Pray Without Ceasing

By - Pastor Daniel C. Inghram

Adapted from: 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Lesson 65 and Lesson 66, July 14 and 21, 2019

In the Book of Thessalonians, Paul writes to new believers in the Church family he had established in an area of Greece known as Macedonia. In chapter one verse six, Paul encourages these new believers as they are in the midst of significant affliction. As he comes to the end of the letter, he wants to teach several spiritual concepts with emphasis. That emphasis comes by way of brevity and imperatives. These spiritual mandates are some of the greatest passages in the New Testament.

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thess 5:16-18).

Each of the verbs for rejoice, pray, and give thanks is an imperative. Therefore, these verses are commands. They are not suggestions or recommendations but foundational to the Christian’s life. Furthermore, each of these verbs are modified by seemingly impossible standards—always, without ceasing, and everything. What does Paul mean by these commands? We have considered “rejoice always” in another study. Let’s look at “Pray without ceasing” in verse 17.

“Pray without ceasing.” Is Paul saying that we should always be on our knees praying? How can we eat, sleep, or focus on a job or a task that needs all of our concentration? How are we to obey this command?

Prayer is communication with God. It is a gift from God to the Body of Christ whereby the believer has access and privilege to communicate directly with Him. The purpose of this communication is to acknowledge our sin (1 John 1:9) and restore fellowship with God, express adoration and praise, give thanks, intercede for others, and convey our personal needs and petitions. Prayer is an intimate conversation with God. It does not need to be verbal or audible; prayer can simply be a silent thought.

Throughout the New Testament we are commanded to pray (Eph 6:18; Col 4:2; 1 Thess 5:17; 1 Tim 2:8; 2 Tim 1:3; Heb 4:16). However, while the Apostle Paul also commands us to pray, his emphasis is on “without ceasing.”

“Pray without ceasing” is a command to have an attitude of persistent and continual communication with God. As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, our desire should be to commune constantly with God, to be in a non-stop conversation with Him. God is omnipresent and intimately involved with everything we are doing. Knowing that God is controlling our brain synapses, our heart beats, each one of our breaths and that He is the One who plans our days and lives, shouldn’t we be ready to carry on a running conversation with Him?

Our best teacher and example for persistent and continual prayer is the Lord Jesus Christ. While Jesus was on earth during His ministry, He was in continual communion with His Father. At times Jesus even isolated Himself in privacy for concentrated prayer with God the Father (Mt 14:23; Mk 1:35).

Conclusion: To obey Paul’s command, we need to have an “unceasing” attitude of wanting to talk to our Heavenly Father in whatever activity we are doing. He knows our thoughts and our circumstances. Our prayers are not only for help in time of need, but also for giving thanks for the blessings that He has already given us. God the Father is always present, protecting and providing for us. He is our fortress and rock. He is our deliverance in everything (Psalm 121).

See also “Principles Regarding Prayer: Addendum to Pray Without Ceasing.”

This post was written by Pastor Daniel Inghram of National Capital Bible Church. If you have questions about this post or Christianity in general, please contact us today!