Lausanne World Pulse – Persevering Prayer
By John Godson
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Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming!’” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:1-8)
Perseverance is holding on and never giving up, even in the face of opposition and apparent failure. Perseverance is a mark of faith.
The above scripture says that Jesus told his disciples a parable to the effect that people should pray always and not give up. He told them the story of a widow who asked a judge for justice and the judge refused. The woman did not give up; instead, she continually repeated her plea until the judge answered. Jesus wants us to be likewise in our prayers. He wants us to be persistent.
What are some of the attributes of perseverance? Perseverance is:
- Focused. It is concentrated on the object of prayer.
- Incessant. It continually repeats and is not rebuffed by opposition or failure.
- Systematic. It is methodical.
- Unyielding. It never gives up.
- Patient. It waits for the answer.
The Bible is full of stories of men and women who persevered in prayer and saw God respond.
Jacob: Genesis 32:24-28
So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” The man asked him, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” he answered. Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.” (Genesis 32:24-28)
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John Abraham Godson, a native of Nigeria, has been serving as a missionary in Poland for the past thirteen years. He is international director of Pilgrim Mission International. Godson also serves as chair for the Lausanne Intercession Working Group in Eastern Europe/Eurasia and as international facilitator for the Network of Nigerian Missionaries Overseas. |
