American Reformation Church Prayer Journal 40
ARC Prayer Meeting
“I must secure more time for private devotions. I have been living far too public for me. The shortening of devotions starves the soul, it grows lean and faint. I have been keeping too late hours.” -William Wilberforce
Wilberforce was a tireless champion used by God to abolish the slave trade in England. He stated, “God Almighty has set before me two great objects, the suppression of the slave trade and the reformation of manners.” Do you have any Kingdom objects to fulfill in your lifetime? If not, why not?
John Wesley wrote Wilberforce to encourage him in the great battle to end the slave trade in England. He wrote, “Unless the divine power has raised you up to be as Athanasius, contra mundum, [an ‘Athanasius against the world.’] I see not how you can go through your glorious enterprise in opposing that execrable villainy, which is the scandal of religion, of England, and of human nature. Unless God has raised you up for this very thing, you will be worn out by the opposition of men and devils.
But if God be for you, who can be against you? Are all of them together stronger than God? O be not weary of well doing.”
This is a great example on how pastors and magistrates can work together to right wrongs and how the church and state can work together to end grave evils in their day.
Obviously, Wilberforce poured out his life. He was a sickly man, who was spent in pursuing the end of the injustice of slavery. What was his struggle in his soul while fighting the good fight of faith? He relied more on his will, hard work, late hours, and public ministry. At what cost? It starved his soul. It made him lean and faint in the just cause of liberating an oppressed people.
It my experience to abolish abortion in our day, most burn out and get bitter in the battle, if they do not make sure they are recharging their battery by fellowshipping with the Lord and His church.
While serving in Operation Rescue/Operation Save America, we emphasized by far being Christians of action. We saw far too many in the church using prayer as a substitute for obedience. They were spiritualizing their failure to rescue those unjustly sentenced to death.
However, once we put our hands to the Kingdom plow to abolish abortion, the reality that Wilberforce mentioned came crashing in upon our souls. It is not an either/or proposition. Both propositions are needed and necessary to sustain ourselves in this battle for the souls of men, the lives of children, and the future of our blood stained, perverted land.
Jesus stated, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” (Matthew 9:37, 38). Notice the order, first pray, then go and do the work.
God help our church to fulfill these mandates given by our Lord to glorify Him and benefit others, especially, the least of these.
