How could a two-word verse in the Bible challenge the heart of a young girl? The verse in question simply says, “Pray continually” (1 Thess. 5:17). I heard it in Sunday School and it captured my imagination. I wanted to pray more. I desired to honor God and have regular conversation with my Creator. I suspect you do too.
But how?
How does a little girl, a teenage girl, an adult woman pray all the time? Through many seasons of life, I continued to struggle to live out this epic invitation. Then it hit me, the Holy Spirit impressed upon my heart, it is not that we have to pray all the time . . . it is that we get to! The door to the throne room of God is always open and so is his heart. We can talk with the Lord of glory, any time, any place, no matter what we are facing. What glorious truth!
Prayer is for the sacred moments of worship and for the secular times we walk through our world each day. Conversation with God can happen when we bow, fold our hands, and close our eyes. Prayer is also for when we are driving a minivan full of kids, working hard in the marketplace, hanging out with friends, and in every situation we face in a normal week.
There is a staggering biblical call to pray. Let your soul marinate in the beauty of these passages of Scripture:
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. — Romans 12:12 (NIV)
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. — Colossians 4:2 (NIV)
Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. — Ephesians 6:18 (NIV)
Learning to “pray continually” is not a matter of semantics. It is a spiritual reality, a paradigm shift of heavenly proportions. When we embrace prayer as something we get to do and not a chore we have to do, everything changes.
Encountering God With the Women of the Bible
Prayer, in its simplest form, is about relationship. It is about being in the presence of the God who made us and loves us. When we learn to pray throughout our day, we remember we are not alone. We sense more deeply and intimately that God is with us in our pain, depression, sadness, and fear. He is also present at the heights of joy and times of delight. From the valleys to the mountaintops, God is near, his door is open, he is present.
The Bible is filled with stories of women who encountered God in stunning ways, who cried out to the Lord in the highs and lows of life, and who experienced extraordinary power poured out from heaven. I recently immersed myself in the Scriptures to learn from women through Genesis to Revelation. My goal was to learn from my ancient sisters so I could willingly pray more in my daily life. What I learned has been truly transformational. My immersion in the whole text of the Bible led to 30 studies filled with lessons from 29 women (or groups of women).
I learned that these women in biblical times faced the same joys and struggles we do today, and their journeys can inform our daily lives. My lessons are captured in the study, Praying with Women of the Bible for 30 Days.
In this article, I have the honor of sharing three lessons from three dear sisters. I pray and trust God will take you to deeper places of prayer and intimacy with your Savior as you learn about and from these women of the Bible.
Learning from Abigail: Respond Boldly to God’s Leading
David said to Abigail, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands.” — 1 Samuel 25:32-33 (NIV)
Abigail endured great challenges in her life. At the top of her list was being married to a stubborn husband, Nabal, who acted foolishly toward David when he was on the run from Saul. God did not send an army to stop David and spare him from responding in vengeance. David acknowledged that God gave direction to Abigail. She did not turn her back on God. We see in her story that she followed the Lord’s prompting and did not hesitate to obey his leading in her quick actions. The Lord spoke to her and she responded in obedience. When conflict arises, relationships are tense, and wisdom is needed, we should cry out to the only One who offers the power, peace, and wisdom we need.
When God speaks, be ready to follow with humble obedience. Some situations in life demand unwavering trust in God’s direction — and then, quick action. When you face these moments, be bold and courageous.
Prayer Prompt: Spend a few moments with God asking him to help you hear and respond to his leading. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you not lag behind or rush ahead, but be ready for action when he gives the word.
Learning from Huldah: Speaking the Hard Truth
She said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Tell the man who sent you to me, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am going to bring disaster on this place and its people—all the curses written in the book that has been read in the presence of the king of Judah. — 2 Chronicles 34:23-24 (NIV)
When King Josiah read the words of God, he realized that the nation was living contrary to God’s ways. He needed wisdom and direction, so he went to a woman who heard from God. Her name was Huldah. After she prayed and sought the face of God, she received an answer to her prayer, but it would be a hard message for the young king. She was willing to speak the truth, even when it was not popular.
Learn from Huldah’s example of courageous prayer and how she spoke even when it was not easy. We will all have times when the Lord speaks to us and calls us to stand strong and speak his truth boldly. We need to be ready for these moments, and Huldah’s example will help prepare us to follow God’s leading.
Prayer Prompt: Pray with increasing confidence and courage, believing that God can use you even when you feel unworthy and afraid.
Learning from the Woman Caught in Adultery: Hearing and Receiving Grace
Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” — John 8:10–11 (NIV)
The interaction of Jesus with the woman caught in the act of adultery shows us the tender, truthful nature of our Savior. This was not the case with the religious leaders who brought her to Jesus. They presented her to Jesus and stated what the law required: death. It was through Jesus’ interaction that we are reminded that we are all in need of his grace. It was through this encounter with Jesus that she found grace. In her brokenness, she recognized her need for cleansing from sin. Jesus came in grace and truth, and he revealed both of these as he conversed with this woman.
You can draw near to the God who knows everything about you, who died to wash you clean, and who is ready to lavish you with his amazing grace. We bow under the weight of guilt, and he lifts us up in the power of grace and truth.
Prayer Prompt: Thank God for the cleansing and freedom from condemnation that he has given you through faith in Jesus.
Praying With the Women of the Bible
From Genesis to the Book of Revelation, we meet women who talked to God, listened for God, and followed his leading. May we be encouraged and inspired to do the same in our generation!
Deepen your prayer life with women from scripture in Praying with Women of the Bible for 30 Days: A Bible Study Guide by Sherry Harney.
The thirty lessons on prayer in this book are each as unique as the women whose stories they tell. This is neither an academic nor a traditional Bible study, but author and prayer leader Sherry Harney will help you learn from the biblical accounts of women who met God in real and personal ways with prayers of all forms.
Sherry Harney is the Spiritual Development Director at Shoreline Church in Monterey, California, and the co-founder of Organic Outreach International. For more than three decades, she has spoken about prayer, spiritual formation, leadership, and outreach for local, national, and international organizations. She has also authored several small group study guides and books, including her most recent book,Organic Prayer: Discover the Presence and Power of God in the Everyday.
