Pray and Not Faint by Brother Duke Hansen

           This morning we are going to read from the book of Luke. We will be at chapter 18 and starting with the first verse. Before we begin reading this morning I want to say that God does not override your character in your walk. You can repent, be water baptized and spirit filled, but you still have to mortify your flesh. There is no such thing as an honest sinner. Now, it's good when you speak of being in sin because you recognize it as you begin your walk. If you are truly determined to grow your faith, you should also begin to grow out of accepting sin as a given because you're covered in grace.

        There are bad situations in life that you will come across. Situations like a death in the family, illness, loss of home or a job. It is these moments that require faith in action. Faith in action is through prayer. Many of us are not our true self in public. What people see when we interact with them is a disguise which we wear to meet them halfway.

        When we are speaking a word of faith most people automatically think to be an encourager. You can wear God out with your prayers, pleas, proclamations and it won't get God to move from his established principles. We will begin to read at verse 1.

        And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

        What's interesting is that this who can't call upon God in prayer will usually suck the life and spirit of those around them. The deceit to this is these people generally don't realize they do that. If you don't spend time earnestly praying and without ceasing, you will faint.

        Prayer will require humility. True humility is not seeking revenge. There are those who will dress in false humility for wherever they are and then get all fired up and angry later down the road over the most inconsequential thing. You should not rely upon people to keep you encouraged. Are you capable of encouraging yourself? Is it difficult for you to look in the mirror? The times nor your feelings or what you think define you. You have enough to deal with just with yourself. Let's continue with verse 2.

        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.

        Here in verse 3. The widow has an adversary. Now scripture says that the believer is to attend and care for widows. Word of God was to pray before fainting and not the other way around.

        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.

        The world works on conflict, demand, and complaint. Wearing down the judge until he relents. Many of is have the mindset like this unjust judge. 

        6 And the Lord said, Here what the unjust saith.

        7 And she shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?

        If you think about how the world thinks and God thinks, they are on the opposite sides of the spectrum. The judge pretty much admits that the widow has worn him out. Let's read verse 8.

        8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

        God clearly states that complaints will not move him. Proper and correct prayer will move God. God does not work like the unjust judge nor is the word of faith working. You can pray for people for God to grab ahold of someone to soften their heart. We learn more in the valley and not at all on the mountain top.

        People in peril will cry out day and night if they are a believer or not. God said he will avenge them speedily. Our perception of God's speed is it goes slow. Really slow. His time is not how we see time. God wants strong people to represent him. Where you are weak in the spirit, he will place you in situations to either build you up or tear you down. The power of speaking faith is in encouraging yourself as you seek his face while he's still available.

        The world is structured and designed to separate and to sift people. You need to really think upon your situation. Step outside yourself. You may find yourself in a bitter situation that you didn't plan  on being in. If you are in your walk where your heart is not in it and you're merely going through the motions, you will not work well in faith.

        Go back and re-read the beginning of verse one and then the end of verse eight. It is not about judgement in the text between these two points. It's faith. Often we operate in emotion to judge situations or people with a "I think" or "I feel" rather than sticking with the principles already outlined in scripture. You have to care how you look and how you act to be an effective witness among others. The statement of "You can't judge a book by its cover," is world principle and not one in scripture. If you go through life wanting to be right all the time, you wind up missing the how and why of your mistakes. Many can grow and gain by mistakes and their lessons to take away from those mistakes.

        You don't have to love the job or the trial to enjoy it. Patience doesn't bring tribulations but it delivers you from them. Patience is overcoming the trial. The parable Jesus spoke of in this scripture reading this morning is about faith. When God moves, he moves very quick. Pray fervently for your needs, for others, for all things and without ceasing.

        What have you prayed about in your life? What have you moved on from? What have you worked on to change your character? There is work on our end in this relationship. It's all about faith. Simple faith.