Matthew 26:41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
“Discipleship means discipline!” – C S Lewis.
A disciplined prayer life is like the process of metamorphosis for the followers of Jesus. It is in our time of prayer that the mind is transformed, the heart is renovated and our lifestyle is reformed. There will be no spiritual growth if the disciple of prayer is ignored or skipped. A praying Christian is a warring Christian and a winning Christian. Our prayer closet teaches us to connect with the Almighty God and transcends us into the unseen spiritual realm. Prayer closet is the place where we are humbled, corrected and alerted. Prayer closet is the place where we are empowered to truly become His disciples. “Discipleship is the process of becoming who Jesus would be if He were you.” -Dallas Willard.
Jesus taught His disciples how to pray (Matthew 6:9-13). Jesus taught them the importance of persistent prayer. Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up (Luke 18:1). Jesus taught them the importance of disciplined prayer life to resist temptation. Disciples are not flawless saints; they are God’s sons and daughters who do not have any known or rebellious sin in their life. A disciplined, methodical and regular prayer routine empowers and equips us with the weapons to overcome sin and temptations. Jesus repeated his instructions to Peter to watch and pray that he will not fall into the temptation of denying Jesus.
A disciple never ceases praying. Early Morning Prayer brings new mercies for the day (Psalm 63:1). Praying should become like breathing to us. Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, And He shall hear my voice (Psalm 55:17). Hell trembles at a praying Christian; on the contrary, one demon can topple a prayer-less believer. It is the vehicle of prayer that turns the information into practical application. ‘The unbroken routine of prayer routine’ metamorphoses a believer into a disciple.
Discipleship means discipline:
1. Connect: Prayer keeps us connected to the spiritual realm 24/7. Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication (Ephesians 6:18). A disciple has an uninterrupted connection with the Lord.
2. Correct: An integral part of discipleship is listening to the voice of God. The more we listen, the more we will learn, change and correct our ways.
3. Combat: Our persistent prayer life turns a weakling into a warrior. We are empowered with spiritual weapons to defeat all the tricks and attacks of the demonic realm. Praying endows a believer with spiritual armory to defeat the fiendish plot and sabotages the plots of hell even before we are tempted. Prayer empowers a disciple into powerful combatants.
A believer will remain a defeated believer if the discipline of prayer is not inculcated into their daily routine.
A disciple should remain in the mode of prayer 24/7.
Psalm 63:6 On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I commit to a disciplined prayer life. Make me a powerful combatant to shake the foundation of hell. Amen.
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