Prayer is the overarching keystone practice in having a faith that won’t quit. Jesus tells the story of a man who knocks on a friend’s door in the middle of the night because he is hosting a late night traveler and has no bread to offer him. The friend first tells him to go away, but eventually gives the man some bread not because they are friends but because of the man’s persistence. When your prayers are persistence your faith perseveres.
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.
Ephesians 6:18
“We should pray,” according to Philip Yancey in his book entitled Prayer, “like a salesman with his foot wedged in the door opening, like a wrestler who has his opponent in a headlock.”
What would allow a person of faith to pray persistently?
I used to sell knives by appointment and door to door in college. They were the sharpest, highest quality, longest lasting knives on the market. The knives could practically sell themselves, but I still took the necessary time to learn about the knives’ manufacturing process, materials, features, and uses.
I would attend the sales meetings to learn the process on how to better sell the knives and receive encouragement from the sales manager. I shadowed an experienced sales person to learn the tips of the trade.
When I went to a home on a sales call I was confident that the product and my sales pitch would produce results. Plus, I was paid for each showing so it was in my best interest to set up appointments and give my pitch to as many people as possible. The more showings I had, the more sales I made.
It was hard for me to take no for an answer. I remember on one occasion someone refused to buy any of the knives I was selling. I probably re-pitched and went for the close 5 to 7 times. When finally the agitated women said, “Jovan, I said no!”
Loud and clear.
Why was I so persistent? Because I believed in the product, in the process, and I had made some sales.
This is why we are to be persistent in prayer to God. Because we believe in him, we trust in the process, and we know that God will answer. If he doesn’t say to me, “Jovan, no!” Then I must be faithful to keep praying.
Paul tells us that we are at war against spiritual forces that seek to undermine our faith. These forces tell us to stop praying. So we must put on the metaphorical armor of God to take our stand against the evil one. The armor of God is Paul’s way of saying that we must be prepared spiritually for battle. Prayer is how we access the armor of God’s protection.
Protection from the evil one requires connection with God.
That is what prayer is: Our connection with God.
What prayer is not: “Praying in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests” is not practiced with constant babbling or never-ending sessions with our eyes closed and heads bowed.
It is not with our many words that we persuade God or enchant him. It is in our trust in what he has promised us through his word and in his promised presence through his Spirit that we are persistent in prayer.
Prayer is our practice of telling back to God all the things that he has said about himself. Prayer is our practice of asking God what he has told us we can ask of him. Prayer is a commitment to staying in his presence because he first committed to being present in us.
Prayer doesn’t need words, complete sentences, and even full knowledge of what we are to pray for. Prayer does require that Jesus and the Spirit intercede for us because we are insistent on keeping up the conversation with our Father.
God is listening but more importantly, prayer requires that we listen. Prayer accesses the power of God to work on behalf of his children but prayer also allows God’s children to work out their salvation on behalf of God.
Prayer changes things and prayer changes you.
The enemy wants to make us uncertain about prayer. “Is God listening? Does God answer prayer? I’m not good at prayer. I don’t know how to pray. Is it appropriate to pray in this situation?”
Yet, the Spirit tells us. Are you happy? Pray. Are you depressed? Pray. Are you hungry? Pray. Are you well fed? Pray. Are you in good health? Pray. Sick? Pray. Celebrating a birthday? Pray. Mourning a death? Pray. Are you a free citizen? Pray. Are you in prison? Pray. Is it sunny? Pray. Is it hailing? Pray.
When you are lying in bed, pray. When you are work, pray. When you are on vacation, pray. When you are driving, pray. When you are walking, pray. When you are flying, pray.
Pray for your friends. Pray for your children. Pray for your siblings. Pray for your mom. Pray for your dad. Pray for your grandparents. Pray for your spouse. Pray for your boss. Pray for your coworkers. Pray for your neighbors. Pray for ministers. Pray for elders. Pray for the church. Pray for the unchurched. Pray for the saved. Pray for the lost. Pray for politicians. Pray for the president. Pray for your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you.
Pray without ceasing. All men and women lift up holy hands in prayer. May all believers always pray and not lose heart.
Pray in circles. Let your unstoppable prayers fuel your unstoppable faith in God. And may your unstoppable faith ignite unstoppable prayers.
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Jovan preaches for the Littleton Church of Christ near Denver, Colorado. Visit here to listen to sermons preached at the Littleton Church.