Place Of Burden

Luke 22:⁴⁴ “He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood.”

Years ago, my Pastor at that time had this routine of praying from Saturday night into Sunday morning, and from the prayer room, he goes to preach. One day, he invited me and a friend of mine to pray with him. So, we were to meet at his house to pray from nine o’clock at night till six o’clock in the morning. At the very first prayer meeting I attended, we prayed one prayer point from midnight till three o’clock in the morning. I was alarmed; just one prayer point? However, it became a pattern; we will go to his house and pray through the night into the morning. And then we will all go to church, and he will go straight to preach the Word. After service, we will find a place to collapse and wake up in the evening. This used to be my routine too.

Jesus prayed one prayer for one hour; He must have prayed in the spirit, and He must have repeated the prayer point. In Matt.26:36-44 [please read], we see that Jesus prayed one prayer for one hour and then took a break. Then He went back and prayed the same prayer for another hour and took another break. And then went back the third time and prayed the same prayer. I am sure you know it was not a vain repetition. Absolutely not! There is a place of burden in prayer that makes us go back to the prayer and attend to it and attend to it until we have broken through. By the time Jesus came out the third time, He gave His disciples permission to sleep because it was done. He was ready to face the cross. But until He broke through, Jesus kept going back to the same prayer point. It is a mystery. The burden, the pangs of labour; it is like a woman trying to give birth. Until you push through, you continue! I do not mean to sound like an insensitive midwife but that is how it is. That is the posture that breaks through.

Mysteriously, it seems that Some Prayers Need To Be Long Whilst Others Need To Be Short. It is a mystery! Jesus had this mysterious blend, He prayed long prayers and He prayed short prayers. When He was going to choose His disciples [Luke 6:12-13, please read], He prayed all night before He chose the twelve. In Mark 1:35 [please read], we see Jesus go out before daybreak to pray for a long period of time. Many times, for instance in Matthew 4:1-2 [please read], Jesus would go to the wilderness and pray for a long time. But we also see Jesus pray short prayers in John 11:41-43 [please read]. To heal the sick in Matthew 8:13 [please read], Jesus prayed a short prayer. To forgive the people crucifying Him in Luke 23:34 [please read], Jesus prayed a short prayer. And the sin of the Jewish people that nailed Him to the cross was forgiven.

How do we know when to pray long prayers and when to pray short prayers? Again, experience with God; the more you walk with God, the more you know the things you need to get out and sort out extensively, and things you need to step up, pray, and it will happen instantly.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, please put Your Words in my mouth and guide me to pray as I ought to on every occasion, in Jesus Name. Amen!