TWENTY-SECOND DAY. The Spirit of Prayer.
第二十二日 禱 告 的 靈
“The Spirit maketh intercession for the saints.”—ROM. viii. 27.
“Prayer is not our work, but God’s work, that He works within us by His almighty power.” As we think of this, our attitude should be one of silent expectation that as we pray, the Holy Spirit may help our infirmities, and pray within us with groanings that cannot be uttered.
What a thought! When I feel how defective my prayer is, when I have no strength of my own, I may bow in silence before God in the confidence that His Holy Spirit will teach me to pray. The Spirit is the Spirit of prayer. It is not my work, but God’s work in me. My very desire is a sign that God will hear me. When God would grant our requests, He first works the desire in our hearts, and the Spirit will perfect the work, even in our weakness. We see this in the story of Jocob. The same One Who wrestled with him, and seemed to withhold the blessing, was in reality strengthening him to continue and to prevail in prayer. What a wondrous thought! Prayer is the work of the Triune God: the Father, who wakens the desire, and will give all we need; the son, who through His intercession teaches us to pray in His Name; and the Holy Spirit, who in secret will strengthen our feeble desires.
We have spoken of the Spirit of truth who will glorify Christ in us, and of the Spirit of love, who will shed this love abroad in our hearts. And now we have the Spirit of prayer, through whom our life may be one of continual prayer. Thank God. The Spirit has been given from heaven to dwell in our hearts, and to teach us to pray.
Christian, listen to the leading of the Spirit. Obey His voice in all things. He will make you a man of prayer. You will then realize the glory of your calling as intercessor, asking great things of God for those around you, for the Church, and for the whole heathen world.
「聖靈照着神的旨意，替聖徒祈求。」(羅八：27)
禱告不是我們的工作，乃是神的工作，乃是神在我們裏面藉着祂的大能大力所作的工作。當我們想到了這一點，我們會有一個安靜等候的態度；因為在我們禱告的時候，聖靈會幫助我們的輭弱，也會用說不出來的歎息，在我們裏面禱告。
這是一個何等奇妙的思想！當我覺得自己的禱告是那樣不完全，自己又毫無能力的時候，我可以在安靜中俯伏在神面前，確信祂的聖靈要教導我禱告。聖靈乃是禱告的靈。禱告不是我的工作，乃是神在我裏面的工作。我的願望就是神要聽我禱告的兆頭。當神要答應我們祈求的時候，首先祂在我們心裏造出一個願望來，然後聖靈就來完成這個工作；卽使在我們軟弱的時候，也是這樣。在雅各的事蹟中，我們也看見這一點。那位與他摔跤，並似乎要扣住祝福不給他的，實際上卻是一直加力給他，使他不斷的禱告，並在禱告上得勝的一位。這是何等奇妙的思想！禱告乃是三而一的神共同的工作：父，將願望題醒我們，也要賜給我們一切所需要的；子，藉着祂的代禱，教導我們如何奉着祂的名禱告；而聖靈乃是在我們的隱密處剛強我們輭弱的願望。
我們已經說過真理的靈，祂要在我們裏面榮耀基督；也說過愛的靈，祂要把這一個愛澆灌在我們心裏；現在我們再說到禱告的靈，藉着祂，我們的生活纔會成為一個恒切禱告的生活。感謝神，聖靈已經從天上賜下來，祂住在我們心裏，並教導我們禱告。
基督徒阿！要聽從聖靈的引導，要在凡事上順從祂的聲音。祂要使你成為一個禱告的人。那時你就會真認識神呼召你作一個代禱者，為着那些在你四周的人，為着教會，並為着整個不信的世界，向神祈求重大的事，是何等的榮耀！
