(Audio Book) Lessons In the School of Prayer
Andrew Murray emphasizes that true prayer is not a hurried duty but a deep, loving communion with God that transforms the soul by abiding in His presence.
This sermon emphasizes the importance of spending quality time in prayer and communion with God, allowing the soul to be calmed and transformed in His presence. It highlights the need to move beyond mere duty in prayer to finding delight and privilege in seeking God's company. The focus is on cultivating a deep, intimate relationship with God, where His presence becomes essential for spiritual survival and where love for Him becomes the primary passion of one's life.
Full Transcript
He who rushes into the presence of God to hasten through a few formal petitions and then hastens back to outside cares and pursuits does not tarry long enough to lose the impression of what is without and get the impress of what is within the secret chamber. He does not take time to fix his mind's gaze on the unseen and eternal. Many a so-called praying man has never once really met and seen God in the closet.
The soul, disturbed and perturbed, tossed up and down and driven to and fro by worldly thoughts and care, can no more become a mirror to reflect God than a ruffled lake can become the mirror of the starry heights that arch above it. He who would look downward into his own heart depths, and see God reflected there, must stay long enough for the stormy soul to get becalmed. Only when he first gives peace is the nature placid enough to become the mirror of heavenly things.
But when such communion becomes real, prayer ceases to be mere duty and becomes delight, all sense of obligation is lost in privilege. Love seeks the company of its object, simply for the sake of being in the presence of the beloved one, as one little fellow explained his quietly coming into his father's study by the hunger for his presence just to be with you, papa. Have any of us not known what it is to cultivate companionship for its own sake, mutely sitting in the presence of another whom we devotedly love? And do we not love God enough to make it an object to shut ourselves in with Him at times just to enjoy Him? Is there no taint of selfishness in prayer which knows no other motive than to ask for some favor? Jude counsels us to pray in the Holy Ghost as a means whereby we keep ourselves in the love of God, he who know the very ecstasies of the secret chamber, there learns to keep himself in the love of God, finding therein the sunbeam whose light illumines, whose love warms, whose life quickens.
God's presence becomes the atmosphere he breathes and without which his spiritual life cannot survive. Such a habit of abiding in the presence of God and dwelling upon his glorious perfection develops a holy and enamoring love which can only say with Zinzendorf and Thalic, I have but one passion and it is he and he alone.
Sermon Outline
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I
- The danger of hurried, formal prayer
- The necessity of quieting the soul
- Prayer as reflection of God’s presence
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II
- The soul’s disturbance hinders communion
- Calming the soul to reflect heavenly things
- Prayer as a mirror of God’s image
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III
- Prayer as delight, not duty
- Love’s desire to be with the beloved
- Cultivating companionship with God
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IV
- Praying in the Holy Spirit to remain in God’s love
- God’s presence as spiritual atmosphere
- Developing a passionate, holy love for God
Key Quotes
“He who rushes into the presence of God to hasten through a few formal petitions and then hastens back to outside cares and pursuits does not tarry long enough to lose the impression of what is without and get the impress of what is within the secret chamber.” — Andrew Murray
“Only when he first gives peace is the nature placid enough to become the mirror of heavenly things.” — Andrew Murray
“God's presence becomes the atmosphere he breathes and without which his spiritual life cannot survive.” — Andrew Murray
Application Points
- Take time to quiet your soul before prayer to truly encounter God’s presence.
- Approach prayer as a privilege of loving companionship rather than a mere duty.
- Cultivate the habit of abiding in God’s presence daily to sustain and deepen your spiritual life.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main problem with hurried prayer?
Hurried prayer prevents the soul from settling and truly encountering God, reducing prayer to mere formalities.
How can one prepare their soul for true communion with God?
By calming the disturbed soul and fixing the mind on the unseen and eternal, one becomes a clear reflection of God.
What transforms prayer from duty to delight?
When prayer becomes motivated by love and the desire to be in God's presence rather than just asking for favors.
What role does the Holy Spirit play in prayer according to the sermon?
Praying in the Holy Spirit helps believers keep themselves in the love of God and experience the joy of His presence.
Why is abiding in God’s presence essential for spiritual life?
Because God’s presence is the atmosphere that sustains spiritual life, illuminating, warming, and quickening the soul.