"And there was Anna, a prophetess. . .which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day" (Luke 2:36-37)
No doubt by praying we learn to pray, and the more we pray the oftener we can pray, and the better we can pray. He who prays in fits and starts is never likely to attain to that effectual, fervent prayer which availeth much.
Great power in prayer is within our reach, but we must go to work to obtain it. Let us never imagine that Abraham could have interceded so successfully for Sodom if he had not been all his lifetime in the practice of communion with God.
Jacob's all-night at Peniel was not the first occasion upon which he had met his God. We may even look upon our Lord's most choice and wonderful prayer with his disciples before His Passion as the flower and fruit of His many nights of devotion, and of His often rising up a great while before day to pray.
If a man dreams that he can become mighty in prayer just as he pleases, he labors under a great mistake. The prayer of Elias which shut up heaven and afterwards opened its floodgates, was one of long series of mighty prevailings with God. Oh, that Christian men would remember this! Perseverance in prayer is necessary to prevalence in prayer.
Those great intercessors, who are not so often mentioned as they ought to be in connection with confessors and martyrs, were nevertheless the grandest benefactors of the Church; but it was only by abiding at the mercy-seat that they attained to be such channels of mercy to men. We must pray to pray, and continue in prayer that our prayers may continue. ━G. H.. Spurgeon
十二月十六日
「有女先知名亚拿……并不离开圣殿，禁食祈求，昼夜事奉神。」 （路二:36-37）
我们越常祷告，就越会祷告。这是无疑的事，凡对于祷告时作时辍的人，他的祷告绝不会发生多大效力。
祷告的能力是我们每一个人都能得到的，但是，却不是不费力就能得到的。亚伯拉罕和神如果不常有交通，他为所多玛祈求，绝不能有这样的成功。
雅各在毗努伊勒并不是首次与神相见。主受难前与门徒的祷告，大家认为这是最赤心的祷告，但这是许多夜晚真诚奉献的结果，而且时常天未黎明祂就起来祷告。
如果有人想毫不费力，就可以成功为一个祷告的伟人，他就大错了。以利亚的祷告，先求天关闭，然后又求雨降下，这是不断的祷告的结果。
哦，巴不得每一位基督徒都记得：祷告的效力，在乎祷告的坚忍。代祷者是教会最大的保护人；他们是施恩座前神施怜悯给人的导管。我们应当藉祷告来学习祷告，藉继续祷告来使祷告继续。━司布真