I Shall Teach You Why You Should Not P.U.S.H.
If you pray without ceasing you will always get what you pray for, but there are two important considerations to take into account.
Stick with me to the end of this Bible study and I shall teach you how to pray without ceasing; why you shouldn’t P.U.S.H, and how to get the Lord to answer your prayer.
This is our weekly, Book of Acts Bible study, and I shall start at Acts 12:1-25. Last week, I introduced the two-man team of Barnabas and Saul.
They spent a whole year in Antioch teaching the people, mainly the Gentiles, who were Grecians, who accepted their words and gained salvation.
Do you prefer watching the video of this Bible Study?
But today, I’m looking at Apostle Peter.
So we’re going to begin with the scripture reading Acts 12:1.
“Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.
And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.
And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread).
Why Did The Church Pray Without Ceasing For Peter?
“And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.”
Acts 12:4
Now, this is the only mention of Easter in the Bible. For that reason, I declare it a pagan holiday and not a biblical holy day.
Because as I always teach, never use one scripture reference to teach any doctrine. Since there’s no other reference in the Bible relating to Easter even in concept, then this is a no-brainer.
“Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.”
Acts 12:5
Now, this is where we are going to get very into the groove. In the verse I just read, Acts 12:5, note three main things.
First, the church made prayer, singular, to God for Peter. Second, there were so many people praying for Peter.
Why did the scripture say a prayer and not prayers?
Now, this wasn’t one or two people praying, but many Believers, and third, how did they pray?
Without ceasing of course.
But what does this mean? What does it mean to pray without ceasing? And this is what I’m going to explain!
Are There Many Ways To Pray Without Ceasing?
When the Bible says to pray without ceasing, it doesn’t mean that you continuously pray without stopping.
That’s not practical! That makes no sense. So you’d be constantly praying, Lord, even when you’re sleeping you’d be praying, that doesn’t make sense.
You’re talking to somebody and you’ll be praying, right? That too wouldn’t make sense naturally it wouldn’t, but there are many scenarios for this.
One is that you persist in your prayers; you constantly pray. You’ll be praying without ceasing this is when some would say that you possess a spirit of prayer.
This, they say you do by converting everything into prayer. Others would say that your spirit is constantly praying. Yes, I could accept that too.
Additionally, there are times when you are doing stuff, you are with people, and you are talking to them but your spirit is praying.
Yes, this happens especially when I am fasting. I realize that I’ll be even talking to somebody but my spirit is praying about something totally different.
I am still engaged with the person and giving the person all my attention.
These are some possible reasons for praying without ceasing, but what I’m going to teach you today is none of these reasons.
It’s what the scripture means by this, with examples, from both the Old and New Testaments.
What Does It Mean To Pray Without Ceasing?
So, why did the church pray unceasingly for Peter? Because when the church prayed the Lord sent help. He sent an Angel.
That’s one reason that we pray without ceasing because the Lord sends help.
This is what it means to pray without ceasing, it means that you constantly pray the same prayer over and over and over again.
You’re praying one prayer all the time until the Lord answers that prayer. So that is praying without ceasing.
You’ll make the same petition to the Lord, one year, two years, three years, four years, over and over and over until the Lord answers.
And I am not saying that’s the only prayer you will make. But when you are praying without ceasing about a certain problem until you get a response from God.
That is praying unceasingly!
I’ll use scripture now to validate this.
Now I told you the reason the church prayed unceasingly for Peter. The first reason is that the Lord sends help.
Now let’s go to Acts 12:6.
“And when Herod [who was the king at the time, the Roman king] would have brought him [meaning Peter] forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.”
The Lord Sends Help When We Pray
So Peter was in the middle, I wouldn’t want to be a soldier then, a Roman soldier.
Peter was in the middle, one soldier on the left, one soldier on the right and he had chains on his hands, this hand is joined to this hand via a chain.
Now at the door of the prison, outside the room, there was somebody standing by the door, all right, that was his situation.
What Does P.U.S.H. Mean?
So what happens when you don’t push? Some people say you should push, and what does push mean? It means to pray until something happens.
I don’t want you to push. The Lord doesn’t want you to push. The Lord wants to elevate your prayer, take it up a notch.
This is what the Lord wants you to do, pray until you get what you are praying for.
He doesn’t want you to push, he wants you to pray until you get what you are praying for, so He wants you to persist in prayer.
The Lord Wants You To Do This Instead!
The Lord doesn’t want you to push but he wants you to pray until you get what you’re praying for. That is what it means to pray without ceasing.
So according to Acts 12:5:
“Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.”
Acts 12:5
How To Pray Without Ceasing?
Now isn’t it sort of weird that prayer was made and not prayers?
But there’s a reason for this and the reason is, the church in Jerusalem wasn’t praying many different prayers to God for Peter.
They weren’t saying, Lord heal Peter! Lord strengthen Peter! Lord keep Peter.
All they were praying is Lord release Peter. Lord, let Herod let Peter go.
So all they were praying for was the release of Peter and that’s why the scripture says prayer was made.
They were praying one prayer, unceasingly.
They were gathered together, many of them, praying the same prayer, yet the scripture says a prayer and not prayers.
The reason for this is to emphasize to us that as a group, as a unit, they were praying for the same thing at the same time, Lord release Peter.
Zacharias Prayed This Prayer
Okay, now there are other examples in the Bible to substantiate this.
Let’s look at Zacharias. He was an old man. He was a priest, but he didn’t have any children because his wife was barren.
Now you know the Jewish culture. They place a high value on male children, yet this man didn’t even have a daughter.
His wife was old, and he was very old but he was still praying for a child. How do I know this? The scripture tells me. Now let’s go to Luke 1:13.
“But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: [that’s his name] for thy prayer is heard [note, prayer]; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.”
Luke 1:13
From that scripture, it tells me that Zacharias was praying this one prayer, Lord give me a son, even in my old age.
But he was praying for it for a long time, now it reached the point where he got old and his wife was old and he was still praying.
But he was a bit unbelieving though, but he was still praying, and that’s why Gabriel said to him “your prayer is heard”.
That’s one prayer and he was praying that same prayer over a period of time so it should have been prayers, but the Lord sees a petition for the same thing over and over as one prayer.
This Man Was a Prayer Warrior!
Now let’s look at another example. We have looked at Cornelius before in a previous Bible study.
So, first, we know that Cornelius was a prayer warrior. He prayed always. The scripture says it in Acts 10.
He was always praying, to the extent that God was delighted with his prayers and his giving.
The Bible says that his prayers and his giving came up as a memorial before God. God was happy with his prayers and his giving.
And some of us won’t even share our possessions with others. I wonder what God thinks about us in that regard.
Gabriel Told Cornelius Two Things
So God is watching and He’s not pleased with many of us. Now, let’s look at Acts 10:4.
“And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord?”
Gabriel approached Cornelius and he was afraid but he told Cornelius, “thy prayers and thine alms are come up for memorial before God.” Acts 10:4.
Gabriel told Cornelius two things, that’s the first one.
Next in Acts 10:31, the scripture doesn’t tell us in Acts 10:4 that he told him two things, but we find that out when we reach to verse 31.
Now we know this because Cornelius was explaining to Peter what happened and Cornelius told Peter, the angel said to me, thy prayer, one singular prayer, is heard and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God.
So he’s saying, one, the angel said to me, your prayers and your giving is come up as a memorial, but your prayer, which is something else, is heard.
Now, in Acts 10:31, the prayer of Cornelius, we know what he was praying from another scripture, and Cornelius was praying, Lord save me and my family, that was his prayer.
So that is the prayer that the angel said in verse 31. Thy prayer is heard. That’s the prayer the scripture is talking about.
So Gabriel told Cornelius two things, your prayers and your giving make God happy and your prayer for salvation is heard.
Why Did Cornelius Send For Peter?
Acts 11:4, Send for Peter, your prayer for salvation is heard. So send for Peter and he will tell thee words whereby you and all your house shall be saved.
That was Cornelius’s prayer that he was praying repeatedly without ceasing to God. This was Cornelius’ prayer and he being a praying man prayed unceasingly about it, Lord save me and my house, Lord save me and my house.
I’ve dealt with what it means to pray without ceasing and I have dealt with how, now let’s look at why do we pray unceasingly.
Why must we not push but pray until we get what we are praying for?
First, I told you that God is sending help in the form of an Angel. While we are praying unceasingly, God is sending help.
But there is another reason, and the reason is sometimes there are spiritual warfare that we are not aware of and we need to persist in prayer because if we don’t we’ll not get what we pray for.
So God is sending help so we persist but we persist too because there are spiritual warfare that we cannot see with our natural eyes, but if we persist in prayer God will send help.
And we are going to look at an Old Testament example for this. This Bible study is going to be a bit long but stick with me.
“And behold, the angel of the Lord came unto him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, [get up] and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.” Acts 12:7.
Why We Should Pray Without Ceasing?
“… The angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did and he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.”
“… He went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.”
So Peter was thinking, wow! I am in a vision, I’m seeing a vision, this is not real.
“When they were past the first and second ward, [so they passed the first and the second guards and the guards didn’t see them. Wow! Marvelous! Now,] they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.” Acts 12:10.
“And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his Angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.” Acts 12:11.
Anytime We Persist In Prayer God Does This!
We should pray without ceasing because while we are praying God has sent assistance our way. He sent his Angel to free Peter because the church was praying without ceasing.
But there is another reason we must pray without ceasing. Sometimes our prayers are delayed because of spiritual warfare.
Daniel’s prayer was delayed for 24 days. He started his prayer on the first day but because of spiritual warfare, the angel who God sent to help him was fighting with an Angel of Darkness, who was trying to prevent Daniel’s angel from coming to his aid.
We can read about this in Daniel 10:12-14. After his 21 days of fasting, he had a vision and this is Daniel relating that vision.
“Then he said unto me, [he saw an Angel] Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand and to chasen thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.”
So I’m telling you, pray without ceasing because the angel told Daniel here that his words were heard from the first day and because of the prayer the angel is come. But before that angel came it was delayed for all of 24 days.
Let’s look at that. The angel said:
“But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days:”
Your Prayers Could Be Delayed Because of This!
So for twenty-one days this Angel was fighting with the Prince of Persia and couldn’t leave, so it was a fierce battle.
Remember angels are spirits, so they were fighting night and day.
So for 21 days, there was a spiritual battle between those two angels.
One of them couldn’t extricate himself from the other to go help Daniel because the other one was more powerful, to the extent, merciful Jesus, that is why we must pray without ceasing because while we are there not seeing stuff, there is a spiritual war taking place.
If we could see it we would be praying like crazy. But the angel continued to relate, it says:
“But, lo, Michael, [who is the Archangel in heaven] one of the chief princes, came to help me; [so the Angel by himself couldn’t handle the opposition Angel of Darkness, the other one was more powerful than him but Michael came to his assistance] and after I remained there with the kings of Persia.”
Daniel 10:13
So after 21 days of battling with that angel, the angel stayed in Persia for three more days. Now the angel is telling Daniel:
“Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days; for yet the vision is for many days.”
Daniel 10:14
Assistance Is Coming Your Way Because You Pray Without Ceasing!
But I want us to realize here that the first day Daniel started to pray, his prayer was heard, and the angel was dispatched because of the prayer.
But the angel was delayed. So, we must continue to pray without ceasing, because we don’t know what’s happening in the spiritual realm.
Now let’s continue and I’m back at Acts 12:12.
“And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary [so now Peter was released from prison by the angel and when he had thought about it he came to the house of Mary] the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; [John Mark. So he was at the house of John Mark’s mom] where many were gathered together praying.”
So they were praying for Peter and the Lord heard their prayer, and released Peter, now Peter is there.
“And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda.” Acts 12:13.
“And when she knew Peter’s voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate.” Acts 12:14.
Rhoda — You Are Mad!
Rhoda, you are mad, that’s what they said to her.
“And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel.
But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished.
But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace [be quiet], declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go shew these things unto James, and to the brethren.”
Why? Because they don’t need to continue praying anymore about his release. So he wanted them to know, now it’s time to stop praying because I am here, the Lord has released me, because they were praying as a body for him.
“And he departed and went into another place.” Acts 12:17.
Peter Got Deliverance Because The Church Did This!
“Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter.” Acts 12:18.
Can you imagine they couldn’t understand what had become of Peter? The chain that he was bound with was there, the door was locked the soldiers still behind it, the other door was locked and the soldiers there, so there was no sign of a jailbreak, there was no sign that he escaped, but he was missing.
The Lord is great and marvelous. And realize too that Peter and the Angel went through the closed doors, the walls, they just stepped through because what, because of the Holy Spirit, and that’s what we need for the Rapture.
Yes, it’s the same thing the Lord will do after his resurrection. He will just appear in a room, a locked room because he was a spirit.
But when you are born again you are spirit, like Peter was, like the angel is, that is why we need the Holy Ghost. That’s a little diversion but I want you to understand.
“And when Herod had sought for him [meaning Peter], and found him not, he examined the keepers and commanded that they should be put to death. And went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and their abode.
He Did Not Glorify God!
… Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and having made Blastus the king’s chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king’s country.
And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in Royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.
… The people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god and not of a man.
…Immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten up of worms, and gave up the ghost.”
So while he was alive worms ate him and then he died, that’s what the scripture said.
“But the word of God grew and multiplied.”
I also did a video on this, what it means that the word of God grew and multiplied.
“And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark.” Acts 12:25.
Why You Should Not P.U.S.H?
And this is the last verse of scripture for today, and I want to I want to bring your attention to this last verse.
In the last Bible study, I told you that the Lord promoted Barnabas over Saul. He started by saying the team is made up of Barnabas and Saul and this order is important.
It shows that Barnabas is the Chief Speaker and Saul secondary, but later on, the Lord is going to promote Saul of Tarsus, change his name, promote him, make him an apostle to the Gentiles.
Right now, they are both Apostles to the Gentiles but there is an opening because all the Jews were preaching to only Jews.
, it’s just know that Barnabas and Saul, as a team, starts to preach to the Gentiles, so now God is going to move in another direction.
I told you to pray without ceasing, meaning that you pray the same prayer continually until the Lord answer your prayer.
It doesn’t mean to push. Pray until something happens, because something could happen that’s not what you are expecting or not what you’re praying for.
But you should pray until you get what you are praying for, that’s what the Lord expects of us.
Jesus Prayed Without Ceasing
Now, we saw Zacharias doing this, we saw Cornelius doing this and we saw Daniel doing this, praying the same prayer for 21 days, although Daniel’s prayer was for something else, but he prayed.
Now Jesus did the same thing. He prayed the same prayer without ceasing. And remember I told you to pray without ceasing, meaning that you pray the same prayer continually. Now let’s look at Jesus’s example.
“And he took with him [that’s Jesus and we are looking at Matthew 26:37- 44, and we could look too at Mark 14:32-41, that’s a parallel scripture, and he, meaning Jesus took with him] Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.”
That’s in Gethsemane just before his crucifixion.
“Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death: tarry he here, and watch with me.
And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, [pay attention] O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as though wilt.
And he cometh onto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and said unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?”
Peter — Could You Not Pray For an Hour?
So for one hour the Lord went away and prayed that prayer.
“Watch and pray, that he enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
“He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.”
So he went away the second time and prayed the same prayer he prayed the first time.
“And he came and found them sleeping again: for their eyes were heavy.
And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same prayer.”
Holy Jesus! Jesus prayed the same prayer three times, yes! And this is what it means to pray without ceasing because Christ as a man, he didn’t want to go to the cross and he prayed to his Father and said Lord, let your will be done. It’s not my will but your will and he prayed it and that is what he wants us to do.
Conclusion
So to conclude. From these scriptures, we understand that to pray without ceasing is not to push but to pray until you receive what you are praying for.
This means that you pray the same prayer unceasingly until God gives you your request. Zacharias, Cornelius, the Church, and Jesus, practice praying without ceasing in this manner.
Do you have a problem that you are praying about? Don’t push! Pray about it until God gives you what you’re praying for.
Let me know in the comments below this Bible study your results concerning something that you’ve been praying for, something that you’ve been praying for and praying for.
What happened? Let me know.
So in closing, I bless you in the mighty name of Jesus. The blessings of the Lord are on you and I’ll see you in another Bible study, if the Lord wills. Bye.
