Charles Spurgeon, the 'Prince of Preachers,' understood prayer not merely as a means to receive blessings but as a transformative spiritual practice.
In his wisdom, Spurgeon identified three profound benefits of prayer: it (a) teaches us our unworthiness, it (b) strengthens us spiritually, and it (c) connects human weakness with divine power.
These insights reveal why prayer remains essential to authentic Christian faith and spiritual maturity.
“The act of prayer,” says Spurgeon, “teaches us our unworthiness, which is a very salutary (beneficial) lesson for such proud beings as we are. If God gave us favors without constraining us to pray for them we should never know how poor we are, but a true prayer is an inventory of wants, a catalog of necessities, a revelation of hidden poverty.
While it is an application to divine wealth, it is a confession of human emptiness.
The most healthy state of a Christian is to be always empty in self and constantly depending upon the Lord for supplies; to be always poor in self and rich in Jesus; weak as water personally, but mighty through God to do great exploits; and hence the use of prayer, because, while it adores God, it lays the creature where it should be, in the very dust.”
“Prayer is in itself,” he says, “apart from the answer which it brings, a great benefit to the Christian.”
I suggest you consider for a moment: have you ever felt the overwhelming peace that descends when, empty of self-reliance, you finally surrender your burdens in prayer? This is not coincidence but divine design. When we surrender in honest prayer, acknowledging our limitations, we paradoxically rise with renewed strength—not our own, but God's. This beautiful exchange—our weakness for His might—should fill our hearts with hope and wonder.
Again, Spurgeon: “As the runner gains strength for the race by daily exercise, so for the great race of life we acquire energy by the hallowed labor of prayer. Prayer plumes the wings of God's young eaglets, that they may learn to mount above the clouds. Prayer girds the loins of God's warriors, and sends them forth to combat with their sinews braced and their muscles firm. An earnest pleader comes out of his closet, even as the sun arises from the chambers of the east, rejoicing like a strong man to run his race. Prayer is that uplifted hand of Moses which routs the Amalekites more than the sword of Joshua; it is the arrow shot from the chamber of the prophet foreboding defeat to the Syrians. Prayer supplies human weakness with divine strength, turns human folly into heavenly wisdom, and gives to troubled souls the peace of God.”
The profound meaning of Spurgeon’s teaching lies in understanding that prayer is not primarily about changing our circumstances but about changing us. Through prayer, God ‘s Holy Spirit transforms our perspective from self-sufficiency to divine dependency. This shift is the heartbeat of Christian growth—learning to decrease so that Christ might increase within us. As we faithfully practice this spiritual discipline, we find ourselves gradually becoming more like Him—humble yet confident, empty yet fulfilled.
We know not what prayer cannot do! We thank you, great God, for the mercy-seat, a wonderful proof of your marvelous loving-kindness. Help us to use it rightly throughout this day! CHS
Remember: Prayer is not merely a Christian duty—it is the sacred pathway to profound transformation, where our acknowledged emptiness becomes the very vessel God fills with His limitless strength.
Question: If prayer reveals our true poverty and connects us to our Lord’s abundance, what might your prayer life reveal about where you're still trying to sustain yourself rather than drawing from His infinite resources?
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