Continual Persistent Prayer
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Prayer is A Way of Life for Believers
Prayer is A Way of Life for Believers
Prayer meetings and specific prayer times are acceptable, but the Bible is clear that our prayer life is to not be constricted to just those times.
pray without ceasing;
With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,
Prayer should be to the believer what breathing is to every person…one does not have to remind oneself to breathe…it is natural…when we don’t pray it is like holding our breath…it should flow freely and naturally from our hearts.
Praying without ceasing does not mean walking around in a pious position with eyes closed and muttering unintelligible words…it means to be in constant communion with God…God-consciousness...
Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.
I have set the Lord continually before me;
Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
God’s greatest desire and our greatest need is to be in constant fellowship with Him...
what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.
1 jn 1
Persistence Perseverance
Persistence Perseverance
Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving;
With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,
Devote = refers to being intense
Perseverance = endurance = sticking to the task
When we pray, we are to pray until we get an answer…bring everything to God.
Turn to .
Jesus teaches us two things here…shows the benefit of persistence…the unsympathetic friend couldn’t take the irritation…how much more will our holy, loving, sympathetic Father respond to us.
If we don’t get an immediate answer, or if events don’t turn out exactly or as quickly as we hoped, don’t lose heart…God is the opposite of the unjust judge…the judge was tired of the complaining woman…God always has good reasons for making us wait longer than we wish…don’t give up…keep seeking.
We need to exhibit a fervent concern for others expressed in prayer…we cannot force God to do what we want against His will, but we do need to demonstrate to Him a heart of compassion and concern for others.
In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety.
And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray,
saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.”
Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him.
And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground.
luke 22:41-
Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to His disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”
And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and distressed.
Then He said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me.”
And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.”
And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour?
“Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done.”
Again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.
And He left them again, and went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more.
Then He came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.
“Get up, let us be going; behold, the one who betrays Me is at hand!”
mat 26
In all the mighty works Jesus performed, in none of them was there any apparent expenditure of energy…it is only when he prayed that we see Him agonize and toil over his petitions.
Constant Alertness
Constant Alertness
we must be on the alert to situations that need our prayers
Jesus told his disciples to watch and pray…we are to be watchful to the end…intelligent prayers requires us to be alert to what is going on around us.
The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.
Pray in specifics, not generalities, because then you are able to see the more specific answers.
Being sensitive to what is around us, helps us know what to pray.