Ephesians 6:18  Paul has been exhorting to supplication in prayer, an intense request with self-humbling.  This type of prayer should characterize the believer.  It is to be a habit of life.  If we are very concerned about something, we might pray in this way for that particular thing.  But Paul is describing a pattern of life of persevering in prayer.  Daniel 6:10  Daniel had a habit of daily prayer that he engaged in three times a day, even against the king’s decree.  Paul is describing this kind of ongoing prayer.

Psalm 108:1, 2; Psalm 119:147  The Psalmist declares that he will rise before the morning for prayer.  What would cause this type of activity?  We manage fit in needful activities into every day – sleeping, eating.  Prayer needs to be one of those activities.  Martin Luther stated that he had so much to do that he had to spend the first three hours of the day in prayer.  It is an activity toward God, not just need-based.  The things that are important need to be prayed about, but there also needs to be underlying prayer going on at all times.

Many of the needs around us don’t go away.  We might be intermittent in prayer but the needs are ongoing.  Romans 12:12; Luke 18:1-5  Persevering prayer keeps us engaged with God in a proper manner.

We must see this kind of every-day prayer as a necessity – prayer that pushes other things out of the way.  When we have this kind of ongoing prayer, the life fills up with spiritual matter.  Otherwise we begin to grumble against God.  This kind of prayer prays for every important thing in a significant way.  It is also a time of communion with God.

Paul is exhorting not only to praying consistently for needs but consistently praying.  This is persevering prayer.