The Forsaken and Forgotten Path to Victory

​Stepping off the front porch of my boyhood home in Louisiana and looking across the yard toward the east, one would see what appeared to be two simple buildings, situated side by side. On the right crouched an old shed, made from corrugated metal, which contained lawn equipment, hand tools, and other such necessary implements for country life. On the left stood a wooden structure with a window and a door on the side facing the front yard. Although primitive in appearance, to us, it appraised as the most valuable spot on the old home place - the place my father visited at least twice each day - once before he left for work and again before he went to bed - the Prayer Shed.

​For my entire life, I remember Daddy being a man of prayer, and he built this structure as the place to be used exclusively for prayer or study of the Word of God. He knew the daily traverse down the path to the presence of God would result in spiritual victory for us all. To some, it may have seemed like waste of our family’s financial resources, but as I grew toward adolescence and begin to visit this room myself, I began to realize, The Prayer Shed represented the greatest investment determining the trajectory of our family.

​As Apostolic Pentecostals, we seem to be always on a quest for victory, reaching, in one way or another, for what seems to be that elusive apex of experience. Most desire to live in the first half of Hebrews 11 with all its victories and glory, but, if given our preference, we would avoid the second part with all its discomfort and hardship.

​We reach for our victories in a variety of ways. We love to preach about Moses' declaration, “Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord,” and the singing and dancing with the corpses of the Egyptians in view. We consider Joshua’s victory at Jericho, Elijah's showdown on Carmel, David’s defeat of Goliath, Solomon's riches, wealth, and wisdom, John the Baptist's powerful ministry, and Paul and Silas' praising in prison. We encourage people to “Shout your way through it! Dance your way out of it! Rejoice your way to victory!”

​While all of these exhortations are Biblically credible, alone, they do not always achieve the desired result. Sometimes, I think we forget Moses' desert experience, Joshua's apprenticeship, Elijah's prayers, David's consecration, Solomon's encounter with God, John's wilderness wandering, and Paul's daily dying came before the victories which we proclaim. We encourage one another to “Shout! Shout! Shout! All Night!,” and the victory we are wanting seems like it is always just beyond our grasp.

​We are not alone in our struggle. The disciples of Jesus faced this dilemma in Mark 9. Having brought his afflicted son to the disciples and receiving no reprieve, the man approached Jesus.

​“I brought my son to your disciples, and they could not help me,” he implored.

​“And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.” ~ Mark 9:29

 ​There is only one way to get this kind of victory.

Jesus said, “By nothing, but by prayer and fasting.”

​Really, we would rather not. It is too intensive, too demanding, too inconvenient. It requires too much of our time and spiritual energy, so we forsake it, and then we forget it. We exchange prayer rooms filled with burdened souls in spiritual battle for green rooms filled with hors d'oeuvres and idle chatter. “Is that old fashioned manner still necessary?” we ask. “After all, this is a new day, and we have to get all the pieces of the production together.”

​Meanwhile, victories remain elusive, and struggles remain dominant. Spirits become stagnant, and marriages become tumultuous. Youth become disinterested, and worship services become powerless performances. Congregations and fellowships become divided, spirits shrivel, and passion is quenched.

​In pursuit of the sensational, we have forsaken the foundational, and too many have forgotten the location of where the path begins. It is past time to pull out the spiritual machete and relocate the forsaken and forgotten path to victory!

​In our pursuit of the path of prayer, there are some properties of prayer which we must consider. First, prayer must be consistent. As my father visited his sacred place twice each day, we must develop a consistency in the crucifixion of our flesh and the building up of our most holy faith. Second, prayer must be focused. The distractions which destroy relationships must be locked out of our personal time with Jesus Christ. Third, prayer must be fervent. It cannot be tepid or dispassionate, but effectual and boiling.

​Additionally, we must reach a level in prayer which goes beyond the natural into the eternal, from fleshly unto spiritual. In The Lord’s Prayer, Jesus gave a blueprint, and if that pattern is fervently followed, we will find ourselves moving into the Spirit of prayer. Becoming unaware of our surroundings and moving into total communion with God, it is there we find ourselves praying with the Spirit, and the Spirit itself making intercession through us with groanings that cannot be uttered.

“After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.” ~ Matthew 6:9-13

​Prayer will not be achieved by the weak, lazy, or uncommitted. The path to victory will only be found by those who are willing to enter their personal Gethsemane, and perspiring profusely, utter the cry of Jesus Christ, “Not my will, but thine be done!”

​As Solomon concluded his dedicatorial prayer, God declared if we would humble ourselves, pray, and seek His face, He will move in our behalf!

​What a path to victory!

​My dear fellow-laborer, it is time to pray. Pray consistent, focused, and fervent prayers. Pray like the world is coming to an end. Pray like Jesus is coming! Pray like Heaven is magnificent and hell is hot! Pray like your prayers will determine whether your loved ones are saved or lost! Pray like revival depends on you. Pray like your prayers are your lifeline. Pray like your prayers can hold back the attack of the enemy. Pray in the same manner you want somebody to pray for you in your desperate situation. Pray the prayers of Abraham, Jonah, David, Elijah and Cornelius. Pray like the elders prayed. Pray without ceasing!

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” ~ 2 Chronicles 7:14

​Of Ezekiel’s day, God said, “And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.” May this not be the testimony of God concerning our generation.

​To His people, Jesus is still saying, “There is a place by me.”

​May we not be content with noise and no power instead of breaking through to the path to victory which in too many cases has been forgotten because too long ago it was forsaken.

Pray until victory comes!

~ Pastor Harlan Morgan