In review of Ephesians 6:18 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)
To pray at all times, make quick, brief prayers my habitual response to every situation I come across throughout my day. Also order my life around God's desires and teachings so that my life becomes a prayer. I don't need to isolate myself from others in order to pray constantly.
At times there seems like there is no answer. So why should I remain persistent when I don’t get an answer? Here are four reasons I’m reminded of this morning.
1). Persistent prayer focuses my attention. When I pray a prayer request over and over, it’s not to remind God. He doesn’t need to be reminded! It’s to remind myself that God is the source of my answer and all my needs. If every prayer I prayed was instantly answered, two things would happen. First, prayer would actually begin to hurt me because sometimes I pray for things that are not God’s will, or we make mistakes because I see things with a limited perspective. Secondly, I’d never really develop a deep relationship with God, because he would become just 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 requests. When I pray persistently to God and I say something over and over again, 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 prayer. He does. It’s just that he wants me to be certain 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 tests 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 greater way than I’ve prayed. Sometimes God denies my prayer request because I’m thinking and asking too small. He wants to give me something bigger and better. But first, he has to prepare me for it. So God uses delays in answering prayer to help me grow, to help me get ready, and to help prepare me 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 at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers. Make quick, brief prayers my habitual response to every situation I come across throughout my day. Also order my life around God's desires and teachings so that my life becomes a prayer.Why should I remain persistent when I don’t get an answer? Because: Persistent prayer focuses my attention. It’s not to remind God. It’s to remind myself that God is the source. If every prayer I prayed was instantly answered, prayer would actually begin to hurt me because sometimes I pray for things that are not God’s will. Also I’d never really develop a deep relationship with God, all I’d think about is the blessing. God wants me to think about the Blesser. Next, Persistent prayer clarifies my request. A delayed answer gives me time to clarify exactly what I want. It separates deep longings from mere whims. God wants me to be certain what I really want. Also persistent prayer tests my faith. When my faith is tested, my endurance has a chance to grow. One of the ways God tests my faith is by delaying some answers to my prayers. And lastly, persistent prayer prepares my heart for the answer. God almost always wants to answer in a greater way than I’ve prayed. I may be thinking and asking too small. God uses delays in answering prayer to help me grow, to help me get ready, and to help prepare me for a bigger and better answer.
Father, thank you for speaking to me through this verse and devotional. It helps to know what you may be doing with me when I ask. Through the help of the Holy Spirit, I ask to help me focus my attention on you, the source, clarify my request, have faith and to prepare my heart for how you respond. I need to demonstrate my willingness to grow and accept my purpose for you, especially as I seek your assistance and guidance on my next job role. I also ask you today for wisdom and guidance for my day, my work, my leadership and my interactions with others. I pray these things through your Son Jesus’ name, Amen.
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