The Benefits and Challenges of Prolonged Prayer and Focusing on God's Presence.

As I attempt to spend extended amounts of time in prayer in order to dwell in God's presence, I notice three things

1) More distractions come to vie for my hearts affections - a sense of conflict and confusion arises,

2) There are strong thoughts and intents that bubble up from my heart, that I have to repent of, 

3) The need to press on deeper into God's presence, 

I can see in my minds eye that the negative thoughts and intents of the heart as I pray and they are bubbling up really strong - be it lust for other things, bitterness, disappointment towards God etc. are like huge boulders in the spirit man that have to be destroyed and gotten rid of, if I am to come to a fuller experience of the Holy Spirit in order that the "fullness of God" be manifest in my life according to Ephesians 3:

Ephesians 3:

16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,18may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge -- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Prolonged prayer (what Christ Himself did), learning to pray without ceasing is not easy but here are the benefits:

1) It is the practice of cultivating the heart. And over time you will have a heart entirely focused on God , His heart, focused on His person, His desires and you will know His voice. (if your eye is single it will be filled with light). (Matthew 6:22),

2) Wholehearted and joyful submission and the power to obey fully will be another result. No longer being a conflicted man - "what I will to do I find no power to carry out", it remains only a desire. Remember friends share their hearts because they are alike. If you want to hear God more, then you must be like God. A transformation must occur in you before we can come to agreement and walk together. "How can two walk together unless they are agreed?"(Amos 3:3). He shares His heart with His friends not His enemies.

3) A place where the theory of God (His word) no longer remains as theory but becomes life transforming power. You yourself will be transformed into His likeness.

4) Endurance,

5) The place of breakthrough. Where God can express Himself freely through you. In heart, word, deed, mind, works, signs and wonders following.