Then, all too often, they give up. They figure somehow they're not getting through to God. For some reason, their prayers have failed. And they end up disappointed, not necessarily in God but in themselves.
The worst part of this sad scenario is that these people are usually mistaken. Their prayers weren't failing. They were, in fact, getting through to heaven and victory was on the way. They simply quit too soon because they didn't persevere in prayer.
To persevere means to see something all the way through to the end. It means to continue in your effort or course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition, to be steadfast in purpose.
People who persevere in prayer aren't just strong starters they're strong finishers. Once God puts a person or a situation in their heart, they stay with it. They keep praying...and praying...and praying God's will in that matter until they see that prayer fully answered, or until the burden lifts and they sense in their spirit the victory has been won.
At times it may seem every demon in hell is trying to shake their confidence. It may appear that the more they pray, the worse the situation becomes. Even so, they refuse to give up until God's will is done.
Persevering isn't easy. In fact, it's hard work. The Apostle Paul likens it to a military battle and says you must be spiritually armed and strong to do it:
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.Some things you pray about won't require great persistence. But others will. Back in 1979, for instance, the Lord started revealing to me the glory He desires to pour out upon the Church. He put the vision of it in my heart so I could pray for it. Do you know what? I'm still praying for the glory today. Although we're seeing more miracles and experiencing more glorious outpourings of the Spirit than we have in years past, the full glory I have seen in my heart hasn't yet manifested.
Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.
(Eph. 6:10-18)
So I intend to persist in prayer until it does. As people of prayer we shouldn't be willing to settle for fifty percent victory. We must determine to pray until we get one hundred percent victory - because our God is mighty enough to give it to us!
What's more, He is looking for people with that kind of persistence in prayer these days. We're coming to the end of the age. The powers of darkness are running rampant because the devil knows he has little time left.
Many Christians are throwing up their hands and saying, "Not much can be done now! Let's just try to hang on till Jesus comes!" But the Lord is searching through the Body of Christ to find people with a different kind of attitude who will become soldiers in His army of prayer.
Jesus tells us that when we persevere in prayer we must do it in faith. Speaking the same words day after day in an empty ritualistic manner is nothing more than vain repetition and it is useless. True persevering prayer isn't like that.
It is as heartfelt the 50th time as it was the first time it was prayed and it's always accompanied by a childlike confidence that expects God to do what He promised, no matter how long it takes.
Every time you pray you must believe your prayers changed things in the realm of the spirit even if you cannot yet see evidence of those changes in the natural world. You must believe God heard you and went to work on your behalf. But you must also understand there are forces of darkness working to hinder the answer to your prayer, and so you must be willing to stick with the process until you've prayed the answer all the way through.
To keep praying in faith in spite of all the adverse circumstances and negative reports that often come along, you must not only know what the Bible promises you, you must see a clear inner image of that promise being fulfilled. It must shine within you so brightly it chases away every shadow of doubt.
Sometimes people will tell me about a situation and say, "Well, you know, Sister Hammond, I'm just praying and standing on the Word."
"Really?" I'll say. "Exactly what scriptures in the Word are you standing on?"
You'd be amazed how many times they can't tell me. They just shrug as if to say, "The whole Bible, I guess."
Listen, you can't base your prayer request on a general belief in the Bible. You have to be specific. You have to study the Scriptures and find out exactly what you can expect God to do in your particular situation. In some ways, praying is like presenting a legal case.
And in the courtroom of heaven, the only acceptable law is the Word of God. Now, even though the Judge is your Heavenly Father and He desires to rule in your favor, He can only do so if you base your case on promises and precedent from the Bible.
Your job in prayer is to hold God's Word before Him and keep it there until that Word is manifested in the person or situation for which you are praying. You are to put together an airtight case based on the specific scriptures and to keep pleading that case in the court of heaven until your adversary, the devil, gives up and goes home. Of course, you don't have to do it by yourself.
You have the Holy Spirit to help you. One of His names is Advocate. An advocate is a lawyer who pleads another's case. As your Advocate, the Holy Spirit will lead you to the scriptures you need. He'll quicken them to your heart.
He'll help you bring forth your case with such eloquence (both in other tongues and with your understanding) that the devil won't stand a chance against you. Then He'll help you stand strong until your case is fully won.
Sometimes we get in a hurry and don't want to take that kind of time. We want a fast answer, a quick fix, so we can get on with other things. But God isn't as interested in fast things as we are. He is more interested in getting them done according to His plan.
And I can assure you, He can get them done. I don't care how big and bad the situation may be there is nothing too difficult for God. Whatever He has promised He is "able also to perform" (Rom. 4:21)!
All He needs from us is enough faith to go the distance with Him. He just needs us to persist in prayer, to take His Word and "run with patience the race that is set before us."
If we'll do it and stick to it, Jesus Himself, the Author and Finisher of our faith, will see to it that our prayers get answered. He'll give us the power not only to start strong, but to finish in victory!
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
A teacher and an author, Lynne publishes a newsletter called Prayer Notes, has written numerous books, and currently serves as the national prayer director for Daughters for Zion. Her passion for inspiring and leading others into the life of Spirit-led prayer continues to take her around the world to minister to believers whose heart cry, like hers, is “Lord, teach me to pray!”
