Paul challenged his followers with the above three words (I Thess. 5:17). Our response today: “Come on now, Paul, who can do this and fulfill daily responsibilities?”
Yet as an intercessor those three words sit there before us as a reminder—as a challenge—that we’re not doing what we should do nor being what we should be. Or is there something here we’re missing?
Andrew Murray gives us a clue. “How can I breathe and feel and hear without ceasing? Because they are the functions of a healthy, natural life. And so, if the spiritual life be healthy, under the full power of the Holy Spirit, praying without ceasing will be natural.
The key here is the “full power of the Holy Spirit.” Once we invite the Holy Spirit into our lives, we are saying to God, in effect: “Lord, I am helpless and inadequate without You. I am now getting myself out of the way so that Your Spirit can operate freely inside me.”
The day begins with, “Good morning, Lord, Thank You for a good night’s sleep. Thank You for the opportunity to serve You today. I ask Your Spirit to take over now.”
Believe that He is doing just that as you read His Word, then intercede for those people and situations He has given you. In your spirit you pray without ceasing as you dress, eat, travel to work, deal with problems, go all out in recreation. During intervals, as you eat, or walk, or drive, or stop to think, it will be natural to say, “Lord give me the words to say to ____. Bless that man over there on crutches. Help me with this phone call.”
Thus prayer flows constantly in your spirit all day long. Andrew Murray sums it up this way: “The death of Jesus Christ brought Him to the place of everlasting intercession. Your death with Him to sin and self sets you free from the care of self and elevates you to the dignity of intercessor, one who can get life and blessing from God for others. Let you faith rest boldly on His finished work. Know that your calling is intercession. Give yourself wholly to it and ere you know, you will find something of this ‘praying always’ with you.”
Republished from The Breakthrough Intercessor vol. 11, no. 5, Sept/Oct 1991.
Is something on your heart?
Six intercessors will pray for your request for 21 days.
