Pray Till You Pray
The sermon emphasizes the importance of continuing to pray until you have truly prayed and connected with God.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes the necessity of persistent prayer in his sermon 'Pray Till You Pray,' urging believers to continue in prayer until they truly connect with God. He highlights the common tendency to end prayers prematurely, often missing the deeper communion that can occur after initial distractions are set aside. Tozer encourages Christians to acknowledge their spiritual dullness and to press through these feelings, as true prayer often requires perseverance and focus. He draws on the wisdom of past prayer warriors, advocating for a commitment to 'pray through' until a genuine encounter with God is achieved. The sermon serves as a reminder of the importance of unhurried meditation in prayer.
Text
Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving. --Colossians 4:2
Dr. Moody Stuart, a great praying man of a past generation, once drew up a set of rules to guide him in his prayers. Among these rules is this one: "Pray till you pray."...
The habit of breaking off our prayers before we have truly prayed is as common as it is unfortunate. Often the last 10 minutes may mean more to us than the first half hour, because we must spend a long time getting into the proper mood to pray effectively. We may need to struggle with our thoughts to draw them in from where they have been scattered through the multitude of distractions that result from the task of living in a disordered world....
If when we come to prayer our hearts feel dull and unspiritual, we should not try to argue ourselves out of it. Rather, we should admit it frankly and pray our way through. Some Christians smile at the thought of "praying through," but something of the same idea is found in the writings of practically every great praying saint from Daniel to the present day. We cannot afford to stop praying till we have actually prayed. This World: Playground or Battleground? pp. 69-70
"Oh Lord, what an important and needed challenge! It's so easy to rush into Your presence and 'check off' our Bible reading and prayer for the day--and so hard to wait in Your presence in unhurried meditation. I'll wait today and 'pray through.' Amen."
Sermon Outline
- The Importance of Prayer
- Struggling to Pray
- Praying Through
- Waiting in God's Presence
- Unhurried meditation is essential for effective prayer
- Wait in God's presence and 'pray through'
Key Quotes
“Pray till you pray.” — A.W. Tozer
“Oh Lord, what an important and needed challenge! It's so easy to rush into Your presence and 'check off' our Bible reading and prayer for the day--and so hard to wait in Your presence in unhurried meditation.” — A.W. Tozer
“I'll wait today and 'pray through.' Amen.” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- Make a conscious effort to continue praying until you have truly prayed and connected with God.
- Be willing to struggle with your thoughts and emotions to draw them back to prayer.
- Prioritize unhurried meditation in your prayer life to connect with God more effectively.