How intense should our prayers be?

[Jake]

This issue has been coming up over and over again with me lately and thought I'd bring it here and ask all of you. People continuely tell me they are praying for something or someone, yet their prayers are quick little 1 or 2 minutes prayers. It seems they are not truly seeking God in their lives and in doing so, does God honor those quick little prayers, too? Do we instead need to spend time in prayer seeking His face?

My understanding of scripture and prayer is like when Jesus was praying at Gethsamene, He was praying so intensely He was sweating blood, and there are very few people who I have met, who actually pray that intensely (not that they bled, but incredible things happened).

Sometimes when I pray, it may take 30 or so minutes before I am actually focused on God and rid myself of outside stimulus, and during those times, it seems its way worth seeking Him and the blessing out weighs the struggle I had getting there.

How do you all pray? Intensely seeking Him or quick little prayers? Is He more likely to favorably answer intense prayers vs quick ones?

Thanks in advance for your answers.

Jake

 

[reba]

Rockie,

Some times you have quick conversations with your Dad some times they are intense. The same with prayer!

I have witnessed what you are speaking of kinda a flippant "bless them Lord" leaves ya feeling like some one is telling God to clean His room!

It is the 'garden prayers' that keep us close to Him. The time spent before the throne of Grace will build your strength, your faith, your longing, understanding...

Growing up it is was a real comfort to realize my Dad spent hours in 'garden prayer' later i understood it was those prayers that kept daddy through the days and allowed the "Spirit knowledge" to be at hand when time constraints had to be dealt with.
Never give up your time for "garden prayers" for a young man to even consider such things gives me hope in His Kingdom! One is never out of line to seek His face, we should.

 

[Sparkey]

How intense?

Prayers can run from casual conversation with the Lord -- to actively seeking with your whole heart, with all your strength and all your mind. Sometimes when I pray, I'm just talking to God. This morning I watched a TV show. I was alone in my home. After watching I remarked to the Lord that the characters in the TV show seemed to have a very passionate love for each other. It was a crime drama on TV and I wanted to speak to God about it. Other times I'm pouring out my heart in a way that I can't do with anybody but only to Him. There are different types of prayers but the thing they all have in common is trust.

We are to cast all our cares (both the big and the small) on Him who loves us. He is there for us always and in every way that we need Him.

 

[Elijah674]

This issue has been coming up over and over again with me lately and thought I'd bring it here and ask all of you. People continuely tell me they are praying for something or someone, yet their prayers are quick little 1 or 2 minutes prayers. It seems they are not truly seeking God in their lives and in doing so, does God honor those quick little prayers, too? Do we instead need to spend time in prayer seeking His face?

My understanding of scripture and prayer is like when Jesus was praying at Gethsamene, He was praying so intensely He was sweating blood, and there are very few people who I have met, who actually pray that intensely (not that they bled, but incredible things happened).

Sometimes when I pray, it may take 30 or so minutes before I am actually focused on God and rid myself of outside stimulus, and during those times, it seems its way worth seeking Him and the blessing out weighs the struggle I had getting there.

How do you all pray? Intensely seeking Him or quick little prayers? Is He more likely to favorably answer intense prayers vs quick ones?

Thanks in advance for your answers.

Jake

Intense?
Sounds like you do believe in 'works'? But anyway, we do need total submision to the Lord's will, who knows what is best. Paul prayed 'thrice' (only) in 2 Cor. 12:9 and was told what? And there are different type's of prayer, even ones of thanks for when & if answered.;)

And all prayers are conditional as well, as 'i' see it. Isa. 59:1-2. And that begs the question, then can & does satan at times answer [verbal] prayers if God allows? (surely!)

Here is 'my' thinking about the question, when one is 'IN CHRIST' (Rom. 8:1) they know it by their OBEDIENCE. -->(Rom. 8:14) So when 'i' pray, everything should be done for my prayer to be answered by 'me' first, (works of James 2) and then leave the answering of it to where I know nothing about it being the right prayer? up to God. Phil. 4:13

--Elijah

PS: And Christ's 'intensity'? as I see it, it was knowing what He was to shortly pass through for the Salvation of mankind. Which was so great that He could not see pass the grave, and thought that Jehovah God had forsaken Him.

 

[Adullam]

We are to seek with ALL our hearts. This is a very great intensity. We must do all things with fervency. We need to pray with purpose and pray hard until we receive an answer.

James 5:16 Confess [your] faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul.

 

[Jake]

We are to seek with ALL our hearts. This is a very great intensity. We must do all things with fervency. We need to pray with purpose and pray hard until we receive an answer.

James 5:16 Confess [your] faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul.

It seems this is what the Lord is showing me right now. thanks.

 

[Jake]

Intense?
Sounds like you do believe in 'works'? But anyway, we do need total submision to the Lord's will, who knows what is best. Paul prayed 'thrice' (only) in 2 Cor. 12:9 and was told what? And there are different type's of prayer, even ones of thanks for when & if answered.;)

And all prayers are conditional as well, as 'i' see it. Isa. 59:1-2. And that begs the question, then can & does satan at times answer [verbal] prayers if God allows? (surely!)

Here is 'my' thinking about the question, when one is 'IN CHRIST' (Rom. 8:1) they know it by their OBEDIENCE. -->(Rom. 8:14) So when 'i' pray, everything should be done for my prayer to be answered by 'me' first, (works of James 2) and then leave the answering of it to where I know nothing about it being the right prayer? up to God. Phil. 4:13

--Elijah

PS: And Christ's 'intensity'? as I see it, it was knowing what He was to shortly pass through for the Salvation of mankind. Which was so great that He could not see pass the grave, and thought that Jehovah God had forsaken Him.

Well, faith without works is dead, right? There are an awful lot of "if" statements to be found as in conditional.

So if we are saying flippant prayers, why would God answer when He tells us to seek Him with all our hearts.

 

[Jake]

And all prayers are conditional as well, as 'i' see it. Isa. 59:1-2. And that begs the question, then can & does satan at times answer [verbal] prayers if God allows? (surely!)

If we are in the Word, then our prayers will be according to the Word, so if we are asking in this way - what is the condition? He said if we ask in faith, we will receive, so what makes them conditional?

Why would satan answer verbal prayers if we are praying according to God's Word? And why only verbally?

 

[Elijah674]

Re: How intense should our prayers be?

Originally Posted by Elijah674
And all prayers are conditional as well, as 'i' see it. Isa. 59:1-2. And that begs the question, then can & does satan at times answer [verbal] prayers if God allows? (surely!)

Rocky says:



If we are in the Word, then our prayers will be according to the Word, so if we are asking in this way - what is the condition? He said if we ask in faith, we will receive, so what makes them conditional?

Why would satan answer verbal prayers if we are praying according to God's Word? And why only verbally?

______________

Me again. You said 'IF' we are in the Word. Let's say that we are so! Now, do we believe the Prayer that Christ taught us to pray? '.. THY WILL BE DONE..'

And the Conditional Promises? It was satan who quoted a PROMISE to Christ the Word Himself in Matt. 4:6, and in almost the exact Psalms 91:11 Wording! So what was wrong with that Promise?? It left out the ETERNAL CONDITION found in Deut 6:16 that Christ quoted back to satan!

And worse still, is the stuff that one hears & is taught that the O.T. is [ALL FINISHED!]
Even in John 9:31 we see 'INSPIRATION!' saying: 'Now we know that God heareth not sinners: [BUT IF ANY MAN BE A WORSHIPER OF GOD, AND DOETH HIS WILL, HIM HE HEARETH.]'

Even then, many prayers are not answered until years later. And always the one knowledgable Christian praying is required to have his prayer in subjection to the will of God.

And if we think that satan will not be permitted to do his evil miracle working stuff? Read Matt. 24:24 + 2 Thess. 2:9-11 for the DOCUMENTED TRUTH!

And the reason he does this is to deceive! Prayer, Noise, Tongue babbelings, Excitement, + MIRACLES are all ways that many are deceived into thinking that God is there, while it is satan that is the one in charge!

--Elijah


​

 

[Jake]

Me again. You said 'IF' we are in the Word. Let's say that we are so! Now, do we believe the Prayer that Christ taught us to pray? '.. THY WILL BE DONE..'

​

When we are praying according to His Word, believing what God has promised us, then isn't that His Will? He DID say if we pray in faith, then we will receive AND He did say that we do not receive because we ask and do not believe.

Isn't praying in faith, believing we shall receive, God's Will?

 

[WIP]

This issue has been coming up over and over again with me lately and thought I'd bring it here and ask all of you. People continuely tell me they are praying for something or someone, yet their prayers are quick little 1 or 2 minutes prayers. It seems they are not truly seeking God in their lives and in doing so, does God honor those quick little prayers, too? Do we instead need to spend time in prayer seeking His face?

My understanding of scripture and prayer is like when Jesus was praying at Gethsamene, He was praying so intensely He was sweating blood, and there are very few people who I have met, who actually pray that intensely (not that they bled, but incredible things happened).

Sometimes when I pray, it may take 30 or so minutes before I am actually focused on God and rid myself of outside stimulus, and during those times, it seems its way worth seeking Him and the blessing out weighs the struggle I had getting there.

How do you all pray? Intensely seeking Him or quick little prayers? Is He more likely to favorably answer intense prayers vs quick ones?

Thanks in advance for your answers.

Jake

What's important is where the prayer comes from and to whom it is addressed. Prayer is conversation with God. We bring to Him our needs, our wants, our concerns, our joy, our praise, our worship, etc.

Does it mean more if one babbles on and on and on rather than a brief heartfelt prayer?

"But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking." Matt. 6:7 KJV

 

[Sparkey]

I remember a story about how wine is made. It was an analogy and tried to describe how the wine itself must feel when the winemaker overturned the cask that it was contained in. Imagine the wine all settled and feeling good thinking about only good things when suddenly it found itself overturned and upsidedown. The silt that had settled on the bottom of the barrel would now be flowing down from above. Things that were clear before would be cloudy and the wine might be heard to cry, "What has become of me??"

Presently the silt that had been stirred would have worked its way down and would settle again on the bottom and then the wine would be drawn from the cask, leaving the dirt and silt behind. What would the prayer from the wine be if we could listen just before the cask was overturned? "Lord, I praise you!" "I rejoice in all things for You and You alone are God." --- the wine would be rejoicing and praying thankfully ... But if we could listen again moments after the wine jug (cask) was overturned we might hear something more along the lines of, "What is become of me?" or more traditionally, "Woe is me!"

Now consider the intensity of each prayer. Was the prayer that arose from fear better because it was more intense?

 

[Jake]

I remember a story about how wine is made. It was an analogy and tried to describe how the wine itself must feel when the winemaker overturned the cask that it was contained in. Imagine the wine all settled and feeling good thinking about only good things when suddenly it found itself overturned and upsidedown. The silt that had settled on the bottom of the barrel would now be flowing down from above. Things that were clear before would be cloudy and the wine might be heard to cry, "What has become of me??"

Presently the silt that had been stirred would have worked its way down and would settle again on the bottom and then the wine would be drawn from the cask, leaving the dirt and silt behind. What would the prayer from the wine be if we could listen just before the cask was overturned? "Lord, I praise you!" "I rejoice in all things for You and You alone are God." --- the wine would be rejoicing and praying thankfully ... But if we could listen again moments after the wine jug (cask) was overturned we might hear something more along the lines of, "What is become of me?" or more traditionally, "Woe is me!"

Now consider the intensity of each prayer. Was the prayer that arose from fear better because it was more intense?

An intense prayer doesn't necessarily have to originate with fear, does it? And, even so, it should not originate from fear, but rather of faith. What if we are praying for someone's salvation, that God would open their eyes and heart to Him, doesn't that person's salvation deserve our intense prayers to God?

What about a prayer of repentance, should we just casually tell God we're sorry, it seems we should be at least bothered by what we did.

Praising is the same, how can we truly praise God without some sort of intensity?

In our fast paced society, have we really no time for long, intense prayers?

 

[Sam21]

For most of my christian life, at times during the day and sometimes at night, I will suddenly have a name or picture or situation presented before my mind and usually I make a brief prayer for whatever it was. This may happen while I am walking,eating, driving. If the person comes back to my mind in a moment then I will pray harder. Sometimes the person or situation has come before my mind as many as a half dozen times in a short period of time and when that happens I try to take more time and pray harder. I usually ask the Lord to help the person and then I confess by faith that they person is being helped and then I think God for the help.

 

[Elijah674]

When we are praying according to His Word, believing what God has promised us, then isn't that His Will? He DID say if we pray in faith, then we will receive AND He did say that we do not receive because we ask and do not believe.

Isn't praying in faith, believing we shall receive, God's Will?

___________

I believe that Salvation is conditional. God wants all saved, yet it is not going to be as we know.(?) And also there is NO way that OSAS can be accepted by the Lord's WORD for me. Now for your question. There are many who had had their names recorded in the Book of life that will have them removed. And their one time answered prayers??? Matt. 7:22, Matt. 23:38 for the whole group! + Rev. 2:5 for another WHOLE FOLD ^ Rev. 3:16's SPEWED OUT OF CHRIST MOUTH ONES!

More? Heb. 6:6 + these 'promising OSAS' (LIBERTY ibid 19) of 2 Peter 2:18-22

BOTTON/LINE's [[[FACT!]]] Obad. 1:16 'For [as ye have drunk upon my holy mountain'.. 'and they [SHALL BE AS THOUGH THEY HAD NEVER BEEN.']
(have, had in past/tense! Heb. 6:1-6!)

Even this TRUTH does away with much of satans false lies of Gen. 3, yet claimed as truth by most all 'praying' ones. And this has been going on for many moons! Gen. 6:3

--Elijah

 

[Jake]

___________

I believe that Salvation is conditional. God wants all saved, yet it is not going to be as we know.(?) And also there is NO way that OSAS can be accepted by the Lord's WORD for me. Now for your question. There are many who had had their names recorded in the Book of life that will have them removed. And their one time answered prayers??? Matt. 7:22, Matt. 23:38 for the whole group! + Rev. 2:5 for another WHOLE FOLD ^ Rev. 3:16's SPEWED OUT OF CHRIST MOUTH ONES!

More? Heb. 6:6 + these 'promising OSAS' (LIBERTY ibid 19) of 2 Peter 2:18-22

BOTTON/LINE's [[[FACT!]]] Obad. 1:16 'For [as ye have drunk upon my holy mountain'.. 'and they [SHALL BE AS THOUGH THEY HAD NEVER BEEN.']
(have, had in past/tense! Heb. 6:1-6!)

Even this TRUTH does away with much of satans false lies of Gen. 3, yet claimed as truth by most all 'praying' ones. And this has been going on for many moons! Gen. 6:3

--Elijah

This still does not answer my question, I realize salvation is conditional. I am speaking of praying, when we pray in faith God will answer our prayers, if we are in the Word. Your claim is "in thy will" and my claim is if we are praying in the Word our prayers are already His Will, are they not?

 

[Sparkey]

An intense prayer doesn't necessarily have to originate with fear, does it? And, even so, it should not originate from fear, but rather of faith. What if we are praying for someone's salvation, that God would open their eyes and heart to Him, doesn't that person's salvation deserve our intense prayers to God?

What about a prayer of repentance, should we just casually tell God we're sorry, it seems we should be at least bothered by what we did.

Praising is the same, how can we truly praise God without some sort of intensity?

In our fast paced society, have we really no time for long, intense prayers?

Pardon me if I sounded like I was trying to argue with anybody, frankly I'm not the guy to look to as an expert. It was only my observation that oftentimes the intensity of MY prayers increases as I start to look to things other than heaven origninated. Consider Peter as he walked on the water, do you think his cry for help may have been more intense when he saw himself falling? Both prayers -- the joy of walking above and the need to reach out while falling are valid. Both are expressed in trust and belief.

 

[Elijah674]

___________

I believe that Salvation is conditional. God wants all saved, yet it is not going to be as we know.(?) And also there is NO way that OSAS can be accepted by the Lord's WORD for me. Now for your question. There are many who had had their names recorded in the Book of life that will have them removed. And their one time answered prayers??? Matt. 7:22, Matt. 23:38 for the whole group! + Rev. 2:5 for another WHOLE FOLD ^ Rev. 3:16's SPEWED OUT OF CHRIST MOUTH ONES!

More? Heb. 6:6 + these 'promising OSAS' (LIBERTY ibid 19) of 2 Peter 2:18-22

BOTTON/LINE's [[[FACT!]]] Obad. 1:16 'For [as ye have drunk upon my holy mountain'.. 'and they [SHALL BE AS THOUGH THEY HAD NEVER BEEN.']
(have, had in past/tense! Heb. 6:1-6!)

Even this TRUTH does away with much of satans false lies of Gen. 3, yet claimed as truth by most all 'praying' ones. And this has been going on for many moons! Gen. 6:3

--Elijah

_________________

Me again: I thought that it did answer the question for my view at least. I see prayer as conditional as is salvation. (Matt. 28:20) We do not have the mind of God to know what His time/frame for answering ones prayer is, or if He will, or not. (at least me) We pray for family to be converted, does God force His will?

And the above post finds all kinds of faith as well. Even the devil believes + the ones of John 12:42-43. And using your thought seems to be saying that you can walk on water? if not, why not? It also sounds that you put answered prayer the way for testing Truth? which is not the case as stated.

--Elijah

 

[Jake]

Pardon me if I sounded like I was trying to argue with anybody, frankly I'm not the guy to look to as an expert. It was only my observation that oftentimes the intensity of MY prayers increases as I start to look to things other than heaven origninated. Consider Peter as he walked on the water, do you think his cry for help may have been more intense when he saw himself falling? Both prayers -- the joy of walking above and the need to reach out while falling are valid. Both are expressed in trust and belief.

I wasn't arguing either, sorry if it came across the way.

 

[Jake]

_________________
We do not have the mind of God to know what His time/frame for answering ones prayer is, or if He will, or not. (at least me) We pray for family to be converted, does God force His will?

--Elijah

Say what Elijah.....

1 Cor 10: 16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.