Persevering Prayer

G-d has obligated himself to answer prayer. G-d ordained prayer. Prayer has no existence separate from man. Prayer puts G-d to work and it moves Him on your behalf. James 5:16.

We confess our sin so healing can flow. Here it comes now, the fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Elijah was a man subject to passions as we are. He prayed earnestly that it might not rain for the space of 3 years.  Then he prayed again for the rain to come, and the earth brought forth its fruit.

It looks like Elijah prayed only once and the rain came. But actually he prayed again and again and again. He kept praying until the answer came.  So, we must pray with a fervent spirit.  It has to be passionate from the human heart, and not from the human head.  It must be prayed by a righteous person.  Someone who has been made righteous from the precious blood of Jesus Christ.  You have a right standing with G-d if you're under the blood.

With the heart, man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto it.  Prayer must be from a person that is willing to pray and to keep praying until the answer comes. We are praying for answers. We are praying for a spiritual awakening.  There is a prayer movement throughout the world right now for America. America is in a spiritual crisis. We need to cry out to G-d.

The politicians, economist, or the court system cannot solve our problems.  You can't legislate prayer or holiness.  This requires a move of G-d through prayer.  We must keep praying until the answer comes.

G-d has ordained that man created in his own image should pray.  When we don't pray G-d will not intervene in human affairs.  Do you mean G-d is not going to do anything for me if I don't pray? That is exactly what I mean. It's what the scripture teaches us. We shape our futures by prayer.  It is the means by which we call upon G-d.  Prayer is an appeal to G-d to intervene in our affairs.

Prayer is faith resting in G-d.  Prayer is interacting with G-d.  Prayer is faith and obedience.  Praying is leaning on G-d.  The church must pray and we must return to our Judeo-Christian values that prayer was a foundation of.

G-d has called His church to pray.  Organizations and programs won't get the job done.  Preaching without prayer will not get the job done.  You see, G-d has obligated himself to answer our prayer. G-d has burned a scripture into my heart about prayer. And I'm going to pray it until I get a release from G-d. 11 Chronicles 7:14.

We are living in the dispensation of grace.  It's a time for grace when G-d reaches out together with us for the end time harvest.  But if the church does not pray the harvest will rot in the fields.  Jesus said, pray ye for the harvest that ye may send forth laborers.

G-d has limited himself. Can you imagine an unlimited G-d limiting himself?  He said, but if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, they will hear from heaven and I will heal their land.  If you want G-d to hear from you concerning your life you must pray. If you want G-d's blessings you must pray.

How far did you walk away from the cross before you came to the Lord and bent your knees and cried out to Him for His mercy in prayer?  You wouldn't be saved today if you hadn't prayed.  If you don't pray you are on dangerous ground, because prayer is a secret weapon.

Our nation wants to be politically correct but if we're going to see the hand of G-d move the church (blood washed Saints of G-d) then we must pray. The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous. His ears are open to their prayers.

Jesus said, I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.  He also said, I give unto thee the keys and whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven.  Whatsoever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. How do you bind and loose?  You do it in the name of Jesus, Calvary's blood, by the word of G-d.  You do it through the vehicle of prayer.  G-d said, the fervent prayer of the righteous availeth much.

G-d has given us the keys of the Kingdom. He has put the keys to all that He has in the hands of the church.  If we want G-d to bless our nation and intervene into our affairs, guess what, it's going to cost you something. You'll have to pray.  That sweet hour of prayer that called me from the cares of this world.

G-d will call you if you'll allow Him to.  Enter into His courts with thanksgiving, and a praise because I know G-d sits on His throne and Jesus is there interceding for me.  I know that G-d can and does change things. I know He intervenes with the affairs of man because I've seen Him do it with prayer.

If you preach or teach, you must pray.  If you sing, you must pray.  If you witness, you must pray.  Before you do anything for the Lord you must pray. G-d expects you to pray for your family, to pray before you leave for work, to pray for the church body, and to pray for the sick.  So pray, pray, pray for all things. Pray without ceasing.



Let's look again at James 5:17. Elijah got tired sometimes just the way we do. He had feelings like us. He fought the same devil we do.  He was a prophet of G-d and had the fire of G-d in him. He was an old testament prophet that was G-d's man, but subject to like passions as we are. He had his share of problems like us.  If you don't believe it read 1 Kings.  Elijah received a promise from G-d that it was going to rain.  Now pay close attention here cause I've got a word from G-d for you.

Look at 1 Kings 18:1, "And it came to pass after many days that the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, "Go, present yourself to Ahab, and there was a severe famine in Samaria." Go show yourself to Ahab.  Do you see the promise here? If you go I'll send the rain.

The prophet mounts up Carmel and withstands the 450 false prophets of Baal.  Elijah calls down fire from heaven.  The false prophets couldn't call down the fire so they couldn't get the job done anymore than the Muslims can get the job done in the world we live in today.

The only people that can get the job done are the blood washed church of Christ that are sanctioned through Calvary. Jesus said, I am the way. I am the truth, and the light and no man comes to the father except through me.

We don't need to be politically correct in this nation. We need to be biblically correct.  We don't need new age stuff, for what has been will be again.  There's nothing new under the sun.  G-d has already established all things.  The word of G-d will get you to the right destination.  I don't want to go to hell because I followed someones opinion.  I follow the word of G-d.  He will turn it around for you.

Confucius, Buddha and Mohammad cannot get the job done.  You cannot pray to a dead god and get G-d to do anything. You better know which god you serve.  My G-d is the living G-d.  Jesus Christ is living, he said, I am the life and the light. He who believes in me though he were dead yet shall he live.  He's alive. He's alive! He lives in His church.  He saves and He sanctifies.  He fills the people with the Holy Ghost.  He heals and He blesses His people.

I don't care how many Johnny come lately preachers think there is a new way other than Jesus Christ. I'm going to preach the truth. Christ is the only one! The only way! His word is powerful, without error, penetrating to soul and sunder.  The word that is the lamp unto our feet.  David said, I will hide your word in my heart so I won't sin against you O'G-d.  Exodus 20:3, 5 is clear, "You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not bow down to them nor serve them, for I am a jealous G-d and I will visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me."

We've got people that hate G-d and His word.  They don't want the children of this nation to know His commandments.  They don't want us praying in the schools. G-d's jealousy over this burns against His spirit, and His wrath will be poured onto this nation as a result.

G-d is the creation of this earth, He gives the thrust of life, gives the gifts, and breathes life into us. G-d help us to pray without ceasing.  The perfect gifts don't come from Allah, they come from Jehovah who created everything.

You cannot break G-d's commandments and have these blessings.  The first two commandments G-d gave this nation has been broken.  People on Capital Hill who think they have master minds to run this nation are pea brains without inquiring of the Lord and seeking His knowledge. You cannot set up idols and run after the gods of this world in your heart and get answered prayers.

Elijah got fire from heaven because he was a righteous prophet.  We got big platforms in this nation with big preachers with influence that are false prophets with lies on their tongues instead of fire from G-d.  When you speak without the name of Jesus you are a false prophet.  When you fail to tell the people that the only way is  Calvary through the shed blood of the lamb then you are a false prophet.

G-d gave His only begotten Son so mankind can be redeemed and reconciled back to Him.  There's no other way. He who believes on Him shall not perish but will have everlasting life.

So, G-d gave the promise to Elijah.  On one side of the equation of the rain is the promise and on the other side there must be a believer.  A praying saint who has the righteousness of G-d through the blood of the lamb who will persevere in prayer until the answer comes.

Look at 1 Kings 18:41. Do you hear the abundance of rain?  Here's the problem in the church in this scripture.  They all are eating and drinking and being merry and still expect the rain to come.  If you want G-d's Holy rain, it's going to cost you something.  You'll have to be obedient to Him, and you'll have to pray.

Sin will lure you into darkness and you will get further and further from your answer.  So you make a decision to walk with G-d and obey Him and trust Him for the rain. Press on toward the mark of the high calling of G-d in Jesus Christ.

In 1 Kings 18:21, Elijah cast himself down upon the earth at Mt Carmel.  His face was between His knees.  It was the way the Israelites postured themselves to pray and still do today.  Elijah got up and went and looked and said, there is nothing.  G-d told him to go again 7 times.  Elijah prayed again a second time.  G-d said, go back again.  He came back and went again and again.

The sixth time he said, there's no rain.  But Elijah persevered in prayer. G-d said its going to rain. G-d is not a man that He shall lie or repent.  Shall He not make it good?  Elisha, the prayer boy said, Elijah you've already prayed six times.

Elijah bowed his head again and told Elisha to go look again.  Glory! When Elisha came back he said, I see a cloud the size of a man's hand.  Get on your mountain and start praying.  Elijah didn't get an answer on the first prayer.  He sent Elisha out seven times until the rain came.  He was praying G-d's promise in faith.  He persisted in prayer until the heavens burst open and gave faith its fruit.

I was high as a Georgia pine on  these scriptures of Elijah and I got it in my spirit and couldn't sleep. The spirit spoke and said, many times and in many seasons you have persevered in prayer in the secret prayer chamber.  I fasted, I studied the word of G-d, spoke His word, pleaded by the blood, and interceded for others.

In many of those seasons I have stood and prayed the prayer of faith and saw immediate manifestation or got discernment and a word from G-d manifested.  There have been other times when I knew I had prayed the prayer of faith and no immediate response.  When that happens you'll have to commit the prayer of faith with the prayer of perseverance.

There comes a time in everybody's prayer life when the manifestation does not come immediately.  A delay is not a denial. It may seem strange to you that after you've prayed the will of G-d you know that G-d has heard you.  It may seem strange that you still have to continue in prayer.  G-d has ordained persevering prayer thus so.  This is how G-d works many times.

Faith is the things hoped for.  Faith is the evidence of things not seen.  You don't have this kind of faith in the natural realm only in the spiritual realm.  This is faith you must have before the manifestation will come.  Never lose sight of what you've asked G-d for until the fulfillment of the promise arrives.

There are many obstacles that can hinder your faith.  You may have to fight a thousand devils.  You may have to petition G-d over and over.  He who prays 6 times over and fervently when he should have prayed 7 times deprives himself of the answer.  We must hold onto the promise until it comes.

Jesus prayed for a blind man and He said, how do you see?  The man answered, I see men walking about as trees.  He was blind, but now everything looks blurry and confusing.  Jesus laid His hands on the man again and asked him, what do you see now? The man answered, I see everything clearly now.

Lord, if you don't get it all the first time pray again. I'm a Pentecostal and I call it praying through, praying over and over until you get your breakthrough.  Praying until the glory world opens up and the things of G-d come. Thank G-d for the spiritual awakening that gave us Pentecostals in this nation through John Edwards and Azuza Street. Thank G-d for the power of the Holy Spirit.

We are Pentecostal Holiness because we have the Holiness of G-d and it was through the power of Jesus Christ. In Gethsemane Jesus prayed 3 times in succession.  The bible says He went away and prayed again saying the same words.  Jesus told his disciples to tarry into Jerusalem to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.  They're all hold up in the upper room waiting for the descent of the Spirit.

They prayed and they tarried for 10 days. Elijah had to persevere in prayer like this.  David had to persevere in prayer and so did Jesus and the disciples.  If the disciples, Jesus and Elijah had to persevere in prayer may G-d help us to persevere in prayer until the answer comes.

The only way you can defeat an unseen enemy is by persevering prayer.  Stand firm on the promises of G-d. Faith refuses to yield. Faith continues to pray.  Faith waits for the answer.  Even though its a delay knowing that G-d has said it the victory is sure cause G-d decreed it.