Charles Spurgeon on "Where are All Your Prayers Concentrated?"

Whenever I read the Book of Psalms, I think of how David's prayers are seeking for God to be glorified and not the author.  When Jesus taught the Lord's Prayer, we read, "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven."  The purpose of prayer is not to change God but to change man.  It is utter heresy to think if prayers can change God.  Certainly, it can change God's mind but it cannot change God's immutable nature of holiness.  When God changes His mind about something, it is just like if God decides to forgive the worst sinner and change the person for the better but it does not go against His standard of holiness.

To do the will of the Father is to believe on Him who was sent (John 6:40).  This is no mere superficial belief as some "Easy Christians" may say that this belief does not necessarily produce works.  Beware because the demons do believe the basics about our Lord Jesus Christ but it is superficial.  A Christian's faith as James 2:14-26 declares that any faith devoid of works is spurious.  A true faith in Christ may not need works to save but it will produce works because one is saved.  Abraham's faith was made perfect when it resulted to works.  The Christian motive of doing good works comes from a real faith which is gratefulness for God saving the Christian.

Likewise, prayers motivated by faith seek to glorify God alone.  Doing the will of God in your lives come first with believing which results to doing.  It is all about asking God for that strength to do what is right.  No Christian is ever saved and left alone to fight against sin.  Instead, God is involved in the sanctification of the believer.  1 Corinthians 6:11 says that now you are saved, you are sanctified by the Holy Spirit meaning that God is involved in sanctification.  Hebrews 12:5-7 says God also intervenes daily by chastising His own whenever they stumble.  Titus 2:11-14 teaches God's grace gives the Christian the power against sinfulness.  It has never been saving them and leaving them alone and if they cannot do it, they lose their salvation but instead, it is the Christian gets saved and is accompanied by the daily work with Christ as Philippians 1:6-7 declares the confidence that when God begins His work, He is bound to finish it.  Does not that make a Christian's prayer more and more concentrated to dying to one's self and living wholly for God?