Pray Without Ceasing

What is the power of prayer? Many things go into prayer, the greatest ingredient is faith, but faith misplaced is also the biggest mistake. Our faith must be firmly in Jesus Christ, our desire to do His will. If our goal is to glorify Him and take delight in who He is, then our desires are right and He gives to those who ask. Have you ever realized how many times we are told to pray in Scripture? And not just pray, but to pray without end. Here are just a few I found by quickly perusing the Bible:

Be constant in prayer (Rom 12:12), praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints. (Eph. 6:18) Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Phil. 4:6) Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. (Col. 4:2) Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thess. 5:16-18)

The last one really drives it home to me. We are to pray without stopping, always being filled with joy, and thanking God the whole time. This is God’s will! Flat out, and it is amazing that we have missed it. Jesus when overturning the religious establishment of His day (the temple) thundered with all authority, “My house will be called a house of prayer!” Oh let’s not forget that this is the first calling of the body of Christ, one of the first works we are to be devoted to. Why? Because it is speaking to the Lord God, the Sovereign of the universe. What is more important than this? What can compare to this? If you wish to see your heart stirred, a passion continually burning, the Holy Spirit filling you to overflowing, then pray! Pray without ceasing, sing songs to God with all thankfulness, and find your love increasing, your faith being stirred.

If there is any unbelief in your heart, any sin you have tried to hide, then confess it to the Lord. Let Him renew your mind, and you will see the prayer begin to flow. Fan into flames the gift of the Holy Spirit in you. Do not quench Him any longer. Do not let a spirit of fear keep you back. He’s waiting. He’s waiting to fill you with His life and joy, His love and peace. Let Him intercede through you. Do not doubt His ability. Do not doubt His word. He is able. He will do it, and you will see things change around you, but most of all you will be changed. You will be revived. Repent and believe, and be constant in prayer.

We all are called to pray, there are no special intercessors, the Holy Spirit within intercedes according to the will of God. He is the stream of living waters flowing from our innermost being, and He does this through prayer and praising. Not all have the gift of preaching, but all are meant to pray.

We are called a nation of priests by Peter, and so we are to stand as priests before God, praying on behalf of this world, our family, our friends. This is a joy and delight because we realize the power of prayer, its ability to stir us up. We pray for the Holy Spirit to fill us and this filling in turns causes us to pray for more of the Spirit. Once filled our prayers are effectual and able to tear down strong-holds, because we are praying by the Spirit and as such according to God’s will. You do not need to be known to pray, you do not need to be up on stage to pray. The only thing we need is our spirits set free, a group of people willing to pray together, and we’ll see things moved in this life.

Did you know that when we pray we are not limited by time and space? Think on this. We pray to an infinite God, all-powerful, full of all understanding and wisdom. When we pray to Him (or better yet when He prays through us) it will effect everything! We are weak and powerless, our days are short and our lives but a moment in the face of eternity, but prayer changes eternity, it transforms our momentary existence into an eternity-altering life. When we touch God in heaven, the earth is going to be changed as well. We pray for His kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. Heaven is perfection, heaven is filled with Christ’s light, and when we pray for His will to be done on earth, then the Holy Spirit (who is not bound by distance or time) moves and fills the earth with God’s love. He is boundless, and so co-laboring with Him in prayer, our effectiveness is without measure as well.

Are you tired of feeling like you are accomplishing nothing for Christ? Then begin to pray. Pray in the Spirit; let Him fill you with His power. His ability is greater than your weakness, the Spirit is able to complete God’s work through you. He looks for those who will stand in prayer (not just alone, but as a people, as Christ’s body). We are Jesus’ body in the earth. Jesus Christ intercedes in heaven, yet the Spirit intercedes on earth through us! Prayer is believing that God alone can accomplish His will, and if we will yield to the Holy Spirit inside, then He will pray through us and birth His desires in the earth as they already are being done in heaven.