As you step out today, here’s a reminder from God’s word to you from Luke 18:1-8 [TLB]
1-3 “Jesus told them a story showing that it was necessary for them to pray consistently and never quit. (i.e. to illustrate their need for constant prayer and to show them that they must keep praying until the answer comes.)
He said, “There was once a judge in some city who never gave God a thought and cared nothing for people. A widow in that city kept after him: ‘My rights are being violated. Protect me!”
4-5 “He never gave her the time of day. But after this went on and on he said to himself, ‘I care nothing what God thinks, even less what people think. But because this widow won’t quit badgering me, I’d better do something and see that she gets justice—otherwise I’m going to end up beaten black-and-blue by her pounding.” i.e. (for she is wearing me out with her constant coming!)
6-8 Then the Master said, “Do you hear what that judge, corrupt as he is, is saying? (If even an evil judge can be worn down like that,) – So what makes you think God won’t step in and work justice for his chosen people, who continue to cry out for help? Won’t he stick up for them? I assure you, he will. He will not drag his feet. But how much of that kind of persistent faith will the Son of Man find on the earth when he returns?”
Today’s Bible reading is referred to as the parable of the persistent widow and in this parable, Jesus is communicating to us an important spiritual discipline that is pivotal to our Christian faith and which we must not ignore as believers if we are to receive answers to our prayers.
Today’s key verses also illustrate to us the importance of the constant need to pray and to tell God our request without quitting, giving up or throwing in the towel until we receive answers to our prayers.
Jesus again tells you and me in Matthew 7:7 to “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.”
Jesus reminds us in this parable that if a corrupt and evil judge who doesn’t fear or care about God can choose to answer the request of the widow because of her persistent. So how much more God being our loving Father who loves us unconditional and has great plans for us will also not answer our prayers.
But what Jesus focuses on here in this scripture is persistent and consistent prayer – until God answers your prayers. Once we are sure and certain that what we are asking God for whether it’s in the area of our health, marriage, relationship, family, children, finances, career, business, education etc is in line with God’s will for our lives. Then we must press in, in our prayers to the Father until the answers come and Jesus assures us that God will!
Therefore, as you go about your daily business and activities today, let this words from Jesus reignite your faith, hope and trust in the Lord and if Jesus says if you persist long enough just like the widow in this parable who wore the Judge out with her request. Then you also can be persistent in your request to your loving Heavenly Father until He grants your request!
My encouragement to you this morning is to bring those prayers you have told yourself ( or rather the devil has lied to you that God will not answer) back before the Lord. Remember the key focus of this scripture is PERSISTENT AND CONSISTENT prayer, not a prayer that you pray for a while and because no answer is forthcoming you give up.
No! It’s a prayer that the end goal is to get answers no matter how long it takes! Just like James 5:16b says “The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.”
Because being a believer is about having tenacious Faith!
Remember that whatever you are asking God for, if only you will make up your mind to pray consistently and never quit until He answers your prayers! Jesus in his closing remarks in this parable asked those that were listening to him “But how much of that kind of PERSISTENT FAITH will the Son of Man find on the earth when he returns?”
Jesus is also asking you and me the same question this morning and my question is what will our answer be? Let’s think about it!
Do have a blessed and fruitful day!
God bless you!
