22. Pray without ceasing

1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18

 

16 Always, be joyful.  

17 Never stop praying.

18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

 

▣ Jesus emphasized to his disciples the need for persistent supplication along with the fervor of prayer, and he also listened to the supplications of those who insisted on them many times.

When the Lord says, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7). It teaches you to persevere.

 

One of the biggest reasons we don't get answers even when we pray is that we didn't pray persistently.

If there is no answer after praying several times, they give up immediately.

They give up as if what they have been asking for is not very important.

Because of spiritual indolence, we do not pray persistently, but we speak the will of God as if we knew it well.

 

Humans are always dependent on God.

Therefore, it is very natural to ask God for everything.

But the problem is that there is no earnestness or persistence. He needs to put all his strength and power into prayer if he really wants something, but many people don't.

 

12 In those days when you pray, I will listen. 13 If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. (Jeremiah 29:12-13)

 

God meets us when we cry out with all our hearts and He hears our prayers.

Prayer is spiritual breathing.

Breathing is actually breathing, not saying or thinking.

Deep breathing breathes fresh air deep into the lungs and removes the bad air remaining in the lungs, making our body healthy.

 

1. Prayer is spiritual breathing.

Deep prayer, like deep breathing, makes our souls healthy.

To replenish your depleted spiritual energy, you must breathe through your airways as you breathe fresh air. You must take a deep breath of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit, through your breath.

 

The Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit, permeates our body like the wind and gives strength to every part of our body. By drinking the Holy Spirit, we gain spiritual strength, overcome the evil spirit that afflicts our body, and restore our spiritual health.

By becoming spiritually healthy, all functions of our body are restored to their original state, and diseases are healed naturally.

 

2. Spiritual energy is consumed naturally

 

Electricity is discharged naturally over time even when not in use.

The same is true of the energy of our spirit.

If you just do it without praying, you will become more and more lethargic and indolent.

In this case, it disappears slowly, so you usually don't feel the symptoms, but only when it's almost gone, you feel that something is wrong.

However, not knowing the reason, they do not recharge and eventually fall into a state of spiritual exhaustion.

 

The main reason that spiritual energy is lost is that a large amount of spiritual energy was used in the process of fighting spiritual warfare.

We are constantly engaged in spiritual warfare in our daily lives.

This process uses a significant amount of spiritual energy each day.

To replenish your spiritual energy, you must pray without ceasing.

 

3. Don't give up until your prayers are answered

 

To never stop praying means not to give up.

Those who know the power of persistent prayer will never grow weak, discouraged, or weary.

Those who persevere in prayer are continually strengthened by hope that knows no despair and faith in God's faithfulness.

I never even thought of giving up on praying.

The longer the response seems to be, the more persistently and eagerly we cling to it.

Because we know that God requires persistence for good and good.

You must risk everything to receive what you ask for.

We must learn the desperate prayer of Jacob that never let go before receiving an answer (Genesis 32) and the prayer of Jesus, who earnestly worked so hard that his sweat became drops of blood falling to the ground (Luke 22:44).

The word 'wrestling', which reflects Jacob's desperate and persistent prayer, means 'to hold onto tightly as if hugging, to hang down, to cling tightly'. When you pray like that, God answers you.

 

Even in the midst of trials, you will have perseverance, and you must perfect perseverance in prayer. This kind of patience is perfect and complete, so that there is nothing lacking in receiving God's grace (James 1:4). Amen