Persevere Through Prayer

To persevere through Prayer is to persevere in Prayer. – Ptr. Bong Saquing

This is one of the most enlightening plenary talks I have heard when I attended the B1G13. Ultimately I learned that in God’s heart, He wants us to have an abundant life. We may have a rough journey but there is a promise that PRAYER makes it exciting and rewarding.

Leaders cannot afford NOT to Pray. As a leader, we are REQUIRED to pray and Jesus challenges us to pray intentionally. Leaders face different challenges and we are targeted by Sin. Kung ikaw ang leader, ikaw ang sisiraan. Ikaw ang ipapahamak at kahit ginawa mo na lahat para tumulong, ikaw pa din ang pupukulin. Leaders in our current times are to model Christ always. We NEED to pray.

Honestly, I used to think that when we pray and ask for something we need, it is the way God can fulfill it. I used to see God as a Genie and the only way I can wish for something to happen is when I pray. Of course, if I don’t need something, I would not pray at all. Oh dear, I was a total mess back then!

Prayer and God’s Words are like two wings that can help us soar and fly above all our challenges as leaders. It is our greatest power because it is about God Himself but remember not to confuse ourselves, Prayer has NO POWER; The POWER is about the GOD who we pray about. Moreover, prayer is not a tool but how we commune with God. We need to accept that only God can make things possible and we don’t need to pray to manipulate the situation. Everything will happen at its own time, at its own pace, in God’s Will and perfect timing.

Our leadership effectiveness is determined by our prayerfulness.

I am currently having troubles aligning with God’s plans for me as a leader and it clearly shows vulnerability to the world and forgetting that I am working for Him and not for other people. In my heart, I know I need to pray more. I am not clearly worshipping God in every move I am taking as a leader and I may have started to mess things up but I am not losing hope. I know I have to pray more and to totally surrender everything to Him. I am called to persevere through prayer not to change God’s Will but to change myself to conform to His Will. Ptr. Bong gave us a good mnemonic to help us remember (P.R.A.Y).

PRIORITIZE GOD! We are called to pray without ceasing.

18 One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. –  Luke 18:1 NLT

BE RESOLVED. God knows the desires of our hearts and He is a father who just needs to hear us asking for it even though He already knows what we need.

14 And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. 15 And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for. – 1 John 5:14-15 NLT

ASK. When we pray, we should be on point, particular, and specific.

23 At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. 24 You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy. – John 16:23-24 NLT

—but there’s a warning when we ask in prayer. We sometimes don’t get what we ask for:

You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure. – James 4:2-3

YIELD. Surrender everything to Him. Witness God’s plans unfold before our eyes and keep in mind that God answers and continues His plans for us EVEN IF we do not ask for it. He does not stop and we just need to continue surrendering everything.

11 “You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? 12 Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! 13 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.” – Luke 11:11-13

God loves us so much that He only wants the highest good for us. If our prayer request is wrong, He says NO. If it is right but in the wrong time, He says SLOW DOWN. If it is wrong at the wrong time, He says GROW. If it is right, He says GO.

Persevering through Prayer is like living a Christian life – it is impossible. Only by God’s grace and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit we could ever make it. I praise Jesus for teaching us the manner of praying and it is ONLY through Him we can make it right with our God the Father.

Have you been praying the right way? Click here to let me know how can I pray for you. 🙂

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Whoever is reading this, my prayer request is that, may God touch my heart and make it humble enough to serve others not in through my own understanding and my own might but with the constant guidance and wisdom of the Holy Spirit. May I finish this race with a persevering heart and magnify His glory in all things I do.

1 Comment

  1. How I do my Quiet Time | Almost A Writer

    July 22, 2018 at 11:33 am

    […] When I started attending B1GFridays, there was a session that gave an overview on the right manner of praying in reference to the Bible’s teachings but I did not fully understand it that well not until I attended the True Life Retreat. I was taught to pray from the heart and with a guide so that I will be praying as Jesus has taught to His disciples. I was taught not just to pray but to persevere through prayer. […]

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