“Pray without ceasing.” -1 Thessalonians 5:17 NKJV
Water’s importance to the human body cannot be overemphasised. 75% of the human brain is water, and roughly 60% of the human body is water. Scientists have said that a person can go a whole month without food, but can’t survive a week without water.
Not drinking water can lead to dehydration, which leads to organ failure and ultimately, fast death. This is why doctors advise you to drink lots of water daily, even when you’re not thirsty.
Similarly, prayer is like water to the believer. It is crucial for the spirit of a believer, otherwise, spiritual death is inevitable.
Scripture teaches you to be consistent in prayer, not just because of what it does for you but also what it does in you (Romans 12:12, Colossians 4:2). A consistent prayer life builds your relationship with God and helps you grow spiritually, helping you become all God would have you be.
Prayer should be a daily habit that you cultivate and not an occasional event. Jesus exemplified this in His earthly ministry (Matthew 11:25, Mark 1:35, Luke 10:21, John 17).
Let’s take a look at some ways to build consistency in prayer.
Firstly, create a routine. Waiting until you have spare time to pray is likely to result in an inconsistent prayer life, the same way you can’t only drink water when you’re thirsty. Set out a specific prayer time in the day, a prayer place and be intentional about keeping to it. You could also set alarms at different points in the day to remind you to pray.
We see an example of this in Acts 3:1 where Peter and John were on their way to the temple at a specific time because it was their custom. This does not mean you can’t pray outside of these times. You should talk to God throughout the day but having a schedule helps build a consistent prayer life.
Secondly, take advantage of corporate prayer times. Just as you have private prayer times, taking advantage of established structures where you pray regularly with other believers also helps build your prayer life. You can join prayer groups or platforms like Triumph30 on YouTube where we meet to pray at 6 am (WAT), 12 noon (WAT), 8 pm (WAT) and 9 pm (EST).
Having a prayer partner can also help keep you accountable in prayer. Build a structure where someone or some people check in with you about praying. Praying together would help greatly in building consistency in prayer.
Dear believer, in a world full of distractions and numerous activities keeping you busy, it is essential to be intentional about your prayer life by putting structures in place for consistency and your profiting shall appear to all.
Remember, the water you drink today will keep you healthy tomorrow.
Selah!
Bible Reading Plan: John 11:29- 57