Jesus taught a parable to the intent that we should always pray and never lose heart (Luke 18:1). Should we take those words literally? If we do, how can we pray always?
On the other end of the spectrum, I have read articles promoting the idea that a few minutes a day in prayer can be OK. I don’t necessarily disagree with that for new converts and those who are still babes in Christ. But no growing Christian can justify staying in that beginner’s mode.
So, how can we possibly pray always? We must work a job. If we don’t work, we should not eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10). Our employer has not hired us to sit in the office or stand on the assembly line and pray instead of work.
My point is that our understanding of Jesus’ teaching that we pray always must be practical.
Jesus’ is not the only person in the Bible admonishing believers to pray always. For example, Paul the apostle wrote these words to the church at Thessalonica: “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Clearly, it is the will of God for us to pray always.
But it should be obvious that the above references to pray always are not to be taken literally. We can’t pray always literally, but we can do so virtually. That is the proper context of the abovementioned verses and of this post.
Anywhere, Anytime
We should examine our commitment to prayer, in light of what the Bible reveals about God’s will for us in the area prayer.
We can pray always because we can pray anywhere, anytime, and in any physical position because God is everywhere. It is a good thing for us to have a designated place where we pray daily. But God can hear and answer prayer in any place.
We can pray while driving on the freeway (keep your eyes open!). We can pray sitting on the toilet stool. Or while we are 30,000 feet in the air on an airplane. When conditions don’t permit us to speak audibly but we have an immediate need to pray, we can pray in our heart. Anywhere; anytime.
Prayer and Spiritual Warfare
In his letter to the church at Ephesus, Paul the apostle gives us a strategy for spiritual warfare. He writes, “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints” (Ephesians 6:18). This verse underscores three things about prayer:
1. Prayer is a component of the whole armor of God. Some believers fail to acknowledge prayer as a part of the armor of God addressed in Ephesians 6. Perhaps that’s because no armor symbolism (breastplate, sword, shield, etc.) exists with it.
But let’s catch the flow of chapter six. We are to “put on” all the components of the armor of God mention in verses 14-17. But we are to do so while praying always (verse 18). So, prayer is the overarching component of the whole armor of God. Without prayer we don’t have on the whole armor of God.
2. Victorious prayer is unceasing. Note the first two words of the verse: “praying always.” Again, verses like these should cause us to examine our commitment to prayer from a biblical perspective.
3. Prayer is an offensive weapon. I often hear people say that the Word of God, which is the sword of the Spirit, is our only offensive component of the armor of God. Again, I believe it’s because many fail to acknowledge prayer as a part of the whole armor of God.
But prayer is one of the most potent offensive weapons we have. Some Christians use prayer mainly as a defensive weapon. They tend to only pray when the devil has their back against the wall.
But we should also be preemptive through prayer. For instance, we should pray to contest, to nullify, and to stay the works of the devil. What do you suppose would happen if the church went on the offensive against the devil more through prayer?
Saved by Grace, Not by Prayer
Though we should pray always, we are not saved by how much or how little we pray. Still, prayer is one of the most potent weapons we have. It was prayer in the upper that ushered in the baptism of the Holy Spirit upon the church on the day of Pentecost. Through prayer, we can defeat many of the works of the devil before they manifest themselves.
So, how committed are you pray always?
Copyright © 2024 by Frank King. All rights reserved.