Divine Life Must Have Expression

But the “groanings which cannot be uttered”* (Romans 8:26) must not be confused with the dumbness that can come through the devil’s damping down our fires. Some people never do anything but groan, if they even do that; but when the prayer time is over, they seem to have a wonderful facility of speech. In most cases I believe it is simply that the devil hinders them. Either he overwhelms them with feelings, floods them with fear, or in some other way holds the brain so that expression in prayer becomes impossible. That this thing—this paralysis of expression—can be broken through, I have proved.

No one should sit down under this terrible dumbness. The divine life in us must have expression; and if the soul would grow and echo the heart throb of the Father, it must pray. So whenever you have the opportunity, dare to pray, and pray aloud. Do it on your feet, as well as on your knees. You will then more easily keep the stream of life running and baffle the devil. (Souls deprived of speech are in another category, but they may serve God in their spirit—Romans 1:9, margin; 12:11; Isaiah 26:9; Psalm 139:2).

Even a cursory reading of the Scriptures will show that the Christian life is lived on a battlefield. We are to be soldiers (2 Timothy 2:3-4) as well as sons, and as such we must take up the challenge of the evil forces in the heavens and pray.