We have previously seen that helplessness and faith are two sides of the coin of true prayer. We must ask, then, what is its cash value? What does victorious prayer look like?
We return once more to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. What was the result of his time in helpless, faith-filled prayer? It is seen in him getting up with these words, ‘Rise, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand’ (Matthew 26:46). These are the words of a man who has just been victorious in spiritual battle.
This reveals the first element of victorious prayer, a heart in surrender. This may seem counterintuitive, but surrender is the first mark of victory in prayer. Jesus shows us that the chief accomplishment of prayer is the conditioning of our own hearts. Jesus rises victorious, even though, as we have previously observed, he had not received the specific answer to his request. He had asked for the cup to be removed, but now he is ready to put the cup to his lips. What has changed? His heart has been brought to complete acceptance of his Father’s will.
