How Long Should You Pray? What the Bible Really Teaches

Today I want to talk to you about something I believe every believer, every child of God, every man and woman of God, must hear. And of course, that is the mystery of prayer. But I want to focus on three things.

1. what is prayer?

2. Why do we pray?

3. How long should one pray For God to answer them?

 I’ve seen people in the body of Christ, in the Christian community, pray not because they understood what they were doing, but because everyone in the Christian community is doing it. Just because you do what others do doesn’t mean you have revelation for what you are doing. It’s dangerous to do something and to practice something that you have no revelation of.

The enemy has no power over a believer, or in the life of a believer, but what gives him access and power is what I call ignorance. That’s why I love saying this: the more you know, the more you function. The less you know. The less you know, the less you function; you only travel in the direction of what you know, and once you travel in the direction that you know, you will get to where you were actually planning to get.

 So I believe this message will bring you into a revelation that will catapult your life forever.

What is prayer?

Let’s start there. Prayer is two-way communication; it is not a monologue but a dialogue, because when you pray, you are talking to a higher being, and in our case, we are talking to God, the creator of heaven and earth, and He talks back to us. Meaning, it is never prayer as long as you are the one talking and the one you are talking to isn’t talking back.

But for those who are still babes in the Lord or in Christ; I mean babies. I would define prayer as an oral expression of desire. That’s because in Mark 11:24, Jesus says this. He says, therefore I say unto you, what things so ever ye desire when ye pray, see that now. Meaning, before one prays, one must have a desire before your knees hit the ground. You must have a desire.

 When you pray without a desire, that prayer will not yield results; that is Jesus saying that, right? What is desire? Desire is A deep-seated craving, an intense longing for a certain thing to come to pass.

So when you pray, God looks at your desire. Hence Scripture declares, out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth shall speak. So never forget that desire accompanies prayer. Prayer follows desire. Let’s quickly jump to the second point.

Why do we pray?

 This will blow your mind. We pray because we are looking for answers. Men pray because men are. Speaking of men, men are looking for answers, so it does not matter who the person is. Every time a person prays, they are looking for answers. Hence, I said to you when we started prayer that prayer is A dialogue, not a monologue; it is a two-way street, a two-way thing, a two-way communication.

Man is looking for answers, and God is. The higher being, in this case, answers man. So man prays because he is seeking answers. I will break it down for you in the book of Genesis, chapter 4, and you read verses 25-26 going down. The Bible declares that in the generation of self, men began to call upon the name of the Lord, meaning they started praying. But before the generation of self. Men never prayed. Why was that?

When you read the Bible in the book of Genesis, you realise that Adam never prayed. Eve never prayed. Why was that? Because Adam had all the answers, he did not need to pray. Hence, God brought the animals to Adam. God never whispered to Adam, “This is a zebra.” No, Adam looked at the animals and knew their names without God even telling him. That was because God put answers in men.

I’ll break it down even further. When God put them into a deep sleep, He took his rib and made a woman when Adam woke up. God never said This is a woman. No, Adam woke up and said, “This is a woman.” God never said This is the flesh of your flesh. No, it was Adam who knew that this is the flesh of his flesh. Why was that?

 Because Adam had all the answers, but when men fell, men lost the answers. And then man was left with questions, and God alone had all the answers.

So every time we pray, we pray because we are looking for answers. It does not matter who you are. It does not matter where you are. It does not matter what you think; when we pray, we look for answers. Of course, one will say. I am communicating with God, and I’m telling Him how much I love Him.

There is a difference between praise, worship and prayer. When you worship, it’s a different story. When you praise, it’s a different, it’s a different story. But when you pray, you are looking for answers. Answers. I know that a lot of people have their own definitions around what we are talking about, but you need to learn to allow the Bible to give you the answers that you are looking for, not some man’s wisdom. Or men’s knowledge coming for your rescue. Otherwise, you will forever be misled by men.

So that’s why we pray. But I want to get to the last point, which I believe is very, very powerful: this revelation will blow your mind and transform you into the glory of Jesus Christ.

How long Should one pray for God to answer them?

Well, the answer is also in the Bible. First, you need to understand that God does not answer with, but God answers your thoughts. Let me say that again. First, you need to understand that God does not answer with. But God answers your thoughts. The book of Isaiah 65 verse 24 declares, before you even call, I shall answer you. So, God answers you before you call. So he’s not answering you because you called.

 So if he’s answering you before you call, it means God is not answering what you think is answering. He’s answering your thoughts. Why your thoughts? Because your thoughts are connected to your spirit. Right, and God has a relationship with your spirit.

I will bring it down for you even more. When you read the Bible, you realise that in the book of Daniel, chapter 10, something powerful happens, and you start reading it from there. Verse 11: Going down, Gabriel appears to Daniel.

Remember, Daniel had been praying and fasting for 21 days. But this is what Gabriel had to say when he appeared to Daniel from the first day. You set your thoughts, your thoughts, your thoughts to seek understanding. Thy prayers we had, and God answered.

Wait a minute. If Daniel’s prayers were answered the day he sent his thoughts to seek understanding and God answered him, how come Gabriel arrived after 21 days? Then Daniel Day. I’m sure he was shot, but Gabriel gives him an answer. He says I am come. Another vision says I have come. Because of thy width, I’m sure you see where we are going now. If you are not yet clear on where we are going,

I pray for you. You need to grow in Revelation. Gabriel says I have come because of your words. Now, two things here. God answered Daniel not because Daniel had said something, but because he had said his thoughts to seek understanding.

Remember, before you call, I shall answer you, meaning God answers your thoughts. But Gabriel says. Have come because of thy words, so your words will release an Angel, but your thoughts will cause God to answer you.

 That’s why Jesus said you heard that when you sleep with a woman who’s not your wife, you have committed adultery. But I say unto you, if you look at the woman lustfully, you have already committed. The sin would come because you’re not involved; you didn’t; there was no you were not in the act- because of God. Judges, God answers; God responds to the thoughts of men.