“Prayer should be the key of the day and the lock of the night” – George Herbert
Luke 18:1 (KJV)
And He spake a parable unto them to this end, that MEN OUGHT ALWAYS TO PRAY, and not to faint;
According to Luke chapter 18 verse 1, Jesus was about to share a parable with a believer – it could be a pastor, evangelist, prophet, apostle, pastor’s wife, choir member, sanctuary cleaner, youth member, prayer warrior, drummer, keyboardist, usher, banker, journalist, politician, professor, teacher, DJ, filmmaker, etc, to affirm a statement and way of thinking as the son of God; which is, “MEN HAVE TO ALWAYS PRAY, and not to FAINT”.
In other words, Jesus is sharing this parable with us with just one agenda: TO MAKE YOU AND I SEE THE NEED TO ALWAYS PRAY, AND NOT TO FAINT. This parable has no other meaning to a believer than to teach him/her the importance of prayer.
“The opposite of a PRAYERFUL man is a FAINTING man, not a PRAYERLESS man” – Apostle Arome Osayi
Luke 18:2-4 (KJV)
2 Saying, there was in a city A JUDGE, which FEARED NOT GOD, neither REGARDED MAN:
3 And there was A WIDOW in that city; and she came unto him, saying, AVENGE ME OF MINE ADVERSARY.
4 And he would not for a while: BUT AFTERWARD he said within himself, though I FEAR NOT GOD, NOR REGARD MAN;
According to Jesus, there was a city which had a Judge who did not fear God, nor had respect for people. In that same city where the Judge lived was a Widow who needed urgent judgment against her enemy. So, she decided to visit the chambers of this Judge in that city for him to grant her justice.
On the first day the Judge, who did not fear God nor had respect for people, ignored her. And this attitude and decision of the Judge continued for a long time. But, this Widow kept going to the Judge with the same request daily.
After a period of time, the Judge decided to change his mind and grant the Widow the justice she needed. The Judge did not want to grant her the justice initially, but he finally did it. WHY?
Luke 18:6 (KJV)
And the Lord said, HEAR what the unjust judge saith.
At this juncture of the parable, Jesus gives you and I a quick assignment: “HEAR WHAT THE UNJUST JUDGE SAID”. In other words, you and I must go back and reread what the unjust judge said to himself before granting the widow her heart's desire.
To Jesus, that statement is the key you and I need to better understand; what He is trying to say about US (BELIEVERS) ALWAYS PRAYING. And that statement can be found in the fourth and fifth verse of Luke chapter 18.
Luke 18:4-5 (KJV)
4 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.
I will use the original Greek translation for us to better understand what Jesus is driving at. I am doing this because our understanding of OUR NEED TO ALWAYS PRAY stands/rests on our understanding of what the unjust Judge said within him before granting the Widow her justice.
This is what the unjust Judge said within himself, “Though I do not fear God nor have respect for people; yet because this Widow KEEPS SHOWING UP/PRESENTING HERSELF BEFORE ME, I will grant her justice. If not, her continuous coming to me will annoy me.”
“Is Prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?” – Corrie ten Boom
Luke 18:7-8 (KJV)
7 And shall not God avenge His own elect, WHICH CRY DAY AND NIGHT UNTO HIM, though He bear long with them?
8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?
From the above, this is what Jesus is trying to tell you and me; “If the unjust Judge decided to grant the Widow justice because she KEPT SHOWING UP/PRESENTING HERSELF BEFORE HIM, why would God not do something for you and me, believers who have been bought and washed by the precious blood of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, if we would only continuously CRY/TALK/PRAY unto Him day and night according to His Will.”
In other words, God will surely answer the prayers of believers if they will continuously pray unto Him day and night according to His Will, and be patient with Him.
Brothers and sisters, STOP expecting answers from God if you only SHOW UP/PRESENT YOURSELF to Him weekly, monthly, quarterly or yearly.
"Our continuous SHOWING before God is proof of our faith in Him" - MD
And He spake a parable unto them to this end, that MEN OUGHT ALWAYS TO PRAY, and not to faint;
According to Luke chapter 18 verse 1, Jesus was about to share a parable with a believer – it could be a pastor, evangelist, prophet, apostle, pastor’s wife, choir member, sanctuary cleaner, youth member, prayer warrior, drummer, keyboardist, usher, banker, journalist, politician, professor, teacher, DJ, filmmaker, etc, to affirm a statement and way of thinking as the son of God; which is, “MEN HAVE TO ALWAYS PRAY, and not to FAINT”.
In other words, Jesus is sharing this parable with us with just one agenda: TO MAKE YOU AND I SEE THE NEED TO ALWAYS PRAY, AND NOT TO FAINT. This parable has no other meaning to a believer than to teach him/her the importance of prayer.
“The opposite of a PRAYERFUL man is a FAINTING man, not a PRAYERLESS man” – Apostle Arome Osayi
2 Saying, there was in a city A JUDGE, which FEARED NOT GOD, neither REGARDED MAN:
3 And there was A WIDOW in that city; and she came unto him, saying, AVENGE ME OF MINE ADVERSARY.
4 And he would not for a while: BUT AFTERWARD he said within himself, though I FEAR NOT GOD, NOR REGARD MAN;
According to Jesus, there was a city which had a Judge who did not fear God, nor had respect for people. In that same city where the Judge lived was a Widow who needed urgent judgment against her enemy. So, she decided to visit the chambers of this Judge in that city for him to grant her justice.
On the first day the Judge, who did not fear God nor had respect for people, ignored her. And this attitude and decision of the Judge continued for a long time. But, this Widow kept going to the Judge with the same request daily.
After a period of time, the Judge decided to change his mind and grant the Widow the justice she needed. The Judge did not want to grant her the justice initially, but he finally did it. WHY?
And the Lord said, HEAR what the unjust judge saith.
At this juncture of the parable, Jesus gives you and I a quick assignment: “HEAR WHAT THE UNJUST JUDGE SAID”. In other words, you and I must go back and reread what the unjust judge said to himself before granting the widow her heart's desire.
To Jesus, that statement is the key you and I need to better understand; what He is trying to say about US (BELIEVERS) ALWAYS PRAYING. And that statement can be found in the fourth and fifth verse of Luke chapter 18.
Luke 18:4-5 (KJV)
4 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.
I will use the original Greek translation for us to better understand what Jesus is driving at. I am doing this because our understanding of OUR NEED TO ALWAYS PRAY stands/rests on our understanding of what the unjust Judge said within him before granting the Widow her justice.
This is what the unjust Judge said within himself, “Though I do not fear God nor have respect for people; yet because this Widow KEEPS SHOWING UP/PRESENTING HERSELF BEFORE ME, I will grant her justice. If not, her continuous coming to me will annoy me.”
“Is Prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?” – Corrie ten Boom
7 And shall not God avenge His own elect, WHICH CRY DAY AND NIGHT UNTO HIM, though He bear long with them?
8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?
From the above, this is what Jesus is trying to tell you and me; “If the unjust Judge decided to grant the Widow justice because she KEPT SHOWING UP/PRESENTING HERSELF BEFORE HIM, why would God not do something for you and me, believers who have been bought and washed by the precious blood of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, if we would only continuously CRY/TALK/PRAY unto Him day and night according to His Will.”
In other words, God will surely answer the prayers of believers if they will continuously pray unto Him day and night according to His Will, and be patient with Him.
"Our continuous SHOWING before God is proof of our faith in Him" - MD
