Killing Sin through Prayer?

"The activity by which the Christian directly secures the mortification of his sins is prayer," wrote J. I. Packer in his book A Quest For Godliness. But what does this practice of putting sin to death through personal prayer look like?  https://vimeo.com/43983757

The Past Sounds Like the Present

Luke 9:23: And he said to all, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." (ESV)

And is this the doctrine of Christianity? Is not the Christian world then asleep? If not, whence so much self-righteousness, whence the self-indulgence, whence the reigning love of riches which we every where meet with? Above all, whence that predominant greediness after sensual pleasure, that has so over-run this sinful nation, that was a pious stranger to come amongst us, he would be tempted to think some heathen Venus was worshipped here, and that temples were dedicated to her service. But we have the authority of an inspired apostle to affirm, that they who live in a round of pleasure, “are dead while they live.” Wherefore, as the Holy Ghost saith, “Awake thou that sleepeth, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.” But the power of raising the spiritually dead belongeth only unto God. Do thou therefore, O Holy Jesus, who by thy almighty word commandest Lazarus to come forth, though he had lain in the grave some days, speak also as effectually to these spiritually dead souls, whom Satan for many years hath so fast bound by sensual pleasures, that they are not so much as able to lift up their eyes or hearts to heaven.

George Whitefield (1714-1770), from a sermon published in 1771-1772 on Luke 9:23 entitled "The Extent and Reasonableness of Self-Denial"

True Disciples Savor Christ

“This is how the Gospel is defined. When we are converted through faith in Christ, what we see with the eyes of our hearts is ‘the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God’ (2 Corinthians 4:4). The Gospel is the good news of all-conquering beauty. Or to say it the way Paul does, it is the good news of “the glory of Christ.” When we embrace Christ, we embrace God. We see and savor God’s glory. There is no savoring of God’s glory if we do not see it in Christ. This is the only window through which a sinner may see the face of God and not be incinerated.” 

– John Piper, Don’t Waste Your Life

The Expulsive Power of a New Affection | Life in the Regeneration

The Expulsive Power of a New Affection | Life in the Regeneration:

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Whitefield's Prayer: An Open Letter to Stay-at-Home Christians

Whitefield's Prayer: An Open Letter to Stay-at-Home Christians:

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