In my Pray More message series, my first message was about praying more in confidence. Last week we gave you the Tabernacle model of prayer along with a download that will help you. Today is about persistence. My son, Solomon, is relentless when he sets his mind on something. It’s impossible to break his focus. Do you have someone in your life who is persistent in going after something they want? This is a quality we need in prayer.
Persistence is powerful. In Luke 11, we find the disciples asking, ‘Lord, will you teach us to pray?’ Jesus responded by giving them a pattern to use known as ‘The Lord’s Prayer’ and then followed by telling them the story of a persistent neighbor who kept knocking on the door after the homeowner was in bed, asking him for bread. Jesus gave the disciples a pattern for prayer and then a principle of prayer; the principle of persistence revealing that effective prayer is more about stamina, than a script.
WHY doesn't God answer prayers the FIRST TIME I ask? Why does God want me to be persistent? It’s not because He wants to be begged or that He’s on some power trip. In this parable, Jesus is not saying the friend who was annoyed into action is like God. It’s not a parable about God, it’s a parable about the power of persistence in our lives.
Persistent Prayer…TESTS my maturity.
- It tests my desires. If you ask God for something and you only ask about it one time, that's not a deep desire. It's a whim. Often, we should be thankful God doesn’t answer the first prayer.
- It tests my growth. When God doesn't give you an answer instantly, do you pout and pitch a fit? Persisting in prayer propels our spiritual growth. We learn to trust God’s timing.
Persistent Prayer…TRAINS me to depend on God.
Our view of prayer is about reward. God’s view of prayer is about relationship. Prayer is about furthering a meaningful relationship with God. Jesus told the disciples they should think of a relationship with Him, like a branch to a vine. The consistent connection to the vine produces a fruitful life. Let me point out, Jesus said I am the vine not the vending machine. Prayer is about depending on God.
In prayer, we transfer our burdens to Him. Peter calls it, “casting our cares”. God intended that I come to Him with my burden, and then leave without it. Most of us have a problem transferring the burden. We tend to not be patient and willing to leave it in God’s hands, patiently waiting for the answer, lacking in trust.
If you’ve prayed about a burden and then find yourself still holding on to the burden, you didn’t pray, you complained. Persistent prayer trains us to transfer the burden every day to God. He carries the burden so we can carry His peace.
Persistent prayer…TEACHES me the power of prayer.
One of the foundational misbeliefs about prayer is that we are begging, therefore persistent prayer is just begging longer. You are not a peasant begging a King.Through prayer, you are royalty bringing the King’s desire to earth.
The whole lesson God wants to teach us can be summed up in one sentence: God has deposited power in you; you release power when you pray. Think of trying to use an outlet that has had the power switched off. The power is there and available, but you need to flip the switch so power can flow. We live without power, not because it hasn’t been given, but because we don’t realize it is available. Ephesians 1:19-20 says, “I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.” The Greek word here is dunamis; it’s where we get the word dynamite. It describes the explosive, miraculous power of God. We have power to persist, to see the situation changed, to speak life and not death, to believe and not doubt.
God has deposited in us the power of His Love, the power of His Spirit and, one of the most powerful things, He has deposited is the Name of Jesus. If you want to see how much power God has deposited in you, use the name of Jesus. Addiction, depression, poverty and cancer are powerful names, but they are not more powerful than the name of Jesus! Philippians 2:9-11 declares “God elevated him (Jesus) to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
You release power when you pray. Ephesians 3:20 shows us God is so powerful, He can do it all, even beyond all! But, if God is able to do all, then why do things in my life go undone? The rest of the verse answers it… according to the power that works within us. The word ‘according’ means ‘to measure out.’ Picture yourself standing at the ocean with a bucket. The source is endless but you measure out or bail out as much as you desire. God’s unlimited power is limited in my life by my prayers. The question is not, “Is God’s power enough for my situation?”. The question is “Have I measured out enough of God’s power for my situation?” Persist. Keep believing. Keep measuring out God’s power. Something is happening even when you cannot see it. We have an example of this in Daniel 10. Daniel had to wait 21 days for his answer, but the truth was that every time Daniel prayed, he moved the answer closer. What if Daniel had stopped praying on day 19?
What have you quit praying for that you need to start praying for again? Persist because there is power in prayer, because every prayer pours more of God’s power into the situation, because every measure moves the answer from Heaven to Earth, and prayer improves every situation.
