Thoughts for Life: #34 The Place of Power

Samuel Chadwick: There is a wonderful story in Exodus 17. It was Israel's first battle. The Amalekites came against them in Rephidim. Joshua commanded the hosts of Israel, and Moses went up onto the Mount to pray.

The fluctuations of the battle were astonishing. In turn the opposing hosts prevailed, until it was found that the issue of the battle was not with the fighters in the field but with the intercessors on the Mount. (Google image, Moses, Aaron and Hur)

It was the weaponless hand of prayer that ruled the battle. "And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed." Power is the recompense of prayer.

It takes us long to learn that prayer is more important then organization, more powerful than armies, more influential than wealth, and mightier than all learning. Prevailing prayer makes men invincible. They who prevail in the secret place of the Most High cannot be beaten anywhere. All things are possible to secret prayer.

The Place of Fellowship

On the Mount the Lord spoke unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. Like Abraham, Moses was admitted to the friendship of God. He did not come simply to plead petitions and receive orders. He was there for communion on a common basis of fellowship.

The inner chamber is an audience chamber where the soul enters into friendly intercourse and mutual interchange. It is a place for listening as well as for speech. The most important part of prayer is not what we say to God but what God says to us. It is no place for hurry. The soul must be still and wait before the Lord.

The Mount is the place of intercession. There is a moving story in Exodus 32:9-14 of how Moses pleaded for Israel. He stepped into the breach. God looks for men who will stand in the gap (Ezek. 22:30). God encourages us to speak for others and to plead for them. He suffers entreaty.

How daring was Abraham's faith! With what audacity Moses stepped into the breach and urged the plea for Israel! With what passion Paul pleaded for his kinsmen according to the flesh! We are commanded to pray one for another, and who can tell what blessings come to men through intercession?

It was on the Mount Moses saw God's glory. It is a vision of the secret place. It was on the Mount Jesus was transfigured. The glory seen is also shared. Prayer transfigures. Moses came down from the Mount all aglow with the glory, but "he wist not that the skin of his face shone." That is the secret of radiant humility.

"As Jesus prayed, He was transfigured before them." Glory is the recompense of prayer. The Lord who calls His servant onto the Mount sends him down. Peter wanted to stay. We go up that we may go down. We enter in that we may come out.

There are golden images, senseless and wicked passions, enslaved and misguided people, distracted fathers and demon-torn sons and daughters that need the vision and the power of God. Come up! Go down! God wants us on the Mount and He wants us in the valley. Moses died on the Mount. Those who go up and down at God's bidding are sure to end in going up to come down no more.

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THE PATH OF PRAYER
By Samuel Chadwick
(Click on the title to buy)

Used by the permission of

www.cliffcollege.ac.uk
(Emphasis added)

Let's pray-

Father, the story of the battle against the Amalekites, with Joshua and the army in the valley, and Moses praying on the Mount for them, tells us that the need was for prayer support, not just for the men and equipment in the field below.

Help us learn that prayer is more important then all of our organizing, planning and abilities, and that prevailing prayer is what makes all things possible.
May we soon see what's important is not in what we say to You, but what You have to say to us. Help us to be still and to wait before You, and not be in a hurry.
Draw us up in our inner chambers of prayer, that we may then go down to the valleys where there's so much need.
We ask in the name of Jesus, for guidance in our efforts to enter in, that we may come out and serve others. Amen.

Today's Bible verses-

2 Cor 10:3-5 "For though we live in the world, we

do not wage war as the world does. The weapons

we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On

the contrary, they have divine power to demolish

strongholds. We demolish arguments and every

pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge

of God, and we take captive every thought to make

it obedient to Christ."

Psalm 34:19 "Many are the afflictions of

the righteous, but the Lord delivers him

out of them all.

Today's quotes-

~ J. C. Ryle (1816-1900)- "Live as if you thought that Christ might come at any time. Do everything, as if you did it for the last time. Say everything as if you said it for the last time. Read every chapter in the Bible, as if you did not know whether you would be allowed to read it again. Pray every prayer, as if you felt it might be your last opportunity. Hear every sermon, as if you were hearing once and forever. This is the way to be found ready."

(p. 1 of HERALD OF HIS COMING magazine for April 2019, Vol. 78 No. 4 [928], Seek To Be A Light In The World

~ James H. Cagle- "As the Christian is occupied with beholding Christ’ glory he is changed, transformed into the same glory, which is unto holiness.
This change is what is called progressive sanctification. It’s not an instant change but a change by degree, by measure, by faith.
This change is wrought by the power of the Spirit. As we gaze long upon our Savior, contemplate His life, and wonder at His glory the Holy Spirit works to transform us into His likeness."

Did you know?

~ Wrong thinking doesn't coexist with peace. Repentance, changing the way we think, restores our peace.

~ Giving thanks is what helps keep us in tune with the Father, Who is worthy of our trust.

Today's guest post- By Dr. James Dobson

Practical ways to help you make it through the day.

"Even with a clear game plan in mind, raising kids properly is one of life's richest challenges. It is not uncommon for a mother, particularly, to feel overwhelmed by the complexity of her parental assignment. Certainly, there are occasions in the life of every mother when she looks in the mirror and asks, "How can I make it through this day?"

Upcoming posts-

Easter . . . On Both Sides of the Dirt
5/4th- Saturday's post by Ron Hutchcraft

#35 The Power of Prayer
7th- Tuesday's post by Samuel Chadwick

#36 Miracles of Power
9th- Thursday's post by Samuel Chadwick

Hard Places—in the Way of Faith
11th- Saturday's post by A. B. Simpson