Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  Day 274

October 1:    Luke 18:7;   62/260(II);   ‘Never Quit’

Luke 18:7 So what makes you think God won't step in and work justice for his chosen people, who continue to cry out for help? Won't he stick up for them?      Message Bible

 The Lord Jesus is teaching on persistence in prayer, continuing to stand once you have prayed.  In Jesus’ parable there was a judge who did not give God a thought, nor did he care about people.  The Lord relates that this judge ‘met his match,’ in a widow, who continued to demand that the judge would get justice for her, from her adversary.  The judge thought to himself, if I do not get justice for her, she will ‘pester me to death.’  Jesus continues to teach in this parable that if an unjust judge will help this widow, because of her persistence, won’t the Lord do so and more for those who believe in faith for an answer to prayer and refuse to quit believing until the answer comes.  Jesus tells us that God the Father will answer our prayer of faith quickly.  Here is the point of the parable that is so critical.  The Lord Jesus says that when He comes, meaning then and before the rapture of the Church, will He find people standing in faith, without quitting, just as this widow did.  Very often, Christians start off praying in faith, believing the Lord will answer their prayer.  The Bible indeed says that He will.  If that answer does not come relatively quickly, many believers get discouraged and stop standing in faith.  In the Book of Daniel, he prayed a prayer and an angel came to tell Daniel that as soon as he prayed the answer was sent from heaven.  Demonic forces tried to hinder the prayer’s answer, but the angels of the Lord fought those demonic forces and brought the answer to Daniel (Daniel 10:11-13).  God answers prayer, God loves you, pray in faith and stand, thanking Him for the answer.  It surely will come.