Never Give Up
In Luke 18 Jesus told a parable to illustrate that we should always pray and never give up.
Luke 18:1 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man.
Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, “Get justice for me from my adversary.’
And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, “Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’”
Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?
I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”
It is so easy to lose heart and give up when we don’t see results right away. It is discouraging when we pray and we don’t see the outcome immediately. Jesus told this parable to instruct us that we must be willing to persevere when we don’t see results right away. We need to know that our prayers are not in vain.
Sometimes we can see how spiritual things work by the way God works in nature. Paul wrote in Romans that creation bears evidence of our creator and his workings.
Rom. 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead,
Take lightning as an example. When we see lightning coming down from the heavens it appears that this great electrical power is coming from the sky to the earth when actually it is a condition on the ground that literally pulls the lightning to the earth. Prayer is the same way. Our prayer creates a condition on earth that pulls the power of God from Heaven into our earthly realm. We see this in the story of the woman with the issue of blood. Her faithful persistent seeking drew God’s healing power into her body (Luke 8:46).
God created us to be His image in the earth and to have dominion over the earth. We are God’s children and partners in His kingdom. Patience is required while our prayers create the condition in our earthly realm that will draw God’s power into this world.
Remember the admonition of James,
James 5:11 Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.
James 5:16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
