Day 1 : The first thing you'Il need is perseverance

Welcome to this little lesson on prayer !

If you intend to read it at every issue, this is already a sign that you are looking for seriousness with God. Prayer, and especially intercession, is both the greatest privilege and the most difficult ministry. Why ?

Because we can, in a real and direct way, participate with God in the advancement of His Kingdom. And this is the most difficult, because there is probably no ministry that arouses so much opposition from the enemy.

He is not particularly afraid of prayer. All religions pray, and most with much more intensity and discipline than many Christians! But it is prayer according to the word of God, according to His will that makes him really afraid ...

The first thing you'll need is perseverance. Read with me what the Apostle Paul says in the Epistle to the Romans :

"God, whom I serve in my spirit in the Gospel of his Son, is witness to me that I constantly mention you, continually asking in my prayers to have at last by his will the happiness of going to you." (Romans 1: 9-10)

'Without ceasing' ... 'continuously' ... finally, by his will ... '. Paul did not just pray once, and when he did not see the answer, he said to himself : "So much the worse, it is probably not the will of God ...".

No, he continued. Elsewhere he says he was 'prevented' by the enemy ! It takes perseverance and discernment to know if an obstacle is there because God does not open the door, or if the enemy tries to stop you !

"Lord, I really want to learn to pray. Give me perseverance. Help me to continue this course, and put it into practice for the advancement of your Kingdom. In the name of Jesus, amen."

René de Groot