“Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” Luke 18:1 NIV
On more than one occasion, Jesus taught persistence and tenacity in prayer. This goes to show their importance in our approach to prayer. (Luke 11:5-10, 18:1-5). Perseverance in prayer changes us. When we spend time praying we are built up. (Jude 1:20)
If you are trying to get fit or develop muscles, you can’t just go to the gym one day a week and expect to have fully developed muscles. You have to continuously exercise, spend time increasing the difficulty of your routine to get the desired results. The same tenacity applies to prayer. As believers, we have to spend time praying.
This kind of prayer is not for getting God to meet our needs. Surely, He knows our needs even before we ask. This kind of prayer is for edification, intimacy, staying aglow in the spirit, and remaining discerning of His will for our lives.
Sometimes, this kind of prayer is to get results. We have Elijah as an example. In James 5:17-18, we read about how he prayed and prayed again for certain results. If you read the original story in 1 Kings 18:41-44, you will find that he prayed seven times over before he got results!
Listen, you cannot thrive only on “in Jesus name I pray” prayers. You’ve got to spend time praying for the results you seek! Pray long so that you can pray short. Maintain focus in spite of difficulty, and you will have what you desire. Dear believer, the word of the Lord to you this morning is simple: Pray long.
Bible Reading Plan:
Luke 14:25-35, 1 Timothy 4, Proverbs 6, Ezra 8