Constant and Fervent Prayer

In his last two sermons, Pastor Richard made the statement that "God is calling His Church to fervent, persevering, faith-driven prayer."

That phrase reminded me of something I read in R.A. Torrey's book, How to Pray.

In the first chapter of the book Torrey gives eleven reasons why "constant, persistent, sleepless, overcoming prayer" is so necessary.

1. Because there is a Devil.
2. Prayer is God's appointed way for obtaining things, and the great secret of all lack in our experience, in our life, and in our work is neglect of prayer.
3. Those men whom God set forth as a pattern of what He expected Christians to be - the Apostles - regarded prayer as the most important business of their lives.
4. Prayer occupied a very prominent place and played a very important part in the earthly life of our Lord.
5. Praying is the most important part of the present ministry of our risen Lord.
6. Prayer is the means that God has appointed for our receiving mercy and obtaining grace to help in time of need.
7. Prayer in the name of Jesus Christ is the way Jesus Christ Himself has appointed for His disciples to obtain fullness of joy.
8. Prayer, in every care and anxiety and need of life, with thanksgiving, is the means that God has appointed for obtaining freedom from all anxiety, and the peace of God which passes all understanding.
9. Prayer is the method that God Himself has appointed for our obtaining the Holy Spirit.
10. Prayer is the means that Christ has appointed whereby our hearts shall not become overcharged with surfeiting (gluttony or overindulgence) and drunkenness and cares of this life, and so the day of Christ's return come upon us suddenly as a snare.
11. Because of what prayer accomplishes

You can read more about those eleven reasons and the rest of the book online here or here.