In 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 we read,
“Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
Have you ever considered that this is a commandment from the Lord instructing us to be diligent “pray-ers”? But what is prayer? Prayer is one side of our communication link with the Lord. God “speaks” to us through His Word and His Spirit – and we speak to Him through prayer. Prayer is the means whereby we bring our requests and petitions unto the Lord, and also to commune and fellowship with Him.
“Pray without ceasing” implies that we are in a constant attitude of prayer. In other words, throughout our day, our prayers will include: exaltation and praise unto the Lord, confession of our sins, prayer for our needs [food, clothing, shelter, health, well-being], prayers of blessings for others, and just as important – thanksgiving for answered prayers. But as James 1:6 states, we are to “ask in faith“;
“But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.”
And 1 John 5:14-15 states, we are to “ask according to his will“;
“And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.”
Prayers offered in faith, His will, confession of our sins, and thanksgiving, are key ingredients for receiving answered prayers.
Yet, how many of us ever really begin our day with prayer – let alone, pray throughout the day? Often we sing the hymn, “Did You Think To Pray?” But I wonder how many of us really listen to the words, “Ere you left your room this morning, Did you think to pray? In the name of Christ, our Savior, Did you sue for loving favor, As a shield today? O how praying rests the weary! Prayer will change the night to day; So, when life seems dark and dreary, Don’t forget to pray.”
Let us be reminded, though, that prayer is only one side of the communication link. We must allow the Lord to “speak” to us. We must be reading His Word, allow His Spirit to direct us, be patient for His answers, and above all accept His answers. (Note that allowing the Lord to “speak” to us does not imply an audible verbal statement, but it most definitely implies a spiritually discerned understanding of the Lord’s response; meaning, the Lord’s Spirit will communicate with your spirit His answer, which could be delivered as an understanding through His Word, or as an enlightenment of your conscious soul.) In the Book of Daniel we read that as Daniel prayed unto the Lord, the Lord answered his prayer.
Daniel 9:20-22 states,
“And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God; Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding.”
But carefully note here that “confession of sins” and “supplications before the Lord” preceded the Lord’s answer.
Let us also understand that our personal communication link with the Lord will only be established when we pray the “sinner’s prayer”. That being, repent of your sins placing your faith and trust in Jesus Christ as your Saviour unto Christ’s salvation. This prayer will never go unanswered by the Lord – for, the very moment it is prayed in faith, it will be in His will and He will immediately answer this prayer in His eternal gift of salvation. If you have never received Christ as your Saviour, you need to understand that the Lord is speaking to your heart through His Word and His Spirit. Will you pray, believing in faith on the name of the Son of God? The Lord wants to hear your prayer from your heart. Then, “pray without ceasing”.
