Luke 18: 1Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. 3And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’
4“For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, 5yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’ ”
6And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8I 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?”
1 Peter 4:7
“Be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.” (NIV)
^^^These are a call to persistence and prayer. We are called today to the Word of God and prayer.
the ESV says it this way:
“The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.” (ESV)
The end of all things is near so be clear minded so we can pray. Time is short is another way of saying it. What does time is short mean? Multiple layers of meaning here, the Lord could come back unexpectedly at any moment is one, another is on the timeline of eternity however long a person lives on this earth, even 100 years is just a pinprick sized mark on the fabric.
- Ephesians 6:18: “praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.” (ESV)
- Philippians 4:6: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (ESV)
- 1 Thessalonians 5:17 — “pray without ceasing.”
- Luke 18:1 — “that they ought always to pray and not lose heart” (the parable we’ve been looking at).
- Colossians 4:2 — “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.”
Today, we remember to stay in the Word of God and prayer. We are bringing our eyes and attention back to
Him over and over again much like mini corrections on the steering wheel of your car to get you from point A to point B.
We are in a information war and that war is at your fingertips every day when we look at our cell phone or computer. We are bringing the war to ourselves. We need to bring our attention back to the Word of God in prayer in increasing measure to combat the enemies plots plans and agendas against us and keep us on that road called Love taking us into the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The enemy wants us to feel like anything we do will be useless. Our Lord tells us prayer is highly effective and we ought to pray constantly, continually. We add to this the power of agreement. We stand in agreement with our Lord and each other on as many things as possible. That agreement and alignment is a combat multiplier:
One of the enemy's primary tactics we covered recently is demoralization. The enemy wants us to roll over and play dead, do nothing, be passive because we assume his will (the defeat of the righteous) is inevitable. There is nothing "inevitable" about the enemy's plots plans and agendas against us as long as our God is God. Here are a number of examples of how "inevitable" outcomes were turned on their head:
The Red Sea (Exodus 14)
Israel stood with the sea in front of them and Pharaoh’s army behind them. There was no way forward and no way back. Defeat and slaughter looked certain. God opened the sea, Israel crossed on dry ground, and the same waters that had been their barrier destroyed the pursuing army. What looked like the end became the place of deliverance.
Gideon’s 300 (Judges 7)
Israel faced a Midianite army described as locusts for multitude. Gideon was reduced to 300 men. It looked like certain annihilation. God caused the enemy to turn on itself and flee. What appeared to be hopeless odds became a total rout.
David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17)
A boy with a sling against a trained giant who had defied the armies of Israel for forty days. Every visible factor said defeat was inevitable. One stone and the champion of the Philistines fell. The army that had been paralyzed by fear then pursued and won.
Hezekiah and the Assyrian siege (2 Kings 18–19; Isaiah 36–37)
Sennacherib’s army surrounded Jerusalem. The Rabshakeh openly mocked any hope of deliverance and declared that no god had ever saved a city from Assyria. That night the angel of the Lord struck down 185,000. The siege that looked finished ended with the enemy dead outside the walls.
Jehoshaphat’s battle (2 Chronicles 20)
A vast coalition of Moab, Ammon, and others came against Judah. The king prayed, “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” They went out singing. God set ambushes; the enemy armies destroyed one another. Judah arrived to find only spoil. The battle that looked unwinnable was won without Judah striking a blow.
Daniel in the lions’ den (Daniel 6)
The decree was irreversible. Daniel was thrown to the lions for praying. Morning came and he was untouched. The same den that was meant to be his end became the place where the king declared the living God. The plot that looked final reversed.
The fiery furnace (Daniel 3)
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were bound and thrown into a furnace heated seven times hotter. The soldiers who threw them in died from the heat. The three walked free with a fourth figure among them and not even the smell of smoke on their clothes. Certain death became public vindication.
Esther and the decree of death (Esther 3–8)
A royal edict ordered the destruction of the Jews on a set day. It could not be revoked. Haman’s gallows stood ready for Mordecai. The day that was fixed for annihilation became the day the Jews were authorized to defend themselves, Haman was hanged on his own gallows, and the people were delivered.
The resurrection (the Gospels and Acts)
The cross looked like the final defeat of Jesus and the end of any hope His followers had. The tomb was sealed and guarded. On the third day the stone was rolled away, the grave was empty, and the One who had been crucified was alive. What the enemy presented as the ultimate victory became the defeat of death itself.
Romans 8:31
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (ESV)
He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? … No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Something else the Spirit of the Lord would impress on us today:
“Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.” (1 Corinthians 14:1, ESV)
“So, my brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.” (1 Corinthians 14:39, ESV)
Prophesy is not just for "special people" in the Church. Its not just for "youtube prophets" and "pastors." It is for you and me and every other believer in Christ Jesus. What is its purpose? Its purpose is needed now more than ever which is why it is being brought again to our attention:
“On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church.”
(1 Corinthians 14:3–4, ESV)
“Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up.”
(1 Corinthians 14:5, ESV)
“So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.”
(1 Corinthians 14:12, ESV)
“What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.”
(1 Corinthians 14:26, ESV)
How prophecy edifies
According to these verses, prophecy edifies the church in three concrete ways:
- Upbuilding (edification) — It strengthens and constructs the body. Unlike uninterpreted tongues (which primarily benefit the speaker), prophecy is directed toward the gathered people so the whole church is built up.
- Encouragement (exhortation) — It calls the hearers forward, stirs them, and presses them toward faithfulness.
- Consolation (comfort) — It brings comfort and consolation to those who hear.
And this ^^^ is the diametric opposite of demoralization. The Lord God is working to upbuild, encourage, motivate, and comfort His people every single day. Today is no different. You who are reading this are part of this. You are called not just to read but go out and play your part in building up the Church of God, the people of God, the living stones as well as those who will yet be saved. Our Lord died for everyone that all might be saved. We are to shine the Light and Love of our Lord Jesus Christ into this dark world while the Church remains on the earth.
Regardless of what the prophets of doom have to say, now is the time of Restraint. Today is the day of our Lord's Grace to humanity and salvation. There is coming a time of judgement but those days are not these days. The "day of the Lord" and time of Jacob's trouble will be much different. There is alot of work to do. We need to pray that the Lord of the harvest will send out workers into the field for the harvest is ripe.
Each one of us is on this earth in this season for a reason. We have a Divinely appointed mission here on earth. Let's do our job. The enemy wants us to believe resistance is futile. Nothing could be further from the truth. We are each one of us going to do what we were put here to do. It is our God's Will and His Will be done here on earth just as it is in Heaven.
One last note before we wrap this up, we live in a Love story. Not that we loved Him but He Loved us first-enough to die for us on that cross. He Loves us, we love Him, then we love each other. That is the basis and foundation for everything else.
You are encouraged to pray and stay in the Word of God today. Keep the faith. Do your part, do your job. What has the Lord God put you here to do? You have a mission and vision for your life in Christ. If you dont know what that is, keep knocking on the Master's door until you get your answers.
We are dearly loved children
keep the faith
Please join with your brother in praying over the prayer targets today.
Glory to God
grace and peace
