Make my life a prayer to You,
I wanna do what You want me to,
No empty words and no white lies,
No token prayers, no compromise.
I love those lyrics from Christian singer/songwriter Keith Green who died almost 3 decades ago. His passionate heart for God is reflected in every word.
In Ephesians 6, the apostle Paul described how we can make our lives a prayer to God by having an active prayer life. He wrote, “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion” (Ephesians 6:18).
It’s not coincidental that Paul penned those words after having addressed the fact that we’re in a spiritual battle, not “fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies” (Ephesians 6:12). His famous metaphor of us putting on spiritual armor is clear and instructive (Ephesians 6:13). For without truth, righteousness, peace that comes from the good news, faith, salvation, and God’s Word, we will wilt before our unseen enemies.
But what’s the one thing the apostle tells us to do every moment as we battle? Pray. To do what God wants us to do, to live without compromise, to withstand “the fiery arrows of the devil” (Ephesians 6:16), requires continuous communication with our Father in heaven. We should “never stop praying” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
When things go wrong, sometimes we stop praying the right way. As Keith wrote, either our prayers are “token,” or we’ve simply stopped communicating with God altogether. Instead of being “persistent in [our] prayers” (Ephesians 6:18), we’ve shown our lack of faith and loss of love for God by not talking with Him.
It’s time to make your life a prayer to God. Follow Paul’s example. He told the Ephesians, “Pray for me” (Ephesians 6:19). By doing so, he acknowledged the amazing power that comes from God as we pray to Him “at all times.”
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: 1 Kings 17:1-24
More:
Read 1 Corinthians 14:15 and reflect on why it’s so important to pray “in the spirit,” not just in our minds.
Next:
What’s been keeping you from passionately praying to God? How will you change your prayer life this week?
daisymarygoldr on April 18, 2011 at 3:30 am
Absolutely agree. Prayer is talking to God. Since God is Spirit we must pray in the Spirit. Without Christ, we are born physically alive but spiritually dead. But when we believe and accept Jesus Christ, God- the Holy Spirit comes to live within us. Thus, God’s ‘Spirit’ revives our ‘spirit’ and we become spiritually alive. And so, it is the Spirit that teaches us all things about God and helps us to have meaningful conversations with Him.
To pray in the Spirit or in the spirit, does not mean to pray in tongues. It also does not imply the use of prayer language to experience an emotional, mystical or spiritual high. It simply means to pray with the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:14-16)—the way Jesus prayed to His Father in Heaven. This is the reason we pray in the name of Jesus Christ.
When we pray with the mind of Christ it will not be some chaotic, unintelligible, babble. We simply pour out our hearts with humility without being a show off—or use vain repetitions to pray with our human intellect. Hence, we do pray in the spirit and we pray with the mind also. For ex. “Lord, please heal me” is to pray with the mind. “Lord, please heal me—yet I want your will to be done, not mine” is to pray in the spirit and with the mind.
Moreover, in our spiritual battle against unseen powers and rulers of darkness, there are times we become so weak that we will be unable to pray. Our weaknesses include all the suffering of this present age—physical pain, emotional, mental and spiritual depression, disillusionment etc. In those impossible moments, it is the Holy Spirit who prays on our behalf and helps us remain persistent.
And yes, we must enlist the prayer support of saints. That is why we need to stay in constant fellowship with fellow believers. The Holy Spirit and the prayers of brothers and sisters help us remain in continuous communication with our Father in Heaven. Thanks Tom for teaching me to examine my prayer life!
tom felten on April 18, 2011 at 2:20 pm
daisymarygoldr, great insights as always. I’m writing this reply from a hospital bed—still recovering a few days after cancer surgery. It’s been humbling to have so many people praying for me—many verbally calling on God as they stand by my bed. It has been a huge blessing to be able to pray for others, as well. One highlight for me was praying for the entire surgery team as I laid on my back, just prior to receiving my anesthesia! Prayer for others leads us to a place of even greater concern and compassion for others, but most of all it leads us to precious moments with God.
GChoo on April 18, 2011 at 7:50 am
Tom, thanks for reminding us on the need and importance to pray, not just in the mind but in the spirit.
Daisymarygoldr, it is just so wonderful to read your response. I thank God for your deep understanding of His Word and you keeping close to His teaching. May God continues to inspire you to share His blessings given to you and through you to encourage us too.
To add to that had been shared, for those who are unsure of praying with others. Do pray to God for boldness and for the Spirit guidance. And as scripture says, God already knows what we want to pray even before we pray to Him.
Praise God for all His wonderful gifts and blessings to us.
tom felten on April 18, 2011 at 2:21 pm
Yes, yes, Gchoo! We should all call on God and seek Him in prayer. As we do so, our relationship with is grown and our is strengthened.
Aganos on April 18, 2011 at 8:48 am
Thank you Tom for such a timely message. And Daisymarygold,your msgs are always inspiring. Thank God for you. I pray that God will put on us His full armor,so that even as we pray in the Spirit we stand strong in the battle field.
tom felten on April 18, 2011 at 2:23 pm
Thanks for posting this, Aganos. The reality of a spiritual battle is all around us. As we pause to pray we actively engage in the battle and receive the very power of God to do what is required.
sowharvest on April 18, 2011 at 1:14 pm
Thanks Tom for a timely message as we enter this Holy week. Daisymarygold, I also thank you for your insight and your boldness to share.
I used to believe [because other believers had told me so] that “praying in the spirit” was synonmous with praying in tongues and felt myself to be a failure for my inability to do so. However, I have come to learn that “praying in the spirit” is just as the phrase implies– in that we pray with the help and assistance of the spirit for divine intervention and aid on our behalf. To pray in the spirit can only be to pray with the mind of Jesus as He is SPIRIT.
So yes Daisymarygold I have learned to pray with the mind of Jesus Christ just as he said to HIS Father “not will but your will be done” Lu 22:42. Yes we may our request known and then said our Lord and Savior ” now this is what I ask of you but if it is outside your will for me then let your will be done” I believe that no good thing will the Lord withhold for us. And remember “the Lord works ALL THINGS…. for our good” Rom 8:28. Amen. May GOD Bless you all and pray for you all. Amen.
tom felten on April 18, 2011 at 2:29 pm
May God bless you, sowharvest! Yes, as we surrender to God in prayer, we are freed to selflessly love and serve God and others. As we pray, we don’t worry about the “what if’s” but, merely, what does God want me to do?
GChoo on April 18, 2011 at 5:27 pm
Tom, i thank God for giving you the heart and strength to respond to our sharing while still in hospital, nursing from your recent cancer surgery. Pray that God will give you a smooth recovery.
Yes, it is so true that we should not only pray for ourselves but the people involved in it.
It somehow dawn on me to remind my 18 yr old son, who was attempting his 4th driving test, to pray not just for himself but also for the examiner and the road condition (pedestrians and other drivers). The first few tests he had driven well but his instructor blamed it on being unlucky for sudden major fault. Do i believe it being to do with luck. No. I believe God has His plan for my son because he prayed about it. I believe God wanted him to learn to trust in Him, to pray not just for himself but all involved in his driving experience. Most of all, how to be a safe and patient driver. Praise God my son has finally got his driving licence today and has realised (thru the process of his unsuccessful attempts) the importance of being a good driver and not just the licence.
Also, we prayed while he was taking his test. I really thank God for the wisdom given to me to help my son to understand the importance of praying, not just for ourselves but for others too.
daisymarygoldr on April 18, 2011 at 6:35 pm
Tom, what a wonderful example you are to all of us. Truly, you have made your life a prayer to God. May God bless you and your family and give you strength, comfort, peace, and good health. Be assured of my daily prayers for your speedy recovery and for God’s power to completely heal you. May He continue to use you mightily as a chosen vessel—all for His glory. Thank you for faithfully serving Him in His Kingdom—through good health and sickness. Take care and get well soon.
GChoo, Aganos, and sowharvest: there is so much I get to learn from you—the sweet fellowship that I enjoy through your comments has been such a blessing to my spiritual growth in Christ. Thank you for your prayerful encouragement.
winn collier on April 18, 2011 at 6:52 pm
as one who has too long struggled with the sense that I’m supposed to pray some “right” way even as I encourage other to forget about a “right way,” I appreciate this. My pastor recently encouraged me to find where my heart comes awake, that rhythmic activity that awakens body, mind and soul – and infuse that as a practice of prayer. It sounded very hopeful.