Tri-Cities Baptist Church

“So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour?”—Matthew 26:40.
 
Jesus’ own inner circle had trouble persevering in prayer during Jesus’ most difficult season of life.  Honestly, most of us should be slow to throw stones because we have the same trouble. Persevering in prayer is a challenge for most of us for one simple reason:  Like the disciples on that fateful night, most followers of Jesus just do not understand what is at stake.  
 
Jesus told these three trusted friends, “Keep watching and praying, that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak”—Matthew 26:41.  In other words we are desperate for God whether we know it or not.  We are too weak.  We are too earthy. We are too limited to win sustainable victories apart from persevering prayer.  We simply do not have the personal resources to meet the challenges ahead.
 
So here are a few reminders that can help us to return to persevering prayer:
 

• We are desperate right now.  We must accept that we will have no significant impact apart from an intimate, personal abiding relationship with God through Jesus Christ—John 15:1-5 
• Defeat and despair do not have to be a way of life.  Lasting victories are possible. We can bear “much fruit”—John 15:5.
• Prayer is personal before it is ever public.  When we get that in the right order, God hears us—Matthew 6:5.  
• Speak to God from the heart.  We do not impress Him by telling Him what we think we are supposed to say.  Let’s just tell Him the truth—Matthew 6: 7-8.
• Set aside time to pray.  Every relationship requires dedicated time.  If our spirits are dry or we are distant from God, it might be traced back to the fact we are simply not staying in His presence in prayer.  Jesus asked, “Could you not hang in there with me for one hour?”—Matthew 26:40.
• Keep prayer simple.  The model prayer we find in Matthew 6 is amazingly simple.  Jesus is the Son of God and possesses all knowledge, all wisdom, and all power, but when He was teaching His disciples to pray He kept it simple.  I love that! We can study that passage and use it in our prayer life…not as a vain repetition but as a guide to open up our prayer life.
• The possibilities in prayer are huge!  Jesus said, “Whatever you ask in My name…”—John 14:13.  When our hearts are to honor God and we recognize Jesus’ authority, God hears us and acts with power.  
  

Transformed, multiplying followers of Christ persevere in prayer because they know that real life-change is not produced through catchy slogans, new programs, sophisticated technology, or even capable leadership.  Instead, true change in our hearts, our homes, our churches, our communities, and our nation occurs when God’s Spirit captures us through persevering prayer.  
 
We are in desperate need for God.  So let’s wake up, watch, and pray with perseverance!