In Luke 18:1-8 Jesus was speaking to the people in parables. He is addressing the subject of prayer... not just prayer, but "faith" filled prayer.
In His story there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. Unfortunately within our society that has become very self centered and self absorbed, there are those who neither care about God or anyone else. There was also a widow who needed legal protection. She had an opponent or adversary against her and a judge who could care less...
We to have an adversary, the devil, who is a liar, an accuser of the brethren and he has come to rob, kill and destroy. The truth of the matter is we are in a battle daily whether we want to admit it or not... and "our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." (Eph.6:12)
Jesus brings out a couple of points that we need to consider,
1) "At all times (we) ought to pray and not to lose heart"
To not lose heart means we need to have faith while we pray! Remember "without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him." (Heb.11:6)
Also, just like the widow who was persistent, we must persist in our prayers till the answer comes!
2) "God (will) bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night"
"There is no power like that of prevailing prayer - of Abraham pleading for Sodom, Jacob wrestling in the stillness of the night. Moses standing in the breach, Hannah intoxicated with sorrow, David heartbroken with remorse and grief, Jesus in sweat of blood...such prayer prevails. It turns ordinary mortals into men of power. It brings power. It brings fire. It brings rain. It brings life. It brings God." (Samuel Chadwick)
If there was ever a time in history that we need people who are determined in prayer to see the Hand of God move it's today!
As Jesus closes His Parable He leaves us with this challenge...
"However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?"
Church, through it all God is looking for this simple yet profound truth that He requires from ALL believers... Faith that trusts souly in Him!
In a time where fear is being propagated to move the masses to respond in fear and the flesh, we who are true believers must respond in faith.
The enemy at times will come at us from all sides, but we have a mighty God who fights for us... "Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts" (Zach.4:6)
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