Book 2 of Musings Pray Without Ceasing

Worrying will not solve your problems, but praying will.

The Apostle Paul urged us to pray without ceasing. This means praying is a way of life.

Life is filled with problems and decisions. We can bear the load of worrying, or we can pray until we have peace.

We used to talk about "praying through." Perhaps some of the newer Christians may not understand what it is to "pray through."

As we make the effort to pray we grow in the ability to pray.

When we start out learning to pray, it is kind of boring. We have a list of requests. We faithfully tell God about our requests. Then we get up and go about our business. It is our duty to pray and we have performed it.

We will never learn to pray until we make the effort each day to faithfully present our requests to the Lord, even though it is a boring duty.

However, if we keep on making the effort we find that something has changed. I don't know exactly how to describe it, except that we learn to pray in the Spirit. Instead of reciting the items on our list we are sort of stirring up our prayer.

As we learn to stir up our prayer until we are in the Spirit, we find that sometimes we have burdens. We keep on praying; keep on praying. If the burden doesn't lift, we get up and go about our necessary business. But as soon as we can we go back and begin to pray about that burden.

All of a sudden we discover we can't pray about it anymore. All we can do is praise God. There may be a song, or some other manifestation. Or it may just be a quiet sense that we have "prayed through."

Once we pray through we know we have the answer. We can "take it to the bank," as the expression goes. The answer is as certain as though it already has taken place in the physical realm.

When we learn to stir up our prayer, instead of just reciting a list, prayer becomes much more interesting. Sometimes we get in a spirit of prayer that will last for hours.

When we are still back at the "list stage," ten minutes of prayer seems like three or four hours. But when we are in the spirit of prayer, times goes by swiftly.

There are people who are especially called to prayer. It is nothing for them to pray three or four hours, or even all night. This is the most exciting time of their day and they look forward to it. You never know what the Lord is going to do next.

I believe we are facing difficult days in America. We are going to need to know how to pray. If a loved one is in danger, we can "pray through" for that person and receive peace because we know God has heard us. Once we know God has heard us, we know we have the answer.

As I have said and written on many occasions, the true Christian life is one of continual looking to the Lord. To be able to look to the Lord about every detail of life is the result of years of practice. Once we make the effort to keep asking Christ about everything, it is not long before this way of thinking and living becomes second nature.

Actually, it is the pathway to the rest of God, to that place where we are living in the Lord Jesus as He lives in the Father.

The Lord Jesus is the Word made flesh. We are flesh being made the Word of God. Each time we cease from our own ability to make our way, and look to the Lord for wisdom and strength, the Word of God is revealed in us.

I do not mean by this that we do not employ our own talents and experience. We do. We do not flop around in a state of passivity. But while we are using our own talents and experience we are asking Christ to guide us, to provide wisdom and strength.

We may have talents and we may have experience. But we will discover that these are not guarantees of success. No matter how skillful we are in any area, even if we have been working and practicing the particular behavior for years, things can always go wrong. Have you ever noticed that?

But when we keep looking to Jesus while we are painting a house, or doing the dishes, or studying in school, or composing music, or going to the store-no matter what we are doing, we are more successful if we are praying.

Also, as we cease trusting ourselves, we gain more of Christ; more of Christ; more of Christ. This is the path taken by the Apostle Paul.

God sent numerous tribulations and sufferings upon the Apostle Paul. It got to the place that Paul could not move apart from the power of Christ. The result of the continual crucifixion and resurrection of Paul's personality is the Epistles of the New Testament. The benefit to the Kingdom of God that has proceeded from the Epistles of the Apostle Paul is incalculable. The benefit to the Kingdom of God of your efforts and my efforts will be incalculable, if we are willing submit to the daily crucifixion and daily resurrection that are directed by the Spirit of God.

The key to living the crucified-resurrected life is constant prayer. All evil that comes against us succeeds only in pressing us into Jesus, when we keep bringing that evil before the Lord for His assistance.

Truly, it is better to pray than to faint. No matter how difficult our path may become; no matter how dangerous the future may appear; we can survive if we will keep on praying; keep on praying; keep on praying.

The old nature will keep on trying to assert itself with its own fears and desires. But as we persist in prayer we are able to overcome these and remain in the peace of God.

The Lord Jesus advised us to pray we would not be led into temptation but would be delivered from the evil one. We are wise when we pray this prayer.

Satan continually is setting snares in the hope we will be caught. He studies our personality. He bides his time-sometimes for years.

Satan knows that very temptation that is most likely to appeal to us. At the precise time he strikes. We step into the snare. The noose is tightened and we find ourselves in deep trouble.

But if we pray every day that God will lead us away from temptation, we step over the snare without being caught in it.

"What needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer."

Perhaps one aspect needs to be emphasized: the inerrant Word of God states that whatever we ask in Jesus' name will be granted.

If our prayer is not God's will for us, the Lord will gently help us change our prayer, if we are sensitive to His will. We always are to pray "Your will be done." This is the most powerful prayer of all.

Sometimes we are not asking for what we truly desire, being moved by a superficial motive or because of a mistaken idea. God will delay the answer until we get on target with our prayer.

But one thing is certain: whenever you request something in Jesus' name you are heard. The mills of God begin to grind. The mighty wheels turn and the gears mesh.

God said: "When you are abiding in Christ, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given to you." God said that, so we know it is going to happen.

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. (Luke 18:1)

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. (John 15:7)