The Battle Plan: Prayer Series

This persistence might look different from person to person. Maybe you have a special place in your home that you go to pray for twenty minutes a day. Maybe you pray in the car on the way to work, or in the shower in the morning. I prefer to pray short, simple prayers several times throughout the day. So regardless of where or when you pray, just keep praying. Make prayer a priority every day. The first point of our battle plan is to be persistent in prayer.

Furthermore, Paul urges us to be perceptive in prayer.

• BE PERCEPTIVE IN PRAYER

That reminds me of Big Ed. Big Ed is this good ol’ boy who goes to a revival and listens to the preacher. After a while, the preacher asks anyone with needs to come forward to be prayed over. Big Ed gets in line. When it’s his turn, the preacher asks, “Big Ed, what do you need me to pray about?” Big Ed says, “Preacher, I need you to pray about my hearing.” So the preacher sticks one finger in Big Ed’s ear and one hand on his head and shouts, hollers and prays a while. After few minutes, he removes his hands and asks, “How’s your hearing now?” Big Ed says, “I don’t know, Preacher, it ain’t until next Wednesday at the County Courthouse.”

I’d say that preacher wasn’t praying very perceptively. Paul tells us, however, “Pay attention when you offer prayers…” (Colossians 4:2 GWT).

I’ll be the first to admit I’m not the best at paying attention during prayers. As soon as my eyes close my mind wanders. My train of thought derails rather quickly. But I don’t think that’s exactly what Paul is talking about here. The New Living Translation says to pray “with an alert mind.” Other translations say to be “watchful.”

In other words, we need to be looking for opportunities and occasions to pray. Paul puts it this way: “Pray in the Spirit in every situation. Use every kind of prayer and request there is. For the same reason be alert. Use every kind of effort and make every kind of request for all of God’s people” (Ephesians 6:18 GWT).

No situation or circumstance is too insignificant to pray about.

When you see car accident on the road ahead of you… pray about it.

When you have a test coming up in biology… pray about it.

When you’ve got big meeting with an important client… pray about it.

When you’ve got a small meeting with a not-so-important client… pray about it.

When your crops need more rain… pray about it.

When you’re stressed out and overwhelmed… pray about it.

When your kids get on the school bus in the morning… pray for them.

When someone gives you a hard time… pray for them.

When someone shows you kindness… pray for them.

When someone you know is struggling… pray with them.

Pray for our government, our nation, the community you live in, the homeless, children without parents. Pray for your employees or employer. Pray for people who don’t know Christ and those that have run away from God. Pray for those struggling with addiction and temptation. Pray for our congregation, for preachers and missionaries in other parts of the world. Pray for wisdom to make good decisions. Pray for strength to stick to your convictions. Pray that you don’t fall into temptation. Pray for boldness to share your faith. Pray that we might become a people of prayer!