Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray at all times and not lose heart: Luke 18:1
Jesus then proceeds to give them a parable about a widow (in that culture a widow had no standing) versus an unjust judge who did not fear God or respected men. Why did the widow win her request?
To pray in this world means to face the ‘tension’ of two different kingdoms. Here Jesus is telling His disciples that prayer will take perseverance and endurance. These disciples had been with Jesus and seen God in their midst – miracle after miracle. They also observed Jesus go off and pray. What did they ask of Him? “Lord… teach us to pray.”
The reality is … this world is fraught with spiritual warfare, and real praying is to enter that ‘war’ and step onto the spiritual battlefield. Not the kind of formulaic prayers, or performance prayers (hypocritical), or practiced ‘list’ prayers, but the kind that comes from a humble seeking heart before God. A repentant heart. A grateful heart. A heart who just wants to be in His Presence. A heart that wants to pray what He thinks is important. What kind of prayers do you pray? Are you constantly just asking for things … for yourself. Do you think lots of words in your prayers will help? Do you think using just the right religious vernacular will help your prayer? Are you just ‘saying’ your prayers rather than they coming from your heart and deep soul?
And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward. But when you pray, go into your inner room, shut your door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
And when you pray, do not babble on like pagans, for they think that by their many words they will be heard. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. Matthew 6:5-8
Consider Daniel …who was a man who understood prayer and was devoted to it. Daniel received a vision of a terrible great conflict coming which disturbed him so … he set about fasting and praying for three full weeks …seeking an answer from God. Then came a vision and an answer that explained the reality of what had happened with Daniel’s prayer. Daniel was visited by an angel who told Him…
“Do not be afraid, Daniel,” he said, “for from the first day that you purposed to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. However, the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me for twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia. Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision concerns those days.” Daniel 10:12-14
Daniel received a lot of information from that angel about what was to come. If you want to know what the full message from the angel was to Daniel … continue reading from verse 14 in chapter ten all the way to the end of the book.
Real prayer is the thing that surpasses this realm and enters the spiritual realm. Effective prayer is learned through much toil and battle. Real prayer takes discipline, fortitude, and perseverance. Real prayer only comes in the midst of true humility before God.
Want more on prayer? Read the books from E.M. Bounds. Lately the Holy Spirit has been ‘highlighting’ the need for real prayer to me.
Father YOU are sovereign and GOOD! Jesus my KING! Holy Spirit my Teacher!
Teach us about prayer.