One of the shortest but most powerful verses in the Bible is 1 Thessalonians 5:17. It simply says this: “Pray continually” or “Pray without ceasing.” 

Reading this verse and saying it is easy, but living this verse—now that’s another story. How on earth can we pray without ceasing? Well, look no further than to the hero of the Bible. His name is the Lord Jesus Christ.

When Jesus needed to get through an ordinary day, he prayed. When Jesus had a big decision to make, he prayed. When Jesus was dealing with personal grief, he prayed. And when Jesus was teaching his disciples how to defeat evil, he prayed. 

Are you going through any of these things? An ordinary day, a big decision, personal grief, overcoming evil? Well, if Jesus prayed about these things, what about you and me?

An Ordinary Day

Mark 1:35 says, “Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, he went out to a deserted place, and there he was praying.”

I love this verse because it tells us the previous day, Jesus preached in a synagogue. He cast a demon out of a guy in the middle of a sermon. He went home with Peter for lunch. He healed Peter’s mother-in-law. And then, late into the night, the sick and the needy and the demon-possessed all came to him.

The whole town came to the door where Jesus was staying, but the next morning, Jesus still got up early and prayed. Why? Because Jesus knew even on ordinary days, he needed God’s supernatural power.

A Big Decision

The Bible says that the night before Jesus chose his 12 apostles, “he went out to a mountain all by himself, and alone he spent all night in prayer to God for wisdom” (Luke 6:12). 

Do you have a decision to make? Bathe it in prayer. Cover it in prayer. Completely pray over that decision from every angle and trust the direction to God.

Personal Grief

Many scholars believe John the Baptist and Jesus played together as little boys because their mothers, Elizabeth and Mary, were so close. Most likely, they were more than just cousins—they were closest friends. Of all the people Jesus could have asked to baptize him in the Jordan River, he asked John. 

When Jesus learned that John the Baptist had been beheaded for preaching the truth to King Herod, he was devastated by this tragic news and personal loss. What does Matthew 14:13 say? Jesus got away. He was by himself in solitude and, you guessed it, there he prayed.

The Power of Prayer

I’m all for going to the doctor. I’m all for taking medicine. I believe in counseling and therapy. But there is healing that can only happen for your heart when you turn to Jesus in prayer.

We see a fourth example in Mark Chapter 9, where there was a boy who was demon-possessed. He was thrown into the fire and the water. The demon was wrecking his life. His dad brought the troubled son to Jesus’ disciples and said, can you guys help me out? Can you cast this demon out of my son? The disciples tried and tried, but they failed every time. They were unable to cast the demon out of the young boy.

Finally, when Jesus appeared on the scene, and the dad asked Jesus to help him, Jesus said of course he would help. And immediately, Jesus cast the demon out of the young man. The young man was radically changed. He completely returned to normal! 

Everyone was amazed at how Jesus cast the demon out of the boy. Later, the disciples privately asked Jesus why they couldn’t cast it out. Jesus said, “This kind only comes out by prayer and fasting.”

Wow! Deeper prayer, heartfelt prayer, earnest prayer, even prayer that goes without food from the earth. The point is this: Prayer was the driving force of Jesus’ life and ministry. How could we do any less? I agree with Paul! May God help us pray without ceasing.

Let it be so, Lord Jesus, today, as you taught your disciples, teach us to pray.