Prayer is that sweet expression that really makes me like a child coming before my Father – at least in my spirit.

I did enter into spiritual warfare type prayer last night and I can still say that I came as a child before God, even if my prayer was courageous and bold. In my spirit I knew that nothing could come out of it except if my Father intervenes.

Prayer is my place where I depend on God alone – it is my place where I find myself birthing hope in Him.

In an account of the voyage of some of the early missionaries who left Hermannsburg for South Africa, is the following incident:—After a long calm, a brother prayed thus to the Lord for favouring wind: “Lord, thou givest them that fear thee the desires of their heart, and dost help them; help us now, that we may no longer be becalmed upon the sea; help us on our journey, you who ride on the wings of the wind.” He was so joyful over this word of the Lord, that he rose up and said in his heart: “Now I have already that for which I prayed.” After the prayer, one of the crew stepped over to the helmsman, and said, half mocking, half in earnest, “So we shall have wind: did you hear the prayer? It does not look very like it!” So he said, and half an hour after there came so strong a blast that the waves broke over the ship.—William Fleming Stevenson, in “Praying and Working,” 1862.

I depend on God alone;
    I put my hope in him. – Psalm 62:5 GNT

This little classic takes a troubleshooting approach to the subject of prayer. Rather than outlining the theology of prayer or laying out practical steps to take in praying, Hallesby takes a pastoral path, responding to a series of complaints and difficulties people have about prayer. Perhaps for this reason, the discussion sometimes feels theologically thin or speculative. Nevertheless, the overall effect of the book is to reassure strugglers that Jesus is with them and to encourage endurance. – Timothy Keller: Hallesby, Ole – Prayer