Praying All Night?

Every so often somewhere i read about someone praying "all night". So i sit there and wonder what that means. Does it mean they are on their knees the entire night? Does it mean they talk nonstop? How do they not run out of things to say? Do they say the same things over and over? I know there are many things a person can cover in prayer over an hour or two: praise, intercession for multitudes of people, praying scripture or the psalms, petitions for own needs, confession of sin, etc. Generally all this can be accomplished within an hour or two. Maybe if the list of people to intercede for is real long and includes scripture reading it might stretch to three, even four, but "all night"? That is eight hours minimum, technically, depending on when you start counting the night. If i lay in bed all night and cry out silently nothing more than "Oh God, oh God" all night long does that count as "praying all night"? Is praying all night some kind of hyper-spiritual feat accomplished only by a select method? When people "pray all night" is it because they set out to pray all night, or did it just happen that they spent that long praying or were led by the Spirit to that?

Hallelujah that someone is asking good questions. I too would like to know the answer to this.

Great post, if I had a guess it may be a combination of some singing, some intercession, some sitting and listening and back and forth.

What is also an eye opening is the fact that we have to ask such a question. It makes one feel unworthy.

This is a question that again, God is moving and working among us to bring us to the place that He wants us. Many in other places know what it is to pray all night.
1. Who is to pray all night? sometimes it is a group; they have called for an all night prayer meeting; Ravenhill talks about going with his dad to pray all night; a group of people praying together may relax the amount of prayer upon an individual and their is the pray of unity mentined in Matt. 18:18-20; I hear more and more of all night prayer meetings happening around the US; But also we know that God speaks and moves for individuals to pray all night; there is a burden, there is a need and it needs to be brought before the Lord; Ravenhill again talks of the man in Illinois that prayed every night for over 30 years from 10 PM til 5 AM for the united states; he bore this alone; and sometimes in such seasons we are to do so;
2. Your basic question, 'How are we to pray all night?' I will simply address the individual that prays all night. It is much of what has been said. How much is there to pray for? Naming people by names; situatins, families, lost souls, churches, covering the pulpits, teachers, music, pews and witness to the community, these all have time to be spent. Normally most don't have time to be detailed in their prayers, but an allnight prayer meeting allows for such details. The biggest thing of such a prayer time, where time is given, at night when all is still, is that we hear God more clearly than perhaps in the hustle an dbustle of the day time activities. Most do not give time, but an all night prayer time makes times to ehar from God. Waiting, listening, and mediatating on Him and His ways and His attributes. The anguish of prayer is the most notable that leaves us with one agenda, one desire and we will not move nor let up until their is an answer of deliverance and victory.
3. the position of the prayer time; Too many verses declare to us the proper position before the Lord - Humble; a bodyily position of humility is kneeling and prostrate. Some are more disciplined and would be able to spend hours before the Lord in that way. To the soul that is not accustomed to it, they will not be able to do it. Therefore, there is no doubt, that they will have to sit a little, get up and walk a little, pace around; but ultimately the position is that which is declared in the Scriptures, humble before Him. Too many saints, have already come and gone that have declared the truth of positin to us. If you can't discipline your body to bow the knee and prostrate yourself before the Lord God, neither can you discipline your spirit and soul to remain humble before Him. To those that simply because of health cannot do it, because of bodily affliction or other restraints, that is between the Lord and them, the Lord knows what we are able to do. But the proud spirit and heart that seeks ease and comfort over proper humility has another sin to deal with before they can address the Lord.
when God's anger was kindled against the chidlren of Israel because of their sin. Moses threw himself down before the Lord to seek for His mercy. When God is ready to destroy a nation, a people, family or individual the casual, informal, easy going prayer time will not secure the desire of deliverance. When God's wrath is ready to be poured out, I believe God is looking to see if there is anyone that will cry out for Him to turn from His fierce anger. A night of prayer is sometimes for that very reason. But the causes may vary.
There is a whole lot that goes into this. I have tried to answer some of the main points.
until,
dan biser
rdbiser@live.com

Here is my view on it. There is a sense where this question does not need an answer and maybe should not even have a specific answer. The best way to spend all night awake is to spend it with God. The best way to pass the time is with God and under his leading.

So, start off praying. Among all else, pray that God will show you how to spend the time. What should you ask for to happen? Among other things, your closeness to him to grow, your holiness to increase, your vision to broaden, your worship to deepen, etc. It may be that very soon you cannot keep yourself from singing praises out loud. Or the Lord may take you into a time of deep silence. Or you may feel led to get up and walk around and meditate. It could involve reading your Bible, listening or reading to something that has affected you, or praying aloud or silently non-stop the entire time. The point is that you are "with God in a spirit of prayer". You will love it and hardly be able to wait until your next chance to do it again comes around.

I can only speak of what the Holy Spirit is calling me to do and that is in the night time when I go to bed I am tired and ready for a good rest. But then I am wide awake and cannot sleep. And it is because the Holy Spirit is laying it on my heart to intercede for a specific person, persons or situation. Most of the time it is warfare intersession.

Sometimes I am awakened in the middle of the night with something or someone heavy on my heart and I begin to do warfare until I fall back asleep. Prayed through.

Sometimes I wonder if I didn't pray enough in the day time the Lord will bring me to prayer in the night! Or because it is quieter at night and not as many distractions

Bottom line is it has to be the Holy Spirit bringing us to this place of intercession. It is He who decides when and for how long. Maybe as the days grow darker He will call upon us to intercede for longer periods of time.

Praise God for the day we live in. It is not an accident at all we are here for such a time as this. I am hungry to be at the alter with my brothers and sister as long as the Holy Spirit wants.

My heart has changed about Church as usual. It is so hard for me to go through the motion of Church these days. My heart is to be in fellowship with Brothers and Sisters who want to cry out to Him for the lost, for the prodigals, for the backsliders for the persecuted. To be in the Word, not debating it but basking in it with others, to be in His Presence with others who are singing praises to Him accapella or guitar.

But God is doing something different with some and it is part of quieting our selves before Him with few
distractions. It is a simple but a very reverent Presence.

Not sure I am saying this as to be understood, I pray you will know what I mean.

Love & Prayers

Sheri

I have been to an all night prayer meeting. It was a special time of God meeting with us. Many needs and a lot of praying and soul searching. It does us all good to pray more.

QUOTE: "Hallelujah that someone is asking good questions. I too would like to know the answer to this."

Oh i am so relieved you have said this; i thought for sure i was only going to get criticism; there has been so much negativity and ranting on this site lately, or people just using a post to switch it to their own soapbox. Of course, i havent read the rest of the replies yet, maybe i am speaking too soon...

Quote: "Yes I know this is not the way David Branaird did it. But st 60 years old I am not going to go out and pray in the snow on my knees. The arthritis could not stand
it."

Lol, martyr! Thank you for your answer on this. You make some great points, and i so relate with you on the arthritis thing. I would prefer to be on my knees but i cant last even 5 minutes in prayer that way, so now i always just sit so that i can pray longer (and i ask God's pardon for not being on my knees, for He is King of kings, and Lord of lords). I have too much pain in my bony knees for kneeling long enough to pray what i want to say or to even relax plus the pain is too distracting. But yes, like you mentioned, i always think i have to do like David Brainerd or Praying Hyde and all the other "greats" or i'm just not "cutting it". I worry i won't measure up to standard or be properly reverent.

THANK YOU, ALL OF YOU HAVE GIVEN SOME WONDERFUL ANSWERS!

Sheri, I totally get it!! God Bless!

Sheri, I totally get it!! God Bless!