Prayer, persistence in

The principle of persistence in prayer

Prayer should be made with patience and perseverance

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Jesus Christ taught his disciples to persist in prayer

Luke 18:1–8 LEB

1 And he told them a parable to show that they must always pray and not be discouraged, 2 saying, “There was a certain judge in a certain town who did not fear God and did not respect people. 3 And there was a widow in that town, and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary!’ 4 And he was not willing for a time, but after these things he said to himself, ‘Even if I do not fear God or respect people, 5 yet because this widow is causing trouble for me, I will grant her justice, so that she does not wear me down in the end by her coming back!’ ” 6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unrighteous judge is saying! 7 And will not God surely see to it that justice is done to his chosen ones who cry out to him day and night, and will he delay toward them? 8 I tell you that he will see to it that justice is done for them soon! Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, then will he find faith on earth?”

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Persistence in prayer was exemplified in the early church

Acts 1:14 LEB

14 All these were busily engaged with one mind in prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus and with his brothers.

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Paul exhorted the churches to practise persistent prayer

Ephesians 6:18 LEB

18 with all prayer and supplication praying at all times in the Spirit, and to this end being alert with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints,

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Examples of persistence in prayer

Abraham pleads persistently for Sodom

Genesis 18:23–33 LEB

23 And Abraham drew near to Yahweh and said, “Will you also sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24 If perhaps there are fifty righteous in the midst of the city, will you also sweep them away and not forgive the place on account of the fifty righteous in her midst? 25 Far be it from you to do such a thing as this, to kill the righteous with the wicked, that the righteous would be as the wicked! Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do justice?” 26 And Yahweh said, “If I find fifty righteous in Sodom, in the midst of the city, then I will forgive the whole place for their sake.” 27 Then Abraham answered and said, “Look, please, I was bold to speak to my Lord, but I am dust and ashes. 28 Perhaps the fifty righteous are lacking five—will you destroy the whole city on account of the five?” And he answered, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.” 29 And once again he spoke to him and said, “What if forty are found there?” And he answered, “I will not do it on account of the forty.” 30 And he said, “Please, let not my Lord be angry, and I will speak. What if thirty be found there?” And he answered, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.” 31 And he said, “Please, now, I was bold to speak to my Lord. What if twenty be found there?” And he answered, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty.” 32 And he said, “Please, let not my Lord be angry, and I will speak only once more. What if ten are found there?” And he answered, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.” 33 Then Yahweh left, as he finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.

Jacob persists in wrestling with God

Genesis 32:24–32 LEB

24 And Jacob remained alone, and a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the dawn. 25 And when he saw that he could not prevail against him, he struck his hip socket, so that Jacob’s hip socket was sprained as he wrestled with him. 26 Then he said, “Let me go, for dawn is breaking.” But he answered, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27 Then he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 28 And he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have struggled with God and with men and have prevailed.” 29 Then Jacob asked and said, “Please tell me your name.” And he said, “Why do you ask this—for my name?” And he blessed him there. 30 Then Jacob called the name of the place Peniel which means “I have seen God face to face and my life was spared.” 31 Then the sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, and he was limping because of his hip. 32 Therefore the Israelites do not eat the sinew of the sciatic nerve that is upon the socket of the hip unto this day, because he struck the socket of the thigh of Jacob at the sinew of the sciatic nerve.

Moses persists in interceding for Israel

Deuteronomy 9:25–29 LEB

25 “And I lay prostrate before Yahweh through forty days, and through forty nights I prostrated myself, because Yahweh intended to kill you. 26 And I prayed to Yahweh, and I said, ‘Lord Yahweh, you must not destroy your people and your inheritance whom you redeemed in your greatness, whom you brought out from Egypt with a strong hand. 27 Remember your servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; you must not pay attention to the stubbornness of this people, to their wickedness and to their sin, 28 lest the people of the land from which you brought us out from there say, “Because Yahweh was not able to bring them to the land that he promised to them and because of his hatred toward them, he has brought them out to kill them in the desert.” 29 For they are your people and your inheritance whom you brought with your great power and with your outstretched arm.’

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Hannah persistently asks for a son

1 Samuel 1:10–11 LEB

10 She was deeply troubled, so she prayed to Yahweh and wept bitterly. 11 She made a vow and said: “O Yahweh of hosts, if you will look with compassion on the misery of your female servant, and will remember me, and not forget your female servant, and will give to your female servant a male child then I will give him to Yahweh all the days of his life, and a razor will never pass over his head.”

Elijah persists in prayer about the rain

James 5:17–18 LEB

17 Elijah was a human being with the same nature as us, and he prayed fervently for it not to rain, and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the earth produced its fruit.

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The psalmists persist in calling out to God

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Jesus Christ persisted in pursuing the Father’s will

Luke 22:42–44 LEB

42 saying, “Father, if you are willing, take away this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will but yours be done.” ⟦43 And an angel from heaven appeared to him, strengthening him. 44 And being in anguish, he began praying more fervently and his sweat became like drops of blood falling down to the ground.⟧

Persistence in prayer is exemplified in waiting for God

Micah 7:7 LEB

7 But as for me, I will look to Yahweh; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.

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