3 Keys to a Mountain Top Prayer Life
January 27th, 2010 by Shyju Mathew
There was a time, a few years ago, when traveling by air was not as affordable as now with so many cost-effective airlines. The most frequently used means of traveling for me to conferences was either by bus or train. I preferred the train for a lesser bumpy ride and it would also give me the opportunity to peep through the window bars and watch the creation of God unfold before me as we passed through mountains and fields.
I was always enraptured the most by the mountains. Reading stories about how Moses talked with God on the mountaintop would leave me standing in wonder at the sight of a mountain. And often, I wished I was on top of one of those mountains that were covered with the clouds.
Talk about being careful about what you wish for! Well, that’s exactly what happened when I was 19. I was invited to study at the Kodaikanal Christian College in Kodaikanal. I also had the privilege of serving as a Chaplain at the college while I was pursuing my studies. The college is halfway on a mountaintop and my hostel room was right on top of the mount with an amazing view outside my window. Every day I used to walk up to my room along this beautiful scenic wonder and it is a memory that I will always cherish. Those 3 years gave me an opportunity to seek the Lord like never before.
The phrase, a ‘Mountain Top Experience’ has been quoted from instances in the Bible where Old Testament prophets like Moses, Elijah, and even Jesus in the New Testament went to the mountain top to pray. A Mountain Top Experience is much more beyond mere positions or pattern of prayer. I’d like to share with you a few lessons that we can learn from their passion to pray in our daily life.
A Selfless Experience One of the important things we need to do in our prayer is to identify our motives. Every time Moses went up the mountain it was for God’s purpose more than his. God called Moses up the mountain to speak to the Israelites. Every time Jesus went to prayer it was about the will of the Father for humanity
A mountain top experience is a very selfless experience but somehow our generation has been convinced otherwise and has come to believe that prayer is about the blessings we can receive. It is about praying, ‘yet not my will but yours be done. ‘
Notice that when you climb up the mountain, you are leaving behind your camp, your situations, your life, and the whole perspective changes to that of a bird’s view. It is no more about how you see things but about how God see things. When you are in the presence of God, the problems may not have changed below but how you see the problem will change.
POA (Plan of Action): Identify your motives in prayer; crucify your flesh by surrendering to God’s desires over your desires. Tune out of your world, your emotions and tune yourself to hearing from God.
A Heart and Might Experience Very often, we focus so much about loving God with all our heart and mind but the greatest commandment is not complete with loving God with just our heart and mind but it also includes, “with all your might” Deut 6: 5
Three years of my mountaintop experience has taught me that climbing up the mountain requires a lot of energy. It was only once that I tried mountain trekking with my Founder Chairman Dr. Sam Abraham, ever since every time he asked me if I wanted to trek, I opted to pray for him as he trekked!
As a preacher, I know how tiring it is to come back home after a fiery sermon and after praying for everyone waiting there but Jesus waited till he prayed for everyone and then, go up the mountain to pray. I am sure Jesus had a longer prayer line having raised a few dead people back to life! (Mathew 14: 22, 23). Remember, Jesus got tired as you and me while on earth, but He knew the importance of prayer
What really interests me about Jesus, even at Gethsemane, is that though he knew that the 3 disciples were exhausted, tired and that their spirit was willing yet their flesh was weak and that their eyes were heavy, he went up to them three times to see if they were praying. (Mark 14: 34 – 41) This clearly shows that we must have our life disciplined for prayer and that too, in top priority!
POA: Identify your excuses, get rid of them, no more compromise, recommit to your prayer time, this time with all your might!
An Undistracted Experience For those who enjoy trekking and hiking up mountainous terrains, I’m sure you understand the beauty of silence. Now, it is also a fact that to have a distraction-free location is a rarity, especially when our greatest distractions are with us in the form of computers, mobiles, television etc.
But then, that is the beauty of the Mountain Top Experience! We must learn to break free from everything that distracts us from God. It’s a choice that you make. Beyond the distractions around us, we need to discipline our minds by taking efforts to be focused in prayer. A person after God’s heart must make it a habit to get away from the normal routines to seek God.
POA: Identify your distractions and re-prioritize your prayer times. Refocus in prayer, this time with all your mind!
The key is simply this, let us draw near to God in full assurance of faith, guiltless and as we draw near to God and he will draw near to us. James 4: 8 says, “Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
So let us draw to him, this very day, right now with all our heart, mind and might!
Question: What helps you with your prayer time? How do you climb your mountain of prayer?
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Great blog!!! Whenever I think that my prayer time is gettingg reduced, immediately I try to fast for 21 days, so that I can be always closer to Jesus….Fasting is a key thing that helps us to increase our prayer time…
Thank you brother for the wonderful message!This experience is very necessary especially for my generation.We have so much distractions around us that we simply cant live a mountain top experience in our prayer life.But the message was helpful for me to understand to give first priority to prayers & that too for HIS will over mine.GOD BLESS YOU!May he give you more of the HIDDEN MANNA to feed HIS people!
Thank you,brother for the wonderful message!May the lord give u more of THE HIDDEN MANNA to feed HIS people!GOD BLESS!
Wow !! Thank you for those beautiful insights into prayer !
You are Right On ! I am guilty of considering a Mountain Top
Xperience as a means for personal spiritual blessings !
Treasured Message as always ….
BRMathew]Delhi
praise You Lord!!! Thank you Daddy for keeping us always right on track… and Yes Lord, please help us to forget everything about us so we can talk, listen and spend time with you with all our heart, mind, soul and strength. That praying will be our ultimate priority in life, to seek Your face not just Your hand.. Oh, Holy Spirit help us…
Such a powerful anointed message cum testimony….. it is like oil that keeps the candle burning. Thank you Bro Shyju. Praise God for you!
Prayers is not only for our personal needs but interceeding for salvation of the people we love, the nations, government , and healing of our lands. We are living at end time and prayers are so critical and everyone need to know the urgency of it. The hours are nearing, Jesus is coming back soon!
Prayers helps me in our family business during the economy downturn, As we draw near to Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit continues to lead and guide me and most of all continuily gives me the peace and joy and Halleluyah, that has sustained me throughout year 2009 and years to come if I continue to be close in my walk with Abba Father.
During the weekdays before I start of my work ( own business) . I will try not to miss my early morning prayer walks at Botanical gardens surrounded by trees, plants and hills and like you mentioned the quietness helps and it make a different in my day of work, I love to sing worship songs to the Lord with my guitar – each time I do it, His presence is near , using internet for access of prayers tools ( your blog is one example) helps, I enjoy reading the bible with soft soaking music on , attending soaking prayers in church every Thursday night helps, We have our family devotion every Friday night .Devotions are a great way for families to bond closer to each other, while getting closer to God, Once a while our Senior Pastor will get the church members up to Penang Hills to pray and because like you mentioned only way to get away from normal routines and truly this helps in our prayer time.
It requires Priority , consistency , discipline and most of all the prompting of the Holy Spirit in order all above works . Amen!
Wow thanks for sharing Sister Gina.
by the way , out of curiosity….. the mountain sight that you posted on this message is it the mountain at Kodaikanal Christian College in Kodaikana. Whatever it is , it is so beautiful and captivating and how I wish I could see it in real ha!ha! God Bless you.
It is. You shud visit India.
Thank you Bro… We need this experience daily… I need it so much…
PRAISE GOD!FOR THIS REVELATION
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Prayer is an Important media were we can keep ourself charged up. As Jesus Says without me you can do nothing.
man of God,thank you!The same voice has spoken into me again.
There is a lonely, lonely, lonely but beautiful place where God MAKES MEN. Ask Jacob en route to ISRAEL. ASK ABRAM EN ROUTE TO ABRAHAM, Ask Saul in the desert of Arabia enroute to Paul. Let us present ourselves as livin sacrifices enroute to the greatest revival ever has the bride dressin white raiment and eyes washed with the eyesalve of the Spirit filled with gold tried in the fires of persecution and welcome him. EVEN SO COME LORD JESUS
that was insightful thanks for sharing.
well u pple have so much to say all i can say is i had ignored the part "with all your might" and it really acted as a timely reminder ….thank and praise God 4 that..
Thank you Shy…Really blessed!!
blessed is our savior's name!
these days God is teaching his children about DISCIPLINE, which a soldier needed when we are in his army as Apostle Paul says in TIMOTHY to endure hardness as soldier.amen.God Bless You
God Bless you Shyju
This is What is Needed for the Younger Generation of Today "a mountain-top-prayer-life" AS gina leong Mentioned in Her Notes ………These are End Time
As it Says in Joel 2:28 ""And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions." to Be Able to Receive this Visions From god Every Youth Must Have This Mountain Top Prayer Life Experience ….. They Should Run Away From the Games , Movies & Songs(Non-Christian) & Not To Be Distracted By T.V , Mobile & Computer At the Time Of Prayer
I am Definitely Going to Take This Message in My Youth Class 2moro
Thank you Again Bro
God Bless you & Ur Ministry
Sure you can. Blessings.
"with all your might".. just what i needed.. thanks for the post..:)
Thanks and God bless you !
Thank you Pastor Shyju!
This blog has helped me to seek the Lord again after being disconnected for weeks.
GOD BLESS!
Glory to Jesus… Dont miss the coming post on the word of God too.. It will bring a balance to your walk with God. Blessings.
Thank you Bro.
This is realy need of the hour that one has to understand and start doing it, he has to sit at the feet of God , in the presence of the loving n mighty God in prayer.
The Holy Spirit helps us as written in 1jn 2:20,27 that the holy one has Anionted us, the more we spend time with God Speaking in the given languages of God ie speaking in tongeus, the word only understood by God Himself and even the word is given to you by the Holy Spirit He helps you in everything.
I thank my Lord who has Abel us to sit at His at 2:30am to 5:00am each day from this new year,on invitation many pastors, Believers leaders have joined us in this prayer time. These timing are giving us the mountain top Experience no disturbance of any thing .
try and see,we well come you all in Jesus name.