Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving. Colossians 4:2
The secret of a successful marriage is strong communication between husband and wife, this holds true for a successful relationship with Almighty God as well. Prayer is a channel for us to communicate with God, it should be an ongoing dialogue. Many times we pray only with our lips and not with our hearts. Our prayers should be earnest (constant and loyal). Paul mentions two important aspects of prayer. Firstly, believers are to be ‘vigilant’ or ‘watchful. This is the idea of standing guard, or staying awake at night to make sure a location is safe. Prayer demands ongoing attention, just like the guard at a city gate. In practical terms, this means prayer is not supposed to be a careless, casual act. We should pray with a specific purpose and with deliberate intent. Since the battle begins in the spiritual realm, if we want to be victorious we must call heaven down to earth.
Secondly, prayer should always be with thanksgiving. Because we base our prayers on our faith in God’s Word, His promises, and His character, we thank Him for what He has promised to do as if it is already done. In our thanksgiving, He gives us His peace to guard our hearts and minds in Jesus.
To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing. ~ Martin Luther