Have You Ever Prayed for Hours?

Tom,

I think part of the problem is that we have a wrong view of prayer at times. We think praying for an hour means we have to be continually talking and listing things for the Lord.

I have participated in hour long prayer times. I did not even attempt to talk for an hour. I spent time meditating on Scripture, voicing concerns, and just time being quiet before the Lord. The first time I went into it almost dreading it as if I was not sure what I was going to do. But now I look forward to them and enjoy it. In fact, our church has one scheduled for next weekend.

 

I wish our church would do these, too. IN the past, I have also wondered what I would pray for for that long. But I love to sit quietly, meditate on scripture, sing, and pour out my heart to the Lord in those quiet and alone times. They are way too infrequent.

 

I was having service at a home and one of our preachers kept us down on our knees so long that I was wondering if I could crawl out the front screen door without anyone noticing me.

 

It's a way of communion. We talk to our friends for hours, why not our Father?
Prayer can be a pouring out of your heart, not two hours of a want list. If prayer mainly consists of what we want, it may be an indication that we need to get our priorities straight.

Prayer can be worship. Thanking, giving honor for the good things, recognizing who we are in relationship.

Prayer for serious wants, such as for the needs of others, can take a long time. One such session came at church in the early morning hours, as we prayed in shifts. When my turn came, around 3am, I just loved being alone in the church. I went to the photos of each missionary to pray for them personally and for their individual needs. That time went FAST, and that was only one night.

The scriptures teach us to pray. It might not make sense to pray when God already knows our hearts, but I think that when a person starts praying regularly and sincerely, it really changes you spiritually and the benefits of prayer become obvious. I don't think he meant it all for himself, I think he meant it for our own spiritual good.

 

That is the way we have done it...
The West Virginia Baptist Convention had a year long prayer wall, about ten years ago... West Virginia Baptists signed up for one hour each week. Mine was from 11:00pm- 12:00 each Sunday night, we had someone signed up for every hour that year.... At 11:00pm, each sunday, I received a call from the person in front of me, reminding me it was my time,, at 12:00 I called the next person. and so on..

We had a booklet, that suggested what SBC suggested above, and then if there were special requests, we just passed them along with the phone calls...

one of my closest years with God!
It also joined the WVBC together like family!

 

I once prayed for an hour and a half i suppose in the middle of the night.

 

Ditto what SBC and Gina said. And don't y'all find yourself meditating on God and/or His Word all through the day?

 

Yes and so have all of of us.

IMO, It's our definition of prayer that's lacking.

Have you ever had a sick child at death's door?

Have you ever just spent time with your spouse or a family member for hours?

I believe prayer is an attitude as well as an act.

It's being in the presence of God and He with you.

Whether there are words or not there can be communication and fellowship.

There is a wordless communication with our God.

Romans 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

1 John 5:6 ... And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing.

Luke 18:1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

HankD

 

Yes, Have you ever laid in the hospital for 42 days at a time with your heart stopping and given up to die? Over and over and over.

 

Yes, it used to be called "praying through."

All of the above answers are great, but when a burden is so heavy to bear, when I have been in intercessory prayer, I have gotten on my knees and "prayed through." I confess I could never measure up to being a great prayer warrior, but I do know, Praise God, that He has ALWAYS answered my prayers, always.

Daniel gives us an example of praying through, for 21 days, prayer and fasting:

I don't have all the answers, but I can't help but think that if we "pray through", it is not for God's benefit, since He knows our hearts anyway, but for our benefit - to increase our faith in His Mighty and Wonderful Power. Just my 2 cents.

 

I have done some Foxhole praying which lasted throughout a couple hour artillery barrage.
I am better because of it because it is a time that I realized that I was giving my country my full attention and God almost none.

 

Well...ok.

(I guess that means not often enough)

 

I have prayed for hours before. My church once held a 24 hour prayer vigil before we entered into a building campaign. I took an assigned hour. However, I met with 4 or 5 other church members (at our little church building) and we prayed together out loud (taking turns). Additionally, I used to pray regularly in a prayer closet during the worship service (praying for the pastor, needs of church members, and for the lost in the congregation etc.)