One of the most common questions I get from believers is how to sustain long prayers. To answer this question, there is no magic button or special technique behind lengthy prayers.
If you struggle with praying for long periods, understand that it is not about the length of the prayer; rather, it’s about one’s depth of the knowledge of God, the level of curiosity about spiritual matters, and emotional engagement during prayer.
Knowing God
The foundation of prayer lies in the knowledge of God. Above everything else, faith is built on the revelation of God’s nature and character. It is through reading the word of God that we come to the knowledge of His righteousness and how to abide in Him.
The revelations from the scriptures create avenues for a strong connection between a believer and the heavenly Father. Once this relationship is established, one can pray long prayers with intention and clarity.
Speaking in tongues
For believers who pray in tongues, engaging the gift for an extended period of time leads to deep spiritual encounters. As one delves deeper into the spiritual realm, fear may arise causing some believers to abandon prayer altogether.
God has established boundaries to prevent individuals from encountering experiences that may cause distress. He sets limits on how far we can tread into the spiritual realm based on our level of understanding.
Those who possess a greater understanding of spiritual matters are granted the opportunity to experience more profound encounters.
This concept is similar to how some individuals can easily communicate with the president due to their knowledge of governmental operations; while those who lack the understanding remain distant and clueless.
Emotional engagement
Naturally, there are individuals who are more inclined towards their emotions rather than logic. On the other hand, there are those who prioritize logic over emotions.
If you find yourself leaning towards the emotional side, it is advisable to rely on your emotions to inspire and lead you during prayer.
Inversely, if you tend to be more logical, you can rely on your knowledge and understanding of God as well as your innate curiosity to pray.
I also have come to understand that God bestows different emotions upon different people. These emotions can be turned into powerful tools during prayer.
Some may experience love more intensely, while others may feel an overwhelming sense of joy. This is because God encompasses all these emotions within Himself. As human beings, we are limited in our ability to express multiple emotions simultaneously. Therefore, God typically grants us one primary emotion through which we can connect with Him.
For instance, there are individuals who are very kind. For them, life revolves around demonstrating kindness repeatedly. These people harness their emotional connection to kindness to seek solace in prayer.
Consequently, any acts of unkindness deeply affect them, prompting them to turn to God with fervent emotions. Through prayer, they plead for God’s intervention, to either reprimand the unkind or to help those who have fallen victim to cruelty.
There are also people who possess an abundance of love. They experience intense emotions towards love, enabling them to deeply feel the impact when love either prevails or when it is fought down. Such individuals can apply these powerful emotions to engage in prayer and intercession, with the hope of spreading love.
There are those who highly uphold justice. When they witness injustice, it deeply disturbs them and they cannot tolerate it. For such people, it is important to channel their anger towards God and seek guidance on how to address the injustice.
As we engage with God on a personal level, our emotions are stirred by love and admiration for His character. It is essential for every believer to recognize these emotions and learn how to incorporate them during prayer.
Conclusion
Without a doubt, the knowledge of God and our emotions play a crucial role in long prayers. By reading the word, one can gain more knowledge about God and seek His revelation through it.
This will enable deeper conversations and reasoning with Him, leading to emotions stemming from one’s love and defense of God’s character. It is important to bring these emotions to God for guidance and resolution.
These are among the key elements to consider as you work towards spending more time in the place of prayer. Blessings.