Those of us who have children, know how frustrating it can be
when they are persistent in asking for something we've told them "NO" to.
Can I get an Amen?
I mean, it's like a broken record, using a megaphone, on repeat... "Dad, can I.....(insert latest great invention....this week)?
And of course, my favorite part was always..
"But I'll be the ONLY kid in the WHOLE SCHOOL without one!
But believe it or not, there are times, when persistent requests pay off, and prayer is certainly one of those times!
“These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication...”
“Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.”
1 Thessalonians 5:17
He also practiced what he preached. “For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers.”
Romans 1:9
Prayer is so important that the Apostles’ said, “But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the Word.”
Acts 6:4
Edward Payson understood this when he wrote, “Prayer is the first thing, the second thing, the third thing necessary to a minister. Pray, then, my dear brother, pray, pray, pray.”
Prayer helps us to see God’s view of things. It also strengthens our relationship with God. Prayer meetings produce God meetings. That is why they are aptly called, “prayer meetings.” It is here that we meet with God. Man was created to desire communion with God. This communion goes beyond “asking” into the realm of “seeking.”
Often prayer is treated like a market. We bring our list of shopping needs with us and trust that Jesus will fill all of the needs. We can move beyond just asking, into seeking the Lord, and even extend into intercession.
Ezekiel 22:30
“Moreover, as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way.”
1 Samuel 12:23
Many times the answer to prayer involves a lot of waiting. None of us like to wait. It has been said, “Patience is a virtue that carries a lot of wait.” It is not something that we do well.
Charles Spurgeon, a Baptist preacher, said that by perseverance “the snail reached the ark.” We know that God answers all prayers. He gives three responses, “Yes, No, or Wait.” We must continue to pray until we receive an answer or until we receive the assurance from the Holy Spirit that our prayer has been heard and the answer is on its way. Andrew Murray says, “God’s giving is inseparably connected with our asking.”
This brings to mind one of my favorite poems, if you don't mind, I'd like to share it with all of you..
Let Go and Let God
As children bring their broken toys
With tears for us to mend,
I brought my broken dreams to God,
Because He was my Friend.
But then, instead of leaving Him
in peace to work alone,
I hung around and tried to help
with ways that were my own.
At last I snatched them back and cried,
“How can you be so slow?”
“My child,” He said, “What could I do?
You never did let go.”
(Author Unknown)
EXPECT A MIRACLE
Don’t give up! Your miracle is on its way!
Don’t give up! Your miracle is on its way!
Prayer is to be continual, unceasing, like a non stop flight; not landing until it reaches its destination. “…Men ought always to pray, and not to faint.”
Luke 18:1
Dutch Sheets in his book “Intercessory Prayer” explains that this does not mean, “it would be a good idea to pray. It is declaring that it is absolutely necessary-binding upon you - that you pray.”
As we continue to pray our prayers are stored in heaven. “…And golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.” Revelation 5:8
This is what happened to Cornelius in Acts 10. Because he was a devout man who feared God and prayed always, his prayers came up as a memorial before God. Acts 10:2,4 God considers our prayers a sacrifice to Him, and they remind Him of our perseverance.
Dutch Sheets writes, “It sort of reminds me of the mouse and the elephant who were best friends. They hung out together all the time, the mouse riding on the elephant’s back. One day they crossed a wooden bridge, causing it to bow, creak and sway under their combined weight. After they were across, the mouse, impressed over their ability to make such an impact, said to the elephant, ‘We sure shook up that bridge, didn’t we.’ Kind of reminds me of some of the advertisements and testimonials. You’d think He, God, was the mouse and we were the elephant. (Maybe that’s why we don’t shake many bridges)...Rise up! Better still, allow your Helper to rise up in you! Together, you can shake any bridge! Just make sure you know who the mouse is.”
As we begin to intercede, stand in the gap in prayer, then Jesus also will work with us and accomplish the work.
“And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen” Mark 16:20
Prayer must be persistent in order to be effective. This is what we see in the story of the Persistent Widow Luke 18:1-7. This story begins with a command to “always to pray, and not to faint” (give up). The judge in the story finally answered her because her “continual coming” would make him tired. Jesus then assures us that God will also answer “His own elect, which cry day and night unto Him, though he bear long with them.” Don’t give up. God will answer you if you persist.
One day, Winston Churchill was addressing a group of students and all he said was, “Don’t ever, ever, ever, give up!” The mighty oak tree was once a little nut that held its ground.
It never gave up!
As long as Moses persevered in prayer with his hands lifted up, the people of God were winning the battle. Exodus 17:11 As Moses lifted his hands towards God he was showing his dependence on God to win the battle. When the prayer of Moses ceased, the flow of the divine power to the people also ceased.
No Prayer, No Power!
Less Prayer, Less Power!
Much Prayer, Much Power!!
This principle of persistence in prayer is also seen in the story of the Friend at Midnight.
Luke 11:5-13 This story appears immediately after the disciples asked Jesus, “teach us to pray.”
Luke 11:1
This verse appears immediately after Jesus says to Martha “one thing is needful.”
Luke 10:42
“Ask, Seek, Knock” were the instructions that Jesus gave. They seem to suggest that we must keep asking, keep seeking, and keep knocking. When we continue to ask the Lord for something in prayer, we are allowing Him to know that we have a need we can’t fill on our own and strengthens the conviction that God does hear and answer prayer. The man at midnight kept knocking on the door until his friend finally got up and provided whatever he needed.
Luke 11:1
This verse appears immediately after Jesus says to Martha “one thing is needful.”
Luke 10:42
“Ask, Seek, Knock” were the instructions that Jesus gave. They seem to suggest that we must keep asking, keep seeking, and keep knocking. When we continue to ask the Lord for something in prayer, we are allowing Him to know that we have a need we can’t fill on our own and strengthens the conviction that God does hear and answer prayer. The man at midnight kept knocking on the door until his friend finally got up and provided whatever he needed.
In Acts 12 Peter is in jail waiting for the death sentence to be carried
out. While he was chained between two guards, sleeping, the church was
desperately interceding for a miracle. They were praying without
ceasing. Heaven heard and the miracle happened. Peter went to a place “…where many were gathered together praying. Acts 12:12
He “knocked” in Acts 12:13 and the door was answered by a shocked girl who shared the miraculous news with an unbelieving group of prayer warriors. Peter “kept knocking.” Acts 12:16
Keep praying until your answered prayer keeps knocking at your door.
He “knocked” in Acts 12:13 and the door was answered by a shocked girl who shared the miraculous news with an unbelieving group of prayer warriors. Peter “kept knocking.” Acts 12:16
Keep praying until your answered prayer keeps knocking at your door.
In closing... always PUSH!
P. U. S. H.
Pray Until Something Happens
Many of you seem to enjoy the study questions.
So I thought I would include them again this week..
It's fun way to recap today's message and go even deeper into the study of the Scripture.
STUDY QUESTIONS
_____________________________________
2. What did the Apostles’ decide in Acts 6:4? _____________________________________
_____________________________________
3. What is the first, second, and third thing necessary to minister? _____________________________________
_____________________________________
4. Why do we call it “prayer meetings”?
_____________________________________
5. How do we treat prayer like a market?
_____________________________________
6. God wants us to stand in the gap through _____________________________
7. What is the quote about “patience” in this lesson? _____________________________________
_____________________________________
8. What three responses to prayer does God give us? _____________________________________
_____________________________________
9. God’s giving is connected with what?
_____________________________________
10. In “Let Go and Let God” what was the reason why God did not fix the problem?
_____________________________________
11. What happens to our prayers as we continue to pray? _____________________________________
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12. What did Sheets say about Luke 18:1?
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
13. What story in the Bible proves that prayer must be persistent in order to be effective? ____________________________
_____________________________________
14. Why did the Judge answer the Widow’s petition? _____________________________________
_____________________________________
15. What three instructional words did Jesus give in Luke 11? _____________________________________
_____________________________________
16. What was Winston Churchill’s advice to the students? _________________________
_____________________________________
17. Can you think of any testimonies of an answer to persistent prayer in your life or in the life of someone that you know? ____
__________________________________________________________________________
18. What does P.U.S.H. stand for?
_____________________________________
19. What did Peter do in order to get into the house where people were praying in Acts 2? ______________________________
_____________________________________
20. What did the friend needing help do in the “Friend at Midnight” story? __________________________________
And now
May the Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you
The Lord life up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Now and forever, in Jesus' name
Amen
Brian Monzon Ministries