Prayer over Ministry

​Text: Mark 1:35-39 35 And in the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and prayed there for a time. 36 Simon and his companions eagerly searched for Him; 37 and they found Him and said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.” 38 He said to them, “Let’s go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may also preach there; for this is why I came.” 39 And He went into their synagogues preaching throughout Galilee, and casting out the demons.


Questions to Consider:

1. How would you describe your prayer life? How much value to you place on it? 

2. "Pray without ceasing" is a command we are given in scripture. How did Jesus achieve this and how can we achieve this? 


For more reading, check out the writing below from Leonard Ravenhill on the subject of prayer. I pray that the Lord speaks to you through it:

Prayer by L. Ravenhill

There are many times that we talk with people about some of the things we wish we could have seen during the life of Jesus. Casting out the 'Legion' of demons from the demoniac, raising of Lazarus from the dead, feeding the 5,000, witnessing the crucifixion and resurrection. There are many more that would have been fascinating. But, one of the things I wish I could have seen was the prayer life of Jesus. How did He pray to His Father? How did He listen to His Father? What type of energy did He pray with? How many times did He weep during prayer? So many questions come to my mind when I think about the prayer life of Jesus. 
I'm reminded of testimonies from saints of old that remembered the prayer life of their parents that formed their own Christian walk and prayer life. Revivalist and prophet, Leonard Ravenhill, said that he remembered more than anything his father's prayer life. He testified that it was his father's prayer life and devotion to Christ that actually led him to give his life to Christ. He could remember going with his father to nights of prayer where grown men would be on their face weeping and confessing sin. It was an experience that marked his life.
Susanna Wesley, the mother of John and Charles Wesley was known by her children as a woman of prayer. Susanna made a vow to the Lord when she was young that for every hour she spent on entertainment, she would devote the same amount of time to prayer and bible study. As a mother of 11 children (she had 19 children, but nine died as infants), it was very difficult for her to get away for quite time. So she told her children that if they ever saw her sitting in her chair with her apron pulled up over her head that she was in prayer and not to be disturbed. This left a lasting mark on her children and established a lifestyle of prayer, specifically in her two sons John and Charles. My own grandmother was a woman of prayer that would never let anything come before her time in the word and prayer every morning. As her grandson watching her every chance I got has marked my life in ways that will not be fully known until eternity. 
In verse 35 Jesus had gotten up early to go and meet with His Father in prayer. There were thousands of people at that time that had legitimate, even desperate needs. Yet, Jesus stayed in the secluded place of prayer. What can we learn from this? That Jesus valued prayer over ministry; He valued intimacy over activity. In a world of non-stop action and movement; in a church culture that seems to judge a churches value based upon activity and programs-- prayer can often times take a back seat. 
​But what we need to understand is that the devil does not fear organizing, but he does fear agonizing.  The devil is not concerned if we are busy all the time, even with ministry activities. In all truthfulness, he may be the one influencing us with the busyness that keeps us from walking in intimacy with the Father. 
Jesus provides us with an example to live by. Never let anything, even ministry come before our prayer life and intimacy with the Father.
We must no longer look at prayer as preparing us for the battles of life; but where prayer is the battle.