Pray , Pray & Pray !

Phil.4:6-7, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Its easy to pray when things around are going smooth. But when the situations seems pressing, prayer is the last resort for many. A person who has a disciplined prayer life tends to kneel down before the Lord 1^st in all situations. But otherwise, someone needs to remind or pursue till the concerned person agrees to pray. Blessed is the person who has disciplined oneself in prayer life. They don’t miss the Lord’s best kept for each moment in life.

1. Free from clouding agony and anguish : 1 Samuel 1:10, “And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish.” Hannah was barren, mocked and put down by her own household people. Her soul was full of bitterness. She was unable to rejoice. But she chose to pray when filled with bitterness and anguish. Not allowing to be carried away by overwhelming anguish and bitterness of barren valleys of life need lot of inner strength. Instead, get hooked to the divine source of everlasting strength and grace through prayers, and see the discouragement being pumped out of hearts and being filled with divine peace and discernment. Prayers clears up the minds and hearts clouded with agony and anguish of painful situations of life, and enables a person to reach out to heavenly realms for guidance. Prayers allow the Holy Spirit to move into our hearts and take control of our thoughts and emotions.
2. Discerning His will and submitting : 1 Sam.1:11,”Then she made a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.” Hannah’s prayers set her free of bitterness of soul and she could now discern the need of the Lord and submitted. The priest, Eli and his sons had back slided and the Israel was in desperate need of a faithful servant who could lead them in the counsel of the Lord. Hannah submitted her unborn and unconceived child for the service of the Lord. Vows of faith arose from her heart.

Lk.22:44, “And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” Jesus, being man and God at the same time, was in agony as He faced crucifixion. But He chose to pray more earnestly when in agony and could discern His Father’s will for Him. We are often focused on needs of self, our own family etc. But to discern the need of heaven and submit to same, one needs divine revelation which is enabled through prayers & more prayers.

 3. Intervention of God : 1 Sam.1:12,”And it happened, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli watched her mouth.’ Hannah’s prayers did not stop with the vows. She continued to pray till she heard from the Lord. 1 Sam.1:17, “Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him.”

Hannah’s request was granted and she became a mother of Samuel who grew up to be a prophet. Christ was strengthened & He rose up to endure the cross. His will was seen in both lives who prayed persistently. His best was experienced through persistent prayers.

Prayer is not just a one way communication, which is incomplete. Persistent prayers are intervened by God’s response. It might be the very thing prayed for,  or the strength and grace to wait till His time or even the humbleness to accept a ‘no’ of heaven. But God does intervene, if one prays persistently.

Persistent prayers increases faith. Hannah could make vow for the unconceived child. Persistent prayers renews mind and strength. Jesus could endure the most painful cross. It imparts longsuffering of God into one’s character. Hannah was no more pricked by the mocking of Peninah. Her countenance was no more sad. Prayers  molds the person who prays and prepares him or her to receive and handle the answers in the right way. She was strengthened to give away her long awaited child for the service of the Lord.  Persistent prayers are complete prayers, for it involves freedom from clouding emotions, discernment and submission to the will of God and witnessing the intervention of God.

“Be anxious for nothing”- an anxious heart grieves the Holy Sprit, for it lacks faith and trust in the Lord. Doubting God is sin, for without faith, none can please God.

“in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God”. There is not a single thing which cannot be prayed about. Our Lord understands us more than we understand ourselves.

“and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, – Peace of God does not depend on situations. It’s the absolute control of His Spirit over our hearts and mind. Such is beyond our understanding, to the extent that we ourselves wonder as to why we are not tensed in midst of storms of life.

“will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”- An anxious heart takes hasty and careless decisions that can destroy God’s plans for one’s life. But the peace of God experienced through persistent prayers protects our hearts and minds from snares of wrong decisions.

May God strengthen us to grow in prayers, and more prayers. Let us not give up on praying. May we enjoy the best of heaven’s blessings in every phase of life.

GOD bless us all.