To continue with the topic of prayer and the need for Christians to resolve to pray there is a question that rises up and demands an answer, namely, “Why is it necessary that I must resolve to pray?”
The answer to that is found in ourselves. We are fallen creatures. Prior to Adam’s fall, we find there was communion between man and God. The Genesis account intimates that it was regular, open and sincere. One of the first effects of sin was to make man want to hide from God. Adam and Eve did not want to talk with God like they used to. Right here is possibly the greatest effect of sin on the human race: it not only brought in death and separates us from God, but it causes us not to desire to commune with God which is utterly necessary to have these barriers removed.
This brings me then to one great reason why prayer must be a matter of resolve, and why we must say, like David, “As for me, I will call upon God” (Psalm 55:16).
Why must we be resolved to pray?
Because it is not our natural inclination to pray
There is nothing within our fallen, human nature that inclines us to the spiritual exercise of prayer. Prayer is pre-eminently a spiritual work. In Romans 1:9, Paul wrote, “For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers”.
There are many aspects of serving the Lord that can be done in a purely physical, fleshly manner: handing out tracts, witnessing to others, singing hymns and psalms, even preaching. Admittedly, one can engage in a wide variety of “Christian work” without there being anything spiritual about it. But prayer is first and foremost a spiritual exercise. And that is why it is so hard to do! Because only a regenerated man or woman will have the inclination to pray.
When Adam sinned, he immediately died spiritually. He was in a moment estranged from the God who created him and with whom, up to that moment had communed together with Him, and delighted to do so.
It is far too common to hear professing Christians lament that they have not been able to pray for long periods of time – several days, even a week or more. (Even worse is when men of God jest and joke about prayerlessness in themselves or others). Now what makes this so serious, is that prayer is one of the signs that a soul has been converted. Many eminent men of God have commented on this point, and I can add nothing more than to say this. In my years of counseling others and looking back at my own personal experience, that without exception, every failure can be traced back to a lessening or, more often, a total ceasing of the prayer life of the individual.
With so much at stake, praying must not be left to times when you ‘feel like it’. Most assuredly there are many, many times when Christians do not feel like praying. And those are the times when prayer is most needful! Prayer must not be left to an emotional or ritual motive. If it is, it will be at best sporadic, and your walk with the Lord will be the same; on fire one day, cold and disinterested the next.
Be determined as David was that you will pray and call upon God. Be resolved to be a man or woman of prayer. In every situation, for all things and for all people.