“Keep on asking and it will be given you;  keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking [reverently] and [the door] will be opened to you.” – Matthew 7:7 (AMP)

In Luke 18:1ff, Jesus Christ told the parable of a widow who met with an unjust judge to avenge her of her enemies. The judge refused at the first request but she kept coming and kept asking to be defended and protected from her adversaries. When the judge would have it no more because she was already wearing him out by her persistent and consistent coming. The unjust judge had to yield to her request and grant it.

This was a parable Jesus told to teach His disciples persistence and consistency in prayer. In the passage for today, Jesus said that disciples must put in the effort to be persistent with their requests in prayer until they have results. Many times, we are quick to move on from a prayer request even when it has not been settled.

Christ is not saying that you should ask, seek and knock just once and either a response comes or not, just do it once and leave but He teaches that until you get a definitive response, you must not stop the action. There is a saying in Yoruba that, “when a blacksmith is hitting a hot iron at the same spot severally, he has what he plans to make out of it.”

There is power in consistency and in being persistent too. When you persistently pray over a matter, clarity, instruction, direction, understanding comes in different regards concerning the matter you are praying about. God uses your persistence in prayer to build your spiritual strength and to train your heart to depend totally on Him in faith.

When you pray and the answer is delayed, the next thing is not to abandon the request but to keep on praying until you have what to point at in regards to the request. Persistence in prayer builds faith, and trust in God. Strength, stamina, confidence, all are built in the place of prayer.

Being persistent in prayers also show how much you actually desire what you are praying for. Your desire must be strong enough for whatever you are asking God for. It brings your heart to a state of total dependence on God. Therefore, as you engage in prayers concerning different matters in your life, the answer you want will not come in a one-off-time prayer session but in you hitting the hot iron repeatedly until there is a formation of the result you desire.

It is not every prayer you pray that will immediately be answered but you must develop the resilience to stay with God until you have what you request for. It shows how serious you are with Him. God is willing to listen to you but you must be ready to stay with Him, without wavering and doubt. Blessings.

Practical Application: What’s the longest time you’ve spent in prayer over a particular matter? What was the outcome? And what are the side benefits you enjoyed by staying really long in prayer?

Confession: The Father loves me and He is always willing to grant my request according to His will. Therefore, I do not waver at His promises, I stay in the place of prayer until I lay hold of the answers. I am not weary and weak but I am strong in faith and I stand in hope of His Word for me.

Related Scripture: Matthew 7:7-11, Luke 18:1-8

Bible Reading: Luke 11