THE "TUNING-FORK" PRINCIPLE OF PRAYER

If two tuning-forks are in the same room, one is struck to produce a musical

note, the other, without being struck, will begin duplicating the sound of the

first. The second intercepts the vibration of the first in the air waves and

responds sympathetically to it. This happens because the tuning forks are

made of the same material, are of the similar design, and share a musical

compatibility. There is a parallel to this in the spirit-realm. After we are born-

again, we are made "like Christ," and in a way similar to the tuning-fork, we

are capable of responding to Him.

When Jesus approached the grave of Lazarus, anticipating the man's

resurrection, "He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. And He said, Where

have you laid him?" John 11:33,34. Paul, in anticipating his future

resurrection, said, "For in this (body) we groan, earnestly desiring to be

clothed with our habitation which is from heaven ... in this tent we groan,

being burdened ..." II Corinthians 5:2-5. Someday, as a result of that Universal

Intercession, the farthest galaxy in space "will be delivered from the bondage

of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of God." Romans 8:19-21.

Let me warn you: Do not try to "fake" this groaning-prayer. That approaches

mockery. Instead, offer yourself to Christ as an intercessor; let Him have total

control. It may be that you will experience this Cosmos' Universal Prayer when

"All nature sings and 'round you rings, the music of the spheres." Hallelujah!

When Your Prayer Joins The Great Prayer of Creation.

Soon after my Baptism in the Spirit in 1977 (Acts 1:8), I began experiencing

major changes in my prayer life. That was a long time ago but I want to re-tell

a few of those instances to keep their memories alive. One, which I did not

understand, and for which I had received no teaching, came in a surprising

way. I was in a congregation worshiping when I suddenly felt a drawing in

my mid-section that bent me into a birthing-position. As I dropped into a

chair; a deep, deep groan came from somewhere inside me.

It was not something I did; it was something done to me. The experience was

physically intense and lasted for several minutes. During that time I felt

completely disconnected from my surroundings and joined to God in a unique

and powerful way. But the connection was not to God only; I felt joined to His

purpose in the Universe. I had never experienced anything like it before.

Later, in reading Scripture and meditation, I realized the Holy Spirit had

allowed me to participate in the greatest form of prayer I had ever

experienced. That prayer was more a feeling of "agreement" that seemed to

involve every galaxy, asteroid, nebula, planet, down to the smallest particle of

meteor-dust. It reminded me of the Bible telling about "The morning stars

singing together." It expressed a deep longing for "the revealing of the sons of

God." Paul explains:

"For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of

the sons of God ... because the creation itself also will be delivered from the

bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we

know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until

now." Romans 8:19,21,22. Jesus revealed that the elements, including

inanimate matter, have sensitivity to their Creator and possess the capacity of

worship; this was disclosed when Jesus spoke of the stones "crying out." Luke

19:40. That includes everything from the smallest pebble in the brook to the

greatest galaxy in outer space. No asteroid, nebula, planet, or meteoric dust

is omitted. God confirmed this to Job when he spoke of the time "When the

morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy." Job 38:7.

Some physicists believe that at the absolute bottom of the atom the only thing

remaining to be discovered is "sound."

Paul Identifies Our Role In Spiritual Prayer

"Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what

we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit makes intercession for us with

groaning which cannot be uttered." Romans 8:26. (cf. II Corinthians 5:1-5.)

This groaning-prayer (which is not to be mistaken with the gift of tongues)

does not originate with mankind but with Jesus’ High Priestly intercession in

Heaven. Scripture explains:

"Christ ... who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession

for us." Romans 8:34.

The prayer Jesus now speaks from the Throne is permeating the Universe with

the assurance of success. In response to this prayer, Creation is echoing back

its holy longing for redemption that also delivers it from the "bondage of

corruption;" it knows that cannot happen until the "manifestation of the sons

of God" is complete. Romans 8:19-23. Some individuals who are drawn into

this intimacy with the Spirit find themselves so far removed from all human

language and so deep into the things of God, that it leaves them as wearied as

if they had been on a long journey. "What is it then? I will pray with the spirit,

and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I

will sing with the understanding also." 1 Corinthians 14:15.

Scripture Identifies Prayer In Three Basic Forms

1. Praying according to human understanding; that is, praying about

information our 5 senses tell us. Paul calls this praying "with the

understanding." I Corinthians 14:15. This prayer is dependent upon

knowledge gained by the mind (correctly or incorrectly) and while it is all

some people have, such information is not always reliable. James 4:3.

2. Praying "in the spirit". I Corinthians 14:15. Jude 20. This prayer originates

from the specific direction of the all-knowing Holy Spirit. In this prayer,

through the gift of tongues, we speak "mysteries" far beyond human

comprehension or human language. I Corinthians 14:2,14.

3. Praying as "the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with ‘groanings

which cannot be uttered.’" Romans 8:26.

In examining these three types of prayer, we realize by itself the mind has only

five natural sources of information. It receives knowledge from what the body

tells it through seeing, hearing, tasting, touching, and smelling. These are all

marvelous senses with which God has equipped mind and body to function

together. We thank God for them-- though none of these senses are spiritual.

Consequently, the mind, by itself, is a vastly insufficient tool for the spiritual

work of prayer. Christians whose prayer-life is limited to mental-knowledge

are depending on human abilities inferiors to those of the neighbor’s dog. That

is a rash statement, I know, but before you disregard me, please hear what I

have to say.

Animals have senses vastly superior to man's. A Polar Bear can smell food at a

distance of 24 miles. The common housefly can detect and respond to danger

in one-two hundredths of a second. The peregrine falcon can see a pigeon 5

miles away and dive at speeds of 217 miles an hour. Also, he has "fast" vision.

His eyes could actually read print on a whirling airplane blade. An owl can

hear the movement of a mouse from two football fields away. Bats fly unaided

through a pitch-black cave, sharks can smell a single drop of blood in millions

of gallons of water. Your own dog or cat has hearing perception better than

you. At a burned-out arson site, a dog can smell 1/500,000 of a drum of

flammable fuel; his sense of smell is 100 times greater than a human’s. The

common shrimp can see more colors than we do. The Monarch butterfly can

discern tastes 12,000 times more subtle than a human’s, and with perfect

precision, fly 2,000 miles unaided to a tiny spot in Mexico. Then, hold a

"butterfly" convention and fly home. What about endurance? Eggs of the

tadpole shrimp can survive dormant for centuries at temperatures more than

150 degrees below zero.

Unlike the limited mental capacities of our human body, the regenerate human

spirit is neither confined nor limited. It has potentials greater than all the

combined animal abilities I mentioned. Our spirit has access to the gifts of

"wisdom and revelation" which equip it to receive and use knowledge directly

from the Holy Spirit. This special equipping is the precise function of the

"word of knowledge," "word of wisdom," "discerning of spirits," and other

gifts of the Holy Spirit.

I Corinthians 12:8-10.

As an example of what I mean, a "word of knowledge" came to me one time

during a prayer meeting, instructing us to pray for a Jewish lady named

Mildred. Though we knew absolutely nothing about this stranger, we stopped

everything else and prayed for her. At the end of the service a visitor came

forward, took the microphone, and in a very shaken voice said, "I have never

spoken before a congregation in my entire life, but tonight I must. I came this

evening to ask you to pray for a friend of mine in the North --- but I arrived

too late to make the request --- However, I did not have to --- The Lord told

you for me --- Her name is Mildred and she is Jewish. She is the one you have

prayed for." Several wonderful things resulted from that "word of

knowledge." The Jewish lady was not only healed, but when she learned what

had happened at our meeting, a thousand miles from her, she went to a Baptist

church in her community, believed the gospel and accepted Jesus as her

Messiah. Such are the wonderful ways of God!

Another time during prayer I received a word that someone in the

congregation was suffering from severe pain in their wrist. Another had pain

in the stomach. A moment later, two women, strangers, stood before me, one

carefully holding up her hurting wrist and exclaiming, "But how did you

know?!" "I didn't," I explained, "The Holy Spirit told me." The wrist and

stomach pain were both healed and the two women became long-time

members of the congregation.

A dramatic healing occurred in our Delray Beach, Florida Church, when a

word of knowledge revealed that a "spirit of rebellion" was working against

several in the congregation. Four people came forward acknowledging the

problem and wanting deliverance. The Holy Spirit visibly touched three of

them. The fourth, to whom nothing discernibly occurred, was a woman named

Ellen, who suffered from constant spinal pain and wore a chin-to-hip back

brace. She was an Englishman whom who had been in college in Holland

when the the Nazi’s invaded that country in World War II. She was captured

and put in a concentration camp and it was there that her physical ailments

began. The next night after prayer, she was awakened from deep sleep by the

glory of the Holy Spirit surging like electricity through her body. She was not

only filled with the power of God and delivered from the rebellious spirit, but

was instantly healed. The brace was discarded. She never wore it again.

The choice before modern Christians is whether we will conduct our prayer-

lives by "soul" knowledge, i.e, the five senses, or believe that the miraculous

gift of revelation is available to us today. Satan himself is a spirit and is light-

years beyond our meager human senses. If he can keep our spiritual life

confined to things we have to see, touch, smell, taste, and hear, he will

continue to dominate us. Hell rocks with laughter every time ministers stand

before congregations and preach against the miraculous Gifts. These men drill

holes in the bottom of their own boats with that kind of preaching --- and

Satan gladly gives them the tools.

Why do we need to "pray in the Spirit?" Paul explains: "Likewise the Spirit

also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as

we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings

which cannot be uttered." The Apostle further explains, "For if I pray in an

unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful." (My

mind is by-passed.) "What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray

with the understanding also." I Corinthians 14:14,15. Paul is declaring that he

will use both mind and spirit as essential means of prayer. If the greatest writer

of the New Testament needed both tools of prayer can you and I get by with

less?