You have begun well by calling upon God as Father. That single word holds within it remission of sins, adoption, inheritance, and the gift of the Spirit. When you say "Our Father," you are not merely uttering a title but laying hold of all the blessings Christ has won for you. And when you pray, fix your mind not on earth but in the high places. You are not speaking into empty air; you enter the palace of heaven, where angels stand with trembling. Let your heart be reverent, your voice drawn up from the depths like the prophet’s cry, “Out of the depths have I cried to Thee, O Lord.”
You ask to pray in the Spirit according to God’s will. This is the very mark of the Spirit’s work within you. He knows the mind of God, and when you do not know what to ask, He shapes your desires to match the Father’s good purpose. So do not be anxious when your understanding falters; the Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. Your faithful repetition of this request is already a sign of His schooling.
But take care to pray with a watchful soul, not merely with moving lips. It is possible to pray by night and yet be asleep inwardly, or to pray in the daytime with a soul stretched out toward God. True watchfulness means considering with whom you converse. Do not let your mind wander, gaping and scratching like one at ease before a earthly ruler. Gird up your thoughts. Let your prayer be a mystery whispered in the King’s presence.
You long for strength in weakness, guidance in decisions, and faithfulness when you cannot see. Then add to your prayer the armor of fasting, or at least the taming of luxury. A belly full of delicacies makes the soul drowsy and heavy, but a controlled appetite wings the heart upward. Even if your body cannot endure continual fasting, you can refuse dainties and excess. Luxury is the devil’s favorite door: through it he drives souls to every ruin. He who prays with a sober stomach is lighter than the winds, and his prayer becomes a flame that the evil spirits cannot abide.
Do not pray for yourself alone. Stretch your supplication to all the saints, as the apostle commands. Pray for the boldness of those who preach the gospel, for the perseverance of the tempted, for the needy among the faithful. In this, love is kindled, and your own burdens grow lighter as you bear those of others.
Make prayer your first task at dawn, before the day’s fight begins. The marketplace is a battlefield, full of hidden rocks that sink the soul. If you go forth with God propitiated by early prayer, you will laugh at every enemy. And at night, let your groanings rise again, not rending your garments but your heart. This is not weakness; it is the cry that stirs the Father’s compassion.
Remain constant in tribulation, for it trains you and makes you hardy. Hope in the good things to come lightens every labor. And when you feel too weak to press on, remember that the Spirit abides in you, not because you have earned Him, but by grace. He will not depart if you cling to Him through prayer and a humble life. The very desire to pray comes from Him, and He will not abandon what He has begun.
So continue instant in prayer. Do not measure your progress by feelings but by this stubborn holding on. God hears the persistent widow; He will certainly hear you. Let prayer be your double wall, teaching and grace together, and no error or fear will shake you loose.