Leading The Way - Devotional for April 25
April 25, 2026
Persistent Prayer
By Michael A. Youssef, Ph.D.
We can be optimistic in this life when Christ lives within us. We can find joyful hope when we put our relationship with Christ first and spend regular time fellowshipping with Him in prayer. A close relationship with God will give us joy in the midst of trouble, victory in times of temptation, fruitfulness, and blessing in times of uncertainty. A solid prayer life will give us confidence when everything else is crumbling around us.
That’s why there’s no time when the enemy is more active in your life than in your prayer time. Satan is always plotting, scheming, planning, looking for opportunities to attack you spiritually. So he moves like lightning when he sees you on your knees in a moment of prayer. Many people think prayer is a time when Satan will leave you alone, but the opposite is true. He will do whatever he can to come between you and the Lord in this time of intimacy—the phone will ring, a package will arrive, a forgotten obligation will distract you, really any interruption will do. Why? Because Satan knows that prayer is the secret to your power, your strength, and victory over sin.
How persistent is your prayer life? Is prayer the first activity to be cut when your life becomes overscheduled? Do you skip prayer time on the days when you feel tired, ill, or apathetic? Are your prayers half-hearted attempts to fulfill a ritual or appease your guilt?
If your prayer life has been lacking, confess to God today how you have neglected this important aspect of your relationship with Him. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s help to guide you in your prayers, to motivate you to spend time with Him, to give you the self-discipline to stay focused in prayer, and to prepare your heart for the presence of God.
Prayer: Father, forgive me for neglecting my prayer life. I pray that You would guide me as I pray and help me make prayer a priority in my life. Thank You for the privilege of prayer. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed” (Mark 1:35).
Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef’s sermon Pray or Faint: LISTEN NOW
Want more devotionals from Leading The Way? Sign up for MY Devotional and have a devotional delivered directly to your inbox daily!
PARTNER WITH US
We are Leading The Way for people living in spiritual darkness, at home and around the world, to discover the light of Christ as we passionately proclaim uncompromising Truth. Visit us today at ltw.org.
Listen to Dr. Michael Youssef on today's broadcast of Leading The Way at OnePlace.com.
Watch Dr. Michael Youssef on this week's broadcast of Leading The Way at LightSource.com.
