Persistence

I am going to talk about prayer today.  Praying is a privilege and not just a duty or a chore.  Praying is something every Christian should be involved with and want to do, not something they feel they have to do.  Praying is how we communicate with the Lord and is one of the most important things we can do.

Paul thought it was so important that he said this in Ephesians 6:18, “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.”  Paul also said in 1^st Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray without ceasing.”

We are in a battle and we need to pray for each other regularly and also for ourselves.  Christians should have a mindset of prayer, praying that the Lord will intervene in their circumstances and situations, and also for their brothers and sisters circumstances and situations.  The enemy has flooded our airwaves and about every aspect of our lives with his propaganda, lies and deception and we need to use prayer as a weapon against him.  

I have heard it said that prayer moves the hand of God and I definitely believe it rallies the Lord’s favor and His actions to react on our behalf and also on behalf of the people we pray for.  I believe the Lord is more willing to answer our prayers than we are to pray them.  Many times people give up praying for things because they don’t think God is answering certain prayers they pray, but I assure you, the Lord always answers the prayers that He hears.  

I don’t believe the Lord hears the prayers of a non-believer or a sinning saint that hasn’t repented, until He hears their repentant prayer.  The reason I say this is because it says in Isaiah 59:2, “But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear.”  When this was said it was spoken to the Jews but sin always separates us from the Lord so I think it pertains to us also.  If you have confessed and repented of sin the Lord will always answer your prayers but not always the way you want Him to.

There is another reason prayers aren’t answered the way we want; it says this in James 4:3, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.”  When we pray our motives have to be right so we need to start praying God’s will, not ours, be done.

Think about this, Paul says in Philippians 4:6-7, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  What is your attitude when you pray?  Are you stressed, anxious, worried or scared?  If you are, you need to put on the garment of praise and thanksgiving for the spirit of heaviness.  Start out praying with a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving if you are weighted down with the cares of this world.  Give those burdens to the Lord and rise up victorious but never give up and never give in to your emotions.  Emotions change but God never changes, He is the same yesterday, today and forever, and He is not a man that He should lie, so He can be trusted to keep His word, praise the Lord!!  

So I hope this will encourage you to keep on praying and never give up.  If you aren’t spending time in prayer and communicating with the Lord you should start today and make it a priority in your life.  God bless you and have a great day.