Pray without Ceasing--Message from the Heart

 Cease means to - Bring or come to an end / To Stop / No longer continue.

Without means – to indicate the absence or lack of something or someone.

If we are without prayer we are lacking or could indicate the absence of it in our lives. "To cease" means to stop and no longer continue. If we are not careful, we can cease and stop our prayer life because we are lacking in it and without it. During the final exhortation that Paul was giving to the Thessalonians in 1 Thessalonians 5, he mentions praying without ceasing, both as encouragement and as an instruction. In the previous chapter and within the first part of chapter 5, Paul is speaking on the return of Christ and then goes into warning to “let us be alert and sober” (VS. 6). We cannot stay alert and sober without being rooted in Christ. Part of being rooted is through our time in prayer, in the word, and in fellowship with other believers.

Why is it important to pray? It’s how we communicate with God. It is simply talking to God. To “pray without ceasing” as mentioned means to do so continually, but that doesn’t mean we must be on our knees all day and with our hands folded. We can live every day with knowing we can come at any time and talk with God.  In your home, doing the dishes, your commute to work. Hands do not need to be folded nor do you need to have your eyes shut. 

The reason why we pray is for closeness with the Lord. He is our rock, our stability, our protector, and so much more. We should want to know Him more and to know him better and that can only happen through an open line of communication. Philippians 4:6 reminds us to “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with gratitude, make your requests known to God.” When we confess our mistakes or what is concerning us that is making us so anxious, the promise is that “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will protect your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7). Prayer protects us and keeps us rooted in the promises and truth of God.

You can pray to Him in seeking wisdom, guidance and help in reflecting the character of Christ throughout the day. “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things which you do not know.” (Jeremiah 33:3) Prayer helps us when we face trials and the uncertainty of life. Through temptations the Lord will strengthen us when we come to him. Look at Jesus in the wilderness; he fasted, prayed and was tempted before his public ministry. Jesus was tempted just like us, yet without sin. That why it is important that we pray, because Jesus can sympathize with our weaknesses and struggles (Hebrews 4:15).  He even prayed to our father in Heaven prior to heading to the cross. When we do fall short, prayer gives us a door to confession and repentance. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9).

I’ve had moments that I would stop and quickly pray for someone throughout the day.  In John 17, Jesus prayed for the disciples. James 5:16 tells us to “Confess your faults to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man accomplishes much.” You can pray for anyone at any time, and it truly matters. What makes this more powerful is that Jesus is our intercessor and speaking to the father on our behalf (Romans 8:34).  Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me”, (John 14:6). To have Jesus is to have access and to be able to pray. So, our prayer life is important. It came at a price.

I want to remind you today that you can come boldly unto the throne of grace because it is a promise that you can obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.  Take the time to stop and just whisper, “Thank You, Lord, “or “Help me, Jesus,” in moments of need. When we pray continually (without ceasing), we invite God into every part of our day and every part of our life. That is why we pray without ceasing.