Devoted In Prayer

Devoted In Prayer

Topic: Gods church is a house of Prayer for all nations. Mk 11:17 & Isa 56:7
Goal: Explore the importance of a devoted in our prayer life.

Rom 12:12-13 NIV

12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
Your version might say, "constant in prayer" or "faithful in prayer." "Devoted" is also a good translation. It come from the Greek word, proskartereo (pros-kar-ter-eh'-o); to be earnest towards, i.e. (to a thing) to persevere, be constantly diligent, or (in a place) to attend assiduously* all the exercises, or (to a person) to adhere closely to (as a servitor):
* (Assiduous describes something that is ongoing. (adjective)
An example of an assiduous sound is that of cars going by on a highway.
Assiduous describes someone that is diligent and constant. (adjective)
An example of an animal that is assiduous is a bee.)

The KJV also uses - attend (giveself) continually (upon), continue (in, instant in, with), wait on (continually).

1. to persevere ("continue steadfastly") in anything
2. to give constant attention to a thing,

Acts 2:42-43 NIV

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

3. to be steadfastly attentive unto, to give unremitting care to a thing,

Rom 13:6 NASU

6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing.

4. to persevere, not to faint (in a thing),


5. to be in constant readiness for one, wait on continually:

Mark 3:9-10 NASU

9 And He told His disciples that a boat should stand ready for Him because of the crowd, so that they would not crowd Him;
A boat was to set apart - devoted - for the purpose of taking Jesus away in case the crowd became threatening. "Devoted" - dedicated for a task, appointed for it.
What's remarkable about this word is that besides Romans 12:12 there are other New Testament uses that apply to prayer.
Acts 1:14 (after the ascension of Jesus while the disciples were waiting in Jerusalem for the outpouring of the Spirit), "These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers."

Acts 2:42 (Of the early converts in Jerusalem), "They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer."

Acts 6:4 (The apostles say), "But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word."

Colossians 4:2 (Paul says to all of us), "Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving."
So we may say from the New Testament scriptures that the normal Christian life is a life devoted to prayer.
It does not mean that prayer is all you do - any more than being devoted to a wife means all the husband does is hang out with his wife. But his devotion to her affects everything in his life and causes him to give himself to her in many different ways.
So being devoted to prayer doesn't mean that all you do is pray (though Paul does say in another place, "pray without ceasing," 1 Thessalonians 5:17). It means that there will be a pattern of praying that looks like devotion to prayer.


I think most of us would agree on some