The Secret of an Intercessor

John Hyde was a missionary to India in around the early 20th Century. His life, like the prophet Elijah, can be summed up in two words: "He prayed."
He spent days and nights in agonizing intercession, weeping, sighing, and groaning in the Spirit for souls and for the Church, sometimes going without food or sleep for days. His travail of soul increased to such a degree that his heart-cry became, "O God, give me souls or I die!" He was used of God to bring down many outpourings of the Spirit in North-West India, beginning in 1904 in Sialkot. Shortly before he died at the age of 47, a medical examination discovered his heart had moved to the right side of his body, worn out by years of intense intercession.
Hyde's life serves as an example of a believer absolutely surrendered to God, who has drawn near enough to Christ to feel His heart, and through whom we may have a glimpse of the very prayer-life of our Lord.


The following is from the book Praying Hyde: Apostle of Prayer, edited by Captain E.G. Carre:

"Let me introduce here a gem from the pen of Paterson: 'What was the secret of that prayer-life of John Hyde's?' he asks. 'This, that it was a life of prayer. Who is the source of all life? The glorified Jesus. How do I get this life from Him? Just as I received His righteousness to begin with. I own that I have no righteousness of my own--only filthy rags, and I in faith claim His righteousness. Now, a twofold result follows: As to our Father in Heaven, He sees Christ's righteousness--not my unrighteousness. A second result as to ourselves: Christ's righteousness not merely clothes us outwardly, but enters into our very being, by His Spirit, received in faith as with the disciples (see John 20:22), and works out sanctification in us.'
"Why not the same with our prayer life? Let us remember the word 'for.' 'Christ died for us,' and 'he ever liveth to make intercession 'for' us,' that is, in our room and stead. So I confess my ever-failing prayers (it dare not be called a life), and plead His never failing intercession. Then it affects our Father, for He looks upon Christ's prayer-life in us, and answers accordingly. So that the answer is far 'above all we can ask or think.' Another great result follows: it affects us. Christ's prayer life enters into us, and He prays in us. This is prayer in the Holy Spirit. Only thus can we pray without ceasing. This is the life more abundant which our Lord gives. Oh, what peace, what comfort? No more working up a life of prayer and failing constantly. Jesus enters the boat, and the toiling ceases, and we are at the land whither we would be. Now, we need to be still before Him, so as to hear his voice and allow Him to pray in us--nay, allow Him to pour into our souls His overflowing life of intercession, which means literally: FACE TO FACE meeting with God--real UNION and COMMUNION."