Unceasing Prayer - PDF document

Unceasing Prayer Richard Foster Introduction: A. We want to talk on unceasing prayer. B. Warning. 1. A life of prayer cannot be learned easily. 2. We cannot master prayer. 3. We cannot approach prayer like other subjects. a. We are always learners. b. We always pray as if for the first time. 4. We live fragmented lives and need to pray unceasingly. 5. Isaiah wrote that God’s ways are not our ways. 6. Unceasing prayer keeps our hearts clean so that the light of Jesus can shine in us. I. What are the biblical principles of unceasing prayer? A. The Great Shema tells us to love the Lord God will all our hearts, soul, and might. (Deuteronomy 6:10) 1. We are told to bind God’s words on our hands and on our foreheads. 2. We are told to write these words on the house. 3. We need to keep this word always before us. 4. Paul told believers to be transformed by the renewing of the mind. 5. We are to think of things that are good and profitable (Philippians 2: 6. We are to offer a continual sacrifice of praise to God. (Hebrews 13:15) 7. We are to give thanks always (1 Thessalonians 5) 8. We are to be steadfast in prayer. (Colossians 4:2) 9. We are to be devoted to prayer. (Romans 12:12) 10. We are to pray with all prayer in the Spirit. (Ephesians 6:18) a. In the spirit means with the breath of God. b. This comes from the Old Testament. c. Let the memory of Jesus combine with our breath. B. The basic approach to unceasing prayer comes out of breath prayers. 1. Hebrew poetry is based on parallelism. 2. You who live in the shelter of the Most High will abide in eh shadow of the almighty and can trust in him. (Psalm 91) a. This short simple prayer of praise can be prayed often. b. It is powerful. 3. The Jesus prayer is famous. a. Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me a sinner. b. We can trace this prayer to the forth century. C. What common threads are in prayers? 1. Lord Jesus let me be still. 2. Guide me into your will. 3. Let me come into your presence. 4. Let me come to you. 5. Let me feel your spirit 6. Let me know your love. 7. Let me know your light. 8. Father, lead me into health. 9. Father, show me your ways. B. All these prayers focus on the person praying. 1. This is not self-seeking but it is seeking to receive from God. 2. These prayers always address God in an eye to eye fashion. 3. We enter into the presence of God. 2 4. They express dependence on God. 5. God is seen as the source of all blessings. 6. These prayers are specific yet they allow God to work as he likes. 7. The petitioner enters into a relationship but more is to come. 8. Supplication is asking and we never get beyond this yet we do move into more intimacy. 9. These prayers are from the heart. 10. These prayers are offered in humility and submission. 11. All these prayers express things we receive from the inside out. 12. These prayers are all short. C. In Jesus’ day prayer was vain repetition, filled with vanity. 1. These prayers are the opposite of vain repetition. 2. These prayers are not impressive to others but come from the heart. D. Unceasing prayer has movements. 1. Outward discipline where we need outward stimuli. a. This is the way we learn anything. b. We spend hours practicing until the discipline is internalized. c. Learning the Vocabulary of God is a book that helps us internalize spiritual reality. d. While working in our day we practice the presence of God. 2. Prayer moves into the mind. a. At first we are even unaware of our prayers. b. Slowly our prayers invade our minds and we become more peaceful. c. We can become alone without being lonely. 3. Prayer moves into the heart. a. It’s like the mind moves into the heart in unity. b. We begin to make decisions based on a passionate rationality. 3