7. Pray without ceasing –

My dearly beloved in Christ, we may think how we can pray without ceasing. Shall we meditate on this verse?

In Matthew 26:36,37 - Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.”

And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.

In Matthew 26: 38 – 40 - Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.”

He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”

Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour?

In Matthew 26: 41 he says - Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

From this, we understand that if Christ’s spirit is within us, it is not us but the Holy Spirit within us that is interceding for us always. Therefore if we always think about things pertaining to God, Christ within us is always interceding for us.

That is why, in John 17:15 - I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.

In Ephesians 5: 14 - Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.”

Therefore, in Isaiah 60: 1 – 4 - Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.

For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people;

But the Lord will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you.

The Gentiles shall come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising.(Our Lord Jesus Christ)

“Lift up your eyes all around, and see: They all gather together, they come to you; Your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters shall be nursed at your side.

In Isaiah 60: 18 – 22 - Violence shall no longer be heard in your land, Neither wasting nor destruction within your borders; But you shall call your walls Salvation, And your gates Praise.

“The sun shall no longer be your light by day, Nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you; But the Lord will be to you an everlasting light, And your God your glory.

Your sun shall no longer go down, Nor shall your moon withdraw itself; For the Lord will be your everlasting light, And the days of your mourning shall be ended.

Also your people shall all be righteous; They shall inherit the land forever, The branch of My planting, The work of My hands, That I may be glorified.

A little one shall become a thousand, And a small one a strong nation. I, the Lord, will hasten it in its time.”

This is how we are praying without ceasing. In Romans 8: 26 – 28 - Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

In Romans 8:34 - Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

Therefore, in Psalms 121: 1- 8 - I will lift up my eyes to the hills— From whence comes my help?

My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber.

Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade at your right hand.

The sun shall not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night.

The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul.

The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore.

In this manner, we should always watch along with God and pray without ceasing so that our whole spirit, soul and body will be preserved blameless and sanctified. Let us pray. May the Lord God bless you all.

-      To be continued