Text of Pastor Rusty sermon delivered on January 31, 2021
I received a word of encouragement from a dear sister in the Lord this past week and in her comments, she asked a good question. She said, “We know the nation’s crisis, we know we have trouble on all sides, and we are living in turmoil with not much stability.” She pointed out that both Mr. Biden and Mr. Trump have their crowds and there seems to be a lot of animosity between those two crowds.
She wants to know what we are able to do to try to get back on the path. I think her reference to the path means how can we return to a civil national life that is not characterized by strife and anger.
I must say, I do not have a brief, tidy answer to that question. In fact, I think the nation is in the grip of a great spiritual struggle. This new struggle is against an ungodly elitism manifesting in every high place of authority in the nation. An ugly elitism destined to foster tyranny over the American people in such a way freedom of conscience and the freedom to live one’s life per the dictates of personal faith is destroyed.
The struggle is further defined by a deep desire on the part of millions of Americans for economic freedom. The average American does not despise the accumulation of wealth, however, when those with privilege want to change the rules as to limit or make impossible the upward mobility of the average person a simmering resentment is set in motion. Ultimately, the pot on the stove is going to boil over.
I think we can safely discern we have entered a critical point in our nation’s history. The ungodly elites of the nation have already made their move to destroy what is left of a free America. The struggle will either end with the nation under the rule of those who call evil good, and good evil, or the gracious hand of the God of our fathers will push back this oppression granting us a stay from national demise.
I must warn you. The battle is going to intensify. The church in America will either rise to the challenge by way of personal revival, or future generations will live under the flag of an enemy. The only way for America to experience a rebirth of freedom is for the godly to experience revival.
A revival will rouse us from capitulation to the ungodly. It will put us in the prayer closet. It will compel us to stand for righteousness regardless of persecution. It will empower us to speak the truth and share the gospel. The one thing every Christian can do today to help our nation back to the right path is to experience personal revival.
My advice to every professed believer in Jesus Christ is to seek the Lord. It is time for a new day of obedience to Christ. Live for Christ. When the ungodly elites of the nation challenge our convictions do not budge an inch. The Bible says to be strong in the Lord and having done all to stand, STAND! Our stand for Christ is resistance against the onslaught of evil.
Personally, I think the push back against the advances of ungodly elitism is just beginning. We can overcome the threat of oppression and see the hand of God deliver us from unheard of tyranny in America if we rededicate ourselves to Christ and stand for him in this battle. The Lord can look on an obedient church with favor. He can avenge his people, but where is the prayer.
Look with me now at our text today from Luke 18:1-8:
1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:
3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
Please look again at verse one of our text. I want you to first notice the purpose for which Jesus gave the parable. Jesus says, “Men ought always to pray and not faint, or lose heart.” Let that sink into your thinking.
As we study upon this statement it is helpful to understand there is more than one kind of prayer. For example, a prayer for a personal need like food or clothing is different from a prayer for relief or justice. One may be answered more quickly than the other. In the case of crying out for justice a season of prayer is a necessity as there are obstacles in the way of answered prayer. A breakthrough can occur, but as Jesus illustrates such a blessing requires persistent prayer.
It is clear from the parable Jesus gives us persistent asking is the only reason the widow experienced a breakthrough. We must not miss this lesson. There are situations that demand we lay hold of God in prayer until we have the blessing. Remember, Jesus is encouraging such prayer. He says men ought always to pray and not lose heart. Obviously, the only reason we lose heart is because the desired blessing has not manifested after some time of praying.
At that point in the battle, we must not lose heart, or faint. We must not resign our self to defeat. Instead, the intensity of our prayers should increase. The unjust judge in the parable relented and granted the widow justice because she would not quit. Her continual coming wearied the man and finally he just wanted to get rid of her. So, he gave her justice.
Jesus immediately proceeds to draw a contrast between the unjust character of the judge with the obvious good character of God. Jesus so much as says if an unjust judge will finally come around, shall not a good God who is altogether ready to hear prayer avenge his own people which cry day and night unto him?
Furthermore, by virtue of the nature of the situation the Lord knows he must bear long with us as we lay hold of him, but that is no bother to the Lord. He is pleased when we lay hold of him in prayer. Persistent prayer does not bother the Lord.
Rather it is the lack of prayer that bothers the Lord.
Do you remember the experience of Jacob when he talked with the Lord the night before he was to meet his brother Esau? Jacob was distraught about facing Esau whom he thought was still plotting for his death.
And so the Bible says, “And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.
And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.
And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.
And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.
And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.
And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.”
Conclusion
Like Jacob why don’t we lay hold of God until the blessing comes? Why don’t we prove the Lord’s teaching in Luke 18? Instead of trying to figure everything out, why don’t we just “cry out” day and night until we are avenged by our God?
May the Lord teach us by experience the lesson of prevailing prayer. There are blessings to be secured if we pray and do not faint.
I received a word of encouragement from a dear sister in the Lord this past week and in her comments, she asked a good question. She said, “We know the nation’s crisis, we know we have trouble on all sides, and we are living in turmoil with not much stability.” She pointed out that both Mr. Biden and Mr. Trump have their crowds and there seems to be a lot of animosity between those two crowds.
She wants to know what we are able to do to try to get back on the path. I think her reference to the path means how can we return to a civil national life that is not characterized by strife and anger.
I must say, I do not have a brief, tidy answer to that question. In fact, I think the nation is in the grip of a great spiritual struggle. This new struggle is against an ungodly elitism manifesting in every high place of authority in the nation. An ugly elitism destined to foster tyranny over the American people in such a way freedom of conscience and the freedom to live one’s life per the dictates of personal faith is destroyed.
The struggle is further defined by a deep desire on the part of millions of Americans for economic freedom. The average American does not despise the accumulation of wealth, however, when those with privilege want to change the rules as to limit or make impossible the upward mobility of the average person a simmering resentment is set in motion. Ultimately, the pot on the stove is going to boil over.
I think we can safely discern we have entered a critical point in our nation’s history. The ungodly elites of the nation have already made their move to destroy what is left of a free America. The struggle will either end with the nation under the rule of those who call evil good, and good evil, or the gracious hand of the God of our fathers will push back this oppression granting us a stay from national demise.
I must warn you. The battle is going to intensify. The church in America will either rise to the challenge by way of personal revival, or future generations will live under the flag of an enemy. The only way for America to experience a rebirth of freedom is for the godly to experience revival.
A revival will rouse us from capitulation to the ungodly. It will put us in the prayer closet. It will compel us to stand for righteousness regardless of persecution. It will empower us to speak the truth and share the gospel. The one thing every Christian can do today to help our nation back to the right path is to experience personal revival.
My advice to every professed believer in Jesus Christ is to seek the Lord. It is time for a new day of obedience to Christ. Live for Christ. When the ungodly elites of the nation challenge our convictions do not budge an inch. The Bible says to be strong in the Lord and having done all to stand, STAND! Our stand for Christ is resistance against the onslaught of evil.
Personally, I think the push back against the advances of ungodly elitism is just beginning. We can overcome the threat of oppression and see the hand of God deliver us from unheard of tyranny in America if we rededicate ourselves to Christ and stand for him in this battle. The Lord can look on an obedient church with favor. He can avenge his people, but where is the prayer.
Look with me now at our text today from Luke 18:1-8:
1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:
3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
Please look again at verse one of our text. I want you to first notice the purpose for which Jesus gave the parable. Jesus says, “Men ought always to pray and not faint, or lose heart.” Let that sink into your thinking.
As we study upon this statement it is helpful to understand there is more than one kind of prayer. For example, a prayer for a personal need like food or clothing is different from a prayer for relief or justice. One may be answered more quickly than the other. In the case of crying out for justice a season of prayer is a necessity as there are obstacles in the way of answered prayer. A breakthrough can occur, but as Jesus illustrates such a blessing requires persistent prayer.
It is clear from the parable Jesus gives us persistent asking is the only reason the widow experienced a breakthrough. We must not miss this lesson. There are situations that demand we lay hold of God in prayer until we have the blessing. Remember, Jesus is encouraging such prayer. He says men ought always to pray and not lose heart. Obviously, the only reason we lose heart is because the desired blessing has not manifested after some time of praying.
At that point in the battle, we must not lose heart, or faint. We must not resign our self to defeat. Instead, the intensity of our prayers should increase. The unjust judge in the parable relented and granted the widow justice because she would not quit. Her continual coming wearied the man and finally he just wanted to get rid of her. So, he gave her justice.
Jesus immediately proceeds to draw a contrast between the unjust character of the judge with the obvious good character of God. Jesus so much as says if an unjust judge will finally come around, shall not a good God who is altogether ready to hear prayer avenge his own people which cry day and night unto him?
Furthermore, by virtue of the nature of the situation the Lord knows he must bear long with us as we lay hold of him, but that is no bother to the Lord. He is pleased when we lay hold of him in prayer. Persistent prayer does not bother the Lord.
Rather it is the lack of prayer that bothers the Lord.
Do you remember the experience of Jacob when he talked with the Lord the night before he was to meet his brother Esau? Jacob was distraught about facing Esau whom he thought was still plotting for his death.
And so the Bible says, “And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.
And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.
And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.
And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.
And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.
And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.”
Conclusion
Like Jacob why don’t we lay hold of God until the blessing comes? Why don’t we prove the Lord’s teaching in Luke 18? Instead of trying to figure everything out, why don’t we just “cry out” day and night until we are avenged by our God?
May the Lord teach us by experience the lesson of prevailing prayer. There are blessings to be secured if we pray and do not faint.
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