink back from it; if the burden my Lord asks me to bear be not the burden of my heart's choice, and I fret inwardly and do not welcome His will, then I know nothing of Calvary love. ~Amy Carmichael

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1 Timothy 2:1-2  I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

James 5:13-16  Is any among you afflicted (suffering)? Let him pray. Is any merry (joyful, cheerful)? Let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth (accomplishes) much (has much power).