Monday, November 9, 2015

Pray First! “Are you Being Persistent In Asking?”


In Luke 11, Jesus is teaching His disciples how to Pray. Then he shares a story of a man knocking on a house door AT MIDNIGHT for a loaf of bread. Jesus explains that the man continues to knock on the door with “Great Persistence” after being told, “Go away, my family is already in bed; don’t you realize what time it is?” Jesus says, “But the man “KEPT KNOCKING” until the man inside DELIVERED the bread. Not because it was his friend or because of their relationship, but because of his PERSISTENCE TO KEEP KNOCKING!

Are you being Persistent in ASKING God for the deepest needs of your life? Have you gotten discombobulated and discouraged in asking God for what you have need of?

There are “Too Many Quitters” in our society today. Teenagers who work in the fast food industry, if they make it past the initial few weeks, usually quit within 6-8 months. The turnover rate for the crew in that industry is around 100%, so they expect to lose all their crew every 12 months.  What about policeman, fireman, nurses, pastors? Pastors nationwide leave their church within 3.5 years. Fifty percent of pastors leave their church within 5 years. Seventy percent of pastors leave the ministry in 7 years. Fifty percent of first marriages fail while 60-67% of 2nd marriages quit and 70-73% of 3rd marriages don’t make it. Why is it that so many lack being “PERSISTENT” in this journey?

Is it just by nature itself that people have a propensity to quit? Let me ask, “Why would you quit on ASKING God for the bread that you need?” He is the creator of the universe who is greater than ALL your setbacks, struggles, stress and disappointments in life.

 Jesus said, Keep Asking with Persistence! Have You LOST Your Persistence....

In Praying About Your Dream? What if Abraham would have quit on his dream? Yes, he made a crucial mistake and had a son from Sarah’s handmaiden who gave birth to Ishmael. That brought him a lot of pain, but God said, “Walk before me and be thou perfect.” God was saying, “I still have an Isaac in the making!” What if he had quit on the dream? Where would Israel be in history today? What does God have in the making for you? Are there “loaves of bread” in the kitchens of heaven today? Are you still at Heaven’s door knocking with your request? I’m glad I didn’t give up on the bread that God gave me for an Isaac ministry! He did it “IN HIS TIME.”

In Praying About Your Breakthrough? Nehemiah was told that the walls of Jerusalem had been destroyed and broken down by the enemy. Would he sit down and give up? “No” Listen, Hell is still breaking people apart with hopelessness in their family through drugs, alcohol, porn, sickness and diseases. Have you forgotten that Jesus is still interceding for you in prayer? Nehemiah put a plan into action and rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem in 52 days. Mark it down, you will always face Resistance to your Persistence. Nehemiah faced hell in getting the job done and so will you and I in doing ALL of God’s Plan.

With A Made Up Mind?  God is no respecter of persons. He reminds you to be “Confident” of this very thing who He that started a good work in you will complete it till the day of Jesus Christ. “Don’t get weary, because in due season you will reap if your faint not.” (Gal 6:9) There is bread in store for you “IF” you’ll “Keep Knocking!”

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