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How long should a Christian Pray?

by Michael Chu  
10/08/2006 / Prayers

It has been said that the our prayer muscle determines our strength in the Lord. A prayerful Christian who prays with an understanding of the importance of prayer rather than out of an obligation to pray will want to pray as often and as much as he or she could, and with consistency at that.

The following are some possible daily prayer times:-


60 seconds
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Good morning, God. Please bless my coming in and my going out. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Good night, Lord. Please watch over me as I rest for the night. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Lord Jesus, help me!


5 minutes
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The following may sound familiar to some of us in the past:

'I can afford to spend 5 minutes or so to prepare a simple meal of instant noodles or salad. Well, thats about as much time as I could spare for my daily prayer time with God, too. The rest of my free time are taken up by more important things like reading the newspaper (20 minutes) and watching television (2 hours). Dont I deserve a break after mowing the lawn and taking the dog for a walk in the neighbourhood?'


10 ~ 20 minutes
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A friend of mine told me that the sum of his daily prayers would amount to no more than 5 minutes until he had to patch the tear on his leather sofa. The instruction on the tube of adhesive stated that he had to wait between 10 to 20 minutes after applying it on both surfaces of the leather depending on how quick the glue would dry. Then, After coats are dry assemble the two parts and press for a few seconds.

So, he sat there on the floor of his living room and spent a good 20 minutes watching out for the glue to dry, interspersed with impatient glancing at the clock. He learnt to wait, and figured thereafter that he could well afford to bond with God by fellowshipping with His Spirit for 20 minutes a day. After all, he remembered singing well-meaningfully ever so often in church and fellowship meetings that: He is my everything, He is my all.


1 hour
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Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour (three o clock in the afternoon), (Acts 3:1; Amp.) As they went, a crippled man asked for alms and received his healing instead in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth walking and leaping and praising God. Recalling Calvary, it was at the ninth hour that the sun was darkened and the curtain of the Holy of Holies of the temple was torn into two and Jesus breathed His last. (Luke 23:44 ~ 46)

In the garden of Gethsemane after his first round of prayer, Jesus found that His disciples were asleep, and said to Peter, What, could you not watch with Me one hour? (Matthew 26:40)


24 hours
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Jesus is our eternal High Priest and intercessor. But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore, he is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He ever lives to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:25; NKJV)

praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints (Ephesians 6:18; NKJV)

[Some churches have prayer lock-ins in which a group stays in the church building in prayer all night long. In other churches people come on a 24-hour rotational basis.]
-- (Source: page 207, Possessing the Gates of the Enemy by Cindy Jacobs)


Pray Without Ceasing
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pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17; NKJV)

Be unceasing in prayer [praying perseveringly] (1 Thessalonians 5:17; Amp.)

[The expression without ceasing is from the Greek adialeiptos, a word commonly used in ancient Greece to describe someone with a hacking cough. The person certainly couldnt plan his coughs throughout the day but coughs whenever necessary. The need occasioned the response.]
--(Source: page 65, Love On Its Knees by Dick Eastman)


Granted, there are days when we are too weary to pray, especially after demanding physical activities (e.g. cross-country run, marathon, military training, hectic travel schedules, etc.) But, lets make the time whenever we can and keep our appointed time with the Lord. Jesus has sounded the clarion call: Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. (Matthew 26:41; NKJV)

The Holy Spirit will help us to pray if we are willing and available. but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us . according to the will of God. (Romans 8:26, 27; NKJV) When our spirit(inner) man yearns to tarry with God in prayer, the length of time doesnt figure any longer in our calculation. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all, now and forever. Amen.

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