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"Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints."

Text: Ephesians 6:18

DRAWING FRESH ENCOURAGEMENT TO PRAY ALWAYS

To be always found in prayer is not an easy thing to do. Many are discouraged and overwhelmed by life’s circumstances. Hence we need to find fresh encouragement to pray always.

1. Encouraged to pray because we have great examples

As we read the Scriptures, a number of people stand out as tremendous examples. Let us be encouraged to pray as they did.

a) Moses as a man of prayer

Moses was not just the law giver. He was very much a man of prayer. Two examples stand out.

i) Praying in the battle against the Amalekites (Cf. Exodus 17:8-16)

ii) Praying for Israel after the golden calf incident (Cf. Exodus 32-33)

Israel would have suffered terribly had not Moses stood in the breach to pray. Let us be challenged to pray always!

b) Elijah as a man of prayer

James, the brother of Jesus paid Elijah great honour when he described him with these words.

Elijah was a man with a nature like ours,
and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain;
and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.
and he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth
produced its fruit.
JAMES 5:17-18

i) Imagine the power of prayer

Rain was withheld or given because of Elijah’s prayers!

ii) It was not Elijah himself

James reminds us that Elijah was a man with a nature like ours. Thus it was not Elijah himself who held the reins of power. It was prayer and his practice of it that saw the power of God displayed.

2. Encouraged to emulate the examples set before us

The Scriptures included these examples for us for many reasons. The most obvious of reasons is that we are encouraged to emulate them. The God of Moses and of Elijah is the same One we call as our Heavenly Father. Let us be greatly encouraged to pray always.