Triumphant Prayers

“One day Jesus told His disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.” (Luke 18:1 NLT)

Do you ever get discouraged asking God for the same thing day after day, yet struggling to see any evidence that it’s doing anyone any good? Admittedly, in my weaker moments, I do, but I don’t let those “down” moments dictate my confidence that God IS hearing, and what He hears, He answers. But having said that, I reinforce something I said in a post a few days ago – receiving answers isn’t our primary reason for praying – nearness to the Father is!

In the parable of the persistent widow, which is the story Jesus told after the verse above, He spoke of a judge who, as Jesus put it: “…neither feared God nor cared about people.” Yet, in the end, because of her stubborn persistence, the unjust judge gave her that for which she had asked. What’s the lesson for us?

Jesus affirmed that God would give justice to His children, but He concludes His comments by asking a question that has always troubled me. He said: “But when the Son of Man returns, how many will He find on the earth who have faith?” One clear implication to me is that deep faith is coupled with persistent prayer. So, then the question becomes: “Why won’t people of faith be praying?”

In the previous chapter, in Luke 17, Jesus said to His disciples in verse 22: “The time is coming when you will long to see the day when the Son of Man returns, but you won’t see it.” Then He speaks of His own terrible suffering and begins to reveal how things will be before He returns. He speaks of how it was before the flood, and “in the days of Lot,” before God rained fire and burning sulfur down from heaven on Sodom.

How many people do you think were praying before the rain started falling and the door of the Ark was closed? How many people do you imagine were on their faces before God in Sodom before their demise? And, as the last days before Christ’s return are being clearly revealed, how many people in America are on their knees begging God for the salvation of themselves, their loved ones, friends, and neighbors?

On any given weekend we have roughly 3,500 people who attend our services, but in our monthly prayer services we have less than 200. Am I to assume the other 3,300 don’t love Jesus or care about prayer? That’s not what I’m saying. It’s simply an indicator of what’s most important, not only to unbelievers, but for those of us who profess to believe.

According to Hebrews 11:6: “And it is impossible to please God without faith.” But that’s not the end of the verse. It continues by saying: “Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that God exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him.” In its purest form, what is prayer? Isn’t it our effort to acknowledge that we believe God exists and that He will reward our efforts by building faith in us whether He answers our prayers the way we expect or not?

Triumphant prayers aren’t only those with spectacular answers that anyone, believer and unbeliever, can see and rejoice in, they’re the ones we pray day in and day out without doubt that the God who knows us and sees us and loves us, is listening to and responding in ways we may not see, even in this lifetime, but we persist anyway. We don’t give up and we don’t give in!

They’re the prayers that rip out our hearts for fear the ones for whom we’re praying won’t see the Light before it’s eternally too late. They’re the prayers, that whether we realize it or not, are building our faith and enabling us to see the heart of our Savior as we can in no other way.

“Holy Father, help us to pray more triumphant prayers to Your honor and fame!”

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed