Discipline of Prayer

Discipline is the training expected to produce a specific character or pattern of behavior. So when we speak of the discipline of prayer, we are speaking of a pattern of behavior that leads to communicating and listening to God through the power of the Holy Spirit. A pattern is a consistent or standard way of doing something (1 Thess 5:17, Romans 12:12, Col 4:2, Luke 18:1, Eph 6:18).This then leads us to a question: do I have a disciplined prayer life? This is VITAL, because it TRULY leads and guides the course of your life. 

Mark’s gospel is all about Christ in action. In Mark’s gospel we see him doing many deeds and the word immediately or suddenly is often used (around 40 times). Even in this first chapter of Mark we see Jesus casting out an unclean spirit from a man in the synagogue. If I had time, study and read for yourself, I would connect the fact that this occurred after verses 21 & 22 which tell us He was teaching and He taught as one having authority. Next Jesus heals Simon’s wife’s mother who had a fever. Then they brought many who were sick and demon-possessed and he healed them. 

I gave this brief overview to say: when you have disciplined time with God, He will use you in mighty ways. We are all pouring out something into people's lives, the question is what is it (OH JESUS). And part of our disciplined time in prayer, MUST include the reading of the word of God. Acts 6:4 “but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”” Psalm 119: 97 “Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. 98 You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; For they are ever with me. 99 I have more understanding than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my meditation. 104 Through Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way.”

Why was Jesus prepared in and out of season? Because He prayed. And He helps us to know how to get disciplined. We must start early in the morning and we must find a place of solitude. This does not mean we should not come together corporately to pray, because there is MUCH power in corporate prayer. But before we come together corporately, we must have the discipline of praying individually (Daniel 6:10). Question: do you wake up and say, “I have no time to get dressed” or “I have no time to brush my teeth?” I would go to say the answers are a resounding NO! Why? Because you make time to do these things whether intentionally or even if you are late, you still do these things. As children of God who say we love God, who say He is the best thing that has ever happened to me, and who say we have a relationship with Him, then we MUST make time to start our day with prayer. 

The word of God is clear on the importance of prayer and the gospels show us how prayer was the heartbeat of Jesus’ ministry. I know, I hear you saying, “Anytime, but early in the morning (Psalm 143:8, Psalm 5:3, Psalm 59:16).” But understand that, yes, you can pray whenever, but know that the enemy already has the demonic waiting on you first thing in the morning. This is why we must start our day in prayer and the word, so we are prepared and girded up with the armor of God. JUST START SOMEWHERE. If you only start with 15 minutes and grow from there this is fine. TODAY, evaluate your pattern. TODAY, intentionally set your alarm earlier and get up. TODAY, see where you can remove or change something to build the most important relationship you have, which is with God. Psalm 119:147 “I rise before the dawning of the morning, And cry for help (this is prayer); I hope in Your word (when you hope, you wait on His Spirit to speak, meaning I must get to a place where prayer is not rushed).”