Articles
“Ceaseless Prayer”
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-22
Paul instructs Christians to “pray without ceasing.” This echoes the parable of Jesus which teaches that disciples “ought always to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1-8). Ceaseless prayer suggests a mental awareness of God’s presence and a disposition of heart that seeks constant communication with him. The knowledge of God's nearness forms the basis for this command; God is “near to the brokenhearted” (Psa. 34:18) and is “not far from each one of us” (Acts 17:27). The omnipresence of God means that no matter where we are, God is “there” to “lead” and “hold” us (Psa. 139:7-12). God’s nearness is a comfort to the faithful and a great encouragement to pray. Though he is “far from the wicked” he “hears the prayer of the righteous.” (Prov. 15:29)
This constant communication with God offers tremendous practical blessings to the Christian. Throughout the day, our thoughts often turn to worry, fear, discouragement and anger. But when we have the mindset of ceaseless prayer, we turn those unfruitful thoughts over to God. Undisciplined thinking results in anxiety and propels us away from God as our imagination takes over in all the wrong ways (see Mt. 6:25-34). But the one who “prays without ceasing” disciplines his mind and takes every thought captive (2 Cor. 10:5).
When our minds are trained to “pray without ceasing,” we learn to surrender our thoughts to God and receive the peace only he can give: “The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:5-7) Note that the nearness of the Lord forms the foundation for the command to take everything to him in prayer.
In another place, Paul says we are to “continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.” (Col. 4:2) He sees prayer as an indispensable piece of our spiritual kit and an effective weapon against evil (Eph. 6:18). Prayer is our first line of defense in our trials and our first method of attack in our fight against the powers of darkness. When we pray ceaselessly, we remain strong because we are continually dependent on God’s grace (2 Cor. 12:9-10).
Because we live for the world to come, we experience constant tension in a world that is “passing away” (1 Jn. 2:17). Alone, we simply cannot bear up against the pressures and temptations of this “present world” (Rom. 12:1-2; 2 Tim. 4:10). Hence the need to be in constant communication with God through ceaseless prayer. We cannot afford any interruption in that fellowship or else we will quickly lose our way. Prayer should be as natural to Christians as breathing: we breathe in God’s truth (his communication to us through his word) and breathe out God’s praise (our communication with him through prayer).
Jesus taught that because his disciples were not “of the world,” the world would hate them (Jn. 15:18-19). He asked the Father not to “take them out of the world” but that he would “keep them from the evil one” (Jn. 17:15). One way God answers Jesus’ request is by providing us the avenue of prayer. Though the whole world lies in the power of the evil one (1 Jn. 5:19), when we “pray without ceasing” he cannot gain any purchase on us because we are safely abiding in Christ (Jn. 15:1-11; Rom. 8:38-39). In the world we experience tribulation, but in Christ—where we enjoy access to God through him—we have peace (Jn. 16:33). Ceaseless prayer is an essential part of Christian living. It keeps us humble, thankful, joyful, focused and at peace, despite the daily challenges we face.
