Pray...

without ceasing.

And without thinking the words burst forth.

It was one of those "aha!" moments where something that I have known caught fire and began to burst in the flame of passion that comes with revelation. I was talking with a friend about prayer and asking how I could better support her. I admitted with honesty that I had not prayed for her since the event I was praying about ended. Yet, I have realized that because one prayer is answered or there seems to be no dire need, that is no reason to stop praying.

"Why should we stop praying when the enemy doesn't ever stop?"

Those were the words that rang in my mind after they left my lips. We had just talked about unity and the picture came to mind of soldiers in disarray. If one wants to do this, and one wants to do that instead of following the orders of the commander, or even waiting to see what the orders are, what will ever be accomplished? And, furthermore, what injuries will occur?

We need to first lay ourselves aside and tune in to what God is doing, His heart, and hear the things that He is saying. We need to take the same passion that we place in so many other things and PRAY. God desires wholehearted petitions. No matter the eloquence or word choice, when we pray with a passion and with a deep concern something shifts. It is the hand of God. He is there waiting for us to cry out, searching for one, just one to stand in the gap. We could be one of those worldchangers that the Bible describes, moving God's heart with the words of one cry.

I have heard countless stories and I have my own of lives being changed through just one prayer. There have been stories of huge events in history, or shall I say well-known events (for nothing is too big for our God), with a big turning point that happened because of people's prayers. Politicians have been influenced through interactions with people that prayed for an opportunity to reach out to them. I, myself, have seen my prayers answered with a swiftness I did not expect. They were always simple, yet earnest prayers. Things in my own life that seemed impossible by the world's standards but, as I said before, they are not impossible with my God.

Sometimes I think that I struggle with going through routines and doing things because I know that I need to, but what would happen if I changed my mentality to one of partnering with the Great Intercessor? What if I had the persistence that matched the urgency of the issues at hand?

This life is more than just going through the motions and it is more than satisfying a need for things or even love and attention. It is a battle, a restoring of a kingdom, a rescuing of the lost and a healing of the broken. In this grand adventure prayer is key.