THE POWER OF PERSISTENCE

Luke 18:1–8 (CSB)

1 Now he told them a parable on the need for them to pray always and not give up. 2 “There was a judge in a certain town who didn’t fear God or respect people. 3 And a widow in that town kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’

4 “For a while he was unwilling, but later he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or respect people, 5 yet because this widow keeps pestering me, I will give her justice, so that she doesn’t wear me out by her persistent coming.’ ”

6 Then the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 Will not God grant justice to his elect who cry out to him day and night? Will he delay helping them? 8 I tell you that he will swiftly grant them justice. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

BIG IDEA: AS WE PERSIST IN PRAYER, WE WILL EXPERIENCE VICTORY!

IT’S ALWAYS TOO SOON TO QUIT ON GOD!

THERE ARE CERTAIN EXPERIENCED BLESSINGS THAT AWAIT BELIEVERS WHO HAVE LEARNED THE VALUE OF PERSEVERANCE…OF PERSISTENCE!

THE VALUE OF HANGING ON IN THERE...

THE VALUE OF WAITING UPON THE PERFECT TIMING OF OUR GOD...

AND SO BELOVED, AS WE LEARN HOW TO PERSIST WITH GOD, WE WILL UNEARTH RARE BLESSINGS FROM GOD!

NOW LET ME BE FOUNDATIONAL: WE DON’T EVER GET TO TELL GOD WHAT TO DO!

THAT AIN’T PRAYER… THAT’S FOOLISHNESS!

WE ARE PRIVILEGED TO LAY OUR CONCERNS BEFORE HIM, AND IN HIS OWN PERFECT WAY, HIS OWN PERFECT TIMING - HIS OWN PERFECT WILL, WE WILL RECEIVE REPLIES FROM GOD THAT ARE PERFECT FOR US! - IVAN FOUND HIMSELF IN A SOVIET PRISON CAMP. ONE DAY HE IS PRAYING WITH HIS EYES CLOSED WHEN A FELLOW PRISONER NOTICES HIM AND SAYS WITH RIDICULE, “PRAYERS WON’T HELP YOU GET OUT OF HERE ANY FASTER.” OPENING HIS EYES, IVAN ANSWERS, “I DON’T PRAY TO GET OUT OF PRISON, BUT TO DO THE WILL OF GOD!”

AWWW BELOVED, SOMETHING HAPPENS WHEN BELIEVERS PRAY: EITHER GOD WILL GRANT US OUR HEART’S DESIRE, OR GOD WILL CHANGE THE DESIRES OF OUR HEART…EITHER WAY, WE ARE VICTORIOUS!

AND IT’S THIS ISSUE OF PRAYER THAT JESUS BRINGS BEFORE HIS DISCIPLES...

JESUS IS ALWAYS IN PREP-MODE WITH HIS DISCIPLES...

HE KNOWS THAT HE WILL SOON DEPART, AND THEIR BEST LINE OF OFFENSE AND DEFENSE WILL ALWAYS BE PRAYER...

IN THIS SINGULAR VERSE, WE GAIN THE THEME AND THRUST FOR THIS SECTION OF SCRIPTURE:

NOW HE TOLD THEM A PARABLE ON THE NEED FOR THEM TO PRAY ALWAYS AND NOT GIVE UP.

BELOVED THIS VERSE WILL PREACH ALL BY ITSELF...

OUR BEST TOOL IN OUR SPIRITUAL TOOL-BOX THAT KEEPS US FROM NOT THROWING IN THE TOWEL IS PRAYER!!! THE BEST TOOL!

THOSE MOMENTS IN OUR LIVES WHEN OUR FAITH IS MOST FRAGILE IS WHEN WE CHOOSE NOT TO PRAY....

THOSE SEASONS IN WHICH WE EXPERIENCE THE DEFEAT OF SIN & CIRCUMSTANCES OCCUR WHEN WE OPT OUT OF PRAYER...

THOSE EXPERIENCES FILLED WITH REGRET AND REMORSE HAPPEN WHEN WE REFUSE TO TAKE IT TO THE LORD IN PRAYER...

OH WHAT PEACE WE OFTEN FORFEIT...

OH WHAT NEEDLESS PAIN WE BEAR...

ALL BECAUSE WE DO NOT CARRY...

EVERYTHING TO GOD IN PRAYER...

NOW HE TOLD THEM A PARABLE ON THE NEED FOR THEM TO PRAY ALWAYS AND NOT GIVE UP...

PRAYER IS ESSENTIAL! IT’S A NECESSITY FOR THE LIFE OF A BELIEVER...

AS YOU STEP INTO 2022, FIND YOUR PLACE OF PRAYER - FIND YOUR TIME FOR PRAYER - AND PRAY!

IF YOU DON’T PRAY, YOU WILL GIVE UP!

IF YOU DON’T PRAY, YOU WILL FALTER!

IF YOU DON’T PRAY, YOU WILL QUIT ON GOD!

PRAYER IS ESSENTIAL....

AND SO, IN THIS MOST PROFOUND PARABLE THAT IS LAID BEFORE US, JESUS EXPOUNDS THE NEED FOR THEM AND US TO PRAY ALWAYS AND NOT GIVE UP: 2 “There was a judge in a certain town who didn’t fear God or respect people. 3 And a widow in that town kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’

4 “For a while he was unwilling, but later he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or respect people, 5 yet because this widow keeps pestering me, I will give her justice, so that she doesn’t wear me out by her persistent coming.’ ”

6 Then the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 Will not God grant justice to his elect who cry out to him day and night? Will he delay helping them? 8 I tell you that he will swiftly grant them justice. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

IN THIS PARABLE, WE HAVE AN UNGODLY JUDGE AND A PERSISTENT WIDOW!

NOW IT MUST BE NOTED THAT THIS UNGODLY JUDGE IS PLACED IN CONTRAST WITH OUR GOD.

JESUS IS SHOWING HOW THE UNJUST JUDGE IS THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF OUR JUST GOD, IN BOTH ESSENCE AND ACTIVITY!

THE JUDGE LACKED RIGHTEOUSNESS…VS. 2

THE JUDGE LACKED EMPATHY…VS. 3 - 5

AND YET, THE JUDGE EVENTUALLY JUDGED JUSTLY, NOT BECAUSE OF HIS CONCERN FOR THE WIDOW, BUT BECAUSE OF HIS CONCERN FOR HIS OWN PEACE…HER PERSISTENCE PERSUADED HIM!

THE JUDGE COULD CARE LESS ABOUT THIS WIDOW OR ANYONE ELSE...

REMEMBER, the judge contrasts with God. JESUS’ point was that persistence is effective with unjust judges. How much more will it be effective with the righteous Judge.

AND THERE IT IS! WE SERVE A RIGHTEOUS JUDGE.

WHEN WE PERSIST IN PRAYER:

GOD GRANTS - VS. 7A - (ACCORDING TO HIS WILL) - JUSTICE, BLESSINGS, THE ANSWER...

DAY AND NIGHT (HE’S ALWAYS AVAILABLE AND ABLE)

BELIEVERS ARE HIS ELECT: WE’VE BEEN CHOSEN BY HIM, SO HE ALREADY ADVOCATES FOR US...

GOD IS GRACIOUS - WILL HE DELAY HELPING THEM? NO IS THE IMPLIED ANSWER...

IN CONTRAST TO THE UNJUST JUDGE: GOD DOESN’T MAKE US WAIT FOR WAITING SAKE...

GOD IS GRACIOUS.

IF THERE IS A DELAY, IT IS FOR OUR DEVELOPMENT AND NOT A REFLECTION OF GOD’S CHARACTER. HE IS RIGHTEOUS. HE IS JUST. HE IS KIND…HE IS GRACIOUS...

SINCE HE IS JUST, OUR PERSISTENCE WILL ENDEAR OUR HEART TO HIS....

GOD SEEKS THE FAITHFUL - WHEN THE SON OF MAN COMES, WILL HE FIND FATH ON EARTH?

REMEMBER, JESUS IS PREPARING HIS DISCIPLES AND US FOR HIS SECOND COMING...

THIS IN BETWEEN TIME (NOW) IS WHEN WE FIND THE NEED TO PRAY ALWAYS AND NOT GIVE UP...

THE TIME WHEN THE SON OF MAN COMES…IS COMING!

HE WILL SEEK THE FAITHFUL...

WILL HE FIND THE FAITHFUL IN YOU?

WILL HE FIND THE FAITHFUL IN GBBC?

THAT THAT KEEPS US FAITHFUL - FROM NOT GIVING UP IS PRAYER…PERSISTENT PRAYER! BELIEVING PRAYER!