30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
Luke 18 1-8 Persistent prayer of faith 09 Persistent prayer before God and its benefits
📖 Luke 18:1-8
05Sep2020 - *Persistent prayer before God and its benefits* - _Luke 18:1-8_ - PERSISTENT PRAYER OF FAITH 9 – Bible reading: _Hebrews 10:35-38_
_Luke 18:6-7 And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. (7) And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them?_
Yesterday, we considered the matter of praying according to the heart of God. We must carry the pain of God’s heart, as we pray. We must be one with Him in His concerns.
Yet, we see that we do not receive or see a change in the situation, even though we have prayed over certain matters for years. We have prayed with a burden for relatives and friends to turn and surrender to Jesus but years have gone by and there is no visible change but instead, the person seems to have gone further away from God. Why is this so? Is it possible to give a precise answer?
_Isaiah 55:8-9 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD. (9) "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts._
There are certain things that we may not understand immediately, however, the Lord desires for us to persist in prayer. _Hebrews 10:35-38 Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. (36) For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: (37) “FOR YET A LITTLE WHILE, AND HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME AND WILL NOT TARRY. (38) NOW THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH; BUT IF ANYONE DRAWS BACK, MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM."_
Our confidence and endurance in prayer have great rewards. One of the big rewards of persistent prayer is increase/strengthening of our faith in God. The Lord has no pleasure in a person who is not exercising his/her faith in Him.
History is full of those who persisted in prayer and because of whom, cultures and nations were impacted. Come to think of it, many of us or probably all of us are products of the prayers of the giants of faith, who persisted in prayer for the people of various communities. We, therefore, must stand on the shoulders of the titans of faith and persist in prayer for our generation.
_Hebrews 12:1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,_
As we grow in faith because of persistent prayer, we learn to rest in the Lord and be patient. _Psalm 37:7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass._ We live in impatient times, in the midst of impatient people. This is where we must be able to demonstrate the remarkable quality of patience.
As we learn patience, this value of patience produces in us, character. _James 1:3-4 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. (4) But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. Romans 5:3-4 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; (4) and perseverance, character; and character, hope._
Persistent prayer leads us to live a fruit-bearing life, which is a mandate. _Luke 8:15 But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience._
Persistent prayer of faith is also an indicator of our love for God. _I Corinthians 13:7 (Love)… bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things._
As we learn and grow in persisting in prayer, we become partakers of Christ. _Hebrews 3:14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, Hebrews 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession._
*Thought to ponder*
```The devil’s strategy is to prevent us from persisting in praying.```