Prayer Is Serious Business- Part 1

But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. I Peter 4:7 (KJV)

The Word sober in the Greek means sober-minded, free from the intoxications of life. We are in the last of the last days so we are to be serious and watchful in prayer, which is communication with God. This includes talking AND listening to the Lord.

When we pray, we are to be sober-minded and stay focused, avoiding distractions. The devil will try to keep our minds so busy that we cannot concentrate to pray, whether with worry, hurt, finances, work, family, etc. When we pray, we focus on God rather than our needs or circumstances. At the same time, prayer is the avenue through which we can present our needs to God so we can see God move and meet them. So, our circumstances can be mentioned in prayer, but they are not the focus- God is. Prayer helps our hearts to stay soft and full of God’s love, to remain sensitive to the needs of others. It also keeps us filled with the Spirit of God and not the spirit of the world. Praying in the Holy Ghost is especially helpful with this.

As we are serious and sober-minded in prayer, we can receive direction about how to pray. And we can be alert, focusing on the fact that the end is drawing near and the Lord will soon return for His bride. As we are aware of the signs of the times and what’s going on around us, we can pray and come against evil and all that’s in the world. As we pray, we are enforcing God’s kingdom on the earth. We can pray to the Lord of the harvest that He send laborers to reap the end-time harvest of souls. As we are sober-minded, we can pray God’s will to be advanced in the earth.

I Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to pray without ceasing. We must pray always and be watchful and ready for the return of the Lord; the rapture of the church.