SET YOUR ENVIRONMENT FOR SUPPLICATION

03/10/2023

"Then He [Jesus] spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart..." (Luke 18:1)

The Master said you ought always to pray. However, there are times when you would not feel like praying. Sometimes, it could be because of the dirt we pick up in the air around us. Now by dirt, I am referring to three things; sins, worries and doubt. Every day, as we go about our business, whether we work at a job or attend a school or own a business, these three things are smeared at us in one way or the other. The inadvertent casualty of the "dirt smear" is our spirits and this is why it is important to plan to put a solid plan in place by setting a conducive environment for prayer. 

Remember Jesus said that we "...always ought to pray and not lose heart..." (Luke 18:1). In essence, anything that keeps us out of our natural habitat is a threat to our survival and must be treated with the utmost seriousness. So the first thing you do to set the spiritual environment is Bible study. Jesus said, "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you" (John 15:3). The word of God is a scouring agent that is sure to rid your heart of dirt. 

Second, dirt produces almost always produces dryness. For some, even after their minds have been cleansed by Bible study, speaking in tongues feels like a drag. Here, music can be a required lubricant to ease into prayer. Elisha felt salty towards Joram, King of Israel because of his father [Ahab] and mother [Jezebel] and all the harassment, both of his parents put his master, Elijah through but because of Jehosaphat, King of Judah, who honoured him, he decided to get in the spirit. However, to deal with his saltiness toward Joram, he turned to music. "But now bring me a musician.” Then it happened, when the musician played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him." (2 Kings 3:14).  Understand that you won't always need music, but if you need it, by all means, play music before or during your prayer times. 

Lastly, check your heart that you hold no one in a state of unforgiveness. "And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses" (Mark 11:25). If you are married, this is even more stringent. Your prayer environment is in a filthy state if your spouse is not at peace with you. Be quick to sing their praises, forgive him or her and make restitution, irrespective of who hurt who. And here is why. 1 Peter 3:7 says, "Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honour to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered." 

Jesus said you ought always to pray...This means, even if you don't feel like praying or specks of dirt have smeared your spirit or the enemy has orchestrated some kind of weapon to dissuade you from praying, as he often does, prayer is where you are your best self and you must use every trick in the book to get back into your natural habitat. 

Have a beautiful day!

Faith-Filled Confession

I arrive at my place of supplication with a sense of the state of my heart and environment. I know what to do when I feel restrained from prayer and I press into prayer with every resource at my disposal. I ought always to pray and not be exasperated. Therefore, I pray without ceasing with the help of the Holy Spirit. Hallelujah!

ONE YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Deuteronomy 8-10; Mark 12:28-44