I was headed out the door one morning when my wife Sue said, "Don't forget to pray for Julie. She has a big test today." It's not unusual for Sue to give me a reminder like that before I leave. "Don't worry," I replied, "I'll be on prayer patrol!"
In reality, we all need to be on prayer patrol all the time. When we are, we follow in the tradition of patrol members like Daniel, who prayed despite opposition (Dan. 6:10); the widow Anna, who prayed night and day (Lk. 2:36-37); Paul, who prayed for his friends in Rome (Rom. 1:9); and Cornelius, a God-fearing soldier who did double-duty by being in constant prayer (Acts 10:1-2).
God's Word contains our marching orders for being on prayer patrol. Some of them are:
- Pray without ceasing (1 Th. 5:17).
- Continue steadfastly in prayer (Rom. 12:12).
- Pray morning, noon, and night (Ps. 55:17).
- Pray always and do not get discouraged (Lk. 18:1).
It's not difficult to find enough things to pray about. There are needs everywhere. The tough part is following through on our commitment to pray. Remind yourself throughout the day that you have a job to do. People are counting on you. You're on prayer patrol. — Dave Branon
Commit to pray and intercede--
The battle's strong and great's the need;
And this one truth can't be ignored:
Our only help comes from the Lord. --Sper
Praying frequently will lead to praying fervently.