PRAYING ALWAYS (2)

“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, and watching hereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints” – Ephesians 6:18

LIGHT FOR NOW: In God’s household or family, prayer is a characteristic feature.

We saw some associated words with prayer, which include “continue(d), without ceasing, in everything, always, etc”. It carries a sense of persistence in the activity, one that is done without letting up. It also speaks of the constancy and timelessness of this activity by men. Paul himself uses these terms in his epistles (“continuing instant, without ceasing, always with, continue in”). These phrases used by Paul are markers on the subject of prayer. He lets us see that prayer ought to be the believers’ lifestyle.

The believer ought also to be given to prayer daily. Therefore, prayer is constant. It is an activity that the believer ought to be given to and engaged in consistently. There should not be a time to pray or not to pray.
Notice the words of Jesus in Mark 11:15-17 “And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves; And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple. And he taught saying unto them, is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? But ye have made it a den of thieves”.

Jesus’ words in the above text can be referenced back to Isaiah 53:7. Observe Jesus’ statement, “My house shall be called a house of prayer”. The word “house” here was translated from the Greek word “oikia” used in John 14:2; “In my father’s house (oikia) are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you”. The word “oikia” which is from the root word “oikos” means family or household. The words of Jesus in Mark 11 above were in reference to a household or family.

In essence, Jesus was stating that His family is to be a family of prayer. If you are born again, then you form part of the family of God, and prayer is your calling. So, the people in God’s family are people of prayer. Glory!

INSTRUCTION: Be given to prayers.

CONFESSION: I am given to a consistent prayer life and lifestyle because I am part of God’s family in Christ, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

QUOTE: The believer should be prayer driven and prayer given.

DAILY BIBLE READING: MORNING: MARK CHAPTER 11; EVENING: ISAIAH CHAPTER 56