PRAY

Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to PRAY and not lose heart – Luke 18:1

“Men always ought to PRAY...” (Lk.18:1a). Pray about everything. Nothing is too trivial to not pray about! The alternative to praying is fainting. Those who refuse to pray become the prey. Prayer precedes every other life-principle! Jesus always began with prayers: “Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to PRAY, and continued all night in PRAYER to God. And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles” (Lk. 6:12-13). The Master’s Model is to always begin with Prayer. Always seek God’s Mind from the start”!

Prayer is not optional: it is a vital covenant responsibility: “PRAY without ceasing” (1The.5:17). It is our Priority Ministry, one that our Lord Jesus Christ desires for every believer. It is the basis for every other ministry. The prayers of believers commanded a fresh outpouring of the Spirit and boldness to speak the Word (Acts 4:23-31).The apostles wisely decided: “we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4). Prayer accompanied with praise caused a great earthquake; shook prison foundations, dismantled doors, and broke the prisoners’ chains (Acts 16:25-26).

What then is Prayer? For the Christian:

• Prayer is the breadth of the regenerated spirit: It is as vital to the human spirit and soul as breathing is to the body. Prayer must become your lifestyle of unceasing “breathing” every moment. Man is designed as a “praying being”!

• Prayer is the pulse of your spiritual life: it indicates the condition of the heart, sickness or weakness of the soul. How is your interior life? – Undisciplined, minimal, inconsistent, or ‘fire-brigade’ (Pro.4:23).

• Prayer is Partnership with God’s power: communion with His Person, Presence, and Power; the umbilical cord that draws divine resources from God (Jh. 15:5-7; Jam. 5:13-17).

• Prayer is a Celestial Board Meeting with God: to deliberate with Him on matters of destiny and eternity (Gen.18: 17-33).

• Prayer is a call to share Authority with God –through prayers, we can release God’s blessings into lives (Mt.18: 18-20).

• Prayer is watching with God over His Kingdom’s affairs –“Kingdom First” is a key prayer principle. “Thy Kingdom come” precedes “Give us this day” (Lk.11: 2; Matt.6: 33).

• Prayer is communication link with God: take advantage of it and approach it correctly by kingdom principles (Mt.6:9-13). It is your communication hot-line with heaven. Faith is the victory. Prayer is the vehicle to victory-land (Rev.5: 8; 8:3,4).

• Prayer is your spiritual weapon to contend with oppositions, and possess your possessions in Christ (Ps.68:1; 1Pet.5:8).  

Next to the Word and Worship, Prayer is a Kingdom-first habit that every true Christian is called to passionately engage in. Those who refuse to pray become easy prey for the enemy!