Nowhere to Hide: Escaping Prayer, Missing Destiny

A call to awaken, return, and recover the power of ceaseless prayer

Some escape into visions—not to draw nearer to God, but to avoid the work of prayer. In every generation, there is a subtle temptation to dodge the kind of stretching prayer that deepens and broadens our communion with God and heaven.

During one of our prayer meetings, I imagined a scene—an inner parable of sorts—about some people who entered a trance. But instead of allowing the vision to draw them deeper into intercession, they used it as a refuge from active participation.

In the vision, they had the opportunity to ride swiftly on a horse, but chose to walk instead—deliberately slowing down to prolong the escape. They were like Jonah, who preferred to be thrown into the sea rather than obey the Lord’s command. Every effort was made to delay their return to the moment of prayer.

At one point in the vision, the Light appeared ahead—a divine signal calling them back to rejoin the prayer. Yet they intentionally turned away, joining others also fleeing their responsibilities. They journeyed in the opposite direction. In fact, they even paid the driver of their vehicle, urging him to go faster—farther from the Light of accountability.

In their limited understanding, they imagined themselves the masters of time and season, forgetting that no one can receive anything unless it is given from above. Even the trance was orchestrated by God—not for escape, but for instruction.

Operation: Run From Prayer

As they traveled through mountains and valleys, determined not to turn back, it seemed their mission—Operation: Run From Prayer—had reached its climax. They arrived at a remote valley, a place void of purpose. Suddenly, a voice echoed—gentle, yet thunderous in weight. The words came from Psalm 139:7–12:

Where can I go from Your Spirit?

Or where can I flee from Your presence?

If I ascend into heaven, You are there;

If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.

If I take the wings of the morning,

And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

Even there Your hand shall lead me,

And Your right hand shall hold me.

If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,”

Even the night shall be light about me;

Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You,

But the night shines as the day;

The darkness and the light are both alike to You.

Terrified, the driver shouted, “Who told that Voice about our plans?”

In that moment, they realized the truth—they had not escaped God, only ran into their own emptiness. The Omnipresence of God had followed them into their hiding place.

What Prayer Sustains

What they failed to understand was that fleeing the discipline of prayer is to forfeit the blessings that prayer sustains. When prayer stops, the protection and guidance it once secured begins to unravel. The revelations meant for those who remain faithful in intercession are withheld from those who opt out.

Just as the early church prayed earnestly for Peter’s release—and saw chains broken and doors opened—so divine shifts await those who persist in prayer.

But these people missed their window. In fleeing the present, they forfeited their authority over the future. What they did not realize was that the present they enjoyed was the fruit of prayers others had sown in the past. Now it was their turn to take up the mantle and sow seeds for tomorrow. Instead, they closed their mouths—ending the sentence of their spiritual journey prematurely. The book of wonders remained shut, its manifestations delayed.

Ceaseless prayer is the continuation of divine activity. A praying voice keeps the narrative of God’s will unfolding.

By the time they awoke from the trance, they were drained and disoriented—without the strength to intercede for the present they now faced, and unprepared for the future they had been ordained to shape.

But the Light Remains

But even then, the Light had not left. The call to return remained.

Because the One who gives the vision is also the Restorer of strength. When a heart turns back, even from the edge, heaven is still ready to write again.

Conclusion: The Call Remains

Nowhere to hide. Nowhere God cannot reach.If you’ve delayed, escaped, or avoided—return.The Light, Christ is still ahead.And the book is not yet closed.

Pray without ceasing.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:17

✨ If this piece encouraged you…

Feel free to share your thoughts, your Operation: Run From Prayer reflections, or simply pass it on to someone who needs encouragement in their current season. It takes a word like this to remind us that returning is still possible.

Grace and peace,

Titus Ogunyemi (WordSalem)