Sunday Sermon with Apostle Chisale
Greetings beloved nation. Luke 18:1, “Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart.” The importance of prayer can never be over emphasised in the life of a believer. It is unfortunate that most believers do not have an understanding of what prayer is, the purpose of prayer and the power of prayer.
Prayer is not just about asking God for things, which is what many people think. Prayer first and foremost is about relating with God, fellowship with God, intimacy with God. Prayer is a broad subject with many dimensions, but I want to focus on one aspect today that is shown in Luke 18:1-7. In Luke 18:1, the bible tells us about Jesus teaching about prayer.
He uses a parable to teach about the power of persistent prayer and he says that men always ought to pray and not give up. So meaning it is possible to pray and to give up or to lose heart. Why do believers give up on praying? It is mostly because they will not be seeing results in their lives or answers to their prayers, so as a result people conclude that prayer does not work.
We are living in a generation where people are lazy to pray. A generation where people are full of needs that are not met, who love to complain about everything that is happening in the world.
A generation that wants answers and are trying everything but prayer. The reason why many people hate to attend prayers or to pray individually is probably because they have tried and failed in their efforts to get what they want.
They are discouraged and they have probably concluded that God has not heard their prayers or their request is too big for God.
I want to assure you that there is a God in heaven who hears prayers and answers prayers. The book of 1 John 5:14 tells us that; “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” When we know that God answers us we have to approach him in prayer with faith knowing that he hears us.
Prayer is a command from God, it is not an option. Whether we like it or not we need to pray. So it must become a lifestyle, which when it is done with understanding will produce results in the life of a believer. We pray in season and out of season. We pray whether we have things or we don’t have. God expects us to pray.
The bible tells us in Luke 18:2–8, “ There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily.”
In Luke 18:1-7 the bible teaches us about the importance of persevering in prayer. It teaches us about how we can go before God in prayer, who is the judge. We see here the story of a widow who was seeking the assistance of a judge against her adversary.
In law language ‘adversary’ is an opponent in a lawsuit. So meaning the widow was seeking the assistance of the judge in a legal matter. Jesus here teaches that prayer is a legal transaction that is recognized in heaven. Prayer initiates legal action in the courts of heaven, which in turn affects the outcome of matters in the earthly realm. So in other ways Jesus teaches us that we should also look at prayer from a legal perspective.
The point of the parable is that we should not stop praying. Interestingly, Jesus uses a legal situation to define prayer.
There’s a judge, an adversary (the prosecutor), and a widow who is petitioning the judge to appeal her case.
Our adversary — the devil — opposes our rights. But we have a Just Judge who is looking for those who will come before Him and plead their rights against the adversary.
In Luke 18:3, the widow approaches the judge, who was said to be wicked and did not fear God and had no regard for man. She appeals for justice persistently until the judge gets fed up because she continued to trouble him.
The bible says is verse 4-5, “And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.”
So we see here that her persistence wearied the wicked judge and he ended up giving her justice. Persistent prayer weakens the enemy and releases our prayers from heaven. In Luke 11:1-4 we see Jesus teaching his disciples how to pray.
After Jesus taught the disciples how to pray, He continued with a story from Luke 11:5-8 “And He said to them; “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; (6) for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; (7) and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’? (8) I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs”.
Once again the bible emphasises the power of persistent prayer in verse 8.
It was because of the man’s persistence that he got his request answered. So in other ways keep asking, seeking, knocking and you will eventually receive your answer.
God is calling each of us to a place of prayer. There are things designed in Heaven that will never take place on the earth unless the Church prays.
Our lives must show results and these can only be achieved in the place of prayer, through persistent prayer and by praying without ceasing.
I would like to invite you to receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour by believing in your heart and confessing with your mouth and you shall be saved. May God bless you all.
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