Comments on: A Step Toward Unceasing Prayer: A Wartime Mentality

By: Len

Len — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 18:33:26 +0000

Daniel, Thanks for your excellent post. I have been on a dire search for a way to pray our way to victory and peace in Cote d’Ivoire where we are suffering a political crisis. Your truths and reminders concerning the context of prayer (that it is a privilege) have reignited the urgency of getting back in contact with the Holy Spirit who consoles and communicates our needs to the Father. Sometimes I forget these things that Jesus told us and keeps reminding… Again, thanks

By: Eriuka

Eriuka — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 12:36:30 +0000

Well, I am a prayer warrior and if anyone on here understands what that means, you know that the Holy Spirit will wake you up or tell you to pray at sporadic times. But, I have sort of a personal quota that I try to meet when praying and that is at least 30 minutes of undisturbed prayer to our heavenly father. God has also led me in dreams to wake up early before the sun has set to seek his face, worship, praise and communion with him. This time doesn’t include continual or fervent fiery prayer but just simply communioning with him in a more relaxed way.

But as Christians, we need to take the time to have some undisturbed type of prayer because the earnest and effectual prayer life of righteous people move the hand of God. Sometimes, I pray for more than 30 minutes because it is essentially, talking to my heavenly father. And one thing I notice that helps when I may not physically feel like praying in my natural tongue is to pray in tongues. It’s like the Holy Spirit gets me amped up and I find myself sometime later praying to our heavenly father in my natural tongue.

By: Don B

Don B — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 09:26:52 +0000

Guilt…guilt…guilt!

Good intentions – good starts – dreadful failures.

Reminds me of Gethsemane.

Daniel, I get up in the morning around 6:30 – go to my ‘puter and catch up on overnight emails – spend about an hour doing so.

Pray God – give me the discipline to start with a minimum of 20 minutes each morning in prayer.

By: Lorraine Allenbach

Lorraine Allenbach — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:45:55 +0000

Daniel, Ruth and Denita ;

Thanks so much for sharing! It sounds like we are all in a similar place in that the spontaneous, pray-as-you-go/do conversation with the Lord is quite normal – what a wonderful fabric for our days with Him! Now, we are praying to add more substantial, just-prayer times to our daily routines. As I posted in Daniel’s most recent post on discipline, I am believing 2Peter1:2-3, that I have already been given all I need for life and godliness (I’m thinking obedience to the call to prayer is part of that), through my knowledge of Christ.

Thanks so much for sharing, and I will pray for you all today too.
Blessings,
Lorraine

By: Denita

Denita — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 16:00:17 +0000

Sorry I’m a little late to the party!

Lorraine, I must confess that my prayer life is more spontaneous than it is planned out. Aside from bedtime prayers and saying grace, I pray on an as-needed basis. If I hear a siren or see emergency personnel on the road, I either bless them or pray for them and their patients, depending on the situation. When the kids are in bed and the house has quieted down I bless my kiddos and offer up thanks for the moment of peace. If my kids are driving me up a wall, I’m praying for patience (this one happens quite frequently!). My husband works a grueling 12-hour graveyard shift with an hour-long commute, so naturally I pray for his safekeeping as well as the safety of the people he carpools with.

Every chance I get, I say something to God. Probably still not as often as I should, but I try. Even if it’s just a quick little prayer of thanksgiving, or a silent prayer of blessing upon someone as they go about their day. It helps reinforce my relationship with the Sovereign Father, and reminds me that He is listening. It also reminds me that the battle is still going on, even if I may be far from the front lines.

By: Ruth

Ruth — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 15:41:32 +0000

Hi Lorraine, here’s my bit of input.

Honestly, my prayer time/life is a bit all over the place at the moment, as I try to follow advice and God’s guidance on how to do this best! Like Daniel mentioned, I too have been trying to follow any prompting of the Spirit to stop what I’m doing and pray. I believe God has been challenging me lately to stay focused – on the task at hand when I am working or conversing or blogging, etc. and then, all the rest of the time, to turn my thoughts to Him and give all my thought-life over to Him (2 Corinthians 10:5, Ephesians 6:18). Praying as we do daily activities is a good way to keep our thoughts useful and good while our hands are busy. I like to pray while I’m driving; moving along the road, especially in the sunlight and some of the beautiful back roads I drive on during the commute to and from work, gives me energy and delight as I share with Him and plead for HIs strength and power to move through my life and the lives of my brethren. Still, just praying alone, just me and God with no other thoughts or activities going on, is a something nothing else can substitute for! I love the idea of Daniel and his group of men praying together on Saturday mornings; I have been praying for God to lead me into true, challenging fellowship with other Christians like that… we’ll see what He has in store.

Good bloggy conversation, everyone!

By: Daniel C. Wilson

Daniel C. Wilson — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 17:33:51 +0000

Lorraine, I hope to hear from some of the others as well…here’s what my prayer life looks like
Outside of trying to respond to unscheduled impulses to pray, Saturday mornings are reserved for praying with a group of men. The core group has been meeting for 40 years, so there is a lot to learn from them.
My goal is also to start each day with 10-15 minutes in prayer after reading and meditating. I had been having that time at night, but I am working to move it to the morning hours.

Lord willing, I’ll cover the issue of personal discipline as it relates to prayer in upcoming posts.

By: Lorraine Allenbach

Lorraine Allenbach — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 01:44:36 +0000

So when it comes to prayer – mostly intercessory prayer – how much , how often? People reading this, how much do you spend just praying and how much praying alongside your other activities? For eg. I often pray for the lost, persecuted, missionairies I’ve heard about, situations etc… while cooking, tidying the house et al. My days are often so “rambly” that it is sometimes hard to discipline myself to longer periods of intensive prayer. I think if there were others around to do it with it would be easier (is easier always better?) but everyone is so busy, or at least ‘occupied’.

I’m praying for MUCH grace for self discipline!!! Man, I should just get off the stupid ‘puter and pray!!

By: Daniel C. Wilson

Daniel C. Wilson — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 16:01:10 +0000

Robert, thank you for the support! Really appreciate the link.

Lorraine, Ruth, j shelton…I’m right there with you in feeling that gentle slip into complacency. It is easier to write and read books than it is to be disciplined and warlike.

I appreciate every one of you.

By: j shelton

j shelton — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 18:06:03 +0000

Thanks for this reminder. Easy to pull out the bombs and grenades during a battle.. but so easy to forget in the peaceful night under the stars that danger is still out there.