Being Persistent in Prayer

Romans 12: 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

• What does it mean to be faithful in prayer? Are you?

Ephesians 6: 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

• When should we pray?
• What should we be alert for?
• Who should we pray for?

Colossians 4: 2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

• What does it mean to be devoted to something?
• Why is it important to be watchful in prayer?
• Why is it important to be thankful in prayer?

1 Thessalonians 5: 17 pray continually;

• What does it mean to pray continually?

Luke 11: 5 Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6 because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.' 7 "Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs. 9 "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

• What would cause someone to persist in their request even when they knew they were being a nuisance to their neighbor?
• Why did Jesus tell us this story?

Luke 18: 1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.' 4 "For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!' " 6 And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"

• What brought the widow success in asking the judge for justice? What is Jesus teaching us to do?
• Jesus teaches us here that when we cry out to God, He will give us justice quickly. Why then does He need to teach us to be persistent in prayer?
• Why would we need to keep asking if God heard us the first time?
  
• The purpose of this story was to teach us to pray and not give up. Is there anything you should keep praying for that you have been tempted to give up?