MIGHTY WEAPON
TEXT: LUKE 18:1-8.
🔑KEY VERSE “Yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me” (LUKE 18:5).
The place of prayer in the affairs of man cannot be overemphasized. In our text, Jesus Christ admonished His disciples on the necessity and importance of persistent prayer. He spoke of a widow who approached a fearless judge to avenge her of her adversary. Though unwilling to grant the widow’s request, the pressure of unceasing asking left him with no option.
This illuminating parable reveals lack of consistent prayer or outright prayerlessness as the reason many believers are weak and defeated. Many people have the erroneous impression that once they believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, all other benefits such as victory over Satan, the world and their enemies, healing from sickness, deliverance from oppression and freedom from demonic bondage, become automatic. Therefore, when they are faced with challenges in life, instead of engaging in importunate prayer, they begin to grumble and complain to God.
Grumbling or complaint does not remove problems. Rather, prayer is a mighty weapon that removes obstacles that stand between us and our needed miracles, provided we ask with clean hands and a pure heart. In spite of the assurance of answers to prayers that Jesus had given us, we still need to hold on to Him in prayer of faith. Assuming that since God has given us promises in different parts of the Bible we do not need to pray, is presumptuous.
The widow in today’s passage was specific in her request and did not stop asking until she received. It is necessary for us to emulate her and God, who answers prayers, will answer.
✍THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Strike it; strike again and again and you will soon make a mark.
BIBLE IN A YEAR: PSALMS 39-43.
MEDITATION
Before you can triumph in prayer
- Make sure you don’t have anybody at the back of your mind to help you outside God, v3. The widow only had the judge as her last resort.
- Know the source of your challenges, v3. If it is sin, confess and forsake it first. The wisdom knew that her problem was the work of her adversary and not her character.
- Define clearly what you want from God and make sure it agrees with the will of God, v3. The widow wanted her enemy to be dealt with so that she can be free from oppression.
- You must be importunate and be determined to p ray
u ntil s omething
h appens (PUSH), v5. God is generally not hasty in bringing justice because He wants to give your adversary a long rope to repent. So be persistent. - The fast or “speedy” lane to getting result is by doing it “day and night” and not in the day or in the night alone, vv7,8.
- Make sure your constant prayer is with faith without neither discouragement nor fainting, v8. Without faith, your prayers turn to “vain repetitions”.
Lord, I praise you because nothing is hard for you and delay is not denial🙏
Lord, I ask for faith and courage that will never faint in prayers until something happens🙏
Lord, I ask that you arise and deal with all the enemies of my destiny, progress, prosperity, fruitfulness etc and give me total victory🙏(This must be a continuous prayer).
Pray the same prayer for all the members of your Church🙏
HYMN Pass me not, o gentle Saviour
