I had an altogether different agenda for work this afternoon with no plans to blog but the Holy Spirit is stirring something in me with such force that I don’t want to resist it.
The word setting fire to my heart this moment is Colossians 4:2 –
Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.
Nothing is going to sound new or fresh in what I’m about to say because we’ve all heard it over and over again but sometimes it’s a timing thing. In other words, we’ve heard something a million times but all the sudden, with explanations known to God alone, the thing clicks and the breakthrough comes.
Here goes:
WE’VE GOT TO PRAY.
WE’VE GOT TO BECOME PEOPLE OF PRAYER.
WE’VE GOT TO PRESS IN MUCH FURTHER AND BELIEVE GOD TO BE MUCH BIGGER.
WE’VE GOT TO CEASE LETTING PRAYER BE OUR WEAKEST SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE.
WE’VE GOT TO STEP IT UP AND WIELD THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT IN RELENTLESS INTERCESSION.
WE’VE GOT TO GO FURTHER THAN WE’VE GONE BEFORE IN PRAYER. PRESS HARDER. THINK HIGHER. DIG OUR KNEES IN DEEPER.
WE WILL NOT LIVE BOLDER THAN WE PRAY.
THERE ARE PARTS OF OUR CALLINGS, WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND DEFEATS OF THE DARKNESS THAT WILL COME NO OTHER WAY THAN FURIOUS, FERVENT, FAITH-FILLED, UNCEASING PRAYER.
It’s time we quit falling asleep in prayer. It’s time we quit practicing a prayer routine that bores us to tears. It’s time our quiet times ceased to be quiet. There are battles to be won. Works to be done. The kinds which only come through prayer, prayer, and more prayer.
It’s time we quit depending on someone else to do it for us.
It’s time for each of us to see in the mirror one of the most powerful people of prayer we may ever meet.
It’s time we prayed like we believed the risen Lord Jesus Christ, the King of Glory, was right in our very presence. Because He is.
This is what Colossians 4:2 says:
Continue steadfastly in prayer.
Don’t give up several days in. Don’t get all whiny. Don’t get all offended because God doesn’t appear to answer right away. Persevere. Keep praying. Keep believing. There are muscles God means to strengthen. It’s about the means as much as the end. Did God clearly promise in His Word what you are asking for? Then do not shrink back. Or is there a precedent in Scripture for what you’re asking in prayer? Then keep telling Him what it is, asking Him if He’d be glorified in granting your request and, if not, to remove or quiet your desire.
Persist. That’s what Luke 11:5-10 and 18:1-8 are all about.
We are warriors. Victors. More than overcomers. Bloody and bruised, we still get back up. Lip busted, we open back up our mouths – this time the louder – and call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised and so shall we be saved from our enemies. (Psalm 18:3)
Being watchful in it with thanksgiving.
This is key. We’ve got to keep our eyes wide open. We can close our eyes during prayer if we need to but then, for crying out loud, let’s get those things open and let God see the whites of our eyes, ready and watchful. Let’s expect something, for Heaven’s sake. Jesus promised us in John 5:17 that God is always at work. When we get a glimpse of His activity or the slightest hint of answered prayer, let’s thank Him for it right then and there. For instance, have you been praying for someone dear to you to be set free from an area of tremendous bondage? While you wait for the huge breakthrough, can you see any glimpses that God is at work? Then thank Him for it. Applaud Him. Like Elijah who knew it was going to rain the moment he saw a cloud the size of a man’s fist, believe with all your heart that He who began a good work WILL be faithful to complete it.
We can be so preoccupied looking to the horizon for the huge thing that we miss the glorious mosaic of a hundred scattered pieces of answered prayer right at our feet. God is rarely up to only one thing. Our nature is to look for the big finish. His is to call us into constant and daily communion, working through every circumstance, tweaking and turning and tying and telling. He’s teaching our tongues the art of tasting in a world trained to binge.
We’re looking for the string of pearls. He’s planting one pearl here. Another pearl there. The full stretch of our lifetime is the string. We won’t see how those jewels all came together on the one strand until we study them under the light of His glorious presence. In the meantime, let’s ask God to make us alert and give us eyes to see where He’s working on the way to the divine achievement we’re longing for. And let’s respond with hearts full of gratitude and mouths full of praise.
Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.
The Apostle Paul’s next words represent a concept that is crucial to the well-being of our souls. Colossians 4:3 –
At the same time, pray also for us…
At the same time we are praying and watching and waiting, we will be vastly helped and blessed and connected by praying fervently for other people. Intercession for others becomes a guard against the narcissism of this present culture seeping right through the screen door of our prayer closets. A stunning number of Christians don’t believe in praying for themselves at all. Others have global vision the length of their noses and don’t believe in praying for anyone besides themselves. The counsel of the Scriptures is to pray for others and to pray for ourselves.
But, for the love of God, PRAY.
There is no other way.
We’ve got to wake up and pray.
In Jesus’ Name.
Like those who believe He hears.
Satan wants you to quit praying. He wants you to believe God isn’t paying one whit of attention to you. That He’s moved on without you. That you don’t matter. There’s only one thing to do with that. Pray twice as much. With twice the faith. And a thousand times the thanks.
Get up and pray.
We’ve got one shot at this earthly life. Good Lord, let’s make it count.
Beth,
On January 1, I committed to serious prayer for both my children (daughter age 21 and son age 26) in 2015, for their relationships, their plans, their goals and their walks with Christ. All my SSMT verses this year will relate to my prayers for them. Within three weeks, God provided a wonderful opportunity to my daughter, one we never saw coming. I cannot wait to see what He has in store for her! I am watching, with thankfulness. Thank you for this reminder. I pray for you often. Kay
Oc an Springs, MS
I call to You Lord, come quickly to me; hear me when I call to You.
Psalm 141:1 NIV
Bless you Beth Moore for yielding to the Holy Spirit! You needed to send this because I needed to hear it again! Confirmation from our Heavenly Father! Blessed Be God!!!!
I believe this was just for me! I needed it today!
Love this! So true!
Thanks for the encouragement to keep on in prayer today.
Thanks Mama Beth! God has been pounding this one into me lately, I guess I needed to hear it again. He’s making it so real that before I woke up this morning, I was hugging and praying for someone in my SLEEP! Dreaming of praying and loving…couldn’t ask for much better, huh?
Hey Siestas, would you pray for my family. Life is hard, but GOD IS SO GOOD.
OH MY WORD Beth!!! I so needed to hear this TODAY!! I’ve been praying for years for one of my daughters. These words gave me the gumption to start praying more fervently again:
“We can be so preoccupied looking to the horizon for the huge thing that we miss the glorious mosaic of a hundred scattered pieces of answered prayer right at our feet.”
Bless you again & again. I love you so very much
Wow Beth! Needed this… Thank you for putting the word out there. I need to pray, and I need prayer!!!
This one is so for me. My theme for the year is “Pray Big,” and the word “persevere” has been on my heart for several days now.
Wow!
I shared this with my prayer group.
Thanks for the encouraging word, Beth. Love you
Praise God you follow His little nudges. Needed this. More than you’ll ever know. I am praying to see someone overcome SO much anger, hurt, emotional bondage. I see God at work. He IS faithful. He WILL come through. Praise God. Thank you for reminding me I MUST continue praying. And I must be thankful. Thank you.
Wow! Preach it sister! I’m going to have to read this one a few times over as I want to digest all of that awesome word you just gave. Today, rather than going out I stayed home and listened to my fear. I heard God saying Mary, didn’t I take care of you last year when you were in that seven car pile-up and hit a cement wall head on and you walked away without any permanent injury? Am I still on the throne? I still have the final say. God said to me Mary, get off the couch and live your life! I’m going to pray, pray, pray and give thanks til my heart absolutely bursts! Thanks for sharing Beth! Love ya!
Amen!!
This is for me today! On my way to lead a ladies class on “Transforming Prayer” right now. We have for years been doing your studies but God led me to this one for this semester. With tears in my eyes God is confirming this is His plan. Thank you!!!
Can you give more info about this study? I’m rereading Intercessory Prayer by Dutch Sheets that I studied 13 years ago, and I want more resources! Yes, the key to prayer is to pray, and studying under others helps, too.
Thank-you Beth for obeying the Holy Spirit to write this! If it is for no one but me (which it’s for all of us) it was for me!!! My 2nd memory verse of the year and appreciate the encouragement!!! Thanks for all you do for us!!!
Really needed this. Now. When it’s the last thing I want to do. And wondering, “will it really matter?”. Ahh just because He hears my heart, does not give up on my prayers even when I pretend I haven’t, and cares enough to push me. So here goes.
Thanks for listening Miss Beth. Now I need to listen too. So here goes.
Always deeply blessed by God’s message and your obedience to share it with us! Timely message for me, I am working on chapters 8 of Breaking Free, Unfailing Love.
You have no idea how much I needed this word today I committed to fasting & prayer today for chains to be broken in my sons life I encountered much adversity including being pulled over by state trooper. I’ve been crying out to God for years &asking these very questions …your blog has given me renewed faith!! Thank you! Truly God was leading you in this
Rhema word!! A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver!! (Prov 15:23) We all need to partake of this “now” word!
Thank you Beth, for your listening ear and obedient heart to obey!
Love & Shalom~
I just had to say, I love that you said rhema word 🙂
Dear Beth,
These posts usually come very timely for us! No kidding! Distraction is the biggy for me. How often my mind wanders while in prayer or, yes I can and do fall asleep at times! At home during the day it can be the phone or someone bothering me while I am at prayer. I just bet the disciples even struggled that they asked our Lord to teach them how to pray. The best prayer time I can have is when I am driving somewhere. I can turn off the phone and I am mildly alert, or, more so, depending! On my way to your LPL event in Billings I was locked in prayer both coming and going for 2 hrs both ways and it was great! Sad to say it has been the last time I was in fervent prayer. Yes I fall asleep at night with prayer on my lips and I wake every AM with a prayer on my lips but I need to develop a deeper prayer life. Thanks to our Lord He hears and answers as He hears our deepest groans but to have a great and deep prayer life often evades me.
I have seen tremendous answers to prayers like when driving down a country road one night in a blizzard and our son was driving and the 4 wheel drive pickup stalled the snow was so deep but I prayed and thanked God for keeping us safe and you know what? Something so profound happened! He was directed to put his pickup into 4 Lo and the pickup quit chattering(or just shuttering and not moving as the snow was so deep) and it began marching forward. He says that almost never works like it did then. Though it took us over an hour to go 10 miles, I knew that it was God at the wheel keeping us on the road. Had we run off the road it would have been many hours til someone found us in that terrible wind and snow. We could have well froze to death. It seemed the answer was in the thanksgiving for answered prayer before I had any inkling it would be answered at all like I thought.
Thank you Beth!
Betty M
Brilliant! Like a bright light shining from my screen! “Because He bends down to listen I will pray as long as I have breath.” Psalm 116:2 My prayer verse this week. Thank you, sister!
Amen!
A word is season. So needed to be reminded of that. Praise you Lord.
Thank you for taking the time to make this public for us. We began our new semester of JOY Sisters and I had two ladies ask me to pray for such tender issues. I have three close friendships that are in the darkest place of their lives and have entrusted me with their prayer request. We also go into our local high school football locker room and pray for our boys, and coaches. A privilege I just can’t get over! (we go in when the locker room is completely vacant) My point is, I am learning what prayer really is and how little we as Christians utilize it. God certainly used you again today to confirm truth to me. Thank you.
Thx for this. I’ve been praying for my husband and our marriage. God has placed on my heart not to give up. My husband is trapped in sin and away from us. It’s very hard but I know God is answering. He hears our prayers and he has His timing. We need to believe and keep our faith. God is faithful and will answer. Prayer is powerful. Nothing is impossible with God. Do not give up do not slow done. Thank you again this is great encouragement I needed.
Thank you, Beth for these words.I was reminded earlier of a quote
my sister posted ,saying she had rather have prayer than a therapist ,
Then I read this. So much has happened over the last few years, I had
quit praying except here and there.My divorce sent me into a downward
Spiral and my faith faltered. Thank you for this and thank you for listening
To the Holy Spirit . I covet your prayers
There is a bible verse to back that up, actually it appears in Psalms twice…I did the counselor thing for years, but there comes a point when I had to realize a mortal man could only help so
much, and this is the verse I saw one day that showed me truth:
“Give us aid against the enemy, for human help is worthless.” (Psalm 60:11)
I hear you, Beth, and I do believe what you’re saying. However. It’s hard to keep on praying when your husband of 26 years has walked out on you. I know you hear these stories every day. My kids and I, along with our friends and family have prayed and prayed for God to restore my husband. He’s still buried under sin and guilt. I know God is there, willing to restore him and save our family, And God has shown himself so faithful over the past 7 months. Waiting is the hardest part. I may be divorced against my own will soon. What then? I know God will take care of us. He always has. I know he may be protecting me from something. It’s hard to pray and pray for God to change someone’s heart when there have been no results. Still, I cling to Him in hope.
L. White, sister I am praying for you right now. I know God is sovereign. I know He will take care of you. I know you are loved! I have seen God work miracles (VERY SLOW MIRACLES) in the lives of friends and family members. Keep the faith Sister, keep pressing on, and I will press with you. Much love and BIG HUGS.
Dear L White –
In May …it will be 5 years since I got a phone call where the husband of the other woman began to tell me of an affair between his wife and my husband. It was the day – God allowed…. to open my eyes. It is a very long story – but it took over 9 months of waiting and prayer and many tears — until he moved back home, but in reality he was still in ‘thought with her’… it took another 5 months and he painfully went to a church event and ‘tried’ to hear from God. It was another event that shook him — and it does not matter what happened, it was HIS timing. I believe God has already given you the instructions of what HE wants you to do. HE told me plane and clear – be still wait, show grace and mercy, and focus on ME. I did that. In the process, I realized that I had committed Spiritual Adultery against my Lord for almost 40 some years….. we had been married at that time 23 years. His affair spanned over almost 7 years. It was a neighbor. WE moved… sold our house and started a year of professional therapy – along with prayer warriors spending time on their knees in prayer. It was a miracle – but my bold prayers to be obedient to God — has brought forth a marriage now that we never had before. Seek God, call to him. Allow God to change up your friends, and believe in miracles. My blog is http://www.wisgalinokee.blogspot.com. You can read a bit about it there – but Christ has not really released me to have ‘that’ as my defining moment…. but God won…God wins… and I would encourage you to believe that HE can restore what has been stolen from you. – Michelle , Okeechobee FLorida.
Yes! This made my heart beat quickly as well! Thank you for this reminder. I am in awe.
Oh my goodness! I just got chill bumps! I’m so guilty of this very thing. I needed this reminder today to wake up and get with it, be thankful for all things, to pray like I mean it. I needed this exactly the way you wrote it. Thank you, Beth!
Colorado I am late getting my verse on here so I hope it is ok. I found Ephesians1:13b-14- When you believed, you were marked in Him iwth a seal,the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – t the praise of His glory. NIV
Sometimes I struggle with assurance and today this verse spoke to me and I hadn’t found one earlier that really did.
Thank you.
Ms. Beth, WOW…what a word. Thank you! At work today I kept I couldn’t focus because I just wanted to fall on my knees before God. Thank you for urging us to get serious in our prayer lives. Jonae Grinage, Irving TX
Amen & Amen!!!!
I don’t often respond to blogs but needed to share this…when I received the text notifying me of your tweet. I almost skipped it but the Holy Spirit tugged at my heart to open. I am stunned by the comments. This is the cry of my heart, the picture the Lord has given me. My 18 year old daughter, away at college (in Texas by the way) has had a similar challenge from the Lord. In fact, at a recent movie, she asked the Lord why so many of the movies lately seem geared toward an apocalyptic battle cry. She sensed the Holy Spirit telling her He is trying to wake up her generation. I forwarded your tweet to her. She responded, “Good grief. Wow. I am stunned. Seriously,God is good.” Thank you for your obedience. Such a blessing, all the way in Washington State.
This reminded me of Isaiah 43:19. God is doing a new thing in our lives but we have to be watching for it. He is already making a way when we can’t see one. I definitely want eyes to see.
Me, too! Eyes to see, yes. This is my memory verse for the first one for this year. Blessings on you, Siesta Sister.
That was mine too! Such a powerful reminder!
Cherie Adair, Kansas City
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Phil 4:6-7 NIV
The part that just spoke so clearly to me was:
THERE ARE PARTS OF OUR CALLINGS, WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND DEFEATS OF THE DARKNESS THAT WILL COME NO OTHER WAY THAN FURIOUS, FERVENT, FAITH-FILLED, UNCEASING PRAYER.
No other way!
I have had a horrible problem getting on board with my prayer life. I have been asking God to help me and encourage me to stop making excuses. This post hit me between the eyes… in a good way 🙂 Thanks for posting…….
Right on time. Thanks Beth! Our GALS (Girls After Lost Souls) prayer group at church were just saying this very thing.
God has definitely been bringing the subject of prayer to my attention over and over lately.
Thank you for this, I needed to hear this today for a reminder. A message very similar was given at church this past Sunday. I believe that God is really speaking this to me.
This is something that has been recently pressing on my heart afresh. So very thankful for the urging of the Holy Spirit.
Oh mama Beth I needed to hear this. My prayer life is undisciplined. I know God is trying to awaken my very soul. Thank you for following those nudges. Oh I have much to ponder this evening.
Prayer is the door that’s between us and God,thank you for helping me remember that without prayer I close the most important part of communication with the one true King! You are such a beautiful God filled woman! Thank you!
Ladies God is calling us to unite in prayer. Our time is now. It takes just a few minutes a day to call out to God. Our relationship with Him depends on us seeking Him. How do we do it? We cry out to Him and then we trust that His will, not ours will be done. I am thanking God for setting a fire in the heart of Beth to write this blog. It’s our time, He’s calling us, whose going to stand up and pray for our world, our children, our families and most importantly salvation. To God be the glory forever!
Even though I have never blogged on here before, I felt I needed to respond to your post, Beth. Just this week I have felt the urgent need to pray more and more earnestly than I have before. I have often gotten into a prayer routine, and I feel the Holy Spirit is waking me up this week to realize that the time is now to fervently be in prayer. There is so much going on in the world and peoples lives right now that I know I need to be getting down on my knees and PRAY more than I have before. Thanks for posting this, Beth.
God Bless you Beth! Thank you for listening to His Prompting!!!
Today He spoke to me this very issue, I was loosing ground on 1 area and as I was telling my best friend, I got this prompting – PRAY!!! So that has been my afternoon, praying and then to come here, well the confirmation just shoots encouragement and joy throughout my soul!
Thank you so much for the post. God just reminded me this morning to persevere! I have been praying for my son and becoming weary and almost giving up on praying for him and The Lord reminded me NOT to give up! And then you write this and it just confirms His Word to me! I appreciate you so much and am going to fight this spiritual battle harder than ever before!!! Thank you! Also I can become so focused on my son and forget to pray for everyone else!! Thanks for the reminder! Could you please pray for my son too? Thank you so much! :-). I will pray for you more fervently and all of the Siestas too! I love my blog friends!
Wow. Thank you, Beth. This is one I’m printing out and placing in my journal to read again and again.
All I can say is AMEN! Let it be so for all of us.
Praise God for His Word coming through Beth in this post!!!!!
Praise Him!! Praise Him!!
And, Beth, thank you for your obedience to our Father!!!
Word. Preach it sister. Love when the Holy Spirit so strongly lays something on our heart that we cannot deny it!!!
Thank you for the encouragement. We are in earnest prayer for the healing of our 9 month old baby girl’s unformed tongue. Waiting for a miracle so her trach can come out, so she can eat and eventually talk. With God ALL things are possible!
Joining in prayer?!
Without ?