“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

I’ve been pondering lately about some of the prayer requests that many of us ask. I’ve noticed that oftentimes, some will pray in Jesus name that it is done and nothing else needs to be said or prayed about further. I find that this is not always the case. I’ve prayed “in faith believing” for a myriad of different types of needs concerning healing, a job, finances, mental anguish, and other areas of life, and I’ve noticed that some if not many, of these requests have needed to be repeated and brought before the throne room of God on a concerted basis.

While I do believe that some prayers are answered immediately, I believe that the majority of them need to be “prayed through.” Perhaps you’ve heard this term before as many of the old school, spirit-filled preachers used to coin this phrase in some of their gatherings. What I believe it means is that when one is praying for something, either by themselves or collectively, that they begin speaking their requests to God, praying, sensing His presence, and continuing to pray, until the person senses that they have “broken through” in the Spirit.

It’s like a river, you can jump into it, but you really don’t know about the current until you start swimming and feeling the ebb and flow of the water all around you. The same is true of the Holy Spirit I believe. One can utter a very dry and disconnected prayer to the Father, and it can feel like the words are just hitting the ceiling or turning to brass. You haven’t connected with God yet; you’re just mouthing words and speaking them as it were, into the air. Your words and prayers haven’t entered into the realm of His throne room yet.

God wants us to join with Him in this event. To say something like, “It is done, nothing else needs to be said further about your request,” just doesn’t cut it. We may well sound like we are uttering this prayer in faith, but we may well not be exercising our prayer muscles into something that will be effective.

Isaiah likens earnest prayer and intercession to the travail of labor in giving birth (Isaiah 26:16ff). Praying through is like that. It is hard work and it requires an engagement of one’s entire being in bringing forth the desired result.

Amen.

– Stephen Hanson

Stephen Hanson of In His Truth Ministries came to the Lord is a special way in 1975 and has been prophesying regularly since. In these end-time birthing pangs we are to be reminded that judgment must first begin with the household of God. Will we be prepared and ready?