*Discussion Board post for my seminary class on Systematic Theology
In The Necessity of Prayer, E.M. Bounds thoroughly expounds on the role of prayer in the life of a Christian. He uses fourteen chapters to cover eleven main topics: faith, trust, desire, fervency, importunity, character, conduct, obedience, vigilance, the Word of God, and the House of God. Several of my classmates have written a good bit about the role of desire in prayer. I was really challenged by the portion that Bounds spent on character and conduct in chapter eight.
The preface noted that Bounds woke up at 4am to pray and therefore had a unique perspective on the power of prayer. I wish I could say that I was that disciplined. I am reminded of the way that prayer shapes our character in my personal study of Joseph in the book of Genesis. There were so many times that Joseph could have taken the easy way out and gone against God, but instead, he clung to God and honored Him and in the end, God honored Joseph by giving him amazing opportunities to lead. His entire life was a picture of God at work through forgiveness and integrity. Joseph’s character and conduct honored God because he spent time with God.
Bounds makes the point that “prayer helps to establish character and fashion conduct.” How are we to become more Christlike unless we spend focused time in prayer molding our character? The time we spend in the refiner’s fire will mold us and shape us into the person that can be the most usable by God.
I am reminded of something I read in Bill Hybels’ book Too Busy Not to Pray. Hybels talks about the fact that prayer isn’t something you can learn at a conference or truly understand by reading a book about it. Prayer is something you must be driven to. That is the point that Bounds is making about character. On our own, we will always make poor character choices and suffer the consequences. Once a person has been burned a few times, it will become a little easier to humble yourself to pray and ask God to work in your life.
James 4:8-10 speaks specifically to the idea of building character through prayer and abiding in Christ, “8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.” There isn’t anything exciting about the process described in this passage except for the product that is promised if you follow the instructions.
The entire premise of Christianity is based on turning away from sin and turning towards Christ. In order for us to truly have victory over the sins that creep up in our lives, we must spend time abiding in Christ through prayer and study. Bounds credits prayer as the reason for supernatural change in a person’s character. Prayer is the catalyst that “establishes our character and fashions our conduct.”