Virginia Brandt Berg (1898-1968)
God bless you! Welcome again to Meditation Moments. Sometime ago I found in my scrapbook these words. So many times we close our programs, I think almost with the words "God is still on the throne and prayer changes things!" And someone had written and said, "Well, I don't find those words in the Bible." No, you don't but they're certainly Scriptural and express a truth that needs to be burned on the tables of every heart. For if prayer does change things then we ought to devote more time in prayer for all about us there are so many many things that need changing. Just think, if prayer does change things and you really believe that, what would happen? If prayer does not change things then let's quit praying. But let me say it again, if it does change things then let's go about it and change those things that are hindering us, our service, the things that worry and things that defeat us. If prayer changes things then let's change them. But someone answered after we had talked about that, "I prayed and things have not changed!" Well, then this little talk is just for you. Years ago we used to hear a very common expression amongst Christians such as, "I'm going to pray through on this thing!" Or they'd ask each other, "Have you prayed through about this?" Praying through meant that while praying you had received a definite assurance that you had been heard. To such a one, prayer was a conversation in which God had a vital part. It was not only a matter of expecting to be heard in prayer but the definite conviction that the still small voice of God would speak assurance in their heart. This was called "praying through." I know if you're a real Christian you felt that assurance of times. You just felt like you didn't need to pray anymore. There was a sweet assurance that God had heard. I found this in the Sunday School Times one day, "Praying through might be defined as praying ones way into full faith so that one has the assurance from God that not only has he been heard but he becomes actually aware of receiving by firmest anticipation in advance of the event the things which he asked for. How many times in God's Word we read of those who prayed through. Oh, I love to read the Psalms and oh, I get such a thrill in my soul when David emerges from prayer and he comes out with those expressions of assurance. The Lord hath heard my prayer. When he went to prayer he was almost in despair at one time from some great trial but wasn't very long before he came out declaring a great assurance these words, "The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping." And another time he comes back from prayer with the words, "Verily God hath heard me. He hath attended unto the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God which hath not turned away my prayer nor His mercy from me." And then in the 6th Psalm he comes also with the sweet assurance, "The Lord hath heard my supplication. The Lord hath received my prayer." Oh, I've told you many times how years ago I was injured in a terrible accident which left me a total invalid for a number of years. Well, I can't talk about that story now but I want to rest upon your heart that it was this fixed determination, this praying through we're talking about that brought the fullness of faith for the deliverance, the great deliverance that came into my life and which brought me even to just such a microphone as this into serving of the Lord. Through Jesus Christ and our precious rights on Calvary you can have the promised fulfilled. God has promised. You can say, "And I'm going to have it. I'm going to see it through. I'm going to have this fixed determination. I'm gonna hold on until the answer comes." Oh, don't give up! Don't give up! How much do you want the desire of your heart? Are you willing to meet this condition, this fixed determination or are you going to let little discouragements make you give up, little obstacles block your way to victory or are you going to listen to what people say that frustrate you? Oh, there are many ways of meeting a crisis but the only real way by Scripture is to pray straight through them. Recently talking to a friend whose situation I knew well I said, "I don't believe God said 'No' to your prayer. You just gave up for the Word says, 'In due season you shall reap if you faint not.'" May your faith be strengthened as you think of the faith healers of old who marched about the Jericho Walls until they fell and who faced the Red Sea undaunted until it opened, the Jordan parted. Take these promises and march straight through the difficulty saying like the saints of old, "I'm determined that nothing shall keep me or cheat me out of whatever thing that Christ has paid for on Calvary." Oh, I know I've said that to you before but I say it again because it's a precious thing to remember. I'm determined that Satan shall not cheat me out of one thing that Jesus Christ paid for on Calvary. Pray through, my friend, with this fixed determination that you're not going to give up. There are many reasons why God does not immediately answer. He says, "In the day you call upon with a whole heart I'll answer." You want it enough to get down to wrestling in prayer and to continue searching until God answers. God bless you! He's still on the throne and prayer does change things.