Persistent
By Capazin Thornton
Luke 18:1-8 is titled “the Parable of the Persistent Widow.” The Lord encourages His disciples to operate in persistent prayer—to pray always, and never give up.
In this story, the widow woman kept coming to a certain judge who neither feared God nor showed respect for people. The widow pleaded, “Grant me justice against my adversary.”
The judge might have said, “Look, lady, I’m busy. I will review your case as soon as I can.”
The widow refused to give up. She showed up in the judge’s courtroom every day and caught the judge in the courthouse cafeteria at noon. This woman even went to the judge’s home at midnight, pounding on his door and crying out for help.
“The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, 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!’”—Lk 18:5, NLT
The Righteous Judge Hears and Answers Persistent Prayer
To paraphrase, Jesus says, “Do you understand the point of this story? Don’t you realize that God, the Righteous Judge, will defend, protect and avenge His elect who cry out to Him day and night for justice? Yes, indeed He will, and quickly.”
Persistent faith at the Lord’s coming?
Jesus ends His illustrated sermon with a piercing question: “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”
Persistent faith and unrelenting prayer
The Lord may come for His elect at any time. Will he find us losing heart and discouraged? Or will he find us rising up every day with persistent faith and unrelenting prayer?
Fight in the spirit for brothers and sisters who are in dire circumstances and suffering severe persecution. Pray for them to have supernatural wisdom, strength, provision, protection, and escape-ways. Assail the heavens with praise and prophetic declarations and decrees.
“For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayers, but the face of the LORD is against those who do evil.” (1 Pet 3:12)
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Are you operating in persistent faith and unrelenting prayer? Please feel free to post your comments.
Capazin Thornton is a Christian speaker, Bible teacher, and author in Orange County, California.
