Standpoint

Luke 18:^{1 & 8} “One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up… I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?”

Before you delve into today’s devotional, I want you to spend some time studying Luke 8:1-8. I pray that you will be one of those that Jesus will find who have not given up on their prayer points. From today’s study, we can see that God wants us to have an attitude that never gives up in prayer. Once you desire something of God, you have clarified from the Bible that it is His will for you, never give up. That is the attitude that gets answers to prayers. Never give up! Until your faith is absolute, it is impotent.

I remember seasons in my life where I said the following two things to God; “I want it on record in heaven that if You do not answer this prayer request, I will still love and serve You. I will never turn back from following You. I also want You to know that even if I die believing, I will believe You for this thing until I die”. The Bible speaking about the men and women listed in the “hall of faith” in Heb.11:¹⁰ (KJV) “For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” Most of them only saw the city (the promise) from a distance and even though they did not enter into it, but they believed. Guess what? Even though they did not walk in it, they received it. The truth is, you will not receive everything you pray for on this side of eternity. However, God wants us to die believing. Sobering, right? God wants us to die believing!

Guess what? The things I told God that even if He does not do them, I will still serve Him. The things I said I would die believing God for have actually come to pass in my lifetime. However, life will always give you something to trust God for. What is more beautiful is that Jesus tells us that God has more compassion than the judge in Luke 18. Even though God bears long with us, He does not explain why He does it. It is one of those things that we will know fully when we get to heaven. Why one person finishes school and gets a job and another has to endure five years of trials and waiting before getting a job. Why one woman gets married and soon after becomes a mother, yet another has to wait for ten years. Nobody has the answer to these mysteries, nobody!

However, Jesus assures us in Luke 18:^7-8 “Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?  I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly…” Never give up!

Prayer (song): He is able, abundantly able, to deliver and to save. My Lord is able, abundantly able, to deliver those who trust in Him. Amen!