SBS Sermon Notes Note 03/08
Perseverance in Prayer
Reading: Luke 18:1-14
The Oxford dictionary's definition of the word 'perseverance' is "to continue
steadfastly especially in something that is difficult or tedious." Coupled
with the right understanding, perseverance can be an extremely valuable
thing. Here is a list of some of the elements that constitute perseverance;
each is accompanied with an example in 'prayer,' the subject of our sermon
Before any meaningful progress can be made - in any enterprise - knowledge
is required. One may of course learn by trial and error; but this is the
long way to success and too often ends in failure. The first thing you ought
to do before embarking on a new enterprise is to learn as much as possible
about it. Here is what you must know if you want to be successful in prayer.
Knowledge of God and His ability
||For I know that my Redeemer liveth...
||But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
||I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.
There was a multitude of things that Job didn't know (see chapters 38-40) but
there were three important facts that he did know.
- That his Redeemer was alive;
- That his Redeemer knew everything about Job
- And that His Redeemer could do anything.
Ignorance, especially of what constitutes right and wrong, is one of the main
causes of defeat in matters of moral character.
||Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.
|| My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge...
Wilful Rejection of Truth
Another cause for failure is that God's Spirit and direction is not welcome.
Many just don't want to know. In deed they think they know it all. The results are inevitable.
||... Because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.|
Because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will reject thee.
We may explain the word 'application' as action, effort, work etc. Most people know that knowledge is an important preliminary to success. But when it is not followed by positive
action, then even knowledge is just so much excess, mental baggage. It is
wasted. Perseverance always expresses itself in action. Indeed we only
really recognise the presence of perseverance by some outward action. The
action may be a call, a request, a visit, a knock on the door or something
far more demonstrative; but something must be done, some outward expression
must be exhibited before results can be obtained. In Luke 18:1-8 we see a good example of perseverance.
- This widow came to the one person whom she knew had the power to help.
- She asked - knowing she had a good case. "Avenge me of mine adversary."
- Initially the unjust judge was not interested.
- But her persistence paid off and she obtained what she wanted.
Just as the repeated blows of a hammer eventually have an effect, in the
same way persistence in prayer produces results. Note in our example of the
The Almighty is infinitely more eager to answer prayer than was that unjust judge.
- She was not easily put off; she kept coming, well aware that her request
was a worthy one which deserved attention.
- Her persistence unarmed the unrighteous judge. Note his words:
4 ... Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
5: Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
Another example of persistence is found in the story of Elijah.
|1 Kings 18:41
||: And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain.|
42: So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees,
43: And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times.
44: And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not.
45: And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain.
Vain RepetitionBut when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do:
By persistence we do not mean vain repetition, which is the countless mouthings of the same phrase or sentence over and over again. Pagans go in for vain repetition. They say the exact same words over and
over again. This is not the kind of perseverance that Yahweh calls for.
Perseverance is spiritual endurance governed by reason. Vain repetition is
a mindless reiteration of the same words - without reason and without respect to the intelligence of the hearer. Beware of people who use vain repetition!
for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
It is a characteristic of valuables, that the more worthwhile they are the
longer they take to produce. In other words, time is involved in the making
of everything of worth. And this is where patience links hands with
We must Wait on the Lord
||... But wait on the Lord and He shall save thee.
||I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
||"Blessed is he that waiteth ..."
|| For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.
||Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.
5. Another Aspect of Perseverance
Tenacity - Hold Fast
To hold on when all around are letting go is most essential for final
victory. Perseverance in prayer usually pays off; but even when it doesn't,
we must never give up our faith in God. Hold fast!
||But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.
|| If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.
But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
Here is evidence of faith without presumption. In other words: 'Our God can save us. But even if He decides not to, we will not break His law and worship your golden image.'
My prayer is that we will all be as steadfast as those three Hebrew worthies were,
in the final Hour of Temptation!
SBS Sermon Notes More sermons on Prayer
Elder: David B Loughran
Stewarton Bible School, Stewarton, Scotland
Placed on Internet Dec.1995 ... Updated with KJV references July 1999