WWHIYP Continually

It's the end of another month of praying together. Thank God for persistence and growth. Of course we can't stop now. :-) I'm not sure where we're going with this, but we will keep going. I think we will have to have a new scripture book on prayer. There are so many promises about prayer that we have not talked about, yet.

Meanwhile, we must continue to pray.

pray without ceasing,

                1 Thessalonians 5:17 NKJV

  

Be unceasing in prayer [praying perseveringly];

1 Thessalonians 5:17 AMP

  

pray continually;

1 Thessalonians 5:17 NIV

Never stop praying.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 NLT

When I first sent out the Faith to Pray booklets, one of my friends sent an email and joked: I don't understand what Thessalonians is saying.

Yes, it's hard to miss that point. And if you didn't get it the first time, there are three other ways to say it.

What would happen if you prayed continually? Not nonstop praying as in: you don't do anything else but pray, but making prayer your lifestyle. Not only that, but not giving up on praying until you see the results – praying perseveringly. We have discussed praying in this manner, previously. We are going to put this type of praying into practice even more.

Persistent Prayer

Persistence Brings Results

WWHIYP For One Thing

WWHIYP By A.S.K.

So into August we will continue to pray until we see the results. And after we see results, we will continue to pray for other matters in the lives of our families, friends, churches, and nation. Through God by prayer, we have the opportunity to be agents of change. Let's make the most of that opportunity.

The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. James 5:16b NASB

Pray with me (continually)

Awesome God, my Father, bless Your name for giving me the honor to affect change among my family and friends, my neighborhood, my town, my church, my workplace, my world. It is an honor that You have given me the privilege to pray by the precious name of Jesus, the name that is above every name. Teach me how to pray continually, perseveringly, without ceasing, never stopping until the work is done – until the answer comes. I know that You still have awesome things to do on earth and that You will use people who are willing, obedient, and tenacious. I want to be one that You can count on to pray that Your kingdom comes and Your will is done on earth as it is in Heaven. I commit to a lifestyle of prayer. I commit to be unceasing in prayer. You will hear my voice every day in praise, thanksgiving, petition, and intercession. Thank You for being God who hears. Amen.

WWHYIP by A.S.K.

One of my favorite stories that motivational speaker Les Brown tells is how he got a job at the radio station. He wanted to be a DJ. He went to the station one day and talked to "the man" who asked Les if he had any experience. Les told him no. The man responded that they didn't have any jobs. Les returned the next day and asked for a job,

"Didn't I tell you yesterday that we didn't have any jobs?'

"Yes, but I thought maybe somebody quit or retired."

Day three: "Good morning sir, I'm Les Brown. Do you have any jobs today?"

"I know who you are. Didn't I tell you yesterday and the day before we didn't have any work?"

"Well, I thought maybe somebody died or something. I didn't know."

Day four: "Good morning, Mr. Butterball. Do you have any . . .

"Go make yourself useful. Go get me some food."

Les got his foot in the door. He had to annoy the heck out of someone, but he got what he wanted.

In Luke 11, after Jesus told the disciples how to pray, he told them a parable about prayer. We pick it up in verse 5

⁵ Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, ⁶ ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ ⁷ And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ ⁸ But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence. Luke 11:5-8 NLT

I love the phrase "shameless persistence." :-)

I'm going to switch versions here because I like the way the Amplified Bible translates the verbs.

⁹So I say to you, Ask and keep on asking and it shall be given you; seek and keep on seeking and you shall find; knock and keep on knocking and the door shall be opened to you.

¹⁰For everyone who asks and keeps on asking receives; and he who seeks and keeps on seeking finds; and to him who knocks and keeps on knocking, the door shall be opened. Luke 11:9-10 AMP

I thought of Les Brown when I was thinking of an example of ask and keep on asking; seek and keep on seeking; and knock and keep on knocking. We don't have to be as dramatic with God as Les was with the man. The point is not that we're trying to wear God out. We are actually wearing out everything that tries to keep our answer from coming. What would happen if you prayed by asking, seeking, and knocking with shameless persistence? You know the answer: You will receive; you will find; and it will be opened.

I also think it's cool the way the words translate in English like an acrostic:

Ask

Seek

Knock

Asking is rather simple. But have you ever known someone who won't ask? They might say, "I need five bucks." To which you and I might respond, "Are you asking me?" I've known people like that and THAT'S annoying. It can actually be rude. I guess they have to humble themselves before they can ask. Forming a desire as a question rather than a statement says that you know the other person has something that you need. We may as well realize right now that God has everything we need. Let's form our requests as a question. Instead of "God I need a job," how about "Father will you please bless me with a job?" And for goodness sake, say "thank You" when He responds! The same people who have difficulty asking can't get the words "thank you" past their lips.

Seeking takes more work. If you've ever misplaced your keys, you know what I mean. You have no choice but to continue to seek until you find what you need or you may be stuck at home. Seeking in prayer can include reading the Word to find God's will about what we're praying for. Because if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. I John 5:14

Knocking is easy. It's basically a matter of showing up. "Good morning, God. Here I am again. I'll meet you the same time tomorrow." Just show up. Meet God in prayer. You may not have to say anything. Sometimes it's good to knock by sitting quietly focused on Him. He'll know you're there.

Pray with me:

Thank You Father that I don't have to beg and plead for You to answer my prayer. However, you have told me to ask, seek, and knock. You've shown me that I need to be persistent. Not because I'm fighting you to try to make You do something for me, but because there are other things that delay my blessings. I want to be the type of person who won't give up easily. I want to ask until I receive and see the Your response to my asking. I will seek You ; I will seek Your word until I find what I'm looking for. I will keep on knocking by showing up and reminding You that I'm still here. I'm still with You. I love You, Father. Thank You for another way that You're teaching me how to pray in Jesus' name and like Jesus said. Amen

WWHYIP For One Thing

What would happen if you prayed focused prayers instead of praying like we did when we were children – you know, "God bless everybody in the whole, wide world"?

When we began our 40-day (now 71-day) challenge, I wrote a list of a few things to pray about. It's not a very long list. If I list too many things, I probably won't pray for them all. But I listed just a few things that I can be sure to pray about. In most cases, I just list people's names. When I see their names, I know what I had planned to pray for them. For some it is salvation, for some it's for God to open their eyes, for others it's for jobs. I have a separate list of those who committed to the prayer challenge with me. And I am seeing God's hand at work. Praise God!

When I focus on these few things, I feel as if I can get more accomplished in prayer. I (we) will wear ourselves out trying to pray about everything. But as God answers us, we can thank Him for the answer and add something/someone new to the list.

We can be like the lady in the parable that Jesus told so his disciples would always pray and not give up. (Luke 18). She just wanted ONE THING from the judge, "Avenge me of my adversary." Sometimes we might want to only seek God and pray about ONE THING.

Actually, this may be a good starting point for those of us who are learning to pray. We can pray the Lord's Prayer daily. We can daily give Him praise. And then we can pray for that ONE THING. What is the most important thing that you need to pray for? You can pray about that and ask God what is the ONE THING I need to pray about?

After Jesus taught them the Lord's Prayer, Luke says Jesus shared a parable and then He told them:

⁹So I say to you, Ask and keep on asking and it shall be given you; seek and keep on seeking and you shall find; knock and keep on knocking and the door shall be opened to you.

 ¹⁰For everyone who asks and keeps on asking receives; and he who seeks and keeps on seeking finds; and to him who knocks and keeps on knocking, the door shall be opened. Luke 18:9-10

My friend, ask God and keep on asking God for that ONE THING. Seek God and keep on seeking God for that ONE THING. Knock on Heaven's door and keep on knocking on Heaven's door for that ONE THING. And you will see what would happen if you prayed for ONE THING.

Pray with me (out loud of course):

Father, thank You for Jesus' teaching about prayer. If there was anyone on earth who could teach us how to pray, it is God the Son. Help me to focus my prayers and to not try to pray for the "whole, wide world" but to start by praying for people around me and situations around me. Please show me what is the most important thing that I should pray about right now. My goal is not to see how many things I can pray about, my goal is to effectively pray Your will. I know that if I ask, seek, and knock You will respond. I will be persistent and faithful to pray about at least ONE THING. And I will praise You for answering. Thank You for increasing my prayer life. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Persistence Brings Results

On Saturday, a lady from my church shared how years ago she became suddenly single. She had children and no job and was living away from her family. Her sister in Alabama told her that there was a house across the street from her that was for sale.  After a couple of months she came to see the house and knew she wanted it. She began to pray and ask God for the house. She prayed for at least a few months. She said, "I thought God must be tired of hearing me pray for this." The house went into foreclosure and someone contacted the sister about it. (I dare not try to share to many details or I'll have to start inventing them. I'll just tell the parts I remember.) The lien holders (or someone) said that all she needed was $600 for the house. This woman still did not have a job and hadn't worked for almost 20 years. She put down $600 for the house and they told her the first payment wouldn't be for a couple of months. After she had packed her belonging and was leaving for the last time, she went back in once more to be sure they were leaving nothing behind. The phone rang and someone offered to pay for land of hers that they were using. It was enough money that she could pay ahead on her house payment for a couple of months until she found a job. Praise God!

This woman did what the Word says,

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). Luke 18:1 AMP

Sometimes we pray persistently because God is working things out in the background. During the time the woman in my story above began praying for that house, something happened that caused the house to go into foreclosure. Do you think God didn't know that was going to happen? Of course He did. Meanwhile, someone else decided that needed to pay for the property that the lady owned. God was working all of this out as she prayed. He was putting the pieces in place.

Look at a case in scripture where things were happening in the background.

¹² Then he said, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer. ¹³ But for twenty-one days the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the archangels, came to help me, and I left him there with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia. ¹⁴ Now I am here to explain what will happen to your people in the future, for this vision concerns a time yet to come.” Daniel 10:12-14 NLT

Daniel had a vision they he did not understand. He fasted for 21 days to seek the meaning of the vision. In earlier chapters in Daniel, we learn that he had a habit of praying three times a day. Now after he had been fasting an angel came to him and said God heard you since the first day you prayed and I have come in response to your prayer. He went on to explain that an evil spirit delayed him for 21 days. As Daniel persisted in prayer, these spirits were at war. Finally, with the help of Michael an archangel, the messenger with Daniel's answer prevailed.

For whatever reason, your response may be delayed when you pray. But don't give up, don't lose courage, don't back down. God is working things in the background to bring your answer.

Pray with me:

Father, thank You for answering Your people when they cry out to You. You have taught us through Your Word and through examples that we should pray and not give up. You are a wise father. I know that as I pray persistently, You are working things out and arranging things. You are putting the pieces in place like a grand game of chess. You are strategic in what You do. You see the big picture and I only see a tiny part. That's why I trust You – I know You know what's best. I know You know what You're doing. You are even working things out in me to prepare me for Your blessing. As I pray, my heart becomes more tender to hear Your voice and to obey Your Word. As I continue to read the scriptures concerning prayer, my faith to pray is increasing. You and I are changing situations in my sphere of influence through prayer. I am glad to be Your partner in change and in blessing others. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Persistent Prayer

I've been accused of many things, but one my favorites is being accused of having a spirit of importunity.

Importunity: the state or quality of being importunate

Importunate: 1. urgent or persistent in solicitation, sometimes annoyingly so.

                      2. pertinacious, as solicitations or demands.

                      3. troublesome; annoying:

Yeah, well I can live with that. When I think of "importunity" I think of the parable in Luke 18.

 ¹ Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. ² He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. ³ And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’

   ⁴ “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care about men, ⁵ yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming!’”

 ⁶ And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. ⁷ And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”                 Luke 18:1-7 NIV

This woman was importunate. She needed retribution and she unashamedly asked the judge until she received it. The judge gave her what she asked, not because he was being fair but because the woman was getting on his nerves.

Jesus told the parable to show that if the judge who did not care about anyone, including God, would give the woman what she requested, how much more will God answer those who pray to Him persistently? And God will respond quickly. Jesus' point: " to show them that they should always pray and not give up"

God is going to answer. Don't give up. He is a good father. If someone who doesn't care about you will respond when you are relentless, God who loves you will respond even more when you are persistent.

We'll talk later (probably tomorrow) about why you may have to ask God for something more than once.

Pray with me (out loud):

God, You are a just and fair God. You are not like the judge in the parable. You care about me and You will answer when I cry out to you day and night. There are some things that I want in life so I will cry out to you for those things without giving up. I am learning what would happen if I prayed. I believe that if I call on you day and night about something that I need, you are going to answer. So please help me to learn persistence in my prayer life. I believe that if I pray persistently and not give up, just as Jesus said, You are going to respond. Thank you for your response. Thank You that I can come to You by the precious name of Jesus. Amen.