The Holy Spirit has taught throughout Scripture that perseverance and persistence in prayer get God to rise to meet our need.

Right after teaching His disciples how to pray, Jesus said to them,

“Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’? I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs,” Luke 11:5-8 emphasis added.

The friend who gave the loaves in the parable above is an allegorical reference to The LORD Jesus Himself, our Friend (John 15:13-15).

He is also “The TRUE Bread from Heaven”, “The Bread of God” , “The Bread of Life”, “The Bread Which comes down from Heaven, that one may eat of It and not die.”, “The Living Bread”, (John 6:32-58).

The above request was made at midnight. Midnight indicates the most critical moment in time — a time between the previous day and the new day dawning.

When it is critical, you must press in more fervently in prayer, and not throw up your hands in despair.

Our LORD Jesus Christ Himself, just before He went to The Cross for us, “being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His Sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground,” (Luke 22:44).

When it is rough, don’t feel ruffled and rattled. Rather, rise and pray. GOD WILL DELIVER YOU!

Two of our brothers proved the point very well. For casting demons out of a slave girl, they were thrown into maximum security prison, and the jailer fastened their feet in the stocks.

But at midnight, Paul and Silas were singing hymns and praying to God. He spectacularly showed up, literally shook the prison off their lives, broke their chains, got them out, saved the jailer and his household, who even fixed them dinner, or breakfast? (Acts 16:25-26).

Do you see what God can do with persistence in prayer?

That requesting friend, The LORD said “because of his persistence, he will rise and give him as many as he needs,“ (Luke 11:8).

( If led by The Holy Spirit, schedule some powerful praise and prayer at midnight for some days, and get The LORD, our Friend to rise and give you what you need. )

Let our Faithful Friend Jesus hear and see your persistence “by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving” as you “let your requests be made known to God,” (Philippians 4:6,7). And He will rise to attend to you.

Persistence in prayer gets the loaves. By The Grace of God, I, like other brethren, have experienced this time after time in many situations, some VERY DIRE!

Did not my wife even die in my hands on the pavement of Reigate Hill (a notable street in Surrey, England)?

Right behind me, vehicles sped downhill and uphill. My brain seemed to have ceased as three huge demons like black gorillas closed in on me from behind.

In The Name of Jesus Christ, I commanded the spirit of death to LEAVE! And then I shouted DESPERATELY: “Jesus HELP me!” He did IMMEDIATELY. He brought my wife back to life. Hallelu-YAH!

Oh, I TESTIFY this day: God is faithful. Jesus is faithful so much so that He is called Faithful and True, (Revelation 19:11).

There is testimony upon testimony to share (if The LORD permits) when He came through for me.

Just persist and press on in prayer by The Utterance of The Holy Spirit. He will come through for you.

Persistence is a key ingredient in receiving answer to prayer. Yet, too often, many believers give up in despair. Some give up just when the answer from Heaven is about to be delivered to them!

With The Holy Spirit’s Help, one has to always continue earnestly in prayer and not lose heart. And The LORD will SURELY answer if the prayer is according to His Will, (1 John 5:14-15).

The emphatic statement by The Holy Spirit in the first verse of Luke 18 is GREATLY instructive.

“Then He [Jesus] spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ” Then The LORD said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when The Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:1-8.

My brother or sister, when Jesus comes with the answer to your prayer, will He find you still in faith, FERVENTLY persisting in prayer and expectation?

Because of her persistence, the Syro-Phoenician woman got what she had been asking Jesus.

After three and a half years of severe drought at his word, Elijah’s prayer for rain was only answered because of his persistence.

And what does The Scripture say for our learning?

“The EARNEST prayer of a righteous person has GREAT POWER and produces wonderful results. Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops.” James 5:16-18 NLT emphasis added.

Ask for grace and faith in prayer, for persistence in prayer. And never give up. Be encouraged in The LORD. Be strong in The LORD and in The POWER of His Might!

Do you need some loaves? Tell our Friend Jesus to rise and give you as many as you need.

He will SURELY give you because of your persistence.

“For The LORD is our Judge, The LORD is our Lawgiver, The LORD is our King; He will save us,” Isaiah 33:22.

 

“The LORD Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.” 2 Timothy 4:22.
“Farewell” Acts 15:29.
~ Jacob Awagah

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Jacob, an apostle of Jesus Christ by The Will of God, according to The Promise of Life which is in Christ Jesus, (2 Timothy 1:1).  As John was, Jacob is the disciple whom JESUS loves, (John 13:23;19:26; 20:2; 21:7,20).  And like Paul, Jacob is “the prisoner of CHRIST JESUS” (Ephesians 3:1) for His Purpose forever: to obey Him always.

“And having been perfected, He became The Author of Eternal Salvation to all who obey Him,” Hebrews 5:9.

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