It was a crisp autumn morning, and Fancie sat by the window, her hands folded in prayer.
She had been praying for the same thing for months, but God seemed silent. Doubt crept in, whispering that her prayers were pointless.
Why should she persist in prayer when nothing seemed to change?
Fancie thought back to the time when her faith had been shaken before. It was a dark period when she had nearly given up on prayer altogether.
But then, an elderly woman from church had taken her aside and shared her own story of persistent prayer.
“Child,” the woman had said, her eyes shining with wisdom, “I too have faced seasons of silence from God. But I learned that giving up is a mistake. Persistent in prayer, we grow in our faith and dependence on Him.”
Those words had reignited Fancie’s resolve, and she had clung to them through many trials.
Now, as the doubts whispered again, she remembered the power of persistent prayer. She would not give up, no matter how long she had to wait for the answer.
With renewed determination, Fancie closed her eyes and lifted her heart to God once more.
She knew that prayer was not a one-time event but a continuous conversation with her Heavenly Father. And so, she would persist in prayer, trusting that God heard her every word.
1. Persistent Prayer Keeps Your Attention on God
Persistent prayer keeps your focus on God, not on yourself or your circumstances. When you pray about something continually, your mind stays fixed on Him.
God craves your attention. He thinks about you all the time! Persistent prayer allows you to reciprocate His loving attention.
Psalm 25:15 (NIVUK) says:
“My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only he will release my feet from the snare.”
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Praying persistently gives God the priceless gift of your steady gaze. Don’t underestimate this simple act.
2. Praying Persistently Reveals Things About Yourself
Having to wait for answers to your prayers teaches you about your true desires, priorities, and level of maturity. It’s a revealing test of character.
Do you really want this thing you’re asking for? Is it that important to you? Are you willing to wait on God’s timing and purposes?
Persistent prayer reveals motives and exposes weaknesses.
God told Israel:
“Do you remember how the Lord led you through the wilderness for all those forty years, humbling you and testing you to find out how you would respond, and whether or not you would really obey him?”
Deuteronomy 8:2 (TLB)
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Embrace the revealing power of persistent prayer. Let it transform you.
3. Persisting in Prayer Builds Your Faith
Persistent prayer reveals if you really trust God or just your fickle feelings. It’s easy to trust God when you see results. But do you still believe Him when heaven seems silent?
Faith means clinging to God’s promises, not your emotions. Feelings fluctuate, but God’s Word remains steady. Persistent prayer forces you to rely wholly on God.
“So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.”
Galatians 6:9 (NLT)
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Choose faith over feelings by praying persistently. Let it strengthen your trust in God.
4. Persistence in Prayer Grows Your Character
God cares more about developing your character than just giving you comfort. He’s more interested in your holiness than your happiness.
Persistent prayer confronts areas that need growth and matures you in Christlikeness.
The testing of delayed answers conforms you to Jesus’ image. Don’t despise this powerful work!
James 1:2-4 (NLT) declares:
“2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”
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Let persistent prayer refine and stretch your character. Let it produce Christlike virtues.
5. Prepares You for Blessings
God often uses testing times before breakthroughs to make sure you can handle it. Like any good parent, He prepares you before entrusting blessings to you.
Persistent prayer readies you to steward God’s gifts well. Don’t resent the waiting. Let it expand your capacity to receive more from God’s hand.
Jesus said:
“To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.”
Matthew 25:29 (NLT)
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Keep praying! It’s preparing you for greater things ahead.
6. Being Fervent in Prayer Produces Surrender
At some point, persistent prayer forces the surrender of your desires to God’s plan. You relinquish control to the Almighty God.
This surrender lets God change you rather than just your circumstances. It positions you for breakthroughs by aligning your heart with God’s heart.
“Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.”
Romans 6:13 (NLT)
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Let persistent prayer produce total surrender to God’s will, timing, and purposes.
7. God Delights to Answer Your Prayers
God answers prayer by saying no, grow, slow, or go. Persistent prayer makes sure your requests align with God’s perfect will and timing.
You’re not trying to convince God with repeated requests. Rather, you’re waiting on the Lord to act when the time is right according to His infinite wisdom.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”
Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT)
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Keep praying! It aligns your heart with God’s.
8. Persevering in Prayer Transforms You
We pray persistently not to manipulate God, but because the waiting transforms us. Persistent prayer grows us in faith, character, and dependence.
As you wait on the Lord, you’ll gain new revelations of Him and yourself. Let His strength be perfected in your weakness.
“But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.”
Isaiah 40:31 (NLT)
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Embrace persistent prayer wholeheartedly. Let it transform you into Christ’s image. God is accomplishing wonders in you!
Key Takeaways
- Praying persistently keeps your focus on God and builds your faith muscles.
- God often uses delayed answers to refine your character and prepare you for blessings.
- Embrace persistent prayer to align with God’s purposes and experience surrender.
- Pray persistently not to manipulate God, but to let Him transform you as you wait on Him.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Why does God make me wait if He wants to bless me?
A. God loves you immensely and wants to give you His best. But He is more concerned with developing Christlike character in you than just satisfying all your desires immediately. The waiting deepens your roots in God.
Q. Isn’t praying persistently annoying to God?
A. Not at all! Persistent prayer gives God your loving attention. He delights in your desire for His presence.
Think of it as a child crawling onto the lap of a caring Father, not badgering Him.
Q. How long should I persistently pray?
A. Pray persistently about a matter until you receive a clear yes or no from God, or peace to move on. He may say, grow in patience and trust.
Q. What if I don’t see results after persistent prayer?
A. Ask God if anything needs to shift on your end – surrender, motives, priorities, etc. But know that if the request aligns with God’s will, He will answer in His timing and way. Keep praying!
Q. How can I keep praying persistently without losing hope?
A. Fill your mind with promises of God’s love and power.
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
Galatians 6:9 (NIV)
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