“Surely God will not listen to empty talk, nor will the Almighty regard it.” He does not regard many words. Job 35:13-15. “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:19. Each prayer to God that we can expect to be heard must be born of need. We can always pray, and we should pray without ceasing; i.e., we should always be in a state of need. Paul reproaches the Corinthians for being full, and in the letter to the church in Laodicea it says that the angel of the church said he was rich and had become wealthy, and had need of nothing—yet he was wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. But listen, dear friend, if this applied to you, for example: that you were in such a wretched spiritual state, and in spite of it you believed that you were in excellent shape, how could you have a desire for something you need so badly because of your miserable state? It is impossible. And if you don’t have a need, how can you pray in any other way than by being a windbag? This is how many people pray, and it manifests itself largely through false humility. We can grow in grace through acknowledgement (humility)—not in any other way. We must first acknowledge our nakedness and shame before we can see our need to be clothed so we can hide our shame. It is not the intention that our words be heard, but that our need be filled! If we want to be rid of our folly, it is necessary for us to learn to know it. This is the beginning of wisdom. You who have now acknowledged your shortcomings to the extent that you have seen them and have received a desire to have your needs filled in glory in Christ Jesus, how can you now obtain a constant desire for more? By being faithful in what you have already received, you will soon have translated it into reality, and you will again have a desire for more. This is the same as being poor in spirit. We are hindered from having a desire for more by this very thing: we are so occupied with admiring what we have already received instead of working with it, that we do not understand how poor we are. On the contrary, we believe that we are rich. This is how a person can live for years, deceiving himself. On the other hand, if we are faithful and therefore poor in spirit, the zeal of God will apprehend us, and we will grow more quickly. By means of zeal we will have use for much; we will become aware of our emptiness and lack—which gives rise to need— which is then filled in order to be emptied again through zeal. Revelations of the Spirit are given for the common good. A zealous soul is in much need; therefore many revelations concerning the kingdom of God will be given him. The way is the way of sacrifice. Christ sacrificed Himself constantly in His ministry. You need to pour out your soul if you want to win people; you must sacrifice and be sacrificed. An absolute hindrance to us being perfected for the work of ministry is this: keeping (enjoying) our life, instead of losing it. Then we will become rich instead of poor, and we will receive most of our reward in this life instead of in incorruption. This is a great mystery, and few are those who comprehend it. The wise man chooses to suffer with and for Christ, whereas the fool would rather spend the heavenly riches on his lusts. A man of understanding will work—a man who lacks understanding will play. The way goes through the veil, which is the flesh of Christ; however, this way was a way of sacrifice—totally and completely. You will advance on this way by being a sacrifice yourself—in each area of your life. In Romans 12:1 Paul exhorts us to present our bodies a living, holy, and acceptable sacrifice to God, which is our spiritual service. No one should be ignorant of the fact that it is painful to be sacrificed alive. Nevertheless, God be thanked, there is One who was tried in all points as we are, yet without sin. Therefore He is able to refresh our soul with the comfort with which He Himself was comforted. Hallelujah! It is, in fact, extremely profitable for us to suffer with Christ by having fellowship with Him in His sufferings, because our fellowship with Him in His sufferings is the measure of our glory in the resurrection. Dear brother, test your need! Is it your need to enjoy life or to be sacrificed? The Spirit is driving you to be a sacrifice. Obey Him!Elias Aslaksen