Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end, keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God's consecrated people). (Eph. 6:18 AMP)
To pray means:
- To offer devout petition, praise, or thanks to God
- To make earnest petition
- To enter into spiritual communion with God
- To make a fervent request or entreaty
- To ask (someone) imploringly; beseech
- To speak reverently to God in order to express thanks, make a request
Synonyms for prayer are: importune; entreat; supplicate; beg; beseech; implore.
There is not just one way to pray—the Bible tells us that there are several ways to pray. Prayer is a weapon in our spiritual arsenal that we should take full advantage of. Most believers don't pray as they could or should, because they have no faith that they will receive an answer. Perhaps they don't know that they are allowed to come boldly into God's presence, because they are washed in the blood of Jesus and clothed in robes of righteousness. Perhaps they have a guilty conscience because their heart is not right with God. Perhaps they are just lazy or perhaps they don't understand the power of prayer, or they don't know how to pray, or they don't have any faith that God would hear them or answer them.
Pray at all times
We are to pray at ALL times—on every occasion, in every season. Pray when you are weak and pray when you are strong! Prayer is not just for emergencies —it should be a habit; a way of life. Don't only pray in the tough times—pray even when things are going well —on every occasion, in every season. On the other hand, don't stop praying, just because you think that your situation is too hard for God! Just pray and don't quit!Pray in the Spirit
"Praying in the Spirit" means to pray in the Holy Ghost; in tongues; in your heavenly prayer language. It also means that you yield yourself to the Holy Spirit and are led by Him as to what to pray for in English, or your native tongue.Pray with all manner of prayer and entreaty
There is not just one kind of prayer. Use all the different kinds of prayer that are available to the believer.Keep alert
Keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance! Yes, Jesus has given us power and authority over the devil, but we should not be lazy or negligent either. The devil is always walking around, looking for opportunities to kill, steal, and destroy. We should not make it too easy for him! We need to be strong and perseverant as well as alert! When he sticks his head up —whack it back down!Intercede on behalf of all the saints
To intercede means:
To plead on another's behalfTo act as mediator in a dispute
We are not just to pray for ourselves, and our own families, and our own church. We have a responsibility to pray for other believers and other ministries as well. Stand in the gap for others! Use your faith to carry others to God in prayer. Maybe if we took this responsibility seriously and prayed for each other, instead of judging each other, we could achieve more as the Body of Christ!
Do not stop making yourself available to God to pray His perfect will in the earth. We are in a pivotal moment in American and World history. It is more important now, than ever, that we stand together as believers and pray for one another and our nation. An attack against one is an attack against all. The devil sends attacks from the outside, but he is also good at weakening the Body by pitting us against each other. If we will yield to the Spirit and not the flesh, keep our own hearts right with God, walk in the love of God, and pray for all, then God will move mightily on our behalf, and His plan and purpose will be done in our lives, in our nation, and in the earth!
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