If we are to be living Christians we must be men and women, boys and girls of prayer. Prayer is, as our catechism instructs us, in accordance with Scripture: "the chief part of thankfulness".

In this article, we want to study the subject of growing in prayer. The true child of God often feels this need, to grow in prayer, in effectual fervent prayer. Knowing from experience how one's prayer life is di­rectly linked with one's faithfulness and joyfulness in the Christian walk, the true be­liever longs to become more fervent in prayer and supplication before the Lord. "O, for more times of sweet communion with the Triune God in prayer!" Can you say you know something of that longing? Does it grieve you too, that so many times you are so slow of heart to pray? Is it not a sorrow to you too, that all too often your prayers are just words? Real communion, real wrestling, real prayer and supplication in the Spirit (Ephesian 6:18), and joy and confidence in prayer seems so often to es­cape us. And when power in prayer is not experienced then it affects us in every way and we say with the psalmist, "My heart within me is desolate … Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise Thy name" (Ps. 143:4b; 142:7a).

Well now, in reference to this struggling and sighing in prayer and the desire to grow in prayer, consider with me the following three observations:

For one thing, let us never forget that we have a great enemy who does not want us to pray ever. "Satan trembles when he sees the weakest saint on his knees", and you can be sure therefore, that with God's people this is one of Satan's main plots, to keep us from fervent prayer. If Satan can keep us from "prayer and supplication in the Spirit", he knows he has us in that position where we are prone to stumble and prone to fall. Satan works unceasingly to hinder us in prayer. We need to remember what we say in our Belgic Confession about Satan and his de­mons. "The devils," we confess there, "are so depraved, that they are enemies of God and every good thing, to the utmost of their power, as murderers, watching to ruin the Church and every member thereof, and by their wicked stratagems to destroy all…" In Satan, God's people have a vicious archenemy who always desires to get us under his grip.

In saying this, I am not suggesting that the believer's struggles in prayer can all be blamed on the devil. No, what I am saying is this, the fact that God's people often have struggles with prayer is not so strange in view of Satan's existence and unceasing activity. Furthermore, we have our own flesh against us, our old nature. As long as we live on this earth, by nature, left to ourselves we will not seek after God nor look to Him in prayer. Only as the Spirit renews us and quickens us day by day do we crave for constant communion with the Lord. Therefore, let us not be surprised and perplexed when we have struggles in our prayer life. These struggles are part of the Christian life, part of that gracious, Spirit-worked ongoing process of sanctification within us. It is the child of God alone who breathes that prayer: "O that I might grow in prayer and in personal sweet communion with the Lord!" The unbeliever, the hypo­crite, the carnal, nominal Christian knows nothing of this inner struggle. The unbeliev­er may be concerned for power in public prayer, but personally in his closet, he cares nothing for "prayer and supplication in the Spirit".

Our first observation then is this: having times of struggling with prayer is not so unusual; it is part of the Christian life. It is part of the good fight of faith God's people are involved in. It is our calling never to give up in this struggle. Repeatedly the Bible emphasizes we need to "pray without ceas­ing" and "continue in prayer" (1 Thess. 5:17; Col. 4:2; also Phil. 4:6; Rom. 12:12; Luke 18:1; Luke 21:26).

Moving then to our second observation, consider with me one of the greatest helps in growing in prayer and the power thereof. One of the greatest helps in growing in prayer is being much in the Word of God. If we would grow in prayer we need to be much in the Scriptures. True prayer flows out of meditation on God's Word. Powerful, Spirit-led prayer is directly linked with the personal study of God's Word. "Prayer," said W. Gurnall, "is nothing but the promises reversed, or God's Word formed into an argument, and retorted by faith upon God again." "Prayer is putting the prom­ises into suit," said J. Trapp. We grow fervent in prayer when we base our prayers on God's Word and petition God accord­ingly. There is a prime example of this in Daniel 9. Daniel was studying the books of Jeremiah the prophet of God, from which he learned that Judah would be in bondage to Babylon for a period of 70 years. This study led Daniel to prayer. And how he prayed! You can read it for yourself. Daniel wrestled with God in prayer and had real communion with Him, having meditated on His Word. We cannot grow in prayer if we do not regularly read the Bible and meditate upon it. (For more on this, see Rev. J. Schuit's recent articles on "Reading the Word of God".)

This brings us to our third observation about growing in prayer. Growing in prayer is related also to certain practical realities. If we would grow in prayer we should take care that we have regular times of secret prayer. Times where we can be alone with God. You cannot grow in effectual fervent prayer if you don't spend time alone with God! Do you have a secret place of prayer? You bedroom perhaps? or some place outside? It does not matter where, as long as it a place where you can be alone with God again and again.

The Bible suggests that the best time for regular secret prayer alone is in the early morning hours. "My voice shalt Thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto Thee, and will look up" (Ps. 5:3). We read too of Jesus, our Great Teacher and High Priest: "And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, He went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed" (Mark 1:35). Often, yes, I believe most often it is also the believer's experience if he spends time alone with God in the early morning, before the activity of the day, it influences the whole day. Communion with the Lord in the morning, by God's grace motivates and enables God's people to live with the Lord and unto the Lord throughout the day.

Posture too is important in regards to growing in prayer. The Bible indicates various postures in praying. No one posture is recommended above another. One thing is sure, however, our posture in prayer reflects our attitude in prayer. If we pray lying down, when we are in our beds, then there is little likelihood we will be fervent in prayer (unless, of course, we are sick). Praying on our knees is a posture which reflects more a desire to seek God and look to Him for help. Our posture in prayer will affect our praying.

Then too, we need to remember, if we are allowing sin in our life, even so-called small sins, we certainly cannot grow in prayer. "If I regard iniquity in my heart," says the psalmist, "the Lord will not hear me" (Ps. 66:18). It is impossible to grow in "prayer and supplication in the Spirit" while clinging to any sin. If we are living with secret sin we cannot truly pray, let alone grow in prayer. We need always to be on our guard therefore, not to come under bondage to any sin. Psalm 139:23, 24, Song of Solomon 2:15, and 1 Timothy 4:16 teach us this truth so clearly.

Growing in prayer and the power thereof, that is the ardent desire of every true believ­er. It is as we bring this desire before the Lord in spirit and truth that we will also grow in prayer and the power thereof. Yes, for God is a hearer of prayer! He has promised that He inclines His ear to us when we pray. He is bent towards hearing His poor and needy people. Our prayers, David says, enters into His ears (2 Samuel 22:7). God's ears are open to our cries (Ps. 34:15). Indeed, the Lord tells us by the mouth of Isaiah, before God's people call, He will answer, and while they are yet speaking, He will hear! (Is. 65:24) The Bible gives great encouragement to us in our struggles in prayer. For instance, in regards to the Holy Spirit, Whom we cannot do without, listen to what Jesus says in Luke 11:13: "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children; how much more (can you answer that?) shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?" And listen to what Paul tells us, the inspired Apostle. When we pray, he says: "God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think!" (Eph. 3:20)

Are you struggling with prayer and in prayer? Don't stop in the struggle! Pray on! Pray without ceasing! Cast all your cares upon the Lord! In all your needs continue in prayer always "consider(ing) the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus" for in Him "we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Heb. 3:1b; 4:15, 16). Pray to grow in prayer, and be earnest in doing so. In the Christian life there can hardly be anything so important as earnest prayer. "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much" (James 5:16). "O, Lord teach us to pray!"