July 1-2, 2006, Luke 18:1-8

INSTANT MESSAGES!
AIMP – A WORD OF PRAYER!

*** 2 Chron. 7:14 "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." [New International Version]
*** 1 Tim. 2:1-4 "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone-- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." [NIV]
*** Luke 18:1-5 "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!' " [NIV]

PRAY AND KEEP ON PRAYING, DON'T GIVE UP – LOOK UP!

*** Luke 18:5 "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!' " [NIV]
*** Luke 18:6-7 "The Lord said, "Listen to what the unfair judge said. [7] God will always give what is right to his people who cry to him night and day, and he will not be slow to answer them." [New Century Version]

1. PERSISTENT PRAYING HELPS ME FOCUS ON GOD!
*** Phil. 4:19 "My God will use his wonderful riches in Christ Jesus to give you everything you need." [NCV]
*** Psalm 105:4-5 "Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always. Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced..." [NIV]

2. PERSISTENT PRAYING CLARIFIES MY REQUESTS!
A. I BECOME MORE SPECIFIC!
*** Matthew 6:7 "When you pray, don't babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered only by repeating their words again and again." [New Living Translation]

B. I RE-EVALUATE MY INTENSITY!
*** Psalm 55:16-17 "I will call to God for help, and the Lord will save me. Morning, noon, and night I am troubled and upset, but he will listen to me." [NCV]
*** 2 Cor. 12:7-9a "To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. [8] Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. [9] But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." [NIV]

HOW LONG SHOULD I PRAY?
PRAY UNTIL THE LORD ANSWERS OR TAKES AWAY THE BURDEN!

*** Pr.17:3 "Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but the Lord tests the heart."

3. PERSISTENT PRAYING PREPARES ME FOR THE ANSWER!
*** Eph. 3:20 "Now glory be to God, who by his mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of--infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes." [Living Bible]

PRAYER CHANGES THINGS!
SOMETIMES PRAYER CHANGES THE PRAYER!

*** Luke 1:13-17 "The angel said, "Don't be afraid, Zechariah! For God has heard your prayer, and your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son! And you are to name him John. You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice with you at his birth, for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord... And he will persuade many Israelites to turn to the Lord their God. He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah, the prophet of old. He will precede the coming of the Lord, preparing the people for his arrival. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will change disobedient minds to accept godly wisdom." [NLT]

4. PERSISTENT PRAYING STRENGTHENS MY FAITH!
*** Luke 18:8 "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?" [NIV]

PRAYING PERSISTENTLY IS A FAITH-BUILDING EXERCISE!

*** Jude 1:20 "But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit." [NIV]
*** Romans 12:12 "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." [NIV]
*** Eph. 6:18 "Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. Be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." [NIV]
*** Col. 4:2 "Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart."
*** 1 Thes. 5:17 "Keep on praying." [NLT]

SO HOW DO WE PRAY PERSISTENTLY?

*** Luke 11:9-10 "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." [NIV]

ASK!

SEEK!

KNOCK!

Galatians 6:9 "And let us not get tired of doing what is right, for after a while we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't get discouraged and give up." [LB]

ALWAYS IN MY PRAYERS!
PRAY UNTIL SOMETHING HAPPENS!