Unless otherwise noted, all quotes are taken from EM Bounds’ book, The Necessity of Prayer.
What is Desire?
“Desire is not merely a wish; it is deep seated craving; an intense longing, for attainment.”
“A sense of need creates, or should create, earnest desire.”
How Do We Develop This Godly Desire?
“We should pray for desire; then, when desire has been given, we should pray according to its dictates.”
“Holy desire is much helped by devout contemplation.”
How Does Desire Demonstrate Itself in Prayer?
“The ‘poor in spirit’ are eminently competent to pray.”
- The poor in spirit recognize their spiritual poverty.
- How would such a person view themselves, God, and others?
- How would they pray?
- How does a starving person beg for bread? His last meal?
“We fail much more in desire, than in its outward expression. We retain the form, while the inner life fades and almost dies.”
“[Desire] wants a few things, and wants them badly, so badly, that nothing but God’s willingness to answer, can bring it easement or content.”
What Should We Desire?
1 Peter 2:2 – As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
Matthew 5:6 – Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Psalm 27:4 – One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.
Philippians 3:13 – Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
1 Timothy 1:15 – This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
“The indispensable requisite for all true praying is a deeply seated desire which seeks after God himself, and remains unappeased, until the choicest gifts in heaven’s bestowal, have been richly and abundantly granted.”
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