When Jesus called His disciples, He said: "Come you after Me, and I will make you (cause you) to become fishers of men" (Mark 1:17).
Note that the emphasis is on our "becoming," rather than upon our "doing" (fishing). We are prone to rush out and at once begin to work for the Lord, forgetting what Jesus really said.
Our calling is to work with the Lord, rather than for the Lord. Therefore, there must be a time of preparation before we can be effective in serving the Lord. "Fishing for men" will follow as the normal outworking of a life of prayer and communion with the Lord. If this were practiced as the Lord taught, most of the problems that we have in our Christian experience would vanish.
The enemy greatly opposes anyone whom he finds earnestly praying. If possible, he would cause them to "do" something – anything, rather than leave them alone to spend time in prayer with the Lord. The devil knows the value of prayer, and will seek to hinder it at all costs. The saint who is determined to pray must discern the source of these hindrances to prayer, and then rise above all opposition and distraction.
At this critical hour in which we live, the Lord is calling His people apart, to serious times of prayer. Throughout the Body of Christ, the glitter and charisma of personalities and special ministries is fading. At the same time, the door into the prayer closet is opening wider for those who desire something more from the Lord, and are willing to enter and pray.
"But you, when you pray, enter into your closet, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father which is in secret: and your Father which sees in secret shall reward you openly." Matthew 6:6
It is here that the battle must be won. All else has failed to bring the Body of Christ to its desired spiritual maturity.