God Wants You to Ask Again: The Power of Persistent Prayer

What Prayer Have You Given Up Praying?

We all have deep prayers, sensitive prayers that we have prayed over and over, but that feel a little heavier with each passing week, month, and year. For physical relief or healing or strength. For a new position or opportunity in our work. For the fighting to finally stop. For purity. For the salvation of someone we desperately love.

As the years go by, miles may begin to emerge between our head and our knees — between our desire for God to move in some dramatic way and our enthusiasm to pray and ask again.

Has it ever felt like God is too busy with more important pursuits? That He's out saving the whole world while we're here in our own little room, worrying about tomorrow's trials? That He's out covering the globe with His glory while we're kneeling at home asking for something smaller and less significant?

But in Christ, our trials are not trivial in His eyes. He wants us to ask again, to persist in prayer.

The Example of the Persistent Widow

Jesus teaches us about the importance of persistent prayer in Luke 18:1-8 through the parable of the persistent widow. This widow kept coming to a judge seeking justice against her adversary. Though the judge initially ignored her, he eventually granted her request because of her persistence. Jesus concludes the parable by saying, "And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily" (Luke 18:7-8a).

Just as the persistent widow received justice, we are encouraged to persist in prayer, knowing that God will hear and answer our cries. We may feel discouraged when our prayers seem unanswered, but Jesus assures us that our Heavenly Father is attentive to our needs and desires.

God wants us to bring our requests to Him repeatedly, not because He needs convincing, but because He desires an ongoing relationship with us. Persistent prayer deepens our dependence on Him and strengthens our faith. It is an expression of our trust in His goodness and sovereignty.

God's Invitation to Ask Again

Throughout the Bible, we find numerous examples of God inviting His people to ask again and persist in prayer. In Matthew 7:7-8, Jesus says, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened."

God wants us to approach Him with boldness and confidence, knowing that He delights in hearing and answering our prayers. It's not a matter of convincing Him or wearing Him down with our requests, but rather a demonstration of our trust and reliance on His provision.

Praying According to God's Will

When we persist in prayer, it is essential to align our desires with God's will. In 1 John 5:14-15, we read, "And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him."

As we grow in our relationship with God and His Word, our prayers become more aligned with His heart and purposes. We begin to desire what He desires and seek His will above our own. This alignment enables us to pray with confidence, knowing that our requests are in harmony with God's plan.

Persistent Prayer as a Reflection of Faith

Persistent prayer also reflects our faith in God's character and promises. In James 1:6-7, we are encouraged to pray with unwavering faith, "But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord."

When we persist in prayer, we demonstrate our trust in God's faithfulness and His ability to answer our prayers according to His perfect timing and wisdom. It is an act of surrender, acknowledging that He knows what is best for us and that His plans are higher than our own.

Conclusion

In our journey of faith, there may be prayers we have given up on, prayers that weigh heavy on our hearts but feel distant from our lips. However, God wants us to ask again, to persist in prayer with boldness and faith.

As we look to the example of the persistent widow and the promises of Jesus, we are reminded that God desires an ongoing relationship with us. He delights in hearing our prayers and answering them according to His will. When we align our desires with His and pray with unwavering faith, we can trust that He will respond in His perfect timing and wisdom.

So, what prayer have you given up praying? Will you bring it once again before the Lord? Will you persist, knowing that He is attentive to your cries?