In 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Paul exhorts believers to “pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” What does it mean to pray without ceasing? When I first read this verse, I thought it meant I should pray twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. I thought, “Who can do this?! This sounds impossible! And how can I thank God for everything when something bad happens?” In a way, yes, we can, and should, pray without ceasing all day everyday as we live our lives in devotion to our Lord, continually thinking of Him and talking to Him as we walk and work or play or shop as well as when we are on our knees in solitary prayer. But I want to show you another way to pray without ceasing and how to give Him thanks in every situation, whether good or bad.

When Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh to entreat him to let the Hebrews go out to worship the Lord God, Pharaoh not only refused their request, but he also increased their workload and made their lives even more miserable.  The Hebrew representatives came out from Pharaoh and said to Moses and Aaron,

“’Let the LORD look on you and judge, because you have made us abhorrent in the sight of Pharaoh…’ So Moses returned to the LORD and said, ‘Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Why is it You have sent me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done evil to this people; neither have You delivered Your people at all.’” (Exodus 5:21-23)

There was once a dear member of our congregation whose husband was an alcoholic. Every week when prayer requests were offered, she would stand and ask everyone to pray for her husband to stop drinking and find salvation. Then, in one service she stood and said to everyone, “Please STOP praying for my husband! He is drinking more and is even meaner than ever!”

Sometimes when we pray for something, the situation gets worse before it gets better. It is like our enemy rears up his head and fights tooth and toenail against us in our petitions to God. But if we will continue to pray and not give up, it will make the Lord’s deliverance even more amazing and miraculous when it comes.

Our congregation did not give up praying, and our dear member’s husband did eventually stop drinking and started attending services with his wife. And when he did receive salvation, he was a totally different man. The old, mean drunk was changed into a man who delighted to serve as an usher in the congregation with a huge smile that lit up his whole face!

So, to pray without ceasing does not necessarily mean to pray 24/7, but to pray without giving up until the victory has been won, even if you have to pray through some battles on the way. Is there someone you have been praying for, even for a long time? Are you in a situation that has gone from bad to worse the more you pray? Don’t give up! Keep on raising up a standard of prayer against the enemy’s onslaught. And look up to see what glorious answer to prayer the Lord will send. Jesus said,

“And shall not God avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily…” (Luke 18:7-8)

Be encouraged to pray without ceasing in these difficult and perilous days. The Lord’s return is getting closer and closer. And we know how the story will end. Despite all the efforts of the devil to thwart our prayers or destroy our world, the Lord will be victorious and all His saints, those who are looking for and rejoicing to see His appearing, shall surely see the salvation of the Lord. In this we can indeed give thanks, for this is God’s will for us!

–dmrf