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 What It Means To Pray Without Ceasing

What does it mean to pray without ceasing?

Colossians 3:2
Code: QA157

by John MacArthur

What does it mean to pray without ceasing?

Unceasing, incessant prayer is essential to the vitality of your relationship to the Lord and your ability to function in the world. But exactly what does it mean to pray without ceasing?

The first time someone hears about the concept of praying without ceasing it may conjure up the image of Christians walking around with their hands folded, heads bowed, and eyes closed, bumping into things. While certain postures and specific times set aside for prayer have an important bearing on our communication with God, to "pray at all times" obviously does not mean we are to pray in formal or noticeable ways every waking moment. And it does not mean you're supposed to devote yourself to reciting ritualistic patterns and forms of prayer.

To "pray without ceasing" refers recurring prayer, not nonstop talking. Prayer is to be a way of life--you're to be continually in an attitude of prayer. It is living in continual God-consciousness, where everything you see and experience becomes a kind of prayer, lived in deep awareness of and surrender to Him. It should be instant and intimate communication-not unlike that which we enjoy with our best friend.

To "pray without ceasing" means when you are tempted, you hold the temptation before God and ask for His help. When you experience something good and beautiful, you immediately thank the Lord for it. When you see evil around you, you ask God to make it right and to use you toward that end, if that is His will. When you meet someone who does not know Christ, you pray for God to draw that person to Himself and to use you to be a faithful witness. When you encounter trouble, you turn to God as your Deliverer.

Thus life becomes a continually ascending prayer: all life's thoughts, deeds, and circumstances become an opportunity to commune with your Heavenly Father. In that way you constantly set your mind "on the things above, not on the things that are on earth" (Colossians 3:2).

Adapted from John MacArthur's Alone With God , pp. 15-17.

 2011/6/1 3:32
White_Stone
Member



Joined: 2008/10/25
Posts: 1196
North Central Florida

 Re: What It Means To Pray Without Ceasing

Quote:
Thus life becomes a continually ascending prayer: all life's thoughts, deeds, and circumstances become an opportunity to commune with your Heavenly Father. In that way you constantly set your mind "on the things above, not on the things that are on earth" (Colossians 3:2).



What a worthwhile post. I loved it. Thank you for sharing.

Be assured I prayed as I posted this, :)

Praise Jesus

white stone


_________________
Janice

 2011/6/1 10:09Profile
gazzer
Member



Joined: 2011/4/30
Posts: 99


 Re:

yea i agree with john ,,it doesnt mean go sit in a cave pray the jesus pray repetativly

ithink it means

planed prayer wich is persistent and regulare

evey single day ,in the morning during th day and at the end of the day or at night

to not plan to pray
is to plan not to pray

forcfull focaced pland and persistent

suplacation,,,begging
pertisions ,,asking
thanksgiving ,,
intersesion

daily ,with weekly fasting god willing

seeking his face in daytime ,and in the night when it is still dark
consistantly, persistanly, forcfully ,focaced ,pland


in eveything give thanks, in prayer and suplication

eveything we do do for the glory of god

let the spirt convict us if we are not praying enough
for god sake dont justafie lake of prayer of fasting

and pray for one another ,that we will pray without cesing

some people have wrote letters to god
this wud also be agood way to pray

being thankfull is also praying in the spirit

pray that good makes us all more thankfull and we will pray more

 2011/6/2 4:20Profile
White_Stone
Member



Joined: 2008/10/25
Posts: 1196
North Central Florida

 Re:

Hello gazzer,

Thank you for your post.

Quote:
to not plan to pray
is to plan not to pray



I guess, conversely, to plan to pray IS praying - not in the sense that one might say, "Oh, I will get around to praying," that is not planning to pray. But, making the outline of your prayer, determining the contents and the introductory praise and the closing thankfulness.

For myself, I have a hard time ending my prayers, I do not like to leave off speaking with my God. I prefer to leave the Microphone open.

Regards,
white stone


_________________
Janice

 2011/6/2 10:20Profile
ManofGod0000
Member



Joined: 2010/6/8
Posts: 191


 Re:

I can curently concur with Mr MacArthur on this subject, especially as we go through troubling times and issues in our lives.

Praying without ceasing or Id just like to put it, just to talk to God in simplicity of whatever we r faced with. This type of prayer should be like breathing and doesnt require speech all the time, just a quietness and confidence toward our friend Jesus.

 2011/6/2 11:17Profile









 Re:

Quote:
What a worthwhile post. I loved it. Thank you for sharing.



I am very glad you were blessed and edified by it, as I was.
That was my purpose in posting it, that someone would find it helpful and insightful. John MacArthur has a gift for teaching things in a way that makes them easy to understand, and takes things verse by verse.

 2011/6/2 21:20
gazzer
Member



Joined: 2011/4/30
Posts: 99


 Re:

your welcome
white stone

and upon the stone a new name writtern , which nobody noes

 2011/6/6 4:12Profile
carters
Member



Joined: 2011/5/24
Posts: 138
Australia

 Re:

Hi Cyan,

We are really thankful for Ps John Macarthur's teachings too. This one was a really good word,

Thank you
"Let my actions always be a constant praise to my King."


_________________
Mrs Carter

 2011/6/13 2:24Profile
gazzer
Member



Joined: 2011/4/30
Posts: 99


 Re:

i saw a great sermon of johns,at the havest church ,of greg lauri

iwas suprised to see him teach in a carasmatic him being one who does not believe in the sign gifts

great sermon

 2011/6/22 5:49Profile
passerby
Member



Joined: 2008/8/13
Posts: 742


 Re:

Luk 18:1 And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.

Luk 18:2 He said, "In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man.

Luk 18:3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, 'Give me justice against my adversary.'

Luk 18:4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, 'Though I neither fear God nor respect man,

Luk 18:5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.'"

Luk 18:6 And the Lord said, "Hear what the unrighteous judge says.

Luk 18:7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them?

Luk 18:8 I tell you, he will give justice to them
speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"

Prayer is the utterance of our dependence, faith, hope, and devotion, let's keep on praying, persevere in praying and not lose heart.

Jam 5:13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.

Jam 5:14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.

Jam 5:15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

 2011/6/22 10:25Profile





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