“But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word” – Acts 6:4
LIGHT FOR NOW: Prayer is also a fellowship with God; it is your communion with God.
We are still establishing what prayer is. Beyond seeing prayer as making our requests and desires known to God, there is something more about prayer that we need to point out as we examine the key text above. The word “continually” in the above text will be crucial in establishing further what prayer is. This word “continually” is from the Greek word “proskartereo” which means to keep at something, to be constant, to persevere, and to be diligent. It is the same word used in acts 2:42 rendered as stedfastly, “And they continued STEDFASTLY in the Apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers”. So prayer must be with an attitude of stedfastness or diligence and perseverance. For prayer to encapsulate this attitude, then it won’t merely be about always bringing your needs and desires for God to answer. Prayer will be beyond needs, request and desires for it to be described with such word as perseverance, diligence, stedfastness.
To show how important this Greek word is, it was emphatically used in the epistles in describing prayer. In Romans 12:12, Paul says “Rejoicing, in hope, patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayers” – it is the word continuing instant used there. This word was overwhelming in the epistles. This shows us that prayer is much more than desires and request. Prayer is fellowship with God. Prayer is communion with God. It is because it is a fellowship and communion with God, that is why we must keep at it; we must be diligent. If we see prayer as fellowship with God, prayer will not be reduced in mind to be something you only do when you have problems and needs. You do not need to have a problem based prayer life but a purpose based prayer life. And that purpose of prayer is fellowship. Prayer makes you and God work together in partnership on earth. If prayer by you must be only problem based, when the problem is solved, you will see no need to pray again. If it is getting your needs met alone, when the needs are met, you won’t pray again. So, prayer is fellowship; it is communion with God. Glory!
INSTRUCTION: Never downplay prayer.
CONFESSION: I declare that I am actively involved in prayer, in Jesus Name. Amen.
For More Light; get the message, “The Potency of Prayer” by Dr. John Linus
QUOTE: Prayer should not be problem based but purpose based.
DAILY BIBLE READING: MORNING: ROMANS CHAPTER 12; EVENING: COLOSSIANS CHAPTER 4
LIGHT FROM THE WORD 