In review of Ephesians 6:18 this morning, I'm reminded to “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” (NLT)
How can I pray at all times? One way is to make quick, brief prayers my habitual response to every situation I meet throughout the day. Another way is to order my life around God's desires and teachings so that my very life becomes a prayer. I don't have to isolate myself from others and daily work in order to pray constantly. I can make prayer my life and my life a prayer while living in a world that needs God's powerful influence. I should also pray for all believers in Christ; so pray for the Christians I know and for the church around the world.
Why should I be persistent in my prayers, like Ephesians 6:18 says, even when I don’t get an answer? There are four reasons.
1). Persistent prayer focuses my attention.
When I pray for something repeatedly, it’s not to remind God. He doesn’t need to be reminded! It’s to remind myself who the source of my answer and all my needs is. If every prayer I ever prayed were instantly answered, two things would be true. First, prayer would become a weapon of destruction in my life. Second, I’d never think about God because he would become a vending machine. If every time I prayed I instantly got results, all I’d think about is the blessing. God wants me to think about the Blesser.
2). Persistent prayer clarifies my request.
A delayed answer gives me time to clarify exactly what I want and to refine my prayers. When I pray persistently to my heavenly Father, it separates deep longings from mere whims. It says, “God, I really care about this.” It’s not that God doesn’t want to answer my prayers. He does. It’s just that he wants me to be certain of what I really want.
3). Persistent prayer tests my faith.
James 1:3-4 says, “When your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing” (NLT). The only way I can grow to spiritual maturity is to have my faith tested. One of the ways God’s going to test my faith is by delaying some answers to my prayers.
4). Persistent prayer prepares my heart for the answer.
When I make a request of God, God almost always wants to answer in a better way than I’ve prayed. Sometimes God denies my prayer requests because I’m thinking and asking too small. He wants to give me something bigger! But first, he has to prepare me for it. So God uses delays in answering prayer to help me grow, get ready, and prepare for a bigger and better answer.
Remember, “God can do much, much more than anything we can ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20 NCV).
In summary, Pray in the Spirit at all times. Stay alert and be persistent in my prayers. Learn to make quick, brief prayers my habitual response to every situation I meet throughout the day. Order my life around God's desires and teachings so that my very life becomes a prayer. Make prayer my life and my life a prayer. Pray for all believers in Christ. Be persistent in my prayers because; 1) It focuses my attention. It's not to remind God, but rather to remind myself who the source of my answer and all my needs is. 2). It clarifies my request. A delayed answer gives me time to clarify exactly what I want and to refine my prayers. It separates deep longings from mere whims. He wants me to be certain of what I really need. 3). It tests my faith. When my faith is tested, my endurance has a chance to grow. The only way I can grow to spiritual maturity is to have my faith tested. One of the ways God's going to test my faith is by delaying some answers. 4). It prepares my heart for the answer. God almost always wants to answer in a better way than I've prayed. Sometimes God denies my prayer requests because I'm thinking and asking too small. God uses delays in answering prayer to help me grow, get ready, and prepare me for a bigger and better answer.
Father, I thank you this morning for the reminder of persistence in prayer on my part. My persistence helps me focus my attention, clarify what I’m asking for, helps to test my faith and ultimately prepares my heart. I pray that through the help of the Holy Spirit that I remember to pray in the moment. I ask you also today for wisdom and guidance for my work tasks, my leadership and my interaction with others. May what I do, be pleasing to you and in your will. These things I ask through your Son Jesus name, Amen.
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