Daily Devotional
The Need For Persistence And Faith In Prayer
Text: John 16:24
Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
Message
Someone once said to me, “Long prayers are prayers that God cannot but answer.” This thought rattled me as to how long I have to pray before God answers, and I enjoy manifestations. Then I remember that the speaker was not teaching anything new.
In Luke 18:1–8, the parable of the persistent widow continues Jesus’ discussion of His second coming with the promise that God will give His people justice (Luke 17:22). He teaches this lesson by contrasting God with a corrupt judge, a widow in persistent prayers with faith demands and eventually got justice in her favour.
Apostle Paul In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, encourages believers to pray without ceasing and to give thanks in all situations. I dare add, “no matter how long it takes for you to receive from God your expected end.”
Prophet Elijah said “Except at my word, let there be no rain” and it was instant and for three and half years, but this was after he had encountered God in the place of prayer. Jesus, God in the flesh of man consistently and persistently prayed while on earth and is still interceding for us even now in heaven. Not only that, he left the Holy Spirit, the great comforter to keep praying for us as we don’t know what to pray for and are given to ask amiss.
Hannah’s yearly Shiloh going was not a jamboree. She prayed until she broke the yoke of bareness in her life. The take in all that we have seen is that prayer outcome and results are no “fast foods.” They are hot foods to be chewed slowly and in persistent faith and wisdom. If the devil has dragged you down so long in the valley, you must persistently petition heaven in order to gain your freedom.
If your destiny and glory are great, it is a hot tea that you must take wrestling with the devil who will not take it easy with you as an adversary of God’s plan and His dedicated vessels. The only people the devil does not bother about are those he regards as “done deal”; those he has completed his enterprise on and whose head he believes are down for real!
John 16:24 says, what you have not asked and received are those things that you have not asked in Jesus’ name. Henceforth you will Ask, and receive, in Jesus’ name! That your joy may be full.
John 15:11 in-context, “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full” saith the Lord God. Amen.
Conclusion
Ask and keep asking, seek and keep seeking, knock and keep knocking. Don’t give up because you will surely receive, find and the door will be opened to you, for God has not called you to seek Him in vain.
Even when our joy is full we should still keep prayer because even the Bible says pray without seasons at another part it says pray always. Most Christians pray only when the going is tough but even when the going is smooth we should keep praying because the devil goes around seeking who to devour he does not rest so in the place of prayer we should not relax because our joy is full