Radically Great: Four ways to Supercharge your prayer life – Luke 18:1-8

FOUR WAYS TO SUPERCHARGE YOUR PRAYERLIFE – LUKE 18:1-8

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?” (Luke 18:1-8)

Starting with the parable…

A widow – helpless – and we’re meant to identify with her.

A judge – a nasty piece of work, and he’s meant to teach us something about God.

1)Become a Christian!

“Will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones.” (Luke 18:7)

2)Have faith in God’s goodness

“In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. (Luke 18:2)

CONTRASTED WITH

“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. (Luke 18:7-8)

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ” 4 “You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:1-5)

3)Helplessness is better than competence

 “Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labour in vain” (Psalm 127:1)

 

“Nothing in my hand I bring;  Simply to the cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress; Helpless look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly; Wash me, Saviour, or I die.” (Rock of Ages)

4) Persist in prayer

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I want to know more:

• To read: Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God, by Tim Keller
• To read: Where is God when it hurts? Philip Yancey
• To listen (or read): Always Pray and Do Not lose heart, John Piper