We all know if we pray, miracles happen. There is a different kind of outcome for a prayer when prayed continuously. This is the short verse in Bible
1 Thessalonians 5:17 pray continually
Before we understand how to pray continually lets understand why we should Pray and its importance.
Why we must prayer ?
There is nothing thats hidden to God, he knows our situation our needs, so why pray then ?
Prayer is the way to communicate to God by explaining our situation to God.
Prayer builds the relationship with our Almighty saviour. its a intimate relationship like a husband / wife relationship, or like a parent / child relationship . when we are small the child tries to converse with the parent.
When we pray, the trinity (Heart / Soul / Mind) unify to talk to God to build the relationship with God.
Prayer is the genuine longing of the soul, whether spoken or unspoken, reaching out to communicate with God.
Prayer is the breath in spiritual life, without prayer its impossible to grow spiritually
Praying isn't just about seeking what we desire, but also about listening to what God wants us to do.
We have to pray as Jesus prayed, if we are followers of Jesus we have to do what Jesus did.
Jesus began His ministry in prayer —
When Jesus was baptised and he started with Prayer - Luke 3:21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened
Jesus prayed every day early morning in solitary confinement..
Luke 5:16 'But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
Mark 1:35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.
Neglecting prayer is considered a sinful act. It was revealed by God to Prophet Samuel when the Israelites sought for a king. 1 Samuel 12:23 'As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right.
God longs to hear our prayers (when we are sincere in our heart / mind and soul) Jeremiah 29:12-14 'Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord , “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord , “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.” '
Things that Prevent Continual Prayer
We often pray, but we don’t follow the Word that says “pray continually” There are many things that prevents us to pray continually.
1) Spiritual laziness
We expect others to pray for us in times of trouble or need for, Many have a belief that Prayer is answered only if the Pastor or any elder prays for them.
In Old testament days this was the practice to pray, if you want any thing, you have to have a Levi pray for you in God’s name as we cannot seek God directly due to the Sins we have. But in New Covenant when Jesus Submitted himself on the cross , the temple curtains was torn to two, this indicating we don’t need a Levi to enter to God, with Jesus death he tore that ritual that existed in old and we are children of New covenant Mark 15:37-38 'With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. '
As we are people of new covenant, we are called his children. Matthew 7:7-8 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. '
When a son asks his father directly what he wants, it's a direct and intimate interaction. Similarly, when someone asks another person to pray for them, it creates a similar connection, like a bridge between them and the divine, where their hopes and needs are conveyed through the intermediary's prayers. The intimacy in prayer is lost when we ask someone.
You have to seek God to find him, you cannot take shortcuts. To find him with your pastor. is not there in the Promise, its very clear, Promise is clear “The” represents the individual. its You. Matthew 7:8 the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. '
If God does not listen to you, nobody can recommend your case !, Its a prayer for Commitment that God is willing to help us..
But there is nothing wrong in seeking help with others to Pray, Biblical prescription to seek for help is when one is trouble (Sick or Demon Possessed or Grieving etc..) thats the time to seek others to help you with your prayer. James 5:13-15 'Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. '
2) Unfaithfulness
Satan’s biggest weapon to stop us from Prayer is the unfaithfulness in our prayer, we pray and when we don’t get answer as we expect. So immediately, we are put in a state of mind to say. You prayed nothing has happened, why pray ?
Things that can fool us that we live by Faith - Our own feelings, By our circumstances around us, Or by Satan’s demonic powers. Our own eyes can deceive us - Paul gives direction for each of us (Christians) to live “from faith to faith”. Romans 1:17 'For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” '
Jesus was with a lot of crowd, there were amazed with his teaching / they lacked faith hence he did not do any miracles, same is with our prayer, we pray with a unfaithful spirit hence our prayers are not answered - Matthew 13:58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.
When we ask with wrong motives our prayers are not answered and it leads to Unfaithfulness James 4:3 'When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. '
God does not take any pleasure in people switching from faith to unfaithfulness Hebrews 10:38 'And, “But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.”
God does not answer our prayers when its double-minded filled with unfaithfulness. James 1:6-7 'But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. '
Our solution comes from our Lord Jesus - to overcome the fleshly desires of Unfaithfulness to ask him to give us the faith in our prayer - Matthew 26:41 '“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” '
3) Fear
Fear is the biggest tool for Satan. When we are afraid he we tend to buckle up. We have to stand against the fear.. e.g., Disciple drowned in the lake when he believed he can walk.. Matthew 8:26 'He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. '
1st Category of Fear - What is the fear ? fear to Sin, The Sins acts as a barrier to condemn us to say God will not hear your prayer.
Satan deceives thru Lies of his native language John 8:44 'You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. '
Satan Condemns us for our sin, whereas God convicts us from the Sin. There is only a revenant fear in Jesus that fear is not to commit Sin.
2nd Category of Fear - Satan brings fear to deter us from prayer, When you pray for others, he brings fear by attacking your family or bring any trouble at office or from your neighbour. this is his scare tactics to stop you from your prayer. Remember he cannot touch you as you are a child of God, so he employs other means to stop your prayer
Our God is a king and Lion of Judah, God’s promise is not to fear - Jeremiah 1:8 'Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord . '
David’s advice for fear - Psalms 56:3 'When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. '
4) Spiritual Pride
When God blesses you more there will be more battles of Pride that will come against you.
The more close you walk with God, there is sense of Spiritual pride that comes into us to look at others inferior and make our own self superior to others. Thats nothing but Spiritual pride.
Pride glorifies man and robs God of the Glory that he deserves.
Process of how pride happens is described in Romans 1:21-23 'For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. '
Step 1 - God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts
Step 2 - They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshipped and served created things rather than the Creator
Pride is one of the chief weapons Satan uses against us all the time, he can get anyone in ministry to fall
Pastor’s proud of his good preaching can fall, a Sunday school teacher proud of her teaching. He can get us prideful on many things, which we should be careful to watch 1 Timothy 6:3-5 If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.
How to get revival in prayer ?
How do we pray continuously and get a revival in prayer, the secret is in the prior verse
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 'Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. ‘
Pray watchful - like how a watchman is watching the gate, Pray watchfully so that it can prevent you falling into sin.
Humble in front of God - Its not about your prayer that pleases God, its the humility of submission that pleases him to answer your prayer.
Rejoice in suffering and praise God. Very difficult to follow, try once you will see great result. when we praise, the strongholds of satan will weaken.
Pray for the faith to be strengthened - We walk in world and our eyes / situation deceives us, to strengthen our faith, we need to ask God to help us.
Pray for the grace from God - The grace to change the situation, control over the things which we have no control is thru his grace.
Pray for new spiritual gifts ~ father is longing to provide. So ask he is willing to give to us.
Pray with sincerity/ intent should be correct. James 4:3 says when we ask with wrong motives the prayers will not be answered.
Pray with a surrender attitude ~ Pray that he is the one and only who can help that sense of surrender attitude to help you.
Pray with an openness ~ Pray with a open mind and not with any preconceived outcome of prayer, the outcome of prayer is for God to decide, not for us to decide. Its little different from Faith.
God’s peace / inner voice that consist ~ when our prayers are effective , the Peace that he gives is a sign of his hearing us and working his way.
How to Pray ?
Acts method of prayer, its a method that was taught by Mrs Getizial Mohan
Adoration - We need to adore God
Confession - Confess our sins / Cleansing our Sins
Thanks Giving - Give thanks to God
Supplication - Supplication with God on our needs.
Adoring God with - Worshiping God
Praise God and worship him with different names
Praise God to give glory of his characters.
Praise God to read from what you learn in bible.
Confess
Humble to God and confess what God has spoken in your meditation or thru people.
Thanksgiving to God
Thank him for the Struggles you go thru ~ satan power is defeated when you do this
Thank him for the Success you get ~ Praise God for his glory
Pray for others needs
You follow God’s command - Love your neighbours as yourself
Pray for the people who hate you
Pray for the situations to change - When Daniel prayed the situation changed / When Joseph prayed the situation changed.
Pray for nation / Church / unsaved people - burden for them should come in your prayer.
Pray for your personal need - this one should be the last.
Follow this 7 steps to practice an effective prayer and a consistent and pray continuously