Overcoming Prayer Fatigue

This is Stu Epperson from the Truth Talk Podcast, connecting current events, pop culture, and theology, and we're so grateful for you that you've chosen the Truth Podcast Network. It's about to start in just a few seconds.

Enjoy it, and please share it around with all your friends. Thanks for listening, and thanks for choosing the Truth Podcast Network. So, did you know that we have done at least 300 episodes of Encouraging Prayer, and we're celebrating that today with a topic about going the distance in prayer, specifically about overcoming prayer fatigue, that's not overcoming Encouraging Prayer Fatigue? James, do you want to fill our listeners in a little more on what that means?

Absolutely. Have you ever prayed for someone, and you feel like you're running out of things to say? I feel like you've prayed the same things over and over, and maybe nothing seems to change, and it's hard. It's hard to keep going, hard to keep praying.

Why do you do that? How do you make progress with that, and keep on praying with passion and purpose? That's what I want to talk about today. Oh, I'm so glad we're going to talk about this, because I think a lot of us have really been there, and I know that's one reason people have found some of your books on prayer, you know, for example, prayers for prodigals, to be really helpful, because prayer fatigue is a real thing. It really is, and you're right, Robby, and that's why prayer fatigue is a real thing. It really is, and you're right, Robby, and that's why prayer fatigue is a real thing. It really is, and you're right, Robby, and that's why prayer fatigue is a real thing. That's why you pray with faith, and that's why it's so important to praise scripture.

All of those books I mentioned are carefully built on scripture, so that God can lift our vision and show us new things to ask for. And, of course, God's word also builds faith in us, and can help us pray more boldly. So, one of the ways to overcome prayer fatigue is to learn how to turn, essentially, Scriptures into prayer. Yeah, that's a great way to put it, and that's what the Scott Pastor R. Morima Chain recommended doing.

And here's what that looks like. We need to spend time in God's Word daily, and as we read, you'll find this kind of happens naturally. I mean, there are Scriptures that really speak to your heart and your situation, and just pray them. You know, just go there, and you'll find God giving you new strength as you do.

Oh, it's so true. So what are some other ways we can learn to run to God for strength when we feel stuck? So there are a couple of fascinating passages in Scripture where Paul is talking to people he really cares deeply about, and he's been praying for them. Just look at Philippians 1-8, where he says, "'God is my witness, how I yearn for you with all the affection of Christ Jesus.'" This is all in the context of prayer, because the next verse he says, "'And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more knowledge and all discernment.'" And then, in Romans 1-9, Paul says almost exactly the same thing. "'For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit, in the Gospel of the Son, how unceasingly I make mention of you always in my prayers.'" Wow, I mean, that's an interesting way to put it, unceasingly, I make mention of you always.

Yeah, right. I mean, that's the English Standard Version. The NIV says, "'God is my witness, how constantly I remember you.'" And the New Living Translation says, "'God knows how often I pray for you.'" So stay with me here.

That's the thing we don't want to miss. God is right there when we pray. God is our witness. And he's not just standing there, you know, standing by, sort of idly watching. He cares that we care. Think of it as God being engaged with us, cheering us on when we pray, especially, you know, it's like running a marathon and God is standing on the sidelines near the finish line, and he's saying, you go, you go. Oh, I see where you're going. And knowing, you know, that would really help. I mean, because one of the things we struggle with the most is feeling like I'm alone, right?

And we can't feel that way because, you know, we end up feeling that way because nothing seems to be happening. But Paul is saying that something is happening. God is our witness. Right?

And he knows. Yeah, that's exactly it. And that ridges things for us. That relationship is everything, because then we can really pour out our hearts to it, which means that we can, you know, tell him that we're tired, that we don't feel like we can go on. And sometimes even just praying that makes a huge difference, like this energy shot through your soul. Oh, that's awesome. And I've also found there's other things like taking on a prayer partner on a particular need can help too.

Yeah, right. I mean, you can agree to pray about together for 30 days or 40 days or whatever works. And you can pray a passage of scripture during that time together to keep you on task, or you can pray creatively with the concept that we just talked about, that, you know, God is my witness concept. And you can do something like, well, for the next three days, I'm going to have a cup of coffee with God.

I'm going to sit down with nothing in front of me, no cell phone, nothing. And the whole time I'm drinking that cup of coffee, I'm going to imagine that God is sitting there at the table with me. And, you know, until that cup of coffee is finished, I'm going to do nothing else other than talk it through with God. Oh, I really like that, because, you know, that's going to help jar something loose. You know, imagine that you're sitting there with Jesus and just talk it out. I mean, tell him the whole thing. You know, and I can see how, you know, you could come up with new ways to pray about that.

Yeah, yeah, you can. I mean, praying with imagination is a really helpful thing, because God can work through that in beautiful, empowering ways. But again, this is more than just imagination, because God really is there. He really is our witness.

And because He is, we can be absolutely honest. It's better if we are, including talking about those places where it seems like you've been praying and praying without seeing any change. So Scripture has a number of prayers like that, like in Psalm 13 or Psalm 40 or the Revelation, you know, where they say, how long, oh, Lord. So even that is on the table, and praying with that kind of honesty, yeah, that can bring us to even more breakthroughs as God's Spirit interacts with us and helps us when we pray.

Darrell Bock Oh, wow. This has been so good. You know, I found it helpful, and I believe our listeners really will, too. Well, so why don't we wrap up with a prayer that God will help all of us in this. So Jesus, thank you so much for this idea of you being there with us as our witnesses. We pray through everything. Lord help this encourage us, and use our imaginations in the way that you design them, so that we would have you beside us as you truly are, and that we would be able to just connect like never before. And I pray this in your name, Jesus. Amen. James Banks Amen. Darrell Bock You can hear more from Pastor James by visiting his website, jamesbanks.org, or by visiting Peace Church in Durham, North Carolina. May God bless you and encourage you as you pray.