Practical Steps to an Effective Prayer LifeSample

The Labor of Prayer

There is probably nothing harder or more difficult in our Christian life than prayer. I find it is the most difficult aspect to the Christian life. Every day, I fight to make a discipline of it. The Welsh preacher Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones spoke about this a lot; he taught that if someone has never known the difficulty of prayer, then they probably don’t know what prayer is.

One reason having an effective prayer life is difficult is spiritual warfare. If we find something difficult to do, the flesh doesn’t want to get into it and the devil probably doesn’t like it. Prayer is one of those things; there is a work aspect to prayer. In Colossians 4:12 Paul writes that Epaphras is always struggling in prayer. “Struggling” is a form of the Greek word agōnizomai; it means to agonize, to labor. So, this man knew a kind of laboring, in prayer, for the spiritual maturity of his brothers and sisters.

While there is a work aspect to prayer, you cannot tell yourself, “Ok, if I just pray long prayers and spend more time in prayer, that will please God.” In fact, Jesus warned about people who pray these long prayers for show. If we think of trying to please God by greater effort, by more time, we’re on the wrong track.

There’s a sense in which prayer is to be spontaneous. Prayer is communication with our God. It is a discipline, but it’s relational—from our heart. Prayer expresses love and devotion to God and on behalf of the people we are praying for. It expresses our sense of need, our dependence, and our faith.

God promises that He hears our prayers and answers them. We are told to pray in secret. and the Bible says God will reward that. Private prayer results in open reward. I mean, knowing these things, if I believe them, why would I not devote time to prayer? Don’t think of prayer in terms of prescribed times; instead, think about what that spiritual discipline is, as God describes it in His Word.

God hears us. Do you know that you need God’s help? You can go to Him in prayer, whether it’s for someone else’s spiritual condition, the issues you are going to face today in your life, or your own spiritual maturity and growth. You can go to Him in prayer for evangelism; for family life (your children, your marriage); and for the ministry of the church. If we concentrate on the need, our dependence on God, and His promises, we will be moved to pray.