The Power of Persevering Prayer

SPEAKER B Greetings and a warm welcome to you shall receive power. I'm Ettienne McClintock and with me in the studio is my co host, Colin Hone. Colin, welcome. Always nice to be doing these programs with you. SPEAKER C It's great to be here, Ettienne, and. SPEAKER B I'm looking forward to doing these programs today. Eh, Colin is a no stranger to you if you've been listening to these programs. He is the international director and speaker for Holy Spirit Ministries and also the North New South Wales Conference prayer director. And in his spare time, he does do some financial counseling and financial planning advice. I understand in your business. SPEAKER C Yes, I have my own business, a financial planning business in the central coast of New South Wales. But I also the prayer coordinator for our conference and I get to travel a few times around the world doing revival meetings in different countries. SPEAKER B That's your passion. SPEAKER C I love doing revival meetings in churches because I know when we have revival in prayer in our churches and our churches are baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit, things start happening. And I want to go home. I'm waiting for Jesus to come. And we've got a work to do. And that work will only be finished if we're baptized with the Holy Spirit and filled them. SPEAKER B If it's a spirit directed, absolutely. Including our prayers? SPEAKER C Including our mission and our methods, everything, yes. SPEAKER B So we are actually following the lessons, the programs featuring in the book 50 Days Prayers and Devotionals, preparing for the Lateral Reign, and Christ soon Returned by Pastor Dennis Smith. Today our lesson will be on day 18, and it's the power of Persevering prayer. So we know that this will be a real blessing to us. And I think quite often, Colin, we give up a little bit too soon in our prayers. SPEAKER C Well, we're a quick fix society. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C I mean, even the things I buy today, we used to buy things that machines and washing machines, and they'd last. SPEAKER B For years, 20 years, and there'd be a maintenance plan behind them all. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C These years, things don't last a couple of years and they're broken and go and just buy another one. SPEAKER B That's right. SPEAKER C Quick fix. And so we have a culture of everything wanting a quick fix. Just even our fast food industry, everything is go and get something really quick. McDonald's, Kentucky Fried Chicken, everything is like not that I'm saying go and eat that stuff, but our society is based around everything has got to be done quickly, fast. I want it now and I want it now. And so last time we looked at united Prayer in the Spirit, and today we're going to look at Persevering Prayer in the Spirit. SPEAKER B Yeah. Colin. So just before we start singing, we are talking about persevering in prayer. Would you mind just leading us in prayer as we open our study? SPEAKER C That'd be awesome. Father in heaven. Teach us to pray, teach us to be filled with your spirit to persevere and pray in the spirit and teach us Lord to unite together and pray in the spirit, Lord. And just like the disciples said to Jesus in Luke chapter eleven, teach us to pray Father, we want to know to pray in your will. And so I just pray Lord, that those who are listening open up their hearts. Speak through us Lord, as we open up your word about persevering prayer. And I pray and ask these things in Jesus name, amen. SPEAKER B Amen. You are listening to, you shall receive power. And you here in the studios with Colin Hone. And I'm Etienne McClintock. So Colin, maybe take us away with talking about persevering prayer. SPEAKER C Well, as I said, know those that live especially in the Western culture, okay, we live in Australia. Here we tend to want quick answers to our problems. Many times this quick fixed attitude finds its way into our prayer lives as well. We want to pray, Lord, I want an answer now. Yes, give me an answer right now. And often we will pray for something occasionally, but not perseveringly. We don't persevere. And the truth is that persevering prayer is not an option, it is a necessity. SPEAKER D Okay? SPEAKER C Just like united prayer is a necessity if we're to be victorious over our adversary personally and corporately as a church. And we wonder why the church is weak. It's because we're not a praying church, right? We're not a spirit filled church and that's why we're seeing the results. I love what one of the most smartest people on the earth, Albert Einstein, said, the definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over again, expecting a different result, different outcome. Yeah, if we keep on continuing with our man made plans that's right, we're going to get the same results. But this whole 50 days devotional is saying what is God's way? And we're talking specifically about prayer and how revival will come and answer to prayer. That when we unite in prayer, god will do amazing things and there's strength in it. Well today we want to talk about persevering prayer in the spirit and there's the key. And so just as it was necessary for united prayer to be necessary and victorious over adversary and corporate as a church, those who already met Jesus will know from personal experience what it means to persevere in prayer. It will have played a major role in preparing them for a great event. Now Ettienne and I have been praying for many years now for my children. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C Not all of them know the Lord, some of them are lukewarm and some of them are not converted. But I'm praying every day. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And persevering means I'll never give up, never give up praying. I know God wants to do something in their life and there's a time when they'll be right. But I'm just keep on praying for that. Lord, please save my children or friends that I'm praying for as well. Yes, but we just got to persevere in prayer. SPEAKER B Well, you know, as it is with spiritual exercises like prayer, so it is in the physical world, if you give up very quickly, say, for example, you want to go to the gym, you want to build muscles, you want to get strong. If you just sort of go once and you have your protein shake afterwards and you go, it didn't work. That isn't going to work. You're not going to build your muscles, are you? And if you sort of just go once a week here and there whenever you feel like it, you're not going to build that physique that you want, that strength, that health that you're looking for. And it's the same in prayer. Unless we have got a plan and we persevere and can do it systematically and continually, we also will be spiritually weak. SPEAKER C It's a good example. Same in athletics, don't they? In all sorts of sports, people practice and persevere to be good at anything, whether it's athletics, whether it's using your mind, even, you have to put persevere and then you'll get the results in the end. SPEAKER B That's right. SPEAKER C Like, look at Jesus command. Jesus was personally acquainted with the necessity of persevering prayer as you read the Bible and in Luke chapter 18, many times he spent entire nights in prayer. SPEAKER B Well, what an example to us. SPEAKER C And like, he relayed a story that clearly illustrated the necessary of every believer entering into persevering prayer. Now, two key phases make this point. Luke introduced the parable with the words. In Luke, chapter 18, verse one, it. SPEAKER B Says, then he spoke a parable to them that men always ought to pray and not lose heart. SPEAKER C Yeah. So he's saying he uses a parable. And so the purpose of this parable was to teach us the necessity of persevering in prayer. See, Luke knew Jesus taught that we ought to or should always pray and not faint. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C Or stop praying until we get the answer. He knew that. And the Greek form of the verb prays in this verse is a continuous know, the Greek sometimes has better ways of explaining it. It's a verb which means it's a continual action, continuous verb action, which means keep on doing it. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER B So the best we have in English is probably a present continuous tense, isn't it? Something that's present now, but it continues to be present? SPEAKER C Well, this is a continuous action. SPEAKER B Action. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER B That's a verb that we don't quite have in English, but yeah, that's a fascinating verb. SPEAKER C So Jesus is teaching in this parable that we should keep on praying and not stop or quit. Now, the second phrase that reinforces the importance of persecuting prayer is this in Luke chapter 18, verse seven. What does it say? SPEAKER B And shall God not avenge his own elect to cry out day and night to Him, though he bears long with them. SPEAKER C They they cry day and night, though he bear long with them. Jesus is clearly teaching that many times God answers to our prayers will come only as a result of crying to Him day and night. Yes, that's what he's saying. Quick praying will not bring the results. The consistent, persevering prayer will. And I love what Ellen White said in Counselors to editors and teachers. Page 127. She's talking about the spiritual weakness amongst God's people. In her own day, she asked God's angel, why was this the case? Why was this a spiritual apathy in her case? Why was these things happening? And this is what she says. Can you read that for us? SPEAKER D Sure. SPEAKER B I asked the angel why there was no more faith and power in Israel. He said, Ye let go of the arm of the Lord too soon. Press your petitions to the throne and hold on by strong faith the promises are sure. Believe ye receive the things ye ask for and ye shall receive them. I was then pointed to Elijah. He was subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly. His faith endured the trial. Seven times he prayed before the Lord and at last the cloud was seen. Do you see? SPEAKER C The problem there is we just let go of the armchair. We don't persevere in prayer. And if our church becomes a spirit directed and persevering prayer in the Spirit church, God will do things. And we just got to keep praying until he fulfills his promises. God will always fulfill his promises. But again, she says many of us still let go of the arm of the Lord too soon. We've got to learn how to prevail long with Lord in prayer. And I know there's some things that I've been praying for years that I'm still waiting for God to answer. SPEAKER D Right. SPEAKER C But there are some things that he has answered quicker. Yes, but it's in the Lord's time. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C The point is to just keep praying for them and never trusting God to. SPEAKER B Have the timing right. SPEAKER C That's right. That's faith. That takes faith. SPEAKER B And patience. SPEAKER C And patience, yes, and patience. Well, isn't patience one of the fruits of the Spirit? SPEAKER B Yes, it is. SPEAKER C And long suffering. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER B Patience, gentleness, self control. SPEAKER C Yes, that's right. And we're spirit filled. We'll have those patience and faith. SPEAKER B Look, I don't want to make this a confessional, but I have to confess that I by nature, do not have any patience. Even as a little child, I could not wait for things. I wanted them here and now. If my parents told me we're going on a holiday in a week, that week was an eternity too long for me. I wanted to go on holiday now, and I've had to learn as I got a little bit older just to be patient and even to wait on the Lord. We told that one of the characteristics of God's saints at the end time is that here are the patience of the saints here they keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus in revelation by faith. And they are patient because of their faith, relying on God based on his time and his best interests for them. SPEAKER C And you're quoting Revelations 14, chapter six to twelve, the three angels message where it says, right? SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C The people who are giving the message right at the end, it says here's, the characteristics of them, they have what, the patience? SPEAKER B Yeah, patience, yeah. They keep the commandments and they have the faith of Jesus and the faith. SPEAKER C Of so I love also what George Muller, he was a well known Christian prayer warrior. He learned to depend on the Lord for providing for his orphanage work in England. So he started this orphanage in England, and in his life is a testament to the power prevailing prayer. This is what Muller wrote in his book hidden Life of Prayer. McIntyre, page 87. He says this, it's not enough to begin to pray nor to pray, all right? Nor is it enough to continue for a time to pray, but we must patiently believingly, continue in prayer until we obtain an answer. That's exactly what Jesus was teaching, wasn't it? Yeah, that's what he said in Matthew, chapter seven, verse seven. Chapter seven, verse seven. What did he say there? SPEAKER B Said, ask and it shall be given to you. Seek and you shall find. Knock and it shall be opened to you. SPEAKER C Do you want to hear something amazing? SPEAKER D Yes, sir. SPEAKER C Greek verb forms used there are once again the continuous action right, verb. Jesus saying we must keep on asking, keep on seeking, keep on knocking, not just once, but just keep on doing it. And if we want an answer, many of us, our prayers will go unanswered if we do not persevere and keep on asking, seeking and knocking. So Jesus saying, now just don't go knock once. He's saying continuously, keep on asking and praying. Like the persistent widow who went to the judge, you know what I mean? SPEAKER B Yes, that's right. That's a story of the parable in Luke, chapter 18. SPEAKER C That's right. And there's many biblical examples of persevering prayer in the Bible. For example, on one occasion, Jesus prayed for a man's sight to be restored. Now, the first time he prayed, the sight was not completely restored to normal, was it? SPEAKER B Was it? Jesus quitting? No, he didn't. SPEAKER C No, he prayed a second time, after which the man could see clearly. See that's in Mark chapter eight, verse 22 to 25, okay? SPEAKER B And it says, then he came to Bethsaida and they brought him a blind man and he begged him to touch him. So he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when he had spit on his eyes, he put his hand on him. He asked him if he saw anything, and he looked up and he said, I see men like trees walking. Then he put his hand on his eyes again and made him look up, and he was restored and saw everyone clearly. SPEAKER C So there's Jesus obviously praying for the man to be healed. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C Wasn't completely healed. Does it again. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C Persevered that's Jesus, who's the Son of God, even persevered in prayer. That's an amazing story. SPEAKER B That is an incredible story. And such an encouragement for us not to give up the first time. SPEAKER C Absolutely. Can you think of any examples in your own life where you've persevered in prayer and it's been some time before the Lord answered the prayer? SPEAKER B Look, not anything specific comes to mind, but I know there's been occasions in my life where I have prayed for something and it hasn't happened. And I've persisted in prayer, and then all of a sudden, when I needed it the most, it has actually happened. It's happened to me, and God has blessed me with the petition. SPEAKER C I've got a prayer list and there's so many things that I'm praying for and I've been doing, some of them have been for many years, and I'm actually seeing answers of prayer many years later now starting to happen. God's opening doors for this message, for example. Yeah, started praying. SPEAKER B One has just come to mind. I've been praying for some of my family members on another continent, and I've been praying on and off, and I'm friends with them on Facebook and occasionally I see some things posted on Facebook and go, oh, my prayers are not working. It just seems to be getting worse, some of the things that are being put on anyway. So from beginning of this year, I've devoted myself to persistent prayer. I pray from at least once or twice a day. And you know what's happened just in the last few weeks, they have started a prayer group. Now only one of them is a 7th day Venice Christian. The rest of them don't really go to church as such. They've now started a prayer group on WhatsApp, where they started a fast. They started a fast two weeks ago. They had two days of fasting. Then there's about 15 or 20 of them in this group. So it's a sizable group. They praying together, fasting together, encouraging each other on this WhatsApp thing specifically dedicated to just prayer and for the family to come together in unity with each other and with God. Now, if I had not prayed persistently like I have in the last few months, I don't think this would have happened. For me, it's an answer to prayer. Where previously I felt like giving up, and I'd pray sporadically, I'd pray for a while, and if I see something negative happen, I go, I'll just give up. It's just not working. But now, regardless of whether I thought it was working, not I prayed and the Lord has answered my prayer, I just praise Him and I continue to pray for them because this is the beginning of great things, I believe. SPEAKER C So what does that done for you, Eddie, in your persistent praying? Persistently how's? That encouraged you to never give up? SPEAKER B Yeah, absolutely. Why would I give up? I'm seeing some fruit now for my prayer labor, so to speak. Not that there's any merit in my labors, but I think the Holy Spirit has impressed it on my heart to pray for my family. And I'm seeing some wonderful results because I mean, our background as a family, on that side of the family at least is very secular. It's not very religious at all. SPEAKER C I'll give you just another quick example. Sure. 2013 when we released the Ten Days Prayers and Devotions to Experience the Baptism Holy Spirit by Dennis Smith. Straight away, God answered the prayer and took 5000 to Fiji wow. And then to Burundi, Africa, and place like that. But I've been praying for four years for China, four years for this message, and I've gone ahead of the Lord and tried to send emails, and nothing happens. Well, guess what? I still pray every day. And guess what happened this week? This week, very week, I got an email saying, can we translate the Ten Day from someone in Hong Kong saying we need this message? Could we translate the Ten Days Prayers and Devotions to experience the baptism Holy Spirit dinner, smith into Chinese because we want to start a prayer vigil here in Hong Kong. SPEAKER B Praise the Lord. That is incredible. SPEAKER C I've been praying that for four years. Other things, he's opened door, but I'm specifically praying for that China, because China is like we're talking about 1.3 or four what is a billion people on this earth. So I started praying for that and the Lord now has opened the door. SPEAKER B That's wonderful, because China is not an easy place to get into. SPEAKER C No. But God, I didn't do anything. That just person emailed me and says, we've seen this book, we want to translate the book and we want to start something here and translate into Chinese. So that was just awesome, how God wanted to do that. And also, what about Jacob? In Genesis chapter 32, verse 24 to 28, here we see prevailing prayer in the experience of Jacob wrestling with an angel. I mean, he wrestled all night, didn't he? He did, yeah, all night. And Jacob prevailed until he received the blessing. And in Genesis chapter 32, verses 24 to 28, if we can just quickly read that what it says. SPEAKER B Genesis chapter 32, from verse 24, 24 to 28. Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. Now, when he saw that he did not prevail against him, he touched the socket of his hip, and the socket of Jacob's hip was out of joint as he wrestled with him. And he said, let me go, for the day breaks. But he said, I will not let you go unless you bless me. So he said to him, what is your name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have struggled with God and with men and have prevailed. SPEAKER C That's what Israel means. Struggle with God and wrestle with God and prevail. SPEAKER B And prevail. SPEAKER C Jacob meant deceiver. He deceived his brother for his birthright. He deceived his brother for the blessing from his father. And so here is Jacob wrestling with God all night. And you know what? He was going through a pretty dark experience. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C I mean, basically, there were 400 or plus people, his brother, with soldiers. Soldiers coming for revenge. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And all he had was his family and children and sheep. And he separated them, sent some forward, some behind. And then he waited and prayed and wrestled all night with God. And God answered his prayer. SPEAKER B But you know what I love about the story? I mean, his name was Jacob before, which means deceiver. So the name in the Bible normally signifies character. SPEAKER C Yes. SPEAKER B And here God changes his character. He gives him a new name. And he said, you have prevailed with God and you've overcome. So the word Jacob now is no longer called Jacob. It's called Israel. And Israel means overcomer or prevailer. Prevailer with God. What a wonderful story. So even us, in our struggles and things, if we bring it to God and we persist with God in prayer, he will also change our character. And he give us a new character, a new nature. SPEAKER C I love that. So Jacob and this is what it says jacob prevailed because he was persevering and determined. His experience testifies to the power of ipotunate prayer. It is now that we are to learn this lesson. From prevailing prayer of unyielding faith, the greatest victories to the Church of Christ or to the individual Christian are not those that are gained by talent or education, by wealth or the faith of men. They are those victories that are gained in the audience chamber with God. SPEAKER D Wow. SPEAKER B One on one with God. SPEAKER C When earnest, agonizing faith lays hold upon the mighty arm of power. SPEAKER B What a privilege. SPEAKER C And again, in Patriarchs and Prophets, page 203, ellen White says these words those who are unwilling to forsake every sin and to seek earnestly for God's blessing will not obtain it. But all who will lay hold of God's promises, as did Jacob, and be earnest and persevering as he will, will succeed as he succeeded. And so what? Ellen White is commenting here in Patriarchs and Prophets. A wonderful book. Yes, wonderful book. Patriarchs and Prophets, if you haven't read it. Awesome book. She's saying that we are to go to God and wrestle with him and say, lord, take away the sins of my life. I want to forsake my sins and continually ask for it continually forsake sin and seek earnestly for God's blessing. Those who do will obtain it, but those who don't won't obtain it. SPEAKER D Yeah. Wow. SPEAKER C That's an incredible promise, isn't it? SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER B Interesting. Even in my life, Colin, there's been times when I've not wanted to pray for myself. And other people, as I said before, have been praying for me. And somehow God created a hunger and a thirsting for something better, something that I didn't have. And when I finally came to the Lord, I was just throwing myself on him, saying, lord, I don't even desire the right stuff. I don't even feel like praying, but I'm willing to be made. You know, that was just opening the door enough for God to come in for the Holy Spirit to take hold of my mind and start transforming and changing and giving me the right motives, right desires. And because of that, now I'm praying more than I've ever prayed before. I'm seeing God perform miracles and answering prayer. My whole life has been turned around because of that. And listener. If you are finding yourself in a situation where you know there's a better path that God wants to give you, but you just don't feel like you can quite make it, just know that we've included you in our prayer today in this program and that God is willing and able if you are, but willing to be made willing so that his spirit can take hold of you and you can start a prayer life that will continue to grow in grace until that blessed day. SPEAKER C So you're praying. You started praying. You didn't feel like willing, said, no. SPEAKER B I didn't feel willing. SPEAKER C I prayed that you make me to be willing. SPEAKER B That's right. SPEAKER C I love it. I love it. So prevailing prayer is a necessity, isn't it? When we look in the Bible, prevailing prayer is a necessity for every Christian in church if they want to see the power of God act in their behalf. Now, I love the 16th century Protestant reformer Martin Luther. He understood this vital truth about prayer. It's interesting that we're in the 500 year anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. SPEAKER B That's right, yes. SPEAKER C When he nailed 500 years that 99 thesis. SPEAKER B 95 thesis, yes. SPEAKER C On Wittenberg on the Doors, which was a protest against Rome and the teachings of Rome. SPEAKER B That's right. And indulgences in particular. SPEAKER C Indulgences and different things that he was protesting. And he had to go and stand up before kings, a king and cardinals and all the princes. And like, we're talking about all the government and all the religious leaders of the day. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C A monk after he'd done that. And this is what was written in the Great Controversy, page 210 by Ellen White about Luther. It says, during the struggle at Osborg, luther did not pass a day without devoting, 3 hours at least to prayer, and they were hours selected from those most favorable for study. He's prayed, prayed. And I think that's just fantastic. SPEAKER B Great lesson for all of us. I'm just thinking about that quite often. I'm thinking, okay, well, I've got to go and do a presentation. Let me just do a quick prayer and then I'll get into the material here. We're actually encouraged to consider maybe we should spend a little bit more time in prayer and a little bit less in the material. And God will give us the unction of the Holy Spirit to speak through. You know, I always claim that promise another place. Ellen White says that we can learn more from the Holy Spirit in a moment than through a whole lifetime of study in another places from the great men of this world. SPEAKER C Absolutely. And I love exactly what this in the book Mighty Prevailing Prayer, page 157. You see, Satan wants every Christian to be ignorant of the truth about prevailing prayer. He doesn't want us to know about this. No, because he's afraid of it. He knows he'll get us busy doing everything else in life, but he will try and take you away from prayer because he knows there's power. And Wesley Duel wrote the following concerning Satan's attitude towards prevailing prayer. This is what Wesley Duel said in mighty prevailing prayer. Page 157. Satan fears prayer more than almost anything else we could ever do. Prevailing prayer is potentially the greatest continuing threat to Satan that there ever has been since Calvary. SPEAKER B I agree with that. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER B Wow, that is so powerful, Colin. Thank you for that. We're just going to take a break, dear Lister, and when we come back, we will do part two of this program, the Importance of Prevailing Prayer. And today's lesson is coming from Dennis Smith's book 50 Days prayer and Devotionals to Prepare for the lateral Reign and Christ's soon Return. And we are on day 18, the Power of Persevering Prayer. We'll be back shortly. SPEAKER A He desires all to be saved. SPEAKER E You're listening to the angelic sound of Carly Fletcher, just an average Australian woman who has chosen to use her musical talents to uplift her Lord and King Jesus Christ th rich in harmonies and accompanied by various instruments. SPEAKER A It's gonna be worth it in the end. SPEAKER E To purchase a copy of Follow the Lamb with all proceeds going to three ABN, Australia, contact us on 024-97-3456 today. SPEAKER A We will follow the land. SPEAKER B Welcome back. You are with you shall receive power with Colin Hone. And I'm Etienne McClintock, and we're continuing our study from the book 50 Days of Devotionals and Prayers from Pastor Dennis Smith's writing and how to prepare for the latter reign and Christ's return. And we're on day 18 if you're following in the book, and it's the Power of Persevering prayer. So just before the break, Colin, we were just talking about how Satan really is concerned when God's people starts praying. SPEAKER C Exactly. We just read that Satan fears prayers more than almost anything else we could. Ever do. Prevailing prayer is potentially the greatest continuing threat to Satan there has been since Calvary. SPEAKER D Wow. SPEAKER C Prayer is he fears that more than anything else. And we look at that. Christ himself. Jesus was often in prevailing prayer. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And he realized it was his source of strength that kept him close to the Father. And I love what Ellen White wrote in Signs of the Times, january 26, 1882, in paragraph 18. If you want to read that to us, it's just a beautiful statement about prayer. SPEAKER B There is a need of prayer, earnest prevailing prayer. Our Savior has left precious promises for the truly penitent petitioner. Such shall not seek his face in vain. He has also, by his own example, taught us the necessity of prayer Himself, the majesty of heaven. He often spent all night in communion with His Father. If the world's redeemer was not too pure, too wise or too holy to seek help from God, surely weak erring mortals have every need of that divine assistance with penitence and faith. Every true Christian will often seek the throne of grace, that they may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. SPEAKER C And so here we see Jesus Himself, our example, the Son of God, and here he is constantly in necessity of prayer and praying to His Father in Heaven. Praying for his Father in heaven. And so he is an example. And I love what the revivalist and evangelist Charles Finney. He conducted these meetings in 1830 in Rochester, New York. And in one year, in one year, some 30,000 individuals gave their lives to Christ. SPEAKER B In one year? SPEAKER D One year. SPEAKER C That was back in 1830 as well. And so when they asked vinny, he said he attributed success to the prayers of a minister, Abel Clary, who often accompanied him. Clary never attended the meetings, but he gave himself wholly to prayer. So often, Abel Clary would go with Charles Finney and he would be out somewhere else praying while the meetings were going on. And he accompanied that. That's why the success was because of the prayers of Abel Clary. Amazing. SPEAKER B That is incredible. SPEAKER C And so I want to now talk about prevailing prayer and victory over sin. Look, Eddie and we all want to have victory over sin, don't we? SPEAKER B Well, that's right. We don't want to be a slave continually to sin, do we? SPEAKER C No. Romans six, we don't. And so how can prevailing prayer and victory over sin help? Because I believe prevailing prayer plays an essential role in the Christian's victory over sin. Jesus began his ministry what, with 40 days of prevailing prayer and fasting? SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C In Matthew, chapter one, chapter four, verse one to two, he spent time in prayer and fasting for 40 days. And he came forth from this extensive communion with the Father, prepare for the greatest victory over sin and Satan. And in Matthew, chapter four, verse three to eleven, where we know where he satan came and tempted him. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C But he just spent 40 days in prayer and fasting, and that prepared him. He was victory over Satan and the. SPEAKER B Temptations, the strongest of temptations after 40 days of fasting would have been pretty hungry, and that first temptation would have been a severe test. But by the grace of God and 40 days of prayer, he prevailed. SPEAKER C So he prepared persevering and prevailed in prayer. SPEAKER B And it's interesting that the Spirit of God led him into the wilderness. So it was the Spirit that preparing him for that time of temptation. 40 days later. SPEAKER C That's where he had the victory on our behalf. SPEAKER B Oh, praise God. SPEAKER C Wonderful news. So we read in Signs of the Times, november 18, 1886, paragraph 16, where Ellen White writes about this. Can you just read that for us? SPEAKER B Jesus died to make a way of escape for us that by prevailing prayer, by his grace, we might overcome every temptation, every subtle snare of the adversary, and at last sit down with Him in his kingdom. SPEAKER C See, Jesus died to make a way of escape for us. That's the first thing there, isn't it? SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C And that by prevailing prayer, by his grace, it says, we might overcome every temptation, every subtle snare of the adversary, and at last sit down with Him in his kingdom. SPEAKER B So his overcoming, when it is credited to our count and it is imparted and it's imputed that then enables us to also obtain the victory. Because Christ obtained the victory. SPEAKER C That's right. Through prevailing prayer, spent 40 days in prayer and fasting. So having access, as we do, to the source of all strength, why should we be content to remain so weak that we yield to temptations of the enemy having such a great assurance of power to enable us to overcome? Why are we so faithless? This is from taken from Sermons and Talks, volume two, page two, two, one. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C And so why are we so faithless? That's the question. Why do we not overcome? Every time we attempted to be hasty in speech, for example, we should pray much more than we do. SPEAKER D Wow. SPEAKER C In every hour of trial, we may find a victory through the strength given in the answer to prevailing prayer. If we want total victory over temptation and sin in our lives, we must be often in prevailing prayer. That is why it's necessary for those who are ready to meet Jesus when he returns. Those who remain in Jesus will be persistent and prevailing prayer warriors. SPEAKER B So the relationship that's going to continue in the hereafter when Jesus comes will actually start here while we are on earth, with communication through prayer and the Word of God and of course, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we'll have communion with God here on earth. SPEAKER C That was Jesus. Jesus prevailed 40 days prayers and fasting. So in the previous we spoke about in the previous day, praying in the Spirit yes. In our last day. And we discussed in the Bible the teaching about how Spirit inspired prayer, which is a vital part of our warfare against the enemy in Ephesians, chapter 618, for example for it is only as we pray in the Spirit that we can truly become prayer prevailers. The Holy Spirit member puts in our hearts those things for which we had to pray for, and he then gives us the assurance that we are prevailing according to the will of God. Hence, true prevailing in prayer happens when the Holy Spirit puts a specific burden for prayer on our hearts. And we discussed that, didn't we? SPEAKER D We did. SPEAKER C And we respond to that concern by continuing in prayer for the answer. We continue persistently prevail in prayer for that answer. And when we prevail in prayer, we will be focusing on one, two or three things at the most. Just focus on one or two or three things at the most. Sure, prevailing prayer is different from our everyday prayer life. Prevailing prayer, on the other hand, will be a short list of things from which we feel especially concerned. In prevailing prayer, the Spirit will come upon us at various times to pray for these things. You mentioned that before, that you're praying for this friend. And throughout the day, the Spirit's putting on your heart to continue to pray for this person. It's happening in your own life. The prayer time may be as long or time short. This may happen several times during the day. So the question I want to ask now is how long should we prevail? How long we should prevail in prayer? So long, I believe we should do it as long as the Spirit gives us the burden to pray for those things. If the Spirit is putting it on our heart to pray, we should pray for those things. SPEAKER B I agree. SPEAKER C We should pray until the answer comes and we see this principle illustrated in the experience of Moses interceding for Israel's victory over the Amalekites. Before we looked at that, didn't we? SPEAKER D We did. SPEAKER B That's right. SPEAKER C Exodus, chapter 17, verse 1113, where Moses prayed until the battle was won. SPEAKER B That's right. SPEAKER C Until the object of pray was accomplished. He continued praying and even had two guys holding his arms up, Aaron on. SPEAKER B One side and who were on the. SPEAKER C Other side, holding his arms up and praying with him. They prevailed until they won the battle, didn't they? They didn't just stop. SPEAKER B They didn't stop because soon as they. SPEAKER C Stopped, they started losing the battle as. SPEAKER B Soon as his hands went down. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER B And the prayer ceased. SPEAKER C That's it. So they continued until the battle was won. And we too need to prevail and continue until the battle is won. Even asking for victory over sin our lives, we've got to continually ask and put ourselves in a position of prayer and fasting asking the Lord to have the victory that he promises he'll have in our lives. SPEAKER B As we've been going through this study, Colin, I'm convinced that we give up too soon. And really, if we think about it just from a logical perspective, what other choice do we have than to spend time with God earnestly in prayer and supplication petition, even in thanksgiving and praise? What other options? You know, we feel annoyed or frustrated with things, or sometimes we feel that we get distracted. But at the end of the day, God is the only one that can give us salvation and eternal life. He's the only one through whom we receive victory through Jesus Christ. So why would we give up if we think about that, a guy who's trying to run the hundred meters in around 9 seconds and trying to set a world record if he doesn't quite get to nine and a half seconds, he doesn't stop. He keeps on training and training and training and gets better and better until his time comes down and he gets faster and faster at it. So why would we, in the discipline of Christ, put any less effort in than someone that just goes for a little bit of fame and glory for a short period of time and maybe gets a gold at the Olympics? We can get a crown of glory. We can stay with God and live with Him for all eternity and have close communion with Him and know Jesus on a first name basis, if I can call it that, yes. SPEAKER C Jesus made it all possible, hasn't he? For this to happen without Jesus sacrifice on the cross, it would all be in vain. He's paid the price so that we can put us in a position to prevail in prayer and for Him to give us that victory. And we look at the story of Elijah, another clear example, again, of prevailing prayer. God promised that it would rain after there'd been three and a half years of drought. And Elijah knew he had to prevail in prayer for God's promises to be fulfilled. SPEAKER B That's right, yeah. SPEAKER C Therefore, he prayed seven times before his prayer was answered, and only then did the rains finally fall. Ellen White made this significant observation when she wrote in SDA Bible Commentary volume Two, page 1034. She says, that's an incredible statement talking about Elijah. Had he given up in discouragement at the 6th time, his prayer would not have been answered. But he persevered till the answer came. He just kept going. SPEAKER D Wow. SPEAKER C And we see the necessity of providing prayer after Jesus ascension. Jesus had promised to send the Holy Spirit in power. In Luke chapter 24, verse 49, he promised to send the Holy Spirit in power. Disciples knew the outpouring of the Spirit would not come unless they prayed fulfillment Jesus promise. So they prayed for ten days until the answer came. And that's found in Acts chapter 114. They continued and prayed and prevailed. Now, I'm going to ask a question here and this is probably the big question, Eddien. So our natural questions are why is it necessary for the Christian to prevail in prayer? Again, since God is so powerful, why doesn't he simply answer our prayers? You know, the Bible gives us some insights into why answers to our prayers are sometimes delayed. SPEAKER D Good. SPEAKER B It'll be nice. The answer to that question, why is there a delay? SPEAKER C Why isn't he the McDonald's God who just gives us instant, instant to our prayers? And we look in the book of Daniel, we're going to read about a time, a prevailing prayer in Daniel's life. Now, Daniel lived around in the 6th century BC. And he was taken one of the Israelites who was taken, captured by King Nebuchadnezzar when Babylon overthrew Israel. SPEAKER B That's right. SPEAKER C And they went into captivity for 70 years. And it talks about in Daniel chapter ten, verse twelve to 13. If you can just read that, please. Daniel, chapter ten, verse twelve to 13. SPEAKER B Then he said to me, do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard. And I have come because of your words, but the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me 21 days. And behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia. SPEAKER C Wow. So he prayed for 21 days before the answer came. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And this text gives us some insight why we must keep on prevailing. You see, Satan, who was representing the king of Persia persia, right. Symbolically, Satan will do everything his power to keep God from answering. He'll try and prevent it, he'll war against it. In Daniel's case, Satan fiercely resisted for 21 days until Michael. And Michael, who which is the prince talking about the prince of the angels. Right. Came to assist Gabriel, who was like Gabriel is one of the head of the angels. He came to assist Gabriel, the angel with the conflict with Satan. And you read that in Daniel chapter ten, verse 13. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C So just remember, we're in a fierce spiritual warfare, as Ephesians 612 says, we do not war against flesh and blood that's right. SPEAKER B But principalities and powers against the rulers of darkness of the age and even spiritual wickedness in heavenly places. SPEAKER C So here it is that Satan was actually and Michael represents Jesus. He's the prince. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C The archangel or the head of all the angels. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER C He is the prince. And so here he is. He had came down himself and combined with Gabriel to fight Satan, so Daniel's prayer could be answered. And what prayer was he asking? One of the most incredible prophecies of all time. SPEAKER B That's right. Well, it's the 70 week prophecy, isn't it? Yes, it's fulfillment of the 70 week. So they had to start the prophecy at the right time. So that the time fulfilled and the Messiah to come would actually happen at the right time as well. SPEAKER C Yeah. No wonder Satan was fighting that prayer. I mean, here was a prophecy that confirmed the coming of Jesus Christ as the Messiah. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C It's called the 70 weeks. SPEAKER B That's right. SPEAKER C And you go 70 times seven is 490 years. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER C A day for a year is in the Bible, is a prophetic time day for a year. And exactly as the Bible said in Ezra, that it would be when the command goes to restore Israel, rebuild the streets of Israel and the temple, et cetera, that exactly 490 years. And it says take a week off or seven years off, and it had a starting point of 457 BC. And when you go down that time prophecy, it brings you to 27 Ad. Exactly when Jesus was baptized in the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER D Wow. SPEAKER C When the Anointed one was baptized. SPEAKER B Incredible prophecy. SPEAKER C And the Bible confirms it was in the 15th year of Tiberius, which was exactly in 27 Ad. Yes, exactly from 457, 490 years later, minus seven years brings you to that date and then even says in the midst of the week, he would be sacrificed. SPEAKER B That's right. You bring an end to oblation and sacrifice. SPEAKER C Three and a half years. It's incredible prophecy. So no wonder he wanted to fight it. And so sometimes changes need to take place in us. There's things that God needs to take care of ourselves. We all have problems and we have besetting sins and we have stuff in ourselves. SPEAKER B We need to be known chapters hidden to us that only circumstances, the right circumstances, can bring out and reveal to us. SPEAKER C So God waits until these changes take place. Before answering, Ellen White points out the changes necessary in order for the disciples to receive the promise of the Spirit. We read in the Acts of Apostles, page 36 and 37, that these days of preparation were days of deep heart searching. So there was only praying, but there was deep heart searching. And so as the disciples waited for fulfillment of the promise, they humbled their hearts in true repentance and confessed their unbelief. The disciples prayed with intense earnest for a fitness to meet men in their daily intercourse, to speak words that would lead sinners to Jesus Christ. And so they put all their differences away. All desire for supremacy was gone. They came close together in Christian fellowship and they drew nearer and nearer to God. So another reason that delays us answered prayer gives us the opportunity to develop enduring faith. I just want to say that again, it's really important. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C Another reason is that delays answered our prayer. It gives us the opportunity to develop enduring faith because it tests you, doesn't it? SPEAKER B It does, yeah. SPEAKER C When your prayers aren't answered straight away, it tests your faith. SPEAKER B Do you still believe if there's a delay? Yeah, that's the question. SPEAKER C And James wrote of this didn't he? In James, chapter one, verse two to four. If you could read that, james one, verse two to four. SPEAKER B My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. SPEAKER C When was the last time you eddie and considered it pure joy when you were facing trials? SPEAKER B Tribulations I don't think I normally look at it that way. Afterwards, you can look at it that way, but sometimes when you're going through it, you can't consider it pure joy. But the counsel is that we are to look at it from God's perspective, not from our perspective. SPEAKER C Yeah, he's saying consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of any kinds, because the reason God allows trials in our lives is to develop our character. SPEAKER B That's right. SPEAKER C It's to reveal where we're at so that God can we can go to God and say, hey, I need this fixed up in my life. SPEAKER B If we give ourselves to the Lord, everything we go through actually works out for our own good. God allows things, and there's nothing that is actually lost in regards to improving us as a person to give us more faith, give us more patience, and also to take off those rough edges around the character sometimes that we all need to have chipped away. SPEAKER C And you know what? God will bring these same trials, and he'll bring you to the same place until you get it, until you realize, hey, God, you're bringing me to this place again where you might be impatient. So God's going to if you're impatient, God's going to put you in situations where your patience is tested to reveal your character. SPEAKER D Sure. SPEAKER C So you can ask God to fix it up. Lord, can you give me your patience? SPEAKER B That's right. SPEAKER C So I remember when I used to drive, mostly when you're driving, let's be honest, your patience can be tested. People cut you off. What do you normally do? Frustrated or people going really slow in front of you or they're blocking you in. You can really test your patience, can't it? SPEAKER B Look, it's a nice thing to be a Christian at church when you're amongst your brethren, but if you get on the road, are you still going to be a Christian? Someone cuts you off. SPEAKER C And I remember know here I am praying for the baptism Holy Spirit, and what are the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace and patience. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And so I'm praying for these things, and God would bring me into situations where my patience was tested. SPEAKER D Okay. SPEAKER C And you know what I'd realize afterwards? Oh, my gosh, I lost my patience. And he would bring me back again and to the point where I'd say, Lord, give me your patience. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C And you know what? Yeah, he started give it to me. And so when those situations come again. You're not impatient, so he's going to keep on bringing you into the same situation. So sometimes you're thinking like it's Groundhog Day. Groundhog Day, where you're brought to the same thing every time, and God will bring that to you because he's trying to bring you through something. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER B That is amazing. SPEAKER C And then when you get through that, he'll bring you to something else because it's all about character development with God. SPEAKER D It is. SPEAKER B And that text says that proverbs 24, verse 16, where it says that the righteous man may fall seven times, but he gets up seven times. So sometimes we have to be proven more than once so we can learn that lesson, so that we can get up there one more time. But you know what? You'll get up there one more time, and then next time you may not fall. SPEAKER C Absolutely. So delayed answers to our prayers test and strengthen our faith, which plays a significant role in our spiritual growth into maturity. In know answers are also delayed so we can learn something about God. We learn something about God. Like, for example, Martha and Mary were disappointed, weren't they, when Jesus delayed arriving at their home? SPEAKER B That's right. SPEAKER C Remember, he delayed four days. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER B This is with Lazarus passing away because he was sick. And then they said, if you'd been here earlier, Lazarus wouldn't have died. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C They had informed him many days before he arrived that their brother Lazarus was sick. He knew about that and he delayed it. They knew if Jesus could get there in time, their brother would be healed. However, what does Jesus do? He delayed and answered their requests too late, for their brother had died by the time he arrived. SPEAKER B Yes, that's right. SPEAKER C And they didn't realize that there was a purpose in the supposed unanswered or delayed answer to their request. They didn't know. Right. Jesus delayed in order to teach the truth. That what was the truth. He wanted to teach him that he is the resurrection and the life. SPEAKER B The life. That's right. SPEAKER C In John, chapter eleven, verse three to six, he says, I am the resurrection of life. So he delayed on purpose to teach them a lesson. He wanted them to learn that I am the resurrection and the life. SPEAKER B That's right, yes. SPEAKER C Because she said, do you believe your brother will live? And he says martha goes, oh, yes. In the last day, the resurrection, he'll rise. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C He says, I am the resurrection and the life. SPEAKER B Verse 25. Then John eleven says, jesus said to, I am the resurrection and the life, who believes in me, though he may die, he shall live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this? SPEAKER C Now, Martha and Mary didn't understand that. No, but Jesus allowed the delay. We're sure he could have come quickly and healed him and he would have been okay, but he allowed it because he wanted to teach them that he is the resurrection of life. So sometimes we don't understand why God delays. We have to learn to what? Trust Him? SPEAKER D Trust, yes. SPEAKER C Our little children. There's another interesting aspect as why prevailing prayers necessary in the Book of Revelation. We're told that the prayers of God's children, right in the Book of Revelation, that the prayers of God's children ascend to his throne. And Revelation pictures these golden bowls being filled with these prayers. It's like these prayers are going into these golden balls bowls. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C In Revelations five, verse eight, if you want to read that. SPEAKER B Now, when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. SPEAKER C So here the prayers have been ascending and sending and filling up these bowls. But later we see God acting in answer to these prayers in Revelation, chapter eight, verse three to five. SPEAKER B And it says, then another angel, having a golden censor came and stood at the altar, and he was given much incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar, which is before the throne. And verse four. And the smoke of the incense with the prayers of the saints ascended before God from the hand of the angel. Verse five. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake. SPEAKER D Wow. SPEAKER C Did you see what's happened here? Sometimes at our times, our prayers need to accumulate to a certain level before God acts. So it's accumulation. And then he's saying, okay, now I'm going to act. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And I love what Ellen White says in Manuscript Releases, Volume 21, page 155, referring to this quote in Revelation, chapter eight. You want to just read that, please? SPEAKER D Sure. SPEAKER B The revenue of the glory has been accumulating for the closing work of the third angel's. Message of the prayers that have been ascending for the fulfillment of the promise that is sent of the Holy Spirit, not one has been lost. Each prayer has been accumulating, ready to overflow and pour forth a healing flood of heavenly influence and accumulating light all over the world. SPEAKER C Did you notice you mentioned that prayers have been accumulating? SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER B And not one is lost. SPEAKER C And you know what interesting? She calls these prayers the revenue of glory. Which means what's? The revenue on planet Earth we look at as money. Money is our revenue. And the question why? We ask, how much revenue have you accumulated in heaven for the things of the Lord that has put on your heart? See, the revenue of heaven is our prayers. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C That's what the revenue in heaven is. We might think it's cars, vacations and homes, but on Earth, the revenue is money. In heaven, the revenue is our prayers. And so the more we pray just think about this logically. Yes, the more we pray, the more revenue we have in our heavenly storehouses. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER B That sounds. SPEAKER C And the more revenue we put in the heavenly storage, the more God has to draw from to answer our prayer requests. So I asked the question again, how much revenue of glory or prayer requests do you have accumulated for the salvation of your family members or your friends or revival in your church or the outpouring of the Holy Spirit? Are you praying these things daily and are they filling up that cup and about to be poured out? How much have you been praying for these things? I believe there's a direct relationship between your persevering prayers and God's answering those. SPEAKER B Know we are encouraged to lay for ourselves treasure in heaven and the currency of heaven. Are those prayers ascending, asking for God to pour out His Holy Spirit and to give us his glory. Thank you, Colin, for leading us through that study about persevering prayer. Dear listener, we pray that you've been blessed by it as you've listened to it today. We want to encourage you to continue in prayer steadfastly all your prayers will accumulate, no prayer will be lost. And if you want to continue studying with us, you're welcome to see if you can get hold of a copy of this beautiful book 50 Days Prayers and Devotions to Prepare for the Latter Rain and Christ's Return by Pastor Dennis Smith. You can find that at your friendly ABC store, Adventist Book Center store, or if you can't find it there, you're welcome to contact us here at three ABN. And we are prepared to make this available to you and we can mail it out for a small fee plus postage. So, dear listener, thank you for joining us today on You Shall Receive Power. You are continued to be in our prayers and we pray that God will bless you as you spend time with Him in prayer and especially in persevering prayer. We look forward to catching up with you next time and may God be with you till then. Amen. SPEAKER C You’ve been listening to a production of three ABN Australia Radio close.