Scripture
Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not faint. -Luke 18:1
Beloved, believe it or not, we have been created by God with a spiritual instinct; therefore, prayer can come to us naturally. He has put eternity in our hearts, according to Ecclesiastes 3:11, but we are inundated with obstacles and distractions that make it difficult to pray consistently and effectively. This is why Jesus admonished us to persevere in prayer. He knew that it would be a battle to pray consistently. This is a spiritual discipline that must be taught and encouraged within the Body of Christ. When Jesus made this statement, He was not referring to us getting on our knees and closing our eyes to pray. He was speaking more of the spirit of prayer Paul spoke of when he told the Thessalonians to pray without ceasing. Prayer is a dialogue with the Father, and steadfastness in prayer looks like you talking to Him throughout your day, no matter what you're doing. There are times when we will get on our knees and close our eyes, but doing these things does not mean we are persevering in prayer.
The opposite of prayer is not prayerlessness, Beloved. It's exhaustion, defeat, and a lack of courage. These words paint a picture of the life and emotional state of a Christian who fails to persevere in prayer. Life will never be without trials and obstacles, but they should not affect our persistence in praying. Satan understands the power of our fervent, consistent prayer. This is why he hates it and magnifies our problems to make us so weary that we don't feel like praying. For example, over time, as water flows over rocks, they are smoothed out. This is what the devil does to the believer. He wears us out over time with obstacles and problems, and makes us so tired that we lose the instinct to pray. If you're not steadfast in your prayer life, Beloved, you will be worn down by the circumstances in your life.
Prayer is work and because of it takes our consistent effort, it's easy for some to lose heart. The reason for this is that some believers are not strong in their faith, and they lead undisciplined lives. As a result, they are not always convinced of the reality of the power of prayer in their lives. Remember the fervent prayer of the righteous avails much. (James 5:16). The truth is, a consistent prayer life is a privilege for those in a close relationship with God, similar to how a spouse or child can expect a response from a family member. Beloved, do you lead a consistent prayer life? Do you allow the trials of life to wear you down, or do you draw strength from your relationship with the Lord to fervently seek Him?
Prayer
Father, we pray for unwavering faith and persistence in prayer. We pray for your strength to endure through trials because we trust your love and timing. In Jesus' name. Amen
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