Persevering in prayer is an exercise in increasing, developing your faith, devotion and dependence upon and in the LORD. It keeps us coming back again and again to Him. The alternative? To “lose heart,” and spiral down into despair.-“Pray lest you lose heart.”-{Luke 18:1}. We persevere because He tells us to and in doing so it express love to Him as we follow. “He who has MY Commandments and obeys them He it is who LOVES Me”- {John 14:21-23}. We persevere as we know from Luke 18:1-9 He is not like the unrighteous judge who feared neither man nor God who eventually granted the persistent widow her answer to get her off his back. In Luke 18 we are taught He is not like that judge, uncaring, insensitive, BUT He cares. So, today, though you feel weary perhaps, persevere in praying because…in doing so…
1. It expresses Your LOVE to Him as you do as He says
2. It will keep you from LOSING HEART
3. Because He CARES for you
4. Persevering Prayer is a matter of “FAITH” which He values and the evil one oppose and which the LORD will seek for when He returns.
TEMPTED TO QUIT BECAUSE OF…
He tells them to persevere in prayer so they will not lose heart. One reason we are TEMPTED { WE do not have to submit to the temptation} to lose heart, is through…
1. – DELAY’S – GOD’ DELAYS in answering our prayers. His DELAYS are not necessarily His denials. George Muller prayed forty years for the salvation of two men, neither converted in his life time. The day of his funeral the LORD saved the father, and within two weeks the son was saved. His DELAYS are not His Denials. Sometimes we keep on praying and we benefit as it is one means God can use to DRAW us closer to Himself! His Delays can tempt us to lose heart, when we lose sight of His care for us. The disciples in the storm afraid said, “LORD, DONT YOU CARE…” The attack on His character because they were facing troubles too great for them, the fear not faith in Him was what came out of their mouth because it filled their hearts. His delay for them and when Lazarus died was not unkindness but to unleash His Majesty to them and place Himself on display!
2. – DEMONIC THOUGHTS, that lead to despair as they deviate you away from His character- HE CARES and away from His way of faith in HIM. So the “thought” comes… and then we often embrace it, think and dwell on it and before we know it DOUBTS arise about God and we get DIVERTED from His character and TRUTH {John 17:17}… and with our armor thrown down we embrace the lie as truth and discard the truth of God for a lie! DEMONIC THOUGHTS; Faith in Him is OPPOSED by an evil foe, to seek to have you in a place of despair through “losing heart,” by tempting you with thoughts such as, “What’s the point in praying,… God doesn’t care for you… How could He answer your prayers, look at you…. why has He not answered you… there is no hope for you…” all such thoughts lead away from the CARE of Christ for you and into the DESPAIR of the evil one who seeks to turn you away from Him and inward and downward and leave you prayer-less, despairingly in darkness and unbelief!!!
When we choose to Quit persevering in praying, we open the door to despair! Hear what the LORD says, Persevere in Praying and do not lose heart! The antidote to losing heart is to persevere believingly in the LORD who Cares for you!-{A principle Luke 18:1-9 teaches!}
3.- DIFFERENT ANSWER. – BE PREPARED for A DIFFERENT ANSWER; Know He may have a DIFFERENT Answer. Remember Paul asked three times for the thorn to be removed?-{2 Cor 12:7-10}. God answered but not as Paul had requested. He answered with HIMSELF!” Sufficient for you is the Grace of ME” is the way it is written, then He promises POWER is manifested in WEAKNESS. Paul accepted HIS Answer and GLORIED for he knew in his weakness he was now a candidate and recipient of the POWER OF GOD to and though Him! When we pray “YOUR Name be honored, YOUR Kingdom come, YOUR will be Done…” and as we seek His glory then His answers are best, doesn’t mean not painful, as Paul’s “thorn” was, but it does mean He knows best and in His Wisdom, the answer may be DIFFERENT than what we had asked but knowing Himself our sufficiency, His Grace our enabling moment by moment and DIFFERENT is maybe His best way for us to lean on Him, know Him better and Him DISPLAY Himself to us and THROUGH us for the Glory of His Name and others to benefit in their own “thorn,” knowing they are not alone. Remember we exist for Him not Him for us! THE DIFFERENT ANSWER REMEMBER, WAS OF ….DIVINE DOING!!!
Persevere in prayer, because He calls you to, it express’s love to Him as you do. It is a Safeguard, it keeps you from despair. Know He cares for you and is an expression of faith in Him who is faithful and puts such a high value on faith in Him…. Persevere, keep on praying to Him… and Don’t lose heart.
In the natural realm as the law of gravity pulls down, so in the spiritual realm failing to persevere in prayer will cause you and me to “….lose Heart.”
Thank God He is not like the unrighteous judge, read Luke 18:1-9 and note He cares for you. He shows it by telling the disciples if they fail to persevere they will lose heart, that is His showing them He cares about them emotionally and spiritually. He gives the comparison between the unrighteous, self-centered judge who is indifferent and insensitive to God and people, and Himself and His care, His sacrifice as HE IS ON THE WAY TO THE CROSS for them! He Cares enough to show them that He values faith in Him.
A good exercise to strengthen your faith is to THINK of Who in the Scripture and HOW He showed His care, and also how Has He showed His care for you….list them and THANK HIM and TRUST HIM, He is ever the same, Caring, and concerned about you and your prayers. He is not indifferent, to you or what hurts and concerns you.
These are a few thoughts that come to mind this morning as I write from a sick, painful place, “But God…”…pray on…persevere knowing He cares… and enough to tell us failing to persevere will lead to “losing heart” and spiritually fainting. Thank You Lord , You Care….
Be encouraged…
Pray on…”In my desperation I prayed and the LORD LISTENED…”-{Ps 34:6}….KEEP PERSEVERING and PRAY ON TO HIM WHO HEARS AND CARES…FOR YOU …DON’T QUIT!