Saints have asked, “How long, oh Lord, will You keep me waiting?”  His answer “If you abide in Me, our Lord says, you shall ask and it shall be done unto you.” There is difficulty for most to persist in prayer.  It is our Father’s way to wait. But why? It seems to be a divine necessity that results in unspeakable blessings. In every difficulty, souls struggle to secure every available power to fulfill a vision, to accomplish a dream. The difficulties cause patience as they refine and strengthen character.  Exhausted, we eventually seek God. Our striving in conflict will continue in this world. In all ages, saints have prayed with Ephesians 6 armor on. Knowing that there is a heavenly war for souls, they pleaded with God persistently for the removal of obstacles. Many did succumb into utter brokenness, to a point of complete surrender to God. His grace brought them into a union with His will. “Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in the heaven.”  God conquers our will and His way prevails over us. The more hearty the difficulties, the more we must persist in prayer. Oh Lord, we pray Your Way is honored in New York. Amen

Many quit praying as they do not value the need to continue in faith and pray with sustained belief.  When a soul perceives the difficulty as a divine necessity, a gladness of heart motivates us to pray without ceasing. It is difficult to understand why God allows curve balls in the game of life. But it is our  great privilege to swing with ongoing prayer towards the homerun victory. Being on God’s team, we soon learn the value of listening to His coaching.  All nature has been so arranged by God that nothing is gained without labor and effort. It is in the mastering of our own attitudes during difficulties that our highest perseverance is found. Just imagine what the result would be if the child of God had only to kneel down and ask and get? Complacency is a place of danger. Being lukewarm, not hot or cold, gets us locked out of God’s mercy. What unspeakable loss to the soul of the rich young ruler! He walked away from Jesus, very sad as keeping his possessions revealed what he valued above God. “What must I do?” Jesus tells us to lay down all that we cling to, that we surrender all, and follow Him. It is in the difficulty and our delay that gets us on our knees in pursuit of God. How little would we pray without difficulty? If we examine our calendared time with God in prayer, do we see how distractions steal our attention?  Our weakness to yield to God and abide in Him is where we fail to honor His commands.  Ineffective prayers begin as we shift our priorities away from our communication with our Father. Praise God for our need of difficulty to draw us into persistent prayer.  It is our Father’s choicest way of showing greater grace.

Our Lord Jesus had much difficulty on His path to redeem us. In Gethsemane, Jesus prayed in agony as His will was given up to His Father. His faith in God’s plan over ruled His request for another way. It is in our persevering prayer that we are made partakers of His Spirit.  Oh, Lord, forgive our reluctance to sacrifice our time to talk with You. Pastor Preston Morrison expands on “The heart that God accepts.” 2 Samuel 12:20. David’s response to the loss of his child reveals a powerful truth: God is drawn to a humble, repentant heart. Though David sinned, and though the consequences remained, God received David when he came with honesty and brokenness. It is our choice to humble ourselves and confess our grief for our unholy acts. David came to God with a broken, contrite heart—a sacrifice God never rejects. When the Holy Spirit exposes sin, God  allows us to feel pain, it is not His rejection—it is His mercy. Our Father’s aim is always to draw us closer, to soften our heart, and restore us. Prayer: Lord, give me a tender, repentant heart. Help me draw near to You in every season, trusting Your love and mercy. Amen

In persistent prayer, we persevere with intensity and determination and boldly refuse a denial. Our prayer time is humble and soft at times, then emboldened by our desperation.  Our faith grows by our need for God to show us His glory.  Abraham pleaded, “Oh, let the Lord not be angry.” Abe submitted to God’s will, and Lot was saved.  Jacob feared to meet Esau, and the angel of the Lord met Jacob in the dark and wrestled with him all night. The angel said, “Let me go.” Then Jacob persisted, “I will not let thee go.” Jacob was blessed for his relentless stand. God was well pleased to rename Jacob, Israel. “For thou hast fought with God and with men and thou hast prevailed.”  At times, our Father must hold Himself back from our rescue to purify our motives until all pride and unbelief are overcome.  Many of God’s children have no desire to strive with God to prevail, even quoting our Lord. “Everything that ye ask for, praying, BELIEVE that you receive it.”  Saints grow strong in faith through the difficulties! “I will not let thee go except thou bless me.” Through history God  teaches, and He honors our persistent prayers. Moses prayed for those who made a golden calf. “I pray for this people who have sinned a great sin, that Thou wilt forgive their sin. And if not, blot me now out of Thy book which thou hast written.” That was bold persistence. Moses persisted, “Show me Thy glory, and God made His goodness pass before him.” As an intercessor, Moses prayed earnestly for 40 days and prevailed.

Elijah prayed for fire and then for rain. “Go again seven times.” Elijah had told Ahab there would be rain. He was a man subject to passions like unto ours, and the effectual prayer of the righteous is very powerful.  God is still the same. We must be faithful and persistent in prayer, knowing that God waits to be enrolled in our pursuits.
The marks of a prayer warrior who intercedes with tenacity wins. Our humble position under God is to offer up our petitions, and not fear or worry! We must choose to face our current difficulties with fervent prayer.  Saints sacrifice ease and pleasure to fight our way through to the place where we can find liberty for the captive and salvation for the perishing. Oh God, convict the hearts of each servant of Christ to obey Your calling for us to pray. It is from heaven that the blessings that the world needs must be called down in persevering, persistent, believing prayer. It is from heaven in answer to prayer that the Holy Spirit will take complete possession of us to do His work through us. Let us change our method as we tend to God’s will with much unceasing prayer.

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you.” John 15:7. ● “The effectual prayer of the righteous is very powerful.” James 5:16.

“Because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.” 1 John 3:21-22.

Our power in prayer depends upon our personal prayer life. When our life is right, we shall know how to pray so as to please God, and prayer will secure the answer.

Galatians 2:11-13 —At times God’s way seems harsh. Peter needed Paul to remind him of God’s purpose and plan for him.  We all need to read Psalm 139 and remember that God’s purpose for each one of us is that we trust His ways, and seek Him above all else. We are NOT to shrink to fit in. He set us apart for His purpose. He gave us unique gifts. We were not created to blend in or fidget about the world negative narrative. We were made to be His light of hope in dark places.  Stay gentle, but stay firm and pray without ceasing.