Charles Spurgeon at Prayer

Pastor Bill Anthes preached with unbridled passion this morning regarding the Holy Spirit in celebration of Pentecost Sunday. After the service was over I went and stole some of Bill's sermon notes and copied this quote about Spurgeon that also had one of his prayers. "Each time he climbed into the pulpit, Spurgeon could be heard saying, 'I believe in the Holy Spirit. I believe in the Holy Spirit. I believe in the Holy Spirit.' This is how he prayed: O God. send us the Holy Ghost! Give us both the breath of spiritual life and the fire of unconquerable zeal. O Thout art our God, answer by fire, we pray Thee! Answer us both by wind and fire, and then we shall see Thee to be God indeed. The kingdom comes not, and the work is flagging. Oh, that Thou wouldst send the wind and the fire! Thou wilt do this when we are all of one accord, all believing, all expecting, all prepared by prayer. Lord, bring us to this waiting state! God, send us a season of glorious disorder. Oh, for a sweep of the wind that will set the seas in motion, and make our ironclad brethren now lying so quietly at anchor, to roll from stem to stern! Oh, for the fire to fall again — fire which shall affect the most stolid! Oh, that such fire might first sit upon the disciples, and then fall all around! O God, Thou art ready to work with us today even as Thou didst then. Stay not, we beseech Thee, but work at once. Break down every barrier that hinders the incoming of Thy might! Give us now both hearts of flame and tonuges of fire to preach Thy reconciling word, for Jesus' sake! Amen!"