Pray Until You Win!
When you pray for something for a long time and it doesn’t come to pass, it can be discouraging. It can seem that God is hiding from you. David felt the same way. In Psalms 55:1, David cried out, “Give ear to my prayer, O God, and do not hide Yourself from my supplication” (NKJ). Is God hiding from your prayer? Has He gone fishing? Or, is something else going on? What do we do when it seems God is “hiding”?
When God Seems to “Hide”—Persist
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened” Matthew 7:7, 8 (NKJ).
The words “ask,” “seek,” and “knock” are in a Greek verb tense that indicates continuous action—prayer must be ongoing. In this verse, Jesus is teaching us how to pray. We must persist in asking, persevere in seeking, and continue knocking until we prevail.
Do not stop praying! If you allow yourself to become discouraged and give up, you can miss your answer. If you have already given up praying for something or someone—repent and start praying again.
According to James 5:16 (NKJ), “…The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much”. The word effective in the Greek means “energy.” Your prayers have energy! When you pray fervently, you release the energy of God into a situation.
When God Seems to “Hide”—Change!
There are times when God delays answering prayer because He is changing you. You may not be able to handle the answer to your prayers until you are different. When you pray for a situation, particularly something that has to do with you, God will deal with you first. Sometimes God isn’t hiding from our prayer; He’s actually trying to get our attention about something in our lives that He wants us to change. Often that change is a process and it may take time. We sometimes think God is slow to answer but what if He is waiting on you?
Consider Jacob. He had a problem with his character. He lied, cheated, and connived to take the blessing and the birthright away from his brother. When it came time for Jacob to return to the Promised Land and enter into his blessing, his character wasn’t ready. After 20 years of serving his swindling father-in-law, Jacob still had to wrestle with God to be ready to receive his answer.
Joseph is another example. As a 17-year-old, God gave Joseph dreams that one day his entire family would bow before him. All the trials and tribulation he endured over the next 13 years prepared Joseph to step into his miracle. At the age of 30, Joseph became prime minister of the mightiest, most advanced nation on earth, Egypt. It was well worth the delay and changes Jacob and Joseph had to make to receive their blessings, and it will be worth it for you, too!
When God Seems to “Hide”—Expand Your Faith!
It is through “…faith and patience [we] inherit the promises” Hebrews 6:12 (NKJ). You should repeat this verse every day to remind yourself that nothing comes from God except by faith and patience.
Abraham waited 25 years for his promised son to be born. During those 25 years, he made some serious mistakes. At time he lied rather than rely on God. On another occasion, he tried to help God fulfill His promise and the results were disastrous. Yet, despite his mistakes, Abraham received his promise and is today called the “Father of Faith.”
Abraham needed faith when God spoke to him after Isaac was born. God told Abraham to take Isaac to a mountain and sacrifice him. Abraham didn’t bat an eye, argue, whine, or complain. He saddled a donkey and set out to obey. How could Abraham be obedient to such a request from God? While waiting for the answer to his prayer for a son, Abraham had developed great faith. He believed that God could raise his son from the dead. God will delay answers to prayer to build your faith, too.
Persist Until You Prevail!
These are the end times. God needs people who are persistent, conformed to His image, and powerful in faith. When God hides, should you—get made, become depressed, stop going to church, or throw your Bible out the window? NO! You need to persist until you prevail! Become like a bulldog and say to yourself “I won’t stop praying and believing until I get my miracle.”
Elijah prayed seven times before it rained. Moses prayed 40 days for people who were murmuring. Daniel prayed for three weeks before he heard from God. Jesus prayed all night before he chose His disciples. Each of these people persisted until God answered their prayer. When it seems as if God is hiding…you must hang on!