Prayerlessness and its Consequences

The following is from Paul E. Billheimer's excellent book Destined for the Throne:

"By God's own choice, all of this vast delegated authority [over Satan and his hierarchy] is wholly inoperative apart from the prayers of a believing Church [the body of Christ].  If the Church does not pray God will not act, because that would nullify His plan to prepare her for rulership through 'on-the-job' training in enforcing Christ's victory at Calvary.

"If it were not for His determination to bring her up to full stature as His co-regent, God would not have established the system of prayer at all.  There is no intrinsic power in prayer as such.  On the contrary, prayer is an acknowledgement of need, of helplessness. 

"If He chose, He could act arbitrarily without regard to prayer or lack of it.  All power originates in God and belongs to Him alone.

"He ordained prayer not primarily as a means of getting things done for Himself, but as part of the apprenticeship program for training the Church for her royal duties which will follow the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.  Unless she understands this and enters into sincere cooperation with God's plan of prayer, the power needed to overcome and bind Satan on earth will not be released.

"God has the power to overcome Satan without the cooperation of His Church through prayer and faith, but if He did it without her it would deprive her of enforcement practice and rob her of the strength she would gain in overcoming.

"This is God's primary reason for inaugurating the system of prayer and unequivocally binding Himself to answer.  Therefore, there is no authority apart from persistent believing prayer."

"Prayer is striking the winning blow at the concealed enemy. Service is gathering up the results of that blow among the men we see and touch."  (S. D. Gordon)