By John Abiola
Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care about men, 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!'” ‘And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 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.18:1-9
Often time, Jesus made use of parables to relay the mysteries of the kingdom to his disciples, at some point in time he would cease from speaking plain words, jump into parables to explain certain truth that everyone must take cognisance of.
Therefore, the need of revelatory understanding to accurately decode the message He intends relating to his hearers. One of such parable is the parable of the persistent woman we read in Luke 18:1.
As we saw in this scripture above, God revealed to us a very powerful truth, a weapon itself, one which we must cultivate in other to be victorious In our journey as believers.
A godless judge refused to render help due to a poor widow. However, the wise widow proved to be wise as she recognized and implemented a very powerful weapon. As a result, the godless judge was compelled to yield in favour of the widow.
That unjust judge who first refused to help the widow had to change his mind because the woman wielded the weapon of persistency.
She pressed hard until she got what she wanted to.
The parable centers around this powerful weapon which you must posses to access God’s power.
Wielding this weapon would not only activate the power of God but also impute in you the fruit of the Spirit called Patience which is cogent for an effective walk with God.
Let’s examine James 5:17&18.
Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.
The word “earnestly” as used in this scripture is derived from the Greek word “spoudaios” which means “diligent or zealously”. Now the word diligent can be substituted for the word persistently because in persistency there is an element of diligence.
This implies that Elijah prayed earnestly ( persistently) and there was no rain for three and half years.
Elijah’s proclamation in 1 kings 17:1 ” As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word” was first birthed in the place of persistent prayer in the secret before it proved effective.
The scripture opens our understanding to the fact that Elijah’s capability to hold the keys of nature in the place of prayer would never have happened if he had not remained persistent in the place of prayer. That is to say that the power of prayer is in its persistency. Elijah could hold down the rain from falling for three and half years because he earnestly ( persistently) prayed.
He did lay hold of nature’s key just on one day. Instead he could achieve such wonder by continuing in the place of prayer until He took hold of something. Little wonder that the proclamation of drought he made was no longer an hope but a reality, because the rain had since stopped falling in the spiritual realm, the proclamation was just to bring it forth into physical manifestation.
After the drought had ended, Elijah had to open the atmosphere for rain again through the same weapon -persistency in prayer.
In 1kings 18: 43- 44, Elijah a man as like passion as we are but powerful like an unmovable mountain brought down rain again not just through casual prayer but through persistency in prayer.
According to the scripture, he was folded his knees and prayed until there was a shift in the atmosphere.
Seven times he sent his servant to go find out if the rain had started, this reveals continuity, persistency in the place of prayer. Think about it, had Elijah relented the third time, then the drought would have continued until God could find another person persistent enough to unlock the atmosphere again for a downpour.
Elijah was knowledgeable about prayer, but beyond that he understood the power of persistency incorporated in the place of prayer.
Elijah would have never brought down rain if he had not stayed until something happened.
Jacob
Was it not Jacob who wrestled with an angel throughout the night until He was blessed? (Genesis 32:24-28)
Scripture recorded that Jacob’s thigh was disjointed while wrestling, that seemed to be enough reason for him to give up, and let go. But he would not.
He continued until his destiny was changed and a nation was birthed out of his bowels. Had Jacob not persistently wrestled ( the concept of prayer) his name, which signified his destiny would have being forever locked up in his bowels and Israel may never have been birthed.
As soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children, Isaiah 66:8.
The act of travailing signifies the reality of persistency, for nations to be birthed out of your womb you have to stay on the altar until it happens.
That request you have being praying to God for cannot come into fruition until you have stayed rooted in prayer enough for that request to become a reality.
I see the Church birth forth a mighty reformation on the altar of persistent prayer.
History has it on record that the disciples were in the upper room for 10 days, praying for the enduement of power( Acts 1:8; Acts 2:1-6). The result that was birthed by virtue of this persistency was that evolution of the Church, having it’s foundation based on the divine move of the holy spirit.
Evan Roberts prayed every day for 13 years before the Welsh revival broke forth and the fire travelled around the world sweeping multitudes of souls to Christ.
More also, beyond the power that is released in the place of persistent prayer, something significant also occurs.
In the last verse of the anchor scripture, Jesus made a striking statement
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?”
This implies that there is an orchestrated time for prayers to enter into the lime light of fulfilment. When the specific time comes, would you still be on the altar of persistency?
Elijah was still on the altar the seventh time ( the ordained time for his request to manifest. When God came around, so to say, He found him there still travailing.
The disciples were on the altar till the tenth day( the ordained time their request would manifest). They were still rooted in the upper room waiting, the result was that they were baptized with the enduement of power, and the Church of God was established.
Oftentimes, faith is released in the place of persistent prayer.
Heb 11:1-Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. So persistency is an element of Faith. Show me a man persistent in the place of prayer and I will show you a man who is full of Faith. In the place of persistency, faith is exercised.
Jesus’ question was rather personal.
When the time of your visitation comes, when the ordained time of the fulfilment of your request comes, would you still be found on the altar of prayer? wouldn’t you have given up?
To the Church, when the time comes for God to dispense the move of the Spirit, would you still be labouring fervently? Or would have given up?
THE CHARGE
Concerning that friend you have being praying that God would save, have you suddenly lost faith and given up completely? Don’t stop, the time of visitation is at hand.
Have you given up on that sickness or health issue you have been praying concerning? Sit up tight and continue for the time of visitation is at hand.
Have you given up as regards the move of God in your city, church or nation? Fuel up your spirit for the time of visitation is at hand.
The charge is to PRAY UNTIL SOMETHING HAPPENS, keep pressing, keep pushing in the place of prayer until you break forth into prophecy, keep interceding until nations are birthed from your bowels, stay committed in the place of labour until fiery flames becomes available in your palms.
Don’t give up, keep pressing until territories comes under your custody.
Don’t give up until your rank increases in the realm of the spirit.
The final charge is to PUSH UNTIL YOU SEE.
Revive Us Again series 105.
John Abiola, a full-time Intercessor for revival, founder of Nigeria Global Intercessors, and author of the online revival publications- Revive Us Again series.
Gmail: nigeriaglobalintercessorsngi@gmail.com
09094797789 (WhatsApp and sms only).
