I pray that He may grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power in the inner man through His Spirit, and that the Messiah may dwell in your hearts through faith. (Ephesians 3:16-17)

Last Monday was Reformation Day (as well as Halloween). Four hundred ninety-nine years ago, Martin Luther nailed to the front door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, his 95 Theses protesting the church’s practice of selling indulgences. Four years later, Luther was summoned by the Holy Roman Emperor to the city of Worms to publicly recant his teaching that justification is by faith in Jesus Christ alone and his criticisms of the Roman Catholic Church. Luther knew that if he refused to recant, he would almost certainly be burned at the stake as a heretic. As he stood before the powerful religious and civil leaders assembled at the so-called Diet of Worms, his courage seemed to fail. In a barely audible voice, he asked for 24 hours to consider. That night, alone in a bare monastic cell, Luther wrote this prayer:
 
O God, Almighty God everlasting! how dreadful is this world! behold how its mouth opens to swallow me up, and how small is my faith in You! . . . O! the weakness of the flesh and the power of Satan! If I am to depend upon any strength of this world – all is over . . . The knell is struck . . . Sentence is gone forth . . . O God! O God! O Thou, my God! help me against all the wisdom of this world. Do this, I beseech You; You should do this . . . by Your own mighty power . . . The work is not mine, but Yours. I have no business here . . . I have nothing to contend for with these great men of the world! I would gladly pass my days in happiness and peace. But the cause is Yours . . . And it is righteous and everlasting! O Lord! help me! O faithful and unchangeable God! I lean not upon man. It would be vain! Whatever is of man is tottering, whatever proceeds from him must fail. My God! my God! Do You not hear? My God! Are You no longer living? Nay, You cannot die. You do but hide Yourself. You have chosen me for this work. I know it! . . . Therefore, O God, accomplish Your own will! Forsake me not, for the sake of Your well-beloved Son, Jesus Christ, my defense, my buckler, and my stronghold. Lord – where are You? . . . My God, where are You? . . . Come! I pray Thee, I am ready . . . Behold me prepared to lay down my life for Your truth . . . suffering like a lamb. For the cause is holy. It is Your own! . . . I will not let You go! no, nor yet for all eternity! And though the world should be thronged with devils and this body, which is the work of Your hands, should be cast forth, trodden under foot, cut in pieces, . . . consumed to ashes, my soul is Yours. Yes, I have Your own word to assure me of it. My soul belongs to You, and will abide with You forever! Amen! O God send help! . . . Amen!
 
I share Luther’s prayer in full with you because it illustrates so well an important principle of prayer:  When the pressure on you is great, when your strength is failing and your faith is weak, turn to God, not from Him, and focus your prayer on the truth you know about Him. Preach that truth to yourself and trust the Holy Spirit to use it to strengthen you in your inner man. 
 
If you are not in the midst of a fiery trial right now, tuck this prayer principle away for future use. Is someone you know under extreme pressure? Pray Paul’s strengthening prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21 for him (or her) and consider forwarding Martin Luther’s prayer to him as well.
 
To read a short biographical sketch of Martin Luther, including what happened on the second day of the Diet of Worms, click here.
 
Finally, here are two time-sensitive prayer requests: 

• Lynette and Jim Hatcher received word last week that Lynette’s father was dying. He had suffered confusion and various health problems for several years, so this news was not unexpected. It was a major logistical undertaking, though, to rearrange busy schedules and make arrangements on short notice for the 6,000-mile journey from Vienna to San Francisco. Pray for comfort and sweet times of sharing memories for the family during this difficult time.

• Please pray for Wendy Chen and Anna Song of our Chinese congregation. Both are battling stomach cancer. Wendy has finished her first phase of chemo, but her red- and white-blood counts must improve before she can continue. Anna is beginning chemo this week, already in a weakened state from weight loss. Pray for physical and spiritual strength for both Wendy and Anna.

In Christ,
Carol Gilbert
Calvary Community Church of Brea