"And it came to pass in those days, that He went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God."
Luke 6:12
Part 5
Yesterday: Jesus Prayed before Special Events in His Life
“And when it was day, he called unto him His disciples: and of them, he chose twelve, whom also He named apostles” (Luke 6:13).
Today: A Night of Prayer will Change You!
“And continued all night in prayer to God.” (b)
Jesus prayed all night long. He has His essential decision to make the next day. Jesus will be calling His twelve disciples. These are the men He will be pouring His life and ministry into. Jesus will be training these men to lead the first generation of the Church after He returns to be with His Father in Heaven. There is much riding on Jesus’ decision, and He must feel the tremendous weight of it. This calls for special time with His Father in prayer. There are times in life when spending time in prayer with our Lord is more important than a night’s sleep.
Other men in the Old Testament have spent a night with the Lord. Jesus[1] wrestled all night long with Jacob (Genesis 32:24-26) in the wilderness. An all-night prayer meeting can seem like a wrestling match to us. Jacob had severe issues to settle with God and his brother, Esau. He had lied and schemed to trick his brother’s birthright out of his father, Isaac. By only a few minutes, Esau, Jacob’s older twin, was the heir to the family birthright. The birthright meant two things. The older brother in the Hebrew family received twice the goods (cattle, property, money, etc.) in his inheritance than the younger child received. With his estate, the older son was expected to be the one to help the family members with any financial needs in the future. Secondly, the child with the birthright received the special blessing passed down from his father. Now, it was twenty years later, and Jacob still felt the guilt from his past sins.[2] He knows there are issues he must change in his life. After the wrestling match with the Lord, Jacob ended up with a hip out of joint, but with God’s blessing on his life. He received a new name that next morning. Instead of Jacob, he will now be called Israel, “for as a prince hast thou power with God and men, and hast prevailed” (Genesis 32:28).
David also had plenty of experience praying late into the night.
“O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent” (Psalm 22:2).
“Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life” (Psalm 42:8).
“My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips: When I remember thee upon my bed and meditate on thee in the night watches” (Psalm 63:5-6).
Prayer throughout the day and night is not unusual for God’s child. We are too–
“Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving” (Colossians 4:2).
This word “continue” is an ancient word meaning, “to be steadfastly attentive unto, to give … [never relaxing or slackening[3]] care to a thing” (Thayer).[4] We are to be in the habit of praying with perseverance, and we are praying steadfastly. We keep at it. We never give up, never quit.
“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints” (Ephesians 6:18).
Prayer is spiritual combat! It is no wonder we need the “whole armor of God” (Ephesians 6:13-18).[5]
“Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer” (Romans 12:12).
Our prayer time is to be “diligent, painstaking, and real!”[6]
When thinking of spending the night in prayer, there are some arguments that my flesh immediately sends to my mind. All night is a long time! I need my sleep! What if I can’t do it? Isn’t it too hard? And, on and on, the thoughts come. I have found it helpful to pray through the night with a group of brothers in Christ. We are there to support and help each other. It is interesting how much we can learn about ourselves when we spend the night with God.
I will never forget the testimony of one of the men who prayed all night with us after his first time. As the sun was coming up the following day, he said, “this is the time I used to come home after a night of drinking. Now I’m coming home after a night of prayer. God has changed me!” Amen!
Quote: “It is not a matter of time so much as a matter of heart; if you have the heart to pray, you will find the time”[7] (Charles Spurgeon).
[1] The theological term for the appearance of Jesus Christ before His incarnation is Christophany. Several times in the Old Testament, Christ is seen by various Old Testament saints. Abraham, Jacob, Gideon, and so on.
[2] The human body is not designed to carry guilt. Jacob had been trying to handle his for twenty years, and it still was a significant issue to him. He’s under some pressure here because he knows he will be meeting his brother again. When they had parted last, Esau wanted Jacob dead. This time “wrestling” with the Lord is what will prepare Jacob for seeing Esau.
[3] This is the definition of “unremitting,” which is the word Thayer used. This definition is Downloaded: Thursday, May 27, 2021. From: Oxford Dictionaries, online, in https://search.yahoo.com/yhs/search.
[4] J.H. Thayer, Thayer’s Greek Definitions, the electronic version in eSword.
[5] Cambridge Bible, the electronic version in eSword. Colossians 4:2.
[6] Cambridge Bible, ibid. Romans 12:12.
[7] Spurgeon’s quote Downloaded: Friday, May 21, 2021. From: https://www.azquotes.com/author/13978-Charles_Spurgeon.