“…pray without ceasing…“

pray without ceasing

The Greek used the word “without ceasing” for a person with a hacking cough and repeated military attacks. This is not continuous prayer but prayer that recurs regularly. The idea is persistence in prayer.

The word “pray” is in the present tense and carries the idea of customary prayer. This person shoots up prayers throughout the day.

Principle:

Dynamic prayer prays at stated and non-stated times.

Application:

When thankful, pray. When in trouble, pray. When lacking in wisdom, pray. Pray at stated times and non-stated times. Always be willing and ready to pray. We do not have to lift the receiver off the hook to talk to God. We do not even need to dial; we shoot up our requests. We can talk to God while we work or drive our car.

“Evening and morning and at noon
I will pray, and cry aloud,
And He shall hear my voice” (Psalm 55:17).

“Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart…” (Luke 18:1).

“…but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4).

“Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church” (Acts 12:5).

“…rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer…” (Romans 12:12).

“…praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—…” (Ephesians 6:18).

“Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving…” (Colossians 4:2).

Continued prayer is a state of steady communion with God. We do not allow great gaps to intervene between episodes of prayers. He takes an interest in the small areas of our lives. We do not brush off our children when they come to us with a little scratch. Neither does God brush us off when we come to Him with little things.

Great people of God in the Bible persevered in their appointed times and non-appointed times of prayer. They never got out of communication with the throne of grace. They constantly had a sense of dependence on God.