Prayer (part 2) by John Bunyan - What True Prayer Is

"Prayer is a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the heart or soul to God, through Christ, in the strength and assistance of the Holy Spirit, for such things as God has promised, or according to His word, for the good of the church, with submission in faith to the will of God." (ibid. pg.13)

Prayer (part 1) by John Bunyan

John Bunyan (1628-1688). Author of the most famous Christian allegory The Pilgrim's Progress From this World to that which is to Come and other classics like Holy War and a host of other great reads. I will be highlighting good stuff from Bunyan's works on Prayer. I am using the Puritan Paperbacks series from the Banner of Truth Trust publishers, reprinted in 1995, simply entitled: Prayer. This single book is a combination of two of Bunyan's works (as noted in the forward): A Discourse Touching Prayer (1622) and The Saint's Privilege and Profit; or The Throne of Grace (1692).

"...I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also...." (1 Cor. 14:15)

"Prayer is an ordinance of God to be used both in public and private; yea, such an ordinance as brings those that have the spirit of supplication into great familiarity with God. It is also so prevalent an action that it gets from God, both for the person that prays, and for them that are prayed for, great things. It is the opener of the heart of God, and a means by which the soul, though empty, is filled." (Section 1Praying in the Spirit, ii)