WHY SHOULD I PRAY ALWAYS | FIND OUT

This story involves three parties: a judge, a widow and an adversary . There was this judge who “did not fear God nor regard man.” We know there were such men in Palestine then, and we believe there are such men in positions of judicial authority today. They have the position, but they do not have the godly character, compassion and sense of justice that should qualify a man to be a judge. Jesus says that this man “did not fear God nor regard man.” 

Luke 18:1-8
Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’” Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”

As this parable is introduced, we are specifically told the point: “that men always ought to pray and not lose heart.” When I look at that phrase I see a choice – either pray or lose heart. If I pray as Jesus taught I should, in His name and with an obedient faith that guides my life daily, I will not lose heart! To express the other end of this, if I lose heart I must not be praying in the manner taught by Christ. Which will it be? Will you pray or lose heart? In the story, Jesus gives a reason why we should always pray.

The prayer Jesus mentioned here is specific to a certain kind of situation. TRIBULATION. PERSECUTION, TIMES OF ADVERSITY like is obtainable in nations or countries where Christians are publicly executed for their faith, or they are prime targets of terrorists (northern Nigeria for example), Jesus is not talking about our regular, normal, "give me" prayer. He is not saying for you to bombard heaven with your promotion request, job request, wife request, more money demands, miracle desire, death of your enemy request, fire-for-fire demands, bless me bless my family bless my uncle frenzy, etc. No! That is not what Jesus is talking about. A lot of Christians use this scripture to think we should be talking to God about these things always 24/7. Let me tell you what happens in heaven when you put up this kind of "I, me and myself" attitude in prayer. They put you on voicemail. Because your needs have a separate principle of prayers for achieving them, and you are not spiritually smart enough to know them (I will thrash that out in another topic). So, back to our widow.

The widow came to the judge to plea for relief from her adversary, someone who had wronged her, but we are not told who or what the person did. The Lord said that “for a while” the judge would not respond; he would not do anything. Then the judge thought, “this widow really annoys me. Although I don’t fear God or respect people, I’ll have to give her justice. Otherwise, she’ll keep coming to me until she wears me out.” And there were no restraining orders in those days, perhaps he could have restrained her maybe (just a funny thought).

Jesus calls attention to what the unjust judge said. Then He said, “And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”

Can you see that? The item in red. When God meets your needs that is not avenging. Jesus used the word "avenge". I mean, at least in this generation we know who the AVENGERS are. The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, Black Widow, Black Arrow, Nick Fury, Agent Coulson. Right? Those guys fight an enemy. So Jesus knows better that the word avenge has to do with an adversary, an enemy, and I am not talking about your mom who is a witch from the village, you can handle that witch easily, ignorance is just your problem. There are bigger problems on the big picture that Jesus was addressing. At that level, even witches don't stand a chance. You have to understand that at the level of persecution, all those demonic harrassments and possessions you encounter are child's play. You will even be surprised to see that the witches will join sides because it has gone beyond them. Have you heard of the era when witches were persecuted? That is when you will know that a witch is just another human being. Jesus was talking about non-spiritual forces (who are actually being puppeteered by greater spiritual forces such as the Prince of this World, Spiritual Wickedness in High Places, Rulers of the Darkness of this World), these are human institutions with enough firepower and political control to make being a Christian a nightmare. These human forces can be dangerous to the extent that Jesus said when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”. These are the situations under which Jesus said we ought to pray ALWAYS and not to give up as COWARDS.

Some who have read this parable get stuck on a supposed comparison between the evil judge and God. Jesus does not say that God is like the unjust judge. The point is, if an evil judge will eventually gives relief to those who appeal to him, how much more will God (who is perfectly just) give relief to His own elect! This is like the teaching of Christ earlier (in Luke 11:1-13, note the expression “how much more”). God’s people should always pray and not “give up” or “lose heart” because we are appealing to a perfectly just and righteous Judge. One way faith expresses itself is in the persistent, fervent practice of prayer.

Prayer should not be like a “fire extinguisher.” This equipment hangs on the wall and you may pay little attention to it until there is an emergency. Then you want it! Some treat prayer the same way. If there is no “emergency” in life, they don’t use it. But in time of crisis they want God to listen and respond at once! The teaching of Christ is exceedingly plain – we ought to pray regularly, “always,” knowing that God is perfectly just and will answer according to His wisdom.