“ LEARNING TO BE PERSISTENT IN PRAYER” Dr. Ralph Godfrey Sr.

Learning to be Persistent in Prayer Dr. Ralph Godfrey Sr. Luke 18: 1-8 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?

Learning to be Persistent in Prayer Dr. Ralph Godfrey Sr. A significant portion of Christ’s teaching on prayer is recorded in the book of Luke. In fact, out of the fifteen times recorded in his private prayer life, eleven of these prayers are found in Luke. The other four times are found in the other gospels. Jesus told them that my house shall be called a house of prayer. He proceeded from this point to show how important prayer would work for them if they understood its value.

Learning to be Persistent in Prayer THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING PERSISTENT IN PRAYER Jesus gave his disciples the understanding of why men should always pray. The unjust judge was determined not to hear the woman’s plea for help. The woman was persistent and was determined to be heard. Her persistency of going daily and not giving up made the judge weary. Although he feared neither God nor man, this woman wearied him to the point that he gave in to her. WHAT WAS THE LESSON LEARNED? To be persistent. Dr. Ralph Godfrey Sr.

Learning to be Persistent in Prayer NEXT, HE TAUGHT US FAITH IN GOD To get results from the Father, we must spend time in prayer. God is just toward his people who cry out to him day and night. He will not put them off. He will grant them justice quickly if they are persistent. Jesus said when he returns will he find faith on the earth? Why? – Because it takes faith to pray and be persistent. Men would rather give up than stick it out. He said prayer and faith could move mountains if they doubt not in their hearts, but believe what they prayed. Whatsoever things you desire (long for, being persistent in) when you pray, believe that you will receive them and you shall have them. Don’t assume the answer, but wait until God answers. Dr. Ralph Godfrey Sr.

Learning to be Persistent in Prayer PERSISTENT WORKERS: ABRAHAM AND MOSES Great men like Abraham knew that God had called him away from his home to follow him. He built a relationship with God which gave him boldness when he came to talk to God. When he understood that God was about to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, he talked with the Lord to spare the lives of the people if fifty were found righteous. He was persistent until he got down to ten. But because of Abraham’s prayer, Lot and his family were saved. However, the lack of prayer in Lot’s life caused: – his wife to look back and turn into a pillar of salt. – his daughters to have incest with their father and produce two wicked nations. Dr. Ralph Godfrey Sr.

Learning to be Persistent in Prayer MOSES Moses was able to sustain Israel for forty years with prayer. Every time they sinned against God, Moses would go to God in prayer and would be persistent until God heard him and spared them. Because Moses got so fed up with their complaining, he disobeyed God and smote the rock instead of speaking to it. This cost Moses his life. Dr. Ralph Godfrey Sr.

Learning to be Persistent in Prayer Dr. Ralph Godfrey Sr. My Personal Experience In order for the church to move from Whetsel Ave. to Prentice St., it took persistency in prayer. When we went to buy the old school house we had to stay in prayer, it did not come easy. When we bought this land we almost lost it. The company went out of business. We went from paying $900 to $19,000. Because we stayed persistent in prayer, God delivered us. This is why we have to go back to the basics. God will sustain us if we stay persistent in prayer.

Learning to be Persistent in Prayer THERE ARE THREE KEYS TO PRAYER  (1) Believing what you pray will work and if you hold fast to that belief you can have what you ask.  (2) Believing is called “desire” which is longing for, or being persistent.  (3) Be willing to forgive others as God has forgiven you. If we hold anything in our hearts while praying, it will hinder our prayers. Dr. Ralph Godfrey Sr.

Learning to be Persistent in Prayer THERE IS A WARNING AGAINST UNFORGIVENESS We are warned about unforgiveness in our marriage life - not to hold anything in our heart against one another because it will hinder our prayer life. Such words as “I am fed up” mean that I haven’t let go.  Next, it will become anger.  Then, bitterness which leads to unforgiveness.  Our prayers will become hindered.  And when we pray, God will not hear us until we forgive one another (1Peter 3:7). “He that comes to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.” Matt 6:14 Prayer can be our strength or our weakness. It depends on how we treat one another. Dr. Ralph Godfrey Sr.

Learning to be Persistent in Prayer THE PRAYER OF THE RIGHTEOUS “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” James 5:16 James said the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. The word effective means – it will produce the effect desired or intended. – having the adequate power or force to produce the effect of an outcome or to achieve a result. Dr. Ralph Godfrey Sr.

Learning to be Persistent in Prayer THE PRAYER OF THE RIGHTEOUS The word fervent means: – Zelos (Strong’s # 2205: “zeal”) Heat, one being earnest in prayer, intensity of feeling, eagerness. A burning desire like heat from a fire. – On the other hand it is the opposite of cold, unemotional, and lack of enthusiasm. In a Christian context, it signifies a high spiritual temperature inflamed by the Holy Spirit. Dr. Ralph Godfrey Sr.

Learning to be Persistent in Prayer Furthermore, in the Greek, it means to be “active” and “energetic”, to prove one is “self-strong.” In the book of James, this word seems to denote the “inspired prayer” or the “prayer of the righteous” worked by the operation of the Holy Spirit. As individuals, we are powerful if we learn to be persistent in our prayer life. The effective fervent prayer will get results. This is a mandate from God that men should always pray and not faint. The secret to an effective life is prayer. The bible says go to the ant thou sluggard and consider the ways of the ant and be wise. A sluggard is a slothful lazy person who is not willing to burn the midnight oil to get an answer from God. Dr. Ralph Godfrey Sr. THE PRAYER OF THE RIGHTEOUS

Learning to be Persistent in Prayer Dr. Ralph Godfrey Sr. THE PRAYER OF THE RIGHTEOUS Most people feel if God wants them to have it, he will give it to them. That is not the way it works. James says faith without works is dead. If you are just a hearer of the word and not a doer, you are deceiving yourself. Prayer and faith go together. You can pray all you want and do nothing, and you will get nothing. You can have lots of faith and have no action and you will receive nothing. If you look carefully into the perfect law of liberty and do what it says, God will bless you in your doing.

Learning to be Persistent in Prayer For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. Dr. Ralph Godfrey Sr. GOD TOOK AN OATH Hebrews 6: 16-20

Learning to be Persistent in Prayer GOD TOOK AN OATH Now when people take an oath, they call on someone greater than themselves to hold them to it. And without any question, that oath is binding. God has also bound himself to an oath. Those who receive the promise could be assured that God would never change his mind. God will not do what he gives us to do. If we do what the word says, then God will be responsible to carry out his part. Dr. Ralph Godfrey Sr.

Learning to be Persistent in Prayer AN UNCHANGABLE OATH  Therefore, two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie.  However, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold up the hope that lies before us.  We can be assured of God’s oath and his promise.  This hope:  Is strong and trustworthy.  Anchors our souls.  Leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary, where Jesus awaits us. Dr. Ralph Godfrey Sr.

“ LEARNING TO BE PERSISTENT IN PRAYER” Dr. Ralph Godfrey Sr.