Pray Persistently - February 8 Lesson

This week we have another great lesson on the subject of prayer. I am so excited about this opportunity to study and learn about such an important topic. Last week we discussed how we can have confidence in our prayers because of the confidence we have in who God is. In today’s lesson we will see how this confidence in God will also bring about a persistent prayer life.

Before we go to our scriptures for the day let’s remember what James 1:22 says: Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

Matthew 15:21-28 (NIV): 21. Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession." 23. Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us." 24. He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel." 25. The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said. (KJV 25. Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.) 26. He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs." 27. "Yes, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table." 28. Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

What did Jesus say about the woman in verse 28? You have great faith! When I read that I want to fully understand why Jesus said she had great faith and not just faith. I desire Jesus to say that we all have great faith.

First thing you have to realize is that Jesus was leaving Galilee where he had been ministering for a long time. Jesus is leaving his country and traveling north to the coastal area of Tyre and Sidon which were port cities of the ancient Phoenicia. Jesus was traveling to a place where Gentiles lived and the area would have been filled with pagan religions. So as we look at this Canaanite woman we must remember her past experience in religion would have been pagan based. I believe when you consider her background you will understand why Jesus said her faith was great.

Let’s take a look at how the woman displayed her faith. I believe the first thing you see is she placed her faith in the right person or her faith was directed in the proper direction and that was toward Jesus Christ. Acts 4:12 tells us: 12. Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

The second thing you see is that she was repentant and repentance is always a part of faith. Look at what she said to Jesus in verse 22: Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me!

When one cries for mercy what are they saying? I am pleading for mercy but I do not deserve anything. I am not in the position to demand anything.

In Psalm 51:1 I think David put it so perfectly: 1. Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion.

As we get to verse 23 in chapter 15 of Matthew we see Jesus is going to put up a series of barriers for the woman. What are our thoughts at why Jesus took this approach? Jesus is testing her faith as he did throughout the bible with many others. With Abraham he promised a son, but Abraham had to wait many years for the promise to come true.

What do we learn about Abraham in Romans 4:20-21 (NIV): 20. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21. being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.

Because of the many barriers that were placed before the woman what characteristic did she have to display in order to have her request granted? Persistent

What can we learn from this as far as our prayer life? We all realize that God does not answer every prayer with an immediate “Yes”. God’s response is always what is best for us. What is very crucial is how we respond when the answer is not what we desired.

How did the woman respond to the barriers Jesus put before her? She did not give up nor did she respond with a negative attitude. Instead you see that she humbly approached Jesus as she knelt down and worshipped him.

How was she able to respond in such a correct manner and persistently pursue her need? I believe she fully understood what Paul said about Abraham in the verse we read earlier in Romans 4:21.

When we truly grasp just who God is and what he is capable of doing, I really believe the natural response is to keep bringing back to God whatever thing that is important to you because you know that he has the power to resolve any and all concerns. God is Awesome!

Our Sunday school lesson made a good point that we should continue to pray until we recognize God’s answer. With this being true we should ask God to help us see how he is responding to our request.

Luke 18:1-8 (NIV): 1. Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2. He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. 3. And 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 about men, 5. 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!' " 6. And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7. 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? 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?"

If we go back to verse 1 what do we see is the Lord’s intention for telling this parable? That at all times they ought to pray and not lose heart.
The principle of being persistent is clearly shown again in this scripture. We see in verse 1: they should always pray. In verse 3: who kept coming to him and in verse 7: cry out to him day and night. When one continues to approach God with the same need or concern what does that show? That we have faith and truly trust in God.

There is something else very interesting about these verses. If you go back to Matthew 17:20 and read to the end of the chapter you will see Jesus is talking about the Coming of the Kingdom of God and then when chapter 18 starts it says “then Jesus told his disciples”, so it is a continuation of his discussion of the second coming of our Lord. So in verse 1 when it says that they should always pray and not to give up, I believe Jesus is telling them to be persistent in praying that the Lord will come and to pray for the strength to endure until He arrives.

I do not know if you have thought about it, but when Jesus taught his disciples to pray in Luke 11:2-4 he instructed them to pray about the Kingdom to come. It reads: 2. He said to them, "When you pray, say: " 'Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. 3. Give us each day our daily bread. 4. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us and lead us not into temptation.

Why do we believe Jesus wants us to pray for the Lord to return? I believe there are several reasons, one of them I know is that if we keep our focus on the return of our Lord Jesus and the Kingdom that he will establish that the hope we will experience will be much greater than whatever the world might bring our way. I also believe as we pray for God’s Kingdom that it will motivate us to be about God’s business and sharing the Good News with others. I also believe as we think about how wonderful His Kingdom will be, we will also see just how wonderful and great is the God we serve.

God clearly shows us in his word that we are to be persistent in our prayers.

Last thought, what will be the result if we have a burden on our heart and we truly see God for who he is? One who continues to come back to God over and over with the burden that is on their heart until they see how God answered the prayer.

Next week we will be looking at praying in Jesus’ name.