Day 5: 31 Days in Prayer

Day 5: 31 Days in Prayer

Verse:

Pray at all times in the Spirit, and stay alert in your prayer with unceasing petitions for all the saints. (Ephesians 6:18 - TB)

Reflection:

This verse may not be unfamiliar to you, yet it can be so easily overlooked. The idea of remaining alert and steadfast in prayer is a fairly basic concept. When we sit down, we may usually begin praying in the same way: "Dear Lord," or, "Father God," or, "Dear Heavenly Father," and so on and so forth. We recognize several things we should pray about such as praise, people, difficult situations or certain struggles. We give thanks to God for who He is and for the grace He has given in our lives. We remember Jesus and the cross. Then we say something at the end, "In Jesus' name I pray, Amen." Sound familiar? That is mostly true of how I usually pray. However, if you are like me, when reading the words of the verse above you completely overlook that Paul says to pray "in the Spirit." What does this really mean? "In the Spirit" in Greek (ἐν πνεύματι) literally means to pray in, on, with, through, by, or among the Spirit. To pray in the Spirit is to lend your mind, body, thoughts, and strength to the Spirit. Praying in the Spirit means you do not quickly think of a sentence or three sentences to bring a request or petition to God. Rather, you fully and deliberately give your whole attention to the Almighty and perfect Creator, with whom you are speaking in prayer. When Jesus prayed, His sweat was like drops of blood in Gethsemane (Luke 22:44). He prayed with all His mind and strength. He experienced suffering and thought deeply, expressing emotion in prayer, persevering with the strength He had, even though an angel came to strengthen Him. He kept praying more earnestly. To pray in the Spirit means that we pray until we are truly and fully connected with God. It means we open our hearts to the Spirit within us and use all our heart, soul, mind, and strength to cry out to God about the deepest things in the darkest part of our minds. To pray in the Spirit means we hide nothing from the Spirit of God who lives within us. Now read it again: "Pray at all times in the Spirit, and stay alert in your prayer with unceasing petitions for all the saints." - Ephesians 6:18

Challenge:

Pray with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Hold nothing back. Pour out every part of your heart to God and connect with Him as deeply as you know how, and then pray even more earnestly.

Translated from the article “31 Days of Prayer: Day 5” by Daniel Berk