PRAY WITH PERSISTENCE

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: PRAY WITH PERSISTENCE

Colossians 4

Paul was somebody who understood prayer and its power. Prayer was a part of Paul's life, and he took it for granted that it would be a part of the life of every Christian.
You cannot really be a good Christian and not pray, just like you cannot have a good marriage if you don't talk to your wife.

You can be a Christian and not pray, just like you can be married and not talk to your wife. But in both circumstances you will be miserable.

Prayer is the pipeline of communication between God and His people, between God and those who love Him.

Paul begins by saying, "Devote yourselves to prayer," (NASB) or "Continue earnestly in prayer," (NKJV).

In the original language it says, "continue steadfastly in prayer." The word translated, "continue steadfastly," is one word in the original language. It can be translated, "persist in, adhere firmly to, or remain devoted to or to give unremitting care to." It caries with it the idea of dedication.

Persistence in prayer is not an option for the Christian it is an order from the Lord Himself.
Two of the most instructive parables Jesus ever told on prayer, one in Luke 18 and the other in Luke 11, both have to do with being persistent and not giving up in prayer.

Luke 18:1 says, "Now He was telling them a parable to show them that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart."

Luke 11:9 is where we find the promise that says, "ask and it shall be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you."

Each of those verbs are in the present tense, active voice and could be translated, "keep on asking, keep on seeking, keep on knocking." Jesus does not want us to give up in prayer, He instructs us to be persistent.

Now there is a difference between a persistent prayer and a long prayer. A person who is persistent in prayer does not necessarily have to pray for a long time. Persistence means not giving up.
Some people give up easy, they quit because they say they don't feel like praying, the joy is gone, the feeling is gone. But we are not to live by our feelings but to live by the commandments of our Lord who tells us to pray without ceasing.

George Muller, known as one of the greatest prayer warriors of all times had this to say about persistence in prayer"
"It is a common temptation of Satan to make us give up the reading of the Word and prayer when our enjoyment is gone; as if it were of no use to read the scriptures when we do not enjoy them, and as if it were no use to pray when we have no spirit of prayer. The truth is that, in order to enjoy the Word, we ought to continue to read it, and the way to obtain a spirit of prayer is to continue praying. The less we read the Word of God, the less we desire to read it, and the less we pray, the less we desire to pray."
Be persistent in prayer.

This is a new week, commit all your ways to God in prayer, and make it a sweet time with the Lord, he will answer you surely.

LET US PRAY
This week heaven will open to all your prayers and there shall be quick answer as you request from the Lord in Jesus Name.

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Good Morning Friends