Discipline of Prayer

Why discipline?

The Christian life takes discipline.

Stay clear of silly stories that get dressed up as religion. Exercise daily in God—no spiritual flabbiness, please! Workouts in the gymnasium are useful, but a disciplined life in God is far more so, making you fit both today and forever. You can count on this. Take it to heart. This is why we’ve thrown ourselves into this venture so totally. 1 Timothy 4:6-10 (MSG)

What if God (mainly) limits what He does in the world through what we pray?

We get what we pray for. – Spouse, kids, job, church, pastor

How to pray for a long time

Understand we’re not to pray like the pagans and their many words. Matthew 6:7

TWAR –

Thanksgiving,

Worship,

Agreement (confession),

Requests

Pray the Word – Thematically or from a portion like the Psalms.

Run out of words? Spirit will help you. (Romans 8:26)
Jude tells us to build ourselves up praying in the Holy Spirit (Jude 1:20)
Paul tells us the one who speaks in a tongue builds himself up. (1 Cor. 14:14)
(That’s why it’s the least of all the gifts when we gather)

Paul says

For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. 1 Cor 14:14-15

He equates singing and praying in tongues as singing and praying in the spirit.

I pray in tongues every day. ..it’s personal.

This is how I’ve learned to discipline myself to pray for a long time.
Praying in the spirit builds me up so I can pray.
Praying in the Spirit gives me words to pray when I run out.
Praying the Spirit gives me confidence that I’m praying God’s will, because I don’t understand it and the Spirit is praying through me.

It’s a gift that’s available to everyone. It’s more a phycological problem than a spiritual problem when people start to eagerly desire the gift of tongues.

Challenge

Discipline yourself to pray more this week.

Allow the Spirit to speak to you about it.