For believers, 'pray without ceasing' is God's commandment to maintain a continual life of prayer — offering the sacrifice of praise to God at all times, not just in emergencies or on Sundays.
Les Feldick teaches that this phrase is a commandment, just like 'resist the devil' [Clip 2]. Paul wrote it to persecuted Thessalonian believers alongside 'rejoice evermore' [Clip 0], and Les connects it to Hebrews 13:15 — offering the sacrifice of praise to God continually [Clips 1, 4]. God is available 24 hours a day to hear every believer [Clip 5], and when believers don't know what to pray, the Holy Spirit intercedes for them [Clip 6].
1 Thessalonians 5:17 — This is the verse that directly contains the command 'pray without ceasing.'
Hebrews 13:15 — Explains the content of ceaseless prayer — believers are to offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually.
Romans 8:26 — Shows how prayer continues even when believers do not know what to say — the Holy Spirit makes intercession with groanings.
First Thessalonians 5:17 contains the direct command: 'Pray without ceasing.' It stands alongside verse 16, 'Rejoice evermore.' Hebrews 13:15 connects unceasing prayer with unceasing praise: 'By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.' Romans 8:26-27 addresses the believer who does not know what to pray: 'Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.' The Scripture also sets a boundary on prayer in 1 John 5:16 — there is 'a sin unto death,' and the text says, 'I do not say that he shall pray for it.'
Les Feldick teaches that 'pray without ceasing' is a commandment. As he puts it, when Paul writes 'pray without ceasing,' that is a commandment — just as 'resist the devil' is a commandment — because these are words God has put into Scripture and they become commandments, not just the Ten [Clip 2]. Les also shows the setting: Paul wrote 'rejoice evermore' and 'pray without ceasing' to Thessalonian believers who were under intense persecution, yet had the assurance that their God was with them and that nobody could touch them without His knowledge [Clip 0]. For Les, ceaseless prayer is inseparable from ceaseless praise. He draws on Hebrews 13:15 — 'let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually' — and says this is all God is looking for: the living sacrifice that He is asking, not demanding or commanding, but beseeching [Clip 3]. God wants to hear praise from believers' lips; He does not want them to say that He can see it in their heart — communication with God is the whole idea of prayer [Clip 1]. And this praise is to be continual, not just once a week or on Sunday morning at 11 o'clock [Clip 4]. Les also teaches that God is available 24 hours a day and hears every believer's prayer as an individual; when believers pray they can have assurance that He hears them [Clip 5]. When they don't know how to pray, Les advises being quiet and letting the Holy Spirit commune on their behalf — which he clarifies is not a tongues experience [Clip 6]. Finally, there is a limit: no believer or church body ever has the right to pray for the death of an erring believer; that is never permissible, and it remains in God's hands [Clip 7].
Les Feldick answers yes. He teaches that when Paul writes 'pray without ceasing,' that is a commandment — just as 'resist the devil' is a commandment [Clip 2]. Throughout Scripture, these things that God has put into words become commandments, not just the Ten [Clip 2]. Les also notes that the related call in Hebrews 13:15 — 'let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually' — uses the language of appeal; it is not a demand but a beseeching from God [Clip 4].
Hebrews 13:15 says, 'By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.' Les teaches that God wants to hear praise from believers' lips and wants them to communicate with Him — that is the whole idea of prayer [Clip 1]. He calls this continual praise the living sacrifice God is asking for, offered by virtue of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection [Clip 3]. It is praise to God continually, not just once a week or on Sunday morning at 11 o'clock [Clip 4].
Romans 8:26-27 teaches that the Spirit helps our infirmities, for 'we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.' Les teaches that there are times in life when believers don't know how to pray; when that happens, they should be quiet and let the Holy Spirit commune for them — and this is not a tongues experience [Clip 6]. God searches the hearts and knows the mind of the Spirit, giving believers assurance that their prayers are heard [Clip 5].
1 John 5:16 speaks of 'a sin unto death' and says, 'I do not say that he shall pray for it.' Les teaches that no believer and no church body ever has the right to pray for the death of an erring believer — that is never permissible; it is in God's hands [Clip 7].
Prayer for Persecuted Believers
Les shows that Paul wrote 'rejoice evermore' and 'pray without ceasing' to Thessalonian believers under intense persecution, who could rejoice because they had the assurance that God was with them and nobody could touch them without His knowledge.
Prayer as Communication and Praise
Les teaches that God wants to hear praise from believers' lips and that communication with God is the whole idea of prayer — tied to the 'sacrifice of praise to God continually.'
Pray Without Ceasing Is a Commandment
Les directly answers the nature of the phrase: 'pray without ceasing' is a commandment, just like 'resist the devil' — words God has put into Scripture become commandments, not just the Ten.
The Sacrifice of Praise
Les calls Hebrews 13:15 the living sacrifice God is looking for — not demanding or commanding, but beseeching believers to offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually.
Not Just Sunday Morning
Les emphasizes that offering the sacrifice of praise continually is not just for Sunday morning at 11 o'clock — God appeals with 'let us,' making praise to God the believer's continual response.
God Hears Every Prayer
Les teaches that God is available 24 hours a day and hears every believer's prayer individually, searching the hearts and knowing the mind of the Spirit — giving assurance that prayers are heard.
The Holy Spirit Intercedes
Les teaches that when believers don't know what to pray for, the Holy Spirit intercedes with groanings; the believer should be quiet and let the Spirit commune — and this is not a tongues experience.
The Limit of Prayer
Les teaches that no believer or church body has the right to pray for the death of an erring believer — that is never permissible and is in God's hands alone.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-17: Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing.
This is the direct source of the phrase 'pray without ceasing' — Paul's command to believers, joined with the command to rejoice.
Hebrews 13:15: By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
Les connects this continual offering of praise with the meaning of praying without ceasing.
Romans 8:26: Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
When believers don't know what to pray for, the Holy Spirit makes intercession for them with inexpressible groanings.
Romans 8:27: And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
God searches the hearts and knows the mind of the Spirit, giving believers assurance that their prayers are heard.
1 John 5:16: If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.
This defines a limit on prayer — believers are never to pray for the death of an erring believer.
James 4:7: Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Les cites this verse as a parallel example of an instruction from God that functions as a commandment to believers — just like 'pray without ceasing.'
Yes. Les Feldick teaches that when Paul writes 'pray without ceasing,' that is a commandment, just as 'resist the devil' is a commandment [Clip 2]. He explains that throughout Scripture, things God has put into words become commandments, not just the Ten [Clip 2]. The related call in Hebrews 13:15 to offer the sacrifice of praise continually is expressed as an appeal — 'let us' — rather than a demand [Clip 4].
Paul wrote these words to Thessalonian believers who were under intense persecution, and Les shows they could rejoice and pray because they had the assurance that God was with them [Clip 0]. 'Pray without ceasing' means keeping ongoing communication with God — offering the sacrifice of praise continually, not just once a week or on Sunday morning [Clips 1, 4].
Romans 8:26 says the Spirit maketh intercession with groanings which cannot be uttered. Les teaches that when believers reach a place where they don't know how to put their prayer into words, they should be quiet and let the Holy Spirit commune for them — and this is not a tongues experience [Clip 6].
Yes. First John 5:16 speaks of 'a sin unto death' and says, 'I do not say that he shall pray for it.' Les teaches that no believer and no church body ever has the right to pray for the death of an erring believer — that is never permissible and remains in God's hands [Clip 7].
Watch the Teaching: Why God Says Pray About Everything — Philippians 4:6-7