A Successful Prayer Life Is Energetic

Pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.

–Ephesians 6:18

Paul said if you want to become like Jesus, prayer has to be a priority in your life as it was in His. How do you have a successful prayer life? First, as we saw yesterday, a meaningful prayer life is consistent. Prayer ought to be a regular rhythm of life.

Second, a successful prayer life is energetic. Colossians 4:2 says, “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it.” And in Ephesians 6:18, Paul wrote, “Pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.”

What does it mean to be alert and energetic in your prayer life? It means to stay focused. Don’t let your mind wander when you pray. That’s a lot easier said than done, isn’t it? If you have trouble staying focused when you pray, you’re not alone. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus’s disciples couldn’t stay awake during prayer time; meanwhile, Jesus was on His knees in one of the greatest battles in His life: Would He submit His will to God’s will? So intense was this spiritual battle that “His sweat became like drops of blood” (Luke 22:44). Here is the point: prayer is not an altered state of consciousness in which we empty ourselves of all thoughts and feelings. Prayer is intense, difficult work that requires us to remain focused.

In addition, to be alert also means to be sensitive to spiritual needs in your life and the lives of the people around you. Ephesians 6:12 says we’re in a life-and-death struggle against “the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” This spiritual battle manifests itself in our personal lives. In 1 Peter 5:8, the apostle wrote, “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” To be alert in your prayer life means to stay sensitive to any chinks in your spiritual armor that could be entry points for Satan to gain victory. It also means to stay sensitive to the spiritual needs of those around you so that you can ask God to intervene in those needs.

Let me add that Satan is a destroyer and a divider–he would love to ruin your relationships with the people who are important to you. Be on the alert about that and be praying about it. An effective prayer life is energetic; it’s alert to the spiritual needs of others and the needs in our own hearts.

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Today’s devotion is adapted from “Heavenly Communication” by Dr. Robert Jeffress, 2012.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org.