Praying with Persistence

Life Enrichment Lessons

The Lord taught that righteousness manifests itself in prayer: Prayer is perhaps the greatest manifestation of faith a child of God can demonstrate. In praying, we address words to a God we cannot see but we believe exists.

We are one among multitudes who are praying, yet we believe God singles out our petition and hears it specifically. We believe God is not alienated from His creation and is able to move in answer to our prayers. The very act of praying is based upon faith. “Without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).

When a man approaches God in prayer, he must approach with a settled conviction that he believes God actually lives. It would be foolish to address prayer to God if God is so removed from His creatures that He cannot move in their lives. A man must believe that God rewards them that seek Him. it would be utter foolishness to address prayer to God if we were convinced He could not hear.

After the priests of Baal had built their altar and put their bullock upon it, they prayed to their god to ignite the sacrifice and consume it in demonstration that he was god. They “called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O, Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered” (1 Kings 18:26). Why not? Baal did not exist. Daylong prayer to a nonexistent god cannot and will not bring a reply. God must exist if prayer is to be effective.

Then they leaped upon the altar, which they had made. And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, ‘Cry aloud: for he is a god; either his is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is on a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth and must be awaked” (vv. 26-27). Their concept was that their god did not answer because he was too busy with other things. To attract his attention and divert him, “They cried aloud and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, (a small, pointed surgical knife, usually two-edged) till the blood gushed out upon them” (v. 28). This went on from morning till night. “There was no voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.” Faith in a nonexistent god brings no answer. Faith in a god too preoccupied with his own affairs to be interrupted brings no answer. A god who cannot hear with not bring an answer. The god who is so distant from this universe that he cannot move in it will provide no answers. The one who prays must believe that God exists, and that He is able to hear our prayer as though we were the only one who existed on the earth. God must be so near that His help is immediately available. Faith is foundational to prayer.

But there is an evidence of faith. It is obvious you cannot see another’s faith nor can he see your faith, but faith does prove itself. The proof of faith is persistence. If I have a need and tell it to God once, I manifest faith; but you have no evidence of my faith. The evidence of my faith is that I pray again and again, persistently, with patient endurance, until I receive what I ask; until God makes His answer very clear; even though the answer may be negative. Faith produces a patient endurance. James 1:3, “Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

The writer to the Hebrews made this very clear: “Cast now away therefore your confidence, which has great recompense of reward. For we have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise” (Hebrew 10:35-36).

The thought in the word “confidence” is patient endurance. The writer conditioned receiving the promise upon persistence. The hope of the persistent will be realized, if their prayer is in God’s will.

“For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by (his) faith: but if any man draw back [i.e., does not exercise patient endurance], my soul shall have no pleasure in him” (Heb. 10:37-38). This makes it clear that God sees patient endurance as the evidence of the genuineness of a man’s faith. To ask once may be an evidence of faith, but to persist in petition when the answer does not come is evidence of the genuineness of faith.

The same thought is taught in Hebrews 10:19-23: “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he has consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; and having an high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith.”

On what basis do we come? First, a way has been opened for us to come by the blood of Christ. Second, we have a high priest who is our intermediary, the Lord Jesus Christ, and therefore, we can come.

But how are we to come? “Let us hold fast the profession (confession) of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised). “Let us hold fast to the confession of our faith. The phrase “hold fast” has in it the idea of patient endurance. A way has been opened by the blood of Christ. We have a High Priest who intercedes for us; therefore, let us patiently endure in faith.

The Lord emphasized this great fact in Matthew 7:7-7. These verses literally read: “Keep on asking, and it shall be given you; keep on seeking, and ye shall find; keep on knocking, and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that keeps on asking receives; and he that keeps on seeking finds; and to him that keeps on knocking, it shall be opened.” A man who prays even once manifests faith; but the man who patiently endures in his praying gives evidence to God and man of the genuineness of his faith as he submits to “God’s character building.” Our Lord said this persistent prayer is a demonstration of righteousness.

James said, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16).