Seasons of Prayer

Are you ready to pray?

Our church will be launching a three-week prayer meeting in the month of April. It will occur early in the morning before most people’s workdays begin. It will be a sacrifice. We don’t intend to pray small prayers during this meeting. We are coming together to ask God for things that only he can do.

I’m excited for this time. I’m excited to be intentional about prayer.

It seems to me that being intentional about prayer is very important. The sweetest and most effective times of prayer that I’ve experienced are intentional. There is nothing else set aside for this time but prayer. I am amazed that Jesus Christ himself set aside time to commune with the Father.

Matthew 14:23 – “After dismissing the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. Well into the night, he was there alone.”

Luke 6:12 – “During those days he went out to the mountain to pray and spent all night in prayer to God.”

Mark 14:32 – “Then they came to a place named Gethsemane, and he told his disciples, ‘Sit here while I pray.’”

Though Christ was in constant communion with the Father, he set aside time to pray. Sometimes, he prayed through the night. We do not have a window into these prayer times, but we do know how he interacted with his Father.

Hebrews 5:7 – “During his earthly life, he offered prayers and appeals with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.”

It is incredible how Christ modelled every aspect of Christian living for us. Though he and his Father were one, he still took time to pray. How many more examples could we produce of people who placed a high priority on prayer?

Daniel was deeply predictable in his prayer life.

Daniel 6:10 – “When Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went into his house. The windows in its upstairs room opened toward Jerusalem, and three times a day he got down on his knees, prayed, and gave thanks to his God, just as he had done before.”

Esther desired a time of fasting before she courageously approached the king.

Esther 4:16 – “Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die.”

The apostles would not leave the ministry of the word or prayer to serve tables.

Acts 6:4 – “But we [the apostles] will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

Prayer is important. Prayer should be on our schedule. We should not assume that we are so prayed up that we should not set aside time for more.

Twenty-one days of prayer is new for me and it’s new for our church. I do not have delusions of grandeur. I don’t believe that the time will be perfect for everyone. I don’t believe that everyone will want to come or desire to come.

I do believe that those who come will commune with God in a special way. I believe that we need this time of serious prayer before God. There are a number of reasons we may miss this time. I understand that. But would you consider setting aside some things to join us in prayer?

Very soon, we will be gathering together for prayer. I pray you’ll join us.