How's Your Prayer Life?

How's Your Prayer Life?

by Patricia Dailey
Senior Pastor, Bethel Revival Center
43 Norwood St.
Everett, MA 02149

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In the New Testament we find a woman who did that which God would want her to do, that thing which was so needful for her:

Luke 10:38-42
Now it came to pass, as they went, that He entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard His word.

But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to Him, and said, Lord, dost Thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: but one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

One Needful Thing

One thing is needful: Mary was the type who wouldn't want to miss taking time daily to get alone with the Lord in prayer and in His Word, but we find her sister trying to hold her back. And if we aren't up there spiritually, we, too, could be guilty of trying to hold someone back from the things of God.

"You don't have to go to church all the time! You don't have to pray so long! God doesn't expect you to read the Bible all the time."

Instead of criticizing them, we should be glad they have a devotional spirit, wanting all they can get of the Lord.

So many would give anything if their husband or wife were like that. They'd give anything if their family would serve God.

Instead of trying to hold your loved one back from going all out for the Lord, why not follow their example? Pray more, love Him more, seek Him more, and you, too, will begin to grow spiritually.

Jesus told Martha that her sister had chosen that good part, that needful thing, which would not be taken from her.

It's a good thing to pray, a good thing to read the Bible. Yes, it is a good thing to sit alone at the feet of Jesus — a good thing, and also a needful thing.

If you'd get with it and stop trying to hold your mate back, there wouldn't be that division over spiritual things: with one going to church, and the other wanting to stay at home; one seeking the Lord, and the other too busy to pray.

"I just don't see the need of going to church all the time. I don't see any reason to take time to pray and read the Bible. I can worship the Lord in my own way and in my own time . . ."

When you're in the place of having a real love and devotion for the Lord, you'll desire the things of God. Your desire will be to attend His house, to pray, to seek His face. That fight against those things won't be there. You're heart will be in serving Him.

Yes, you can worship the Lord any place, but He also wants you to attend His house with other believers (see Hebrews 10:25).

Daniel's Example

Daniel 6:1-4
It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom; and over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage. Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.

Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.

When these men couldn't find any fault in Daniel, they assembled together and asked King Darius to sign a decree that any who would ask a petition of any god or man for 30 days, save the king, would be cast into the den of lions (see Daniel 6:5,8-9).

Daniel 6:10
Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

It didn't seem to bother Daniel that there was a decree against praying. He wasn't about to give in. After all, prayer was important to him. He wasn't going to let his prayer time be hindered by the king's decree. He loved the Lord and wasn't about to stop talking with Him just because someone made a law against it. He knew he would be cast into the lions' den if he persisted in praying as usual — but that didn't stop him.

Now, maybe you don't pray three times a day; and, then, maybe you don't pray any time during the day! But you should.

You don't always have to stop everything to pray, nor do you have to be in church. You can go about your daily routine and still be praying. You can be with a group of people yet crying out to God from the depths of your heart.

Yes, you can talk to the Lord any time and any place: in the bathtub, scrubbing floors, walking down the street. God will hear your cry. The important thing is that you do develop a consistent daily prayer life. If you're able to stop everything to pray, do so, but if not, that doesn't mean you shouldn't pray.

Daniel 6:13,14
Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day. Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him.

The king had set his heart on Daniel. He didn't want him to be cast into the den of lions — but the law was the law.

Daniel 6:16
Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.

Can you imagine that! The king was encouraging Daniel that his God would take care of him.

Daniel 6:17
And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.

If you ever get thrown into a lions' den, be sure you have God with you, or you'll be torn apart!

Now, the king had stayed awake all night. He was helpless to do anything for Daniel. He couldn't sleep, thinking of Daniel over there in the lions' den. And early the next morning he rushed over to see if God had protected him.

As we read on, we can see that God certainly was with Daniel.

Daniel 6:20-22
And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions? Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever. My God hath sent His angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before Him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.

God had shut the lions' mouths and Daniel was all right! His accusers were cast into the den and were all killed before they got to the bottom! Yet, Daniel was protected.

Can you imagine that? You can see where it was only God's protecting hand upon Daniel that spared him.

Daniel hadn't done anything wrong. He had chosen to obey God rather than the king's decree forbidding him to pray. That decree didn't change Daniel's stand with the Lord. It didn't change his desire to pray as he always did: three times a day.

Set the Example at Home

If you have an unsaved mate, take your stand. Be steadfast in your walk with the Lord. Set an example. Do this and you'll see them come to the Lord a lot sooner.

If an unsaved loved one tries to stop you from going to church, you shouldn't let them hinder you. Take your stand, like Daniel did. Put God first in your life, and He will bless.

Many times the problem is being wishy-washy in one's stand: not standing firm in one's belief because their unsaved loved one comes against them.

Oh, sometimes Christian people can be really sweet — until the smallest storm comes against them. Then they're just the opposite: reacting carnally, fighting back and getting into a fit of rage. And instead of seeing sincerity, that unsaved mate only sees inconsistencies.

Don't let this be the case with you. Sure, that unsaved mate may be very mean and say a lot of harsh things, making you feel you're not the kind of mate you ought to be. But take your stand. Show forth that you are dedicated to Jesus, that you really love Him. Show forth the light of Jesus, and let your mate see His love through you.

If your unsaved mate wants you to go contrary to what God has said, you won't give in when you are really dedicated to God, wanting to live in obedience to His Word,

Look, I've got to work out my salvation with fear and trembling. God told me not to forsake the assembling of myself with other believers. And I intend to obey God.

Hebrews 10:25
Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Faithful to God's Word

I've got to be faithful to the Word of God. I've got to be consistent.

The saved often make a mistake in their home by complaining, fighting back, expressing fear and doubt. These things only bring a reproach to the gospel. When things aren't going right, they fly off the handle. They say things to their children they ought not to say. They fight back with their husbands or their wives.

Now, if you want to walk in the Spirit, it is important you have a prayer life. It doesn't matter if anyone's home or not. Pray! Find a place to pray, and pray.

So what if they get angry! Pray. Don't let them stop you from praying. If there was something else you really wanted to do, you'd do it. If you wanted to read the paper, read a good book, listen to some music, you'd do it. If you wanted to sit down and relax, you'd stop everything to relax.

Well, if you want to pray, pray! You don't have to wait until you can pray for hours on end.

There's no time limit in the Bible that tells you how long or how short a time you should pray, but you do need to pray.

A Popcorn Prayer Life Won't Do

Now, this doesn't mean you should have a popcorn prayer life, where you get down to pray and pop right up again to do something else: "Lord, bless my day! Amen." That type of prayer life won't benefit you. You won't receive the help you need. You won't grow.

If you're able to pray at least half an hour, you'll find you can really talk with the Lord and get a lot accomplished.

The important thing, though, is to take whatever time it takes for you to tell the Lord what is on your heart. Pray until you feel you have touched the throne of God.

Some have a call to intercessory prayer and pray more than the average believer. If you're not called that way, don't feel you have to pray as long as they do to touch God. The main thing is that you do take time to fellowship with the Lord in prayer each and every day.

Psalm 42:1
As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after Thee, O God.

Some fellowship with God while they're working around the house, others while they're on their way to work. Some rise early to pray; others take time in the midnight hours, but the important thing is to take the time to pray.

Matthew 7:7
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you

There'd be less problems in the home if you took time to pray each day. You'd learn to keep your mouth shut when things went wrong. You'd learn to use your mouth to pray rather than to fight. Instead of saying harsh, hard words to your family, you'd take the time to talk to the Lord about the matter.

Daniel didn't allow himself to be hindered in maintaining his fellowship with the Lord. He wanted to pray, knowing that was the place he gained strength.

And you and I will gain strength, help, and encouragement as we take time to daily seek the Lord.

Psalm 27:8
When Thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto Thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.

God took care of Daniel, shutting the mouths of the lions. He knew Daniel hadn't done anything wrong. Daniel had only done that which was right and good, that which he knew God would want him to do.

Eighty-four Year Old Anna

Luke 2:36-37
And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; and she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.

Here was a woman who loved the Lord. She was in her eighties, serving God with fastings and prayer, night and day.

Luke 2:38
And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of Him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

Evidently, she was in the temple 24 hours a day — every day. What devotion!

Fear the Lord, Not Man

We find there are various types of women: some godly, some ungodly; some who fear the Lord: virtuous, prudent, devoted to the Lord; and some who are slothful, vain, adulterous, contentious.

Proverbs 31:30
Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.

A woman who fears the Lord shall be praised: Her children will look up to her. When they have a problem, they'll come to her, knowing she is a praying woman. Even when they're away from home, they'll know she is praying for them.

Matthew 6:33
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

It's always best to pray for others first, putting yourself last.

That's the way one minister's wife got saved. He used to pray every day for her, and she'd get angry and upset, even beating him! One day the Lord told him to continue to pray for her but not out loud. After a few days she was alarmed: "Has God shown you there is no more hope for me?" And he was able to lead her to salvation.

So, you see, prayer does make a difference. Who cares if anyone hears you, as long as you know the Lord hears. Be determined to let prayer have a prime place in your daily life, regardless of the interruptions and oppositions.

Proverbs 29:25
The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.

Many give in to the threats of their mate just to keep peace. One common threat is: "I'll leave you if you don't go drinking with me! I'll leave if you insist on going to church. I'll leave you!!" When someone gets saved and their mate isn't saved, the devil will use that mate as a tool to try and put the pressures on to give up serving the Lord.

Preach by Example

I Peter 3:1,2
Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; while they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.

An unsaved mate can be won to the Lord through the way you live. If they see you wishy-washy, in and out, not really sincere about the things of God, why would they want what you have? after all, they don't see anything real about your salvation.

In this Scripture the word conversation refers to the way people live, the way they conduct themselves. It is in the way they live from day to day that reveals how sincere they are — or how insincere they are.

When a woman won't take time to keep the home clean, the husband takes note. Men know the difference that ought to be in the way a Christian keeps house.

When the children are getting out of hand and the mother screams and hollers, getting rough in the way she treats them because they're not doing what she wants them to do, does that reflect to her husband the reality of Christ in her life?

And this is also true of an unsaved wife observing the conversation of her husband.

Your whole being reflects whether or not the gospel is true. Telling them about Jesus isn't enough. Your life has to back up your words. Complaining and nagging doesn't reflect the peace of God, neither does screaming or fighting.

Instead of reflecting the love of the Lord, such reactions hinder your mate from coming to Christ.

Does your family ever see you reading the Bible? Have they ever heard you praying?

You shouldn't be ashamed to shut yourself into your room each day to seek the Lord.

And when you pray, pray for your family. Pray that they will come to know the Lord.

Teach Your Family God's Ways

Take time to teach your children the Scriptures. Teach them the ways of the Lord. Teach them how to pray.

Deuteronomy 6:6,7
And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

When you take your children for a walk, explain to them how God made the heaven and the earth. Look up into the sky and explain how the sun and the snow, the stars and the moon all declare the glory of God, their Creator.

It is important, too, for you to have a devotional time with your children. This is where many parents fail, neglecting to have a time with their children in the Word of God and prayer. Today, in many a home, the TV takes the place of devotions. How much better a home would be if the parents took time to have devotions with their children.

Begin to make a point of getting together with the children: singing, worshipping, praying together, reading and memorizing the Word. Let the older ones take part in reading. Let the children ask questions about what you've read, and explain it to them.

What a joy such times can be, and it can cause the children to enjoy church too.

You might say you have no time to do this. Well, make time, because it is very important. You'll see the difference in your home when you make this a priority. Your little ones will learn to love and praise the Lord at an early age.

When your child is still a baby, take time to fold their hands before eating, and pray over their food for them. Clap their hands while you say, "praise the Lord, hallelujah," etc. This will teach them at an early age to do these things on their own.

Children who are trained in the things of God this way will often use their spare time to have church: praising the Lord, singing, and even preaching to each other, and praying for one another. They won't do it for show, but sincerely wanting to take time to be with the Lord.

It is our duty and obligation, as Christian parents, to teach our children the things of God diligently — not just today and forgetting about it tomorrow. Don't decide to start to have devotions with them and then forget about it till next week.

If there were more talk about the things of the Lord in the home, there would be less variance, less arguments, less fightings, less quarrelling. The home would be a peaceful place to enter if you put the things of the Lord first: taking time to worship and praise the Lord as a family, getting into the Word together and praying together.