Men ought always to pray and not faint! By James Lantz
People are precious to God and to those who love Him! God came down to visit Adam and Eve in the cool of the day. God reveals Himself to those who seek Him. God has always desired for His people to experience His glory! God instructed Moses to build the tabernacle so that He could meet with His people. Ex. 29:43 And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory. David received the plans to build God’s temple. Jesus referred to Isaiah’s prophecy concerning the temple being God’s house of prayer. Isaiah 56:7 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people. Today, the body of Christ collectively is God’s temple! Ephesians 2:20&21 NLT Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. We are also God’s temple individually and referred to as living stones. 1 Cor. 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? Each child of God is a part of God’s building that Christ has built as a place for
Much prayer is to be released unto the Father from our spirit!
God’s Spirit to live in! Since we are God’s body and therefore God’s house in the earth we are very precious to our Father God. God desires that we prosper and walk in health above everything else so that we will be blessed and that others will see the goodness of God in us. We are privileged to come boldly before our Father in heaven through Jesus Christ and ask for help in time of need. We are a privileged people to have the right to pray to the Father in heaven who answers prayer! God has been so kind to us! He gave us Jesus to cleanse us from our sins and grant us eternal life. God made Jesus to be sin for us so that we could be made the righteousness of God. We are made right with God! Romans 5:17 For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. God wants us to pray! Jesus said, ask and it shall be given unto you!
Jesus taught that we must always pray and never give up! Luke 18:1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; Luke 18:1-8 AMPC ALSO [Jesus] told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not to turn coward (faint, lose heart, and give up). He said, In a certain city there was a judge who neither reverenced and feared God nor respected or considered man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, Protect and defend and give me justice against my adversary. And for a time he would not; but later he said to himself, Though I have neither reverence or fear for God nor respect or consideration for man, Yet because this widow continues to bother me, I will defend and protect and avenge her, lest she give me intolerable annoyance and wear me out by her continual coming or at the last she come and rail on me or assault me or strangle me. Then the Lord said, Listen to what the unjust judge says! And will not [our just] God defend and protect and avenge His elect (His chosen ones), who cry to Him day and night? Will He defer them and delay help on their behalf? I tell you, He will defend and protect and avenge them speedily. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find [persistence in] faith on the earth?
Truths About Persistence In Prayer That We Learn From This Parable!
1. God wants us to exercise our dominion over the evil one through believing prayer!
– Paul writes that he tried again and again to visit the Thessalonians but Satan hindered him ( 1 Thess. 2:18 ) Does that mean that Paul didn’t get to visit the Thessalonian church? No, it just means that he needed to pray and look to God for His help. Remember, Paul writes that He always causes me to triumph in Christ Jesus. Another time Paul addresses contrary teaching that caused division in the church and upset the faith of some. Surely Paul was praying for wisdom in how to deal with this interference that was causing division and doubt and yet in the mean time God’s grace was there for those who would not let go of the truth. Rom. 16:19&20 NLT But everyone knows that you are obedient to the Lord. This makes me very happy. I want you to be wise in doing right and to stay innocent of any wrong. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. Today we are privileged to know things that were hidden from the old covenant prophets and saints! Job was totally unaware that God’s blessing wall of protection was broken through because of his yielding to fear. Job 3:25 For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me. Satan was the one was who entered the hearts of those who murdered Job’s servants and burnt up his sheep. It was Satan who caused the great windstorm that blew the house over on Job’s children. Satan put those boils on Job but Job thought God had put the boils on him. Thank God we have been enlightened that God is not the one behind all the stealing, killing, and destroying! John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 2 Peter 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: James 1:16&17 Do not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
2. God will recognize faith much quicker than a wicked judge!
– The wicked judge discerned that this widow was not going to be denied. Though he cared nothing about justice he gave her what she wanted so she would go away. Jesus said that our righteous God will speedily defend, protect, and avenge His children who cry out to Him in faith! Without faith we cannot please God because without faith we are not able to receive the grace that Jesus purchased for us. God receives glory and is pleased when we receive our needs met and our desires fulfilled! John 11:40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? Do not frustrate the grace of God for grace is only available through faith in Christ! The moment faith is released the power of God goes to work. Jesus spoke to the fig tree, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever, and it died immediately but only became noticeable after several hours had passed. The woman with the issue of blood was healed instantly and she felt that she was healed. Luke 8:47 And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately. They shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover! Regardless of how long it takes for the full recovery we should see something change in a short amount of time. One man of God said that if I don’t receive the answer to my prayer (referring to the prayer of faith he prayed for himself) in three days I immediately begin to look and see if there is a problem in my love walk. Faith works by love! As soon as Job repented and prayed for his friends his captivity was turned.
3. God still defends, protects, and avenges His people today because His word is eternal!
– Paul by the Spirit prophesied that there would be those who would infiltrate the church in the last days who would have a form of godliness but deny the power of God. 2 Tim. 2:5 holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof: from these also turn away. Jesus alludes to the end of days in which we live asking us if He will find faith in the earth. Thank God we know that there will be a remnant referred to as the glorious church, without spot or wrinkle in which Jesus will return for. You and I can be vessels unto honor, strong in faith, pursuing the Father’s plan, separated from the slothful and committed with the faithful! Ps. 37:5 Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. Seek the Lord and you shall live! (Amos 5:4,6)
