Effectual Fervent Prayer — Corrie Ten Boom

The lady I'm about to introduce has been knighted by the Queen of the Netherlands. She has received Israel's highest civilian award. She has gone through living hell as a prisoner of the Nazis in the dreaded Ravensbrook concentration camp during World War two.

That was nearly 30 years ago. She was over 50 years of age when she was arrested for harboring Jews. I Won't tell you how old she is. But I do know that she has known Jesus as her Savior for over a half a century.

She is truly one of God's most beloved children. I give you Corrie ten Boom.

That is true. I Was five years old when I asked Jesus to come into my heart and he came. And he never left me and that is 75 years ago. Now you all know how old I am. I don't know if you have ever had the feeling that your heart was as happy as a very happy bag.

Casting Every Burden on the Lord

I have that sometimes and Sometime ago I had it so bad and then I read in the Bible a text, don't worry over anything whatever. Tell God every detail of your needs in earnest and thankful prayers. And the peace of God which transcends all human understanding.

Will keep constant God over your heart and mind as they rest in Christ Jesus. And I opened. I had read it and then I heard that same text that he said Cast all your cares on at me the Lord said. And I did it.

I don't know if you know that feeling. That your heart is so full of burdens and now I did what the Lord had told me and I started to cast all the burdens on the Lord and I said Lord. Here is that schedule in America.

May you give me strength Lord and use me as an open channel for streams of living water. Lord. I now pray already for all the people who will be in the meetings. Here they are Lord. Then I brought another care.

There was a teenager girl. And I thought she was going on with the Lord and I heard that she did something very stupid. And very wrong and I said Oh Lord here she is. That dear Girl Mary, you know Lord, but how stupid she is and what she had done.

Oh Lord. Take her lay your hand on her. Oh, I pray for all these many teenagers. Yeah, they are Lord and you can you can reach them Lord and then I prayed for My impatience. I Don't know when you unburden your heart.

You will have the same as me that there comes often a sin that is a burden and my sin was impatience. There is a very nice Christians who are going to make a movie Of my book the hiding place and my I thought now six weeks is enough to prepare that.

Here my impatience, please. Will you forgive me? And then I brought a full school of Boys that I have heard were in great danger in Africa. And so I went on to bring all my burdens to the Lord. And then I said amen.

I prayed and that was good. That is what the Lord has taught us to do and I will speak about prayer and this was a very good thing. I did that I said after bringing all these things to the Lord. Amen.

But what I did after my amen was not good. Why did you laugh? Do you know about six stupid friends? What did you do this morning? Did you tell about a problem of the babysitting? Tell everything about your teenagers.

Did you tell these these financial problems? That was good. It's nothing too great for God's power and nothing too small for his love. That was very good that you told everything to the Lord, but what did you get after that?

How did you come here with a very heavy heart? Or was it empty and you know when I say that you understand that I am just as guilty as many of you but a great joy is That it is the Holy Spirit who teaches us to pray and He teaches us so to pray that the peace and joy Fills our heart after our prayers and we leave the burdens to the Lord.

But we cannot do do that without the Holy Spirit. We need him, but he's willing to help us and I am so glad that we are in such good company. I read in the the Bible a text John 17 20. Where Jesus prayed about 2 ,000 years ago I am not praying only for these men here.

But for all those who will believe in me through their message that they may all be one. Isn't that tremendous that Jesus has prayed for you and for you and for you and for me? It was 2 ,000 years ago for we know the gospel through the people who heard him there and have told it to other people and They told it to other people and so it came to us.

Yes, that is that is a great joy. And you know when you cast your burden on the Lord, it is not so that you have not not to think about it anymore, but just when I thought I had prayed this prayer about a teenager I Saw a book and that was here in the in the bookstore.

Where was the church when the youth exploded? That is from Stuart Briscoe. But not every church was there and you know now I will not speak much about this book but here is an answer what we can do with the teenagers and So when you cast your burden on the Lord then the Lord gives you advice.

It is it is not not a way. It is not good. It is only in the hands of the Lord and He has the responsibility I had some time ago Vision that was also the moment that I was so really burdened. Oh Burdened about what happened in Behind the Iron Curtain about a terrible many people who had to to suffer.

Because they are faithful to the Lord. I Heard about Africa that almost two hundred thousand Christians were killed. You don't know that the people don't know that but it happened now and I I was I was so so a burdened and Then I Brought a brought it to the Lord and when I prayed the Lord gave me a vision and I said I have a bag that I have always with me when I travel in the plane I do put my heavy things in in the books and everything that I need in the airplane.

But Lord said do you see it is empty. I said yes Lord and The Lord said to me you surrendered this morning again. But do you realize that when you surrender to me that you have no Responsibility anymore.

I have the responsibility. And what you have what you possess. You are just a steward nothing more for I possess everything and I have the responsibility and suddenly I what a tremendous joy it is to surrender everything and Then that is not static that you say oh now I surrender now, there's no power in my life.

I have nothing to do. No, it is dynamic because then the burden and all your things that you possess are in the hands of him who carries the responsibility and he is able and That is such a joy and when the Lord said that all to me it was Lord what a joy.

Let me see you one moment and the Lord said look at your left hand and I saw that in my left hand was another hand and that hand was pierced. That was Jesus hand. Oh, what a joy. That is the joy of the surrender and the joy of casting your burdens on the Lord.

Learning God’s Power Through Suffering

There's nothing too great for God's power. There's nothing too small for his love. I learned that in that difficult class of life school when I was a prisoner. When you are in a difficult class, then you learn much.

Especially when the teacher is good and my teacher was the Holy Spirit and he taught me so much. And one of the things was about there's nothing too small for God's love. I was a few days in the concentration camp.

And I said to my sister Betsy, I've caught a cold and I had no handkerchief. What must I do? Betsy said pray. I did the same like you. I laughed. But she didn't laugh. She forwarded her hands and she said father in Jesus name I pray that you will give Corrie a handkerchief.

She has caught a cold. Amen. And she had Hardly said Amen. I heard that they called out my name. I went to the window and there stood a friend of mine, a fellow prisoner who works in the hospital. Can you come to me?

Can you visit me? She said no. No, I have no time. I just come to bring you a little present and She gave me a very small package and I opened it and it was a handkerchief. Said how in the world do you do it?

Did you know that I needed a handkerchief? She said I found an old sheet and I was sewing Handkerchiefs from that old sheet and when I was busy there was a voice in my heart who said Bring a handkerchief to Corrie ten Boom.

Can you understand what a handkerchief tells you on such a moment? That there is a father in heaven. Who hears it when on a very small planet the earth? Someone of his children prays for the impossible small thing for a handkerchief and that father in heaven Tells one of his other children give a handkerchief to Corrie ten Boom.

That is the foolishness of God. But the foolishness of God is the greatest wisdom. I learned so much by that handkerchief. Just imagine when your little child or grandchild Cries because an old doll is broken and she brings that doll to her daddy.

She said oh daddy my doll is broken. What does daddy say? Oh Girl put it away that that doll has not is not worth a dime. No, daddy doesn't say that. He said but that's too bad. Come here. Come to daddy I will try to mend it and that grown-up man tries to Make that to repair that old doll.

How in the world can a grown-up man give so much time and To an such a valueless thing as a broken doll because he sees it through the eyes of the little one. Because he loves the little one and so God sees your problems through your eyes.

Because he loves you. What a joy. That we may do intercession. I read in first Timothy 2 to 1 where Paul says first supplications prayers intercessions and Thanksgivings should be made on behalf of all men for kings and rulers and positions of Responsibility so that our common life may be lived in peace and quiet with a proper sense of God and of our Responsibility to him for what we do with our lives in the sight of God our Savior.

Intercession for Those in Danger

This is undoubtedly the right thing to pray for. One stood in Vught the concentration camp in Holland. Where Betsy and I were brought before we were sent to the concentration camp Ravensbruck in Germany.

They had called us and we had been sent to a place and there we stood just in front of the bunker. The bunker that was a prison inside of the prison camp. Now when they called us out Betsy and I said to each other We are free they were sent home.

But when we stood there, we saw that men came and they started to stand beside us here were about 10 and here were 15 men and Suddenly we saw that the guards had gone away and a man Called is there not anyone here who can pray?

And Betsy said yes, I can pray but why do you ask that? Is it not that we are sent home? He said sent home. This means that perhaps all of us will go into that building and be shot. Oh Yes, Betsy said I can pray and she followed her hands and she prayed for all these men who were standing beside her and it was such a beautiful prayer and Then she started to sing that the same great of Jesus of his power love and Might.

I don't know what has happened with these men. Betsy and I were sent to another part of the concentration camp and later to Ravensbruck. But do you know? that when that man Shouted oh, is there not one who can pray that this was a cry of the world of today.

There are so many people who need your intercession. And do you know that in Isaiah we read that God wondered. Because there was no intercessor. So important is intercession. And it's a great joy to pray for other people to bring them to the Lord.

No, when you are an intercessor. And I hope you all are or you will become one after the Lord has told you what it means that we are called to Be intercessors and he wonders when there are no intercessors.

It's so important for him. Why is that so? Does the Lord need? Intercessors. Yes, that is the way he has. He is working. He is working through you and me as intercessors and Ellen and I were in Cuba once and it was a very dangerous and difficult time and When it is very dangerous and difficult.

Then we always pray Lord tell my friends to pray for us and the Lord does. And we came in Holland and there was a girl who was really You know, you could say backward a little bit fever-minded, but she loved the Lord and the Lord loved her and When we came to a group of Christians to tell what we had at that experience.

She said, Tante, this is auntie, Tante, the 10th of April you were in great danger, weren't you? Yes, how did you know that? She said in the midst of the night. Suddenly the Lord awakened me and said pray for Tante Corrie and for Ellen.

And she said then I did it. Now, do you see what a joy it is to be an intercessor? That girl heard the voice of the Lord and that is a great joy to hear his voice. And when you are an intercessor you stand together with the Lord.

We must understand. That praying means to bring our inability into this the realm of the ability of God and That is so great because his answers are the greatest reality. I once spoke for a huge group in a church in Australia and I had spoken about a text where Jesus says Behold, I stand at the door and I knock.

If anyone hears my voice and opens the door I come in. And after I got through I gave an invitation, but it was a very full church. So I said people when you have asked Jesus to come into your heart or you are willing to do it.

Then we are very happy to help you with literature and prayer and advice when there are difficulties. So then just come into the room behind the altar and there you will find counselors. The first who came were two very tiny children.

They had not understood about that room behind the altar. So they stood in front of me and one said am I too little to ask Jesus to come into my heart? I said no Jesus is interested even in sparrows and you are far bigger than a sparrow.

And then that little girl followed her hands and the whole church was dead silent. They heard what she said. She said Jesus, I've been very naughty. Will you come into my heart and will you make it clean with your blood?

Amen. And Jesus came just like he comes in your heart. Perhaps some of you have never done it before and when you do it now, then he comes. But sometimes we who have done it already Jesus stands outside and he knocks again.

And when we say yes Lord come in then he comes. I said to that other little girl Will you do the same? She said I did it three weeks ago. After that I have prayed every day for Betty. I said then I have something.

A very good task for you. You together must pray for a third little girl. Someone who doesn't know the Lord and they looked at each other and the same moment they said Anna. I said that must be Anna. And they promised they would pray for Anna.

They said Anna has also prayed Lord Jesus come into my heart and then after. They said then we will pray with Anna together for a fourth girl. And when that fourth girl has accepted the Lord we will pray for the fifth girl and so on.

The Chain Reaction of Intercessory Prayer

The chain reaction of the intersection in the hearts of two little girls and this chain reaction can come into your heart all of you when you. When you start to pray for that man, for that woman, for that girl, for that boy.

And when you pray that the Lord will touch him or her and You go to that person for whom you have prayed and you tell them about the Lord Jesus. How Jesus has said come unto me all All. I will give you rest.

And when you tell that Then the Lord will use your prayer and your your words to save that person for eternity and Then that's not the only thing which you can Go to that person and say well we pray for a third one.

And then with three for a fourth one and then with four for a fifth one. The chain reaction of the intersection can start in your heart when you are willing to surrender. And what a joy is it and the Lord will enjoy it.

He wanders when there's no intercession. He rejoices when there is an intercession. There's nothing too great for God's power. Some time ago. I was in Formosa and I had to To order a plane ticket a rather expensive one.

Now the Lord told me very clear what what I should order. Now the good thing is that I am I have never to worry about money because my treasure Is very rich. We know how rich he has the cattle on thousand hills, and that's very much.

And when I need money, I always say Lord. I think you must sell some cows and give me. And he waits till the last moment when it comes. So I without fear I went to that office of the airplane. And I said lady where you order a plane ticket for me.

But write it down for it is rather much, and she wrote down. I had Formosa, Sydney, Australia then Auckland or New Zealand and Sydney Australia then Cape Town South Africa then Tel Aviv Israel Amsterdam Holland, and she wrote it all down, and she said what is your end destination?

I said heaven. So glad for the happy faces that I see because you know that your end destination is heaven. But that lady did not understand it, and she said how do you write that? And she wrote under Amsterdam H-E-A-P-T-N.

She said I didn't mean that, that's what I meant it. But you have not to write it down. I have my ticket already. I said about two thousand years ago there was one who ordered my ticket for heaven and The only thing I had to do was to receive it from him and that was Jesus Christ when he died at the cross to carry my punishment and he made it all right and When I told her about it a man was sitting there in the office turned around and he said lady that is true.

I said so. Do you know that have you a reservation for the house of the father for heaven? He said sure lady I have my reservations. I have received Jesus as my Savior and He has made me a child of God and a child of God has a reservation in Come to us.

Or come to her. There are many people here who know that they have a reservation in heaven. We do know why because they have the word of God and in this word of God you can find How to get a reservation for the house of the father.

Those who believe in the name of the Son of God Jesus can know that they have everlasting life. So when you are not quite sure talk with that one who knows the Lord or talk with us. But don't go to sleep tonight before you have come to Jesus.

But that is what we will help you with and that's what the Bible says. Jesus has come unto me all and It's also you and I will give you peace and eternal life and Jesus never fails. I Was so happy when I got the Ticket for the plane because one day before I had to pay it the money was there.

I just told my treasure there. As you can understand how happy I was with that ticket, and I just was looking yes. For Mosa Sydney Sydney Auckland Auckland Sydney Sydney Tel Aviv no. Then Cape Town South Africa.

I hadn't ordered it. I had ordered first Cape Town and then Tel Aviv so I went to the telephone. I said lady and you made a mistake. You have changed my schedule and my boss has told me that I must go first to South Africa.

And then to Israel and you may not change that. She's a lady that is not possible. There is not a direct airline from Australia to To South Africa you must go first to Israel. I said why why not. She said oh.

There are no islands in the Indian Ocean for the landings in between. I said all right lady. Then we must pray that God will give an island. For the one who has told me to make this this trip that is God.

And I have to obey him and our latest he called me. He said lady have you prayed for island in the Indian Ocean. She said we have just got a telegram from the Qantas that they have bought the Cocos Island.

And now there is a direct flight from Australia to South Africa. Isn't it exciting? Isn't it a joy to go Side by side with him. With all powers. Oh what a joy. Yes, we have nothing to fear. And you know I like so to pray with an open Bible.

I don't know if you do it. I like so to say father you have said a new word now. You must do it. God likes it. God has meant all the promises of the Bible and he likes it when we mean business with his promises.

Praying with the Promises of Scripture

I was for the first time in Russia. And I had in a red suitcase many Russian Bibles. Now I was in Moscow, and I saw how the custom officer ransacked every suitcase. My suitcase stood all at the end. I got scared.

I thought my what will he do when he finds my these Russian Bibles that's forbidden. Send me to prison send me back to Holland. Of course he will take away the the Bibles. Lord. I'm afraid Lord. I'm afraid Lord.

Lord you have said in Jeremiah one God watches over his word to perform it now Lord. This the Bibles in my suitcase that is your word. So now with my hand on Jeremiah one I pray will you watch over your word my Bible.

That is your word Lord. You're my Bible to smuggle them. I Found out that we can pray with an open Bible and God does not ask first. Have you a very sound exegesis? Otherwise I do not listen. God sees the heart and.

And do you know the same moment that I prayed it. I saw around my suitcase light beings. It was the first and only time in my life that I have seen the angels bad to see that and My whole fear these disappeared.

I was not afraid anymore and at last a man came to my suitcase and He said is it your suitcase lady. Yes, sir. That's a heavy one. I Said yes, sir. Oh Wait a moment. I'm through with my work. I will help you and he took my suitcase To the car of the impurist.

Waiting for me my I can tell you almost I had shouted hallelujah. Nothing too great for God's power. What a joy. Saying that is your father. Your heavenly father who loves you and does not say Oh sometimes you may pray and do intercession.

No He loves it when you pray and when you ask much He's he wonders when there's no intercession. What a joy to have such a father heavenly father. Oh, and the best is not is yet to be Your. Yes, we must sell everything to the Lord also our blunders.

Have you also when you come and you have done a blunder you can't feel so unhappy how oh I can almost hate myself. Oh stupid Dutch. But you know, I learned a very good illustration and a physicist came to a weaver school and he saw how all these students made beautiful weavings and He said see.

He asked one of the students. What must you do when you make a mistake? Must you cut it out or start from the beginning and The student said no. Our teacher is such a great Artist that when we make a mistake He uses that mistake to improve the beauty of the pattern.

That is what the Lord does. We must just tell the Lord our blunder and you never know what he does with your blunder. I was in in Japan and I had a difficulty that I thought oh, oh there were perhaps eight different Japanese.

But it further all were the same. There was mr. Shakia and there were three mr. Shakia and that's it. Now that is only the first month that you are and they say when the Japanese come here He thinks that we are all the same.

But now I had the difficulty with it was once I was speaking for students and that came a latecomer. And I thought oh, oh, yeah, that's the director of the Christian seminary. So when I was through with my talk, I said and would you be so kind to close this meeting with word of prayer.

That man looked at me. He said I I've never prayed in my life. Suddenly I saw, that is not the director of the seminary, that is the professor of that non-christian university. I said, oh, professor doesn't matter.

But so I will pray and I prayed but all the Japanese are very very polite. He came up to me after the meeting and bowed several times very deep. And he said I was so sorry that I could not do what you asked me.

But I have never prayed before. I said professor. I honor you that you didn't do it. If you have been superficial you should perhaps have said a prayer without believing it. But I'm very glad that you didn't do it.

But tell me professor. Why are you not a Christian? He said I? Oh no, then first I must study Christianity. I said no sir, in this book is not written those who have studied Christianity get the power to become a giant of God, but those who receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior He gives them the power to become a giant of God and I prayed with him and after half an hour that professor Made a decision for Jesus that the angel rejoiced.

Do you see my blunder? The Lord used to improve the pattern, the beauty of the pattern. I'm so glad that we can tell everything to the Lord now. It is true sometimes God gives the no answer. I could speak about hours and hours about the answers, the yes answer that I've experienced.

Trusting God’s “No” Answers

Sometimes God says no. I was in in solitary confinement alone in a cell. Four months, but I was still in Holland. And I prayed every day. Oh Lord, let the enemy never bring me to a concentration camp in Germany and God gave the no answer.

He allowed that the Germans brought Betsy and me to that terrible concentration camp Ravensbruck. And I could not understand why God had not answered our prayers. But now I understand it. I understood it earlier.

I remember that Betsy had died and a week later I was set free and I stood before the gate of Ravensbruck when that gate should open I Could go home. When I stood there waiting there came a friend of mine and said Corrie, I must tell you something.

Mrs. Voss and Mrs. de Mooijen both died today and Then I looked for the last time at the cruel camp and I said Lord If it had been only for these two from whom I know that you have used Betsy and me to bring them to you Lord for both have accepted you Lord Jesus as their savior Lord if it had been only for those two, but there are many more it has been all worse while all our suffering.

Even Betsy's death to be used to save soul for eternity is worthwhile to suffer even to die. I Saw God's side of the pattern, you know, I like that that Little poem that you have in your country. My life is like a weaving between my God and me.

I Do not choose the colors he workers steadily. Oftentimes he weaves a sorrow and I in foolish pride forget he sees the other. And I the underside. Not till the loom is silent and the shuttle cease to fly.

Will God unroll the canvas and Explain the reason why the dark threads are as needful in the skillful weavers hands. And the threads of gold and silver in the pattern he has planned. No. It is so good to know that God never makes a mistake.

Once we will understand that when we are in heaven. But now already we can do very much for the word of God and this book shows us that God has no Problems with the world and with your and my life. God has no problems only plans.

There's never a panic in heaven. And the thing that you and I must do is look in the right direction. Look unto Jesus so often people say to me. Oh, but Corrie you have such a great faith. But I have not a great faith.

I have a small faith, but it is a faith in a great God and It's not written in the Bible. Let us look unto our faith. In Hebrew 12 is said let us look unto Jesus the author and the finisher of our faith.

Look around and be distressed. Look within and be depressed. Look at Jesus and be at rest. I had a jewelry store before the war. Sometimes I had a new watch in my store that did not run well. I had never repaired it.

But I sent it back to the manufacturer. I wrote him a letter that new watch doesn't run well. Will you repair it? After the manufacturer had repaired such a watch then it went always absolute exact. When my face doesn't work, I don't try to repair it.

I sent it back to the manufacturer Jesus the author and the finisher, the manufacturer of my faith and when Jesus repairs it, then it works. So don't look unto your faith, but unto Jesus. What a joy is it?

Full Surrender and Streams of Living Water

That we can and may and must cast our burdens on the Lord and He listens, but we have to surrender. No. There are sometimes people who say to me I know that we are called to be channels of streams of living water.

But I did not experience. Living water flow through me on the thirsty world of today. You know, perhaps I hear some of the people who say I have I have not experienced. That the living water has streamed through me this last week.

Then I must ask you a question. Just imagine this glass. When I put water. When I put keep the glass downwards and I throw water over it. Doesn't come in anything in it. Of course not when when it is upside down.

Did you think that when your heart was turned towards the world. That there could be streams of living water flowing through you? Of course not. You are not people who are turned towards the world, otherwise you shouldn't be here.

No. Are you 50 -50? 50 turned towards the world. 50 turned to God. Now look what happens. Nothing comes in and nothing comes out. Now I know many of you after this few days. And I know that many people here have surrendered far more than 50

How are you? 90 turned towards God and only 10 turned towards the world. Now look what happens. Yes, water comes in and water comes out at one side. Only when I keep the glass 100 upwards, now look Now at all sides it streams over.

Do you understand it? What are you? You are not turned towards the world, are you? You are not only 50 turned towards God. Are you 90? 99 Turned towards God. Only 1 turned towards the world. Do you know that in the Bible is a text, the eyes of the Lord Go to and through the whole world.

To strengthen him whose heart is fully turned towards him. And the eyes of the Lord go through this room And through your room to fill with his Holy Spirit. Who will surrender 100 to him, everything.

And you are bought with a very high price His precious blood. Will you give him his money's worth? He has a legal right to have you 100 Lock, stock and barrel. Will you surrender all? And the Lord will make you a channel of streams of living water in this very, very thirsty world.

What a joy, the Lord will use you. And never, never are afraid that the Lord does not hear your prayers. I must tell you one little story that I forgot now to tell. I saw, when I was 5 years old, I told you that I had asked Jesus to come into my heart.

God Hears Persistent Prayer

And Jesus came. And immediately the Lord made me an intercessor. My mom told me later, oh Corrie, as small as you were, only 5 years old, you were an intercessor. For every little prayer that you said ended with the word.

And Lord will you save all the people in the Smedestraat. Now the Smedestraat was a street behind our house where were many pubs. And you saw all the drunken people there. And the 5 years old had a burden for these drunken people.

And I prayed for them. You smile when you think of a 5 years old who prays for a whole street. But the Lord did not smile, he smiled. But he enjoyed it. Do you know what happened? Some time ago I could suddenly speak for TV in Holland.

And that was, I reached many people. And someone wrote me, my husband was so happy that he heard that you came from Haarlem. He also comes from Haarlem. And he has lived 17 years in the Smedestraat. And I can tell you that he too loves the Lord Jesus.

Now I said, thank you Lord. An answer for a prayer of 75 years ago. A 5 years old prayed for a whole street. 75 years later, he heard the answer. And you are praying for some people. And the devil has told you several times, stop it.