Why Do We Give-up on Prayer?

Luke 18:1–8 NLT

1 One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. 2 “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people. 3 A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’ 4 The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, 5 but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’ ” 6 Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. 7 Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?”

INTRODUCTION:

I- THE POINT (Luke 18:1)

A- When are we to pray? (Luke 18:1 a)

Luke 18:1a NLT

1 One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.

1- Always (πάντοτε)= “always, at all times, on every occasion.”

a- In relation to time of day.

(Psalm 55:17)

Psalm 55:17 NLT

17 Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the Lord hears my voice.

(Mark 1:35)

Mark 1:35 NLT

35 Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.

(Psalm 63:6)

Psalm 63:6 NLT

6 I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night.

b- In regard to time of need.

(Hebrews 4:16)

Hebrews 4:16 NLT

16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

(1 Peter 5:7)

1 Peter 5:7 NLT

7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

c- In recognition that He alone can help.

( Psalm 62:7)

Psalm 62:7 NLT

7 My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.

B- How are we to pray? (Luke 18:1 b)

Luke 18:1b NLT

1 One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.

1- Pray Persistently.

a- καὶ μὴ ἐγκακεῖν = “and not become discouraged, lose heart, or give up.

(1) The positive principle is that we are to “keep-on praying.”

(Matthew 7:7-8)

Matthew 7:7–8 NLT

7 “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

2- Pray in faith, believing.

(James 1:6)

James 1:6 NLT

6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.

(Matthew 21:22)

Matthew 21:22 NLT

22 You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.”

(Mark 11:23)

Mark 11:23 NLT

23 I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart.

II- THE PROBLEM (Luke 18:2-5)

Luke 18:2–5 NLT

2 “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people. 3 A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’ 4 The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, 5 but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’ ”

A- We lose heart. (Luke 18:1 b)

Luke 18:1b NLT

1 One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.

1- We get discouraged and give-up.

a. ἐκκακέω = “to lack courage, lose heart, be fainthearted”

b. We might quit just short of the answer.

The largest vein of gold was found by a buyer who began digging just 3 feet from where the previous owner quit.

c. The scriptures admonish us not to give up!

(Galatians 6:9)

Galatians 6:9 NLT

9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.

(2 Thessalonians 3:13)

2 Thessalonians 3:13 NLT

13 As for the rest of you, dear brothers and sisters, never get tired of doing good.

(2 Cor. 4:1, 16)

2 Corinthians 4:1 NLT

1 Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way, we never give up.

2 Corinthians 4:16 NLT

16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.

B- We fail to get specific with God. (Luke 18:3)

Luke 18:3 NLT

3 A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’

1- We need to move beyond generalities.

a- As Solomon did. (2 Chronicles 1:7-12)

2 Chronicles 1:7–12 NLT

7 That night God appeared to Solomon and said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!” 8 Solomon replied to God, “You showed great and faithful love to David, my father, and now you have made me king in his place. 9 O Lord God, please continue to keep your promise to David my father, for you have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth! 10 Give me the wisdom and knowledge to lead them properly, for who could possibly govern this great people of yours?” 11 God said to Solomon, “Because your greatest desire is to help your people, and you did not ask for wealth, riches, fame, or even the death of your enemies or a long life, but rather you asked for wisdom and knowledge to properly govern my people— 12 I will certainly give you the wisdom and knowledge you requested. But I will also give you wealth, riches, and fame such as no other king has had before you or will ever have in the future!”

b- As Elijah did. (James 5:17-18)

James 5:17–18 NLT

17 Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! 18 Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops.

C- We trust more in the flesh than God. (Luke 18:4-5)

Luke 18:4–5 NLT

4 The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, 5 but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’ ”

1- It is a great temptation to trust in physical things.

(Note Philippians 3:3)

Philippians 3:3 NLT

3 For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort,

David did this when he numbered Israel. (1 Chronicles 21)

III- THE PROMISE (Luke 18:6-8)

Luke 18:6–8 NLT

6 Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. 7 Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?”

A- God will answer! (Luke 18:7)

Luke 18:7 NLT

7 Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?

1- God has promised to answer us.

(Jeremiah 33:3)

Jeremiah 33:3 HCSB

3 Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and incomprehensible things you do not know.

a- Do we trust Him to answer?

We don’t need to get ahead of God, like Abraham & Sarah did. (Genesis 16)

B- God will not waste time. (Luke 18:8)

Luke 18:8 NLT

8 I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?”

1- He always comes through in time.

He came through for Moses at the Red Sea. (Exodus 14)

He came through for Peter in jail. (Acts 12:1-11)

Acts 12:1–11 NLT

1 About that time King Herod Agrippa began to persecute some believers in the church. 2 He had the apostle James (John’s brother) killed with a sword. 3 When Herod saw how much this pleased the Jewish people, he also arrested Peter. (This took place during the Passover celebration.) 4 Then he imprisoned him, placing him under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring Peter out for public trial after the Passover. 5 But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him. 6 The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. Others stood guard at the prison gate. 7 Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, “Quick! Get up!” And the chains fell off his wrists. 8 Then the angel told him, “Get dressed and put on your sandals.” And he did. “Now put on your coat and follow me,” the angel ordered. 9 So Peter left the cell, following the angel. But all the time he thought it was a vision. He didn’t realize it was actually happening. 10 They passed the first and second guard posts and came to the iron gate leading to the city, and this opened for them all by itself. So they passed through and started walking down the street, and then the angel suddenly left him. 11 Peter finally came to his senses. “It’s really true!” he said. “The Lord has sent his angel and saved me from Herod and from what the Jewish leaders had planned to do to me!”

CONCLUSION:

A- So What does all this mean to me?

1- As God’s child, God is far more concerned with my needs than any earthly judge could ever be.

2- I am to frequent the heavenly throne room in prayer, boldly seeking the intervention of my Father in my earthly affairs and concerns.

3- I am to claim the absolute assurance that my Father will answer my requests and trust Him.

B- Now What am I going to do about these truths?

1- I am going to make prayer a top priority in my daily life.

2- I am going to commit to a practice of bold, frequent prayer for myself and others.

3- I am going to actively look for God’s intervention in my life and the lives of others in answer to my prayers.