THE NEED TO CULTIVATE A PRAYER HABIT!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 23, 2022.

SUBJECT : THE NEED TO CULTIVATE A PRAYER HABIT!

Memory verse: "Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray, and not lose heart." (Luke 18 vs 1.)

READ: Psalm 5 vs 1 - 3: 

1 Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation.

2 Give need to the voice of my cry, my King, and my God, for to You I will pray.

3 My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD. In the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up.

INTIMATION:

Prayer is communing with the Lord, and it is the most powerful resource of a Christian. Communion with God through prayer is the most essential armor of God available to the Christian, and is for constant use. The results are often greater than we thought were possible. There is no denying the fact that the lack of prayer is the bane of the individual members of the body of Christ. Prayer should be as natural as breathing and as enjoyable as eating. It should be as unconscious as our communication with each other. While doing all these we must not lose the fact that we are communicating in fellowship with Someone superior to us but has given us the privilege to come to Him. 

Jesus was a man of prayer. He taught prayer, not as a slavish duty, but as a glorious privilege. In our memory verse, He said that “men ought to pray and not faint,” that is to say that we need to form the prayer habit, and maintain constant communication with the Lord. If prayer was Important to Jesus, then it must be important to His followers. Constant prayer means keeping our requests continually before God with Whom there are no impossibilities or difficulties. Therefore, it is imperative we should be in constant communion with Him as we live for Him day by day, believing He will answer. As we persist in prayer, we grow in character, faith, and hope. When we live by faith, we are not to give up. God may delay answering, but His delays always have good reasons. 

Our persistence is an expression of our faith that God answers our prayers. Our faith shouldn’t die if the answers come slowly, for the delay may be God’s way of working His will in your life. When we feel tired of praying, know that God is present, always listening, always answering—maybe not in ways you had hoped, but in ways that He knows are best.

Praying morning, afternoon and night is certainly an excellent way to maintain correct priorities throughout the whole day. Daniel followed this pattern (Daniel 6 vs 10), as did Peter (Acts 10 vs 9 - 10). The prayers of God’s people are effective against the overwhelming evil in the world. David knew this secret of constant communion with the Lord, and He said, ”Evening, morning and at noon, I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice.” (Psalm 55 vs 17.) 

How can one pray at all times? One way is to make quick, brief prayer your habitual response to every situation you meet throughout the day. Another way is to order your life around God’s desires and teachings so that your very life becomes a prayer. You don’t have to isolate yourself from other people and from daily work in order to pray constantly. You can make prayer your life and your life a prayer while living in a world that needs God’s powerful influence. 

Regular communication helps any friendship and is certainly necessary for a strong relationship with God. We need to communicate with Him daily. Do you have a regular time to pray and read God’s Word? The secret of a close relationship with God is to pray to Him earnestly each morning. In the morning, our minds are more free from problems, and then we can commit the whole day to God. Every Christian should form the habit of continuing earnestly in prayer and be vigilant in it. Prayer quiets our thoughts and emotions and prepares us to listen. Some people see prayer as a last resort to be tried when all else fails. This approach is backward. Prayer should come first. Because God’s power is infinitely greater than ours, it only makes sense to rely on it—especially because God encourages us to do so.

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the spirit of prayer and supplication that I may habitually remain in constant communication with You—the source of all powers, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!