Persistent and Consistent in Prayer

PRAYER TEACHING OUTLINE – WEEK 5

Topic: Personal Prayer Frequency – Persistent AND Consistent

Vision Reminder: Pour Over Nights are not about hype or performance; they are about cultivating a personal and corporate lifestyle of prayer that goes deeper than the surface.

Check-In from Last Week:

- What was it like to pray through Psalm 91?

- Did using Scripture bring more focus or new words to your prayers?

- What passage did you find yourself returning to throughout the week?

I. JESUS TAUGHT PERSISTENT PRAYER

“They ought always to pray and not lose heart…”

Luke 18:1–8

NASB95

1 Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not become discouraged,

2 saying, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect any person.

3 Now there was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me justice against my opponent.’

4 For a while he was unwilling; but later he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect any person,

5 yet because this widow is bothering me, I will give her justice; otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.’”

6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unrighteous judge said;

7 now, will God not bring about justice for His elect who cry out to Him day and night, and will He delay long for them?

8 I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”

- Jesus told this parable to emphasize unrelenting prayer.

- The widow wasn’t answered because of who she was, but because of her persistence.

- God is not unjust — how much more will He answer His children who keep asking in faith?

- Persistence isn’t pestering — it’s an expression of faithful dependence.

II. CONSISTENCY IN PRAYER IS A POSTURE, NOT A PERFORMANCE

- 1 Thessalonians 5:17 – “Pray without ceasing”

- Daily prayer is more about posture than pressure.

- You don’t need a long prayer session — you need a daily rhythm.

- A consistent prayer life is less about intensity and more about faithfulness.

III. PERSISTENCE ISN’T WILLPOWER — IT’S DESIRE

- Passion, not discipline, drives persistent prayer.

- We often pray desperately when we need something — but what if we were most desperate for His presence?

- A lack of prayer might point to a lack of perceived need.

- What we crave consistently, we will pursue persistently.

IV. CLOSING CHARGE

- Keep praying. Even if you don’t see results right away — don’t lose heart.

- God moves in response to faith, not formulas.

- Let your desire for God fuel a life of prayer that doesn’t fade.

PRAYER ACTIVITY – Assignment:

- Partner up with your discipleship partner or prayer buddy.

- Share your current prayer rhythm.

- Commit to pray for each other this week — specifically asking God to deepen your desire for Him.

- Share your written prayer pattern from Week 1 and reflect on any changes.

- Reflect:

- What makes prayer hard to sustain?

- What draws you back to it?

- How can you pursue God daily with renewed passion?