Keep Praying

January 2, 2024

“Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers.” Ephesians 6:18 (NLT)

Have you ever wondered, “Does prayer even work?” Or maybe you’ve felt like, “Prayer works for some people, but it doesn’t seem to work for me.” Or maybe you think, “Am I saying the right words or do I have the right formula?”

Let me assure you, God answers prayers. And, he will answer YOUR prayers. You don’t have to be “special,” you just have to understand what prayer actually is and stay persistent. Prayer doesn’t work because of the particular words you say, prayer works because you are persistently talking to and pursuing the Living God.

Prayer is simply talking to God.

So, why should you remain persistent in your prayers even when it feels like you aren’t getting an answer?

Here are four reasons.

Persistent prayer focuses your attention.

When you pray a prayer request over and over, it’s not to remind God. He doesn’t need to be reminded! It’s to remind yourself that God is the source of your answer and all your needs.

If every prayer you ever prayed was instantly answered, two things would happen. First, prayer would actually begin to hurt you because sometimes we pray for things that are not God’s will, or we make mistakes because we see with a limited perspective.

Second, you’d never really develop a deep relationship with God, because he would become just a vending machine. If every time you prayed you instantly got results, all you’d think about is the blessing. God wants you to think about the Blesser.

Persistent prayer clarifies your request.

A delayed answer gives you time to clarify exactly what you want and to refine your prayers. When you pray persistently to your heavenly Father and you say something over and over again, it separates deep longings from mere whims. It says, “God, I really care about this.”

It’s not that God doesn’t want to answer your prayers. He does. It’s just that he wants you to be certain what you really want.

Persistent prayer tests your faith.

James 1:3-4 says, “When your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing” (NLT).

The only way you can grow to spiritual maturity is to have your faith tested. One of the ways God tests your faith is by delaying some answers to your prayers.

Persistent prayer prepares your heart for the answer.

When you make a request of God, God almost always wants to answer in a greater way than you’ve prayed.

But first, he has to prepare you for it. So God uses delays in answering prayer to help you grow, to help you get ready, and to help prepare you for a bigger and better answer.

Remember, “God can do much, much more than anything we can ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20 NCV).

And, sometimes the answer is no. (And, no is still an answer to prayer by the way). Persistent prayer (talking to God about something over and over) can prepare our hearts for a no. Sometimes God changes us instead of changing our situation.

If God is testing you right now by delaying an answer to a prayer, how can you demonstrate your willingness to grow and accept his will and purpose for you?