Calvary Assembly of God
Bringing Faith, Hope and Love to Life ~ 2600 Shipley Road, Wilmington, Delaware 19810 ~ 302-478-1275


Pray and Never Give Up - 1/8/10
by Leonard A. Deane, Jr

Summary of 2010 Prayer Week Messages

On Monday, Brother Joe, shared with us the state of the union concerning prayer in America. Joe reviewed a survey indicating a 46% national average for those who consider religion as an important part of their lives. Mississippi was the highest state at 82% and Vermont / New Hampshire were the lowest at 36% / 46%. When we become serious about prayer our lives will be changed. Thank you Joe.

On Tuesday, Brother Jude (bench player), shared with us from 2 Samuel 5:17-20. With the Lord’s help David defeated the Philistines. David went to the Lord and asked shall go and attack the Philistines? Jude’s prophesied…God is the God of Breakthroughs; we need to trust the Lord in all things; and we need to stand in the gap for our nation, family and life. Thank you Jude.

On Wednesday, Brother Gene spoke about the Fruit of the Spirit and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. This is a message of healing, faith and distinguishing spirits. We are called out to do His will! Thank you Gene.

On Thursday, Brother Rich spoke about personal responsibly and government leaders; Discussing history of our Federal and State leaders and the Christian influence. USA is linked to Israel Spiritually. The Lord is always on the side of the right! Let’s not go the way of the Roman Empire!

How do we become more persistent in prayer?

We know God is greatly glorified when we pray. It is good and important that we not give up. Keep on praying.

I think we need to continue praying for a situation until the answer comes or the circumstances change or God changes the burden on our heart. Remember, the Lord doesn’t want us to give up. God has promised, from the beginning of creation, that God will never, ever, ever, ever give up on us. (Joshua 1:5)

  • Adam and Eve disobeyed the very first rule. But God never gave up.
  • Moses hid and shook with fear. But God never gave up.
  • David plotted against Uriah. But God never gave up.
  • Israel fell into pieces. But God never gave up.
  • The Jewish people became exiles. But God never gave up.
  • Peter denied he ever knew him. But God never gave up.
  • Yes, when I was living a life outside of the Lord. But God never gave up on me.
  • Yes, before you committed you life to Christ. God never gave up on you.

Three Scriptures

Ephesians 1:17 “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.” Note the phrase “I keep asking.” Paul did not believe that if you made a prayer request, you never had to make it again. When Paul prayed for the Ephesians, he prayed the same request over and over again–that they would know God better. We don’t pray to inform God of anything. He knows what we are thinking long before we voice our prayers to him. We pray to express our total dependence on him in every circumstance of life. As we continue to pray for the same things for our loved ones over and over again, the godly desires of the heart grow stronger and we are reminded that every day we must be 100% dependent on the Lord. We can’t live on yesterday’s blessings and we can’t depend on yesterday’s prayers. So just like Paul, we “keep asking” on behalf of our loved ones.

Matthew 6:8 “Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” That means we don’t have to impress God or use big words or pray long prayers. We don’t have to repeat ourselves when we pray and we don’t have to worry about getting all the details correct or throw in flowery language when we pray. Since God knows us through and through, he knows our needs better than we do. He knew your need before you bowed you head. The Bible tells us that he numbers the stars in the sky, the sand on the seashore, and the hairs on your head. He even calls the stars by name (Psalm 147:4). He knows your thoughts before you think them, your words before you speak them. So pour out your heart to the Lord. Nothing you say will surprise him.

Luke 18-1 “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” The King James says that men should always pray and not faint. Persistent prayer honors God because it expresses our complete dependence on him. Since God knows what we need before we ask him, we don’t have to repeat ourselves to get his attention. But that’s not the whole story. We all know from personal experience that not all our prayers are answered the first time we pray them. Sometimes we receive immediate answers, but often we must wait days, week, months, or even years before the answer comes.

Why, then, is persistence important?

  1. The one who knows the answer must be able to give it.
  2. The one who seeks the answer must be able to receive it.

Persistent prayer does not change God but it does change us…

  1. Prayer purifies our motives.
  2. Prayer forces us to confront our helplessness.
  3. Prayer makes us ready to receive God’s answer.
  4. Prayer humbles us so that God alone gets the glory.

I would like to hand out a prayer card for each of us. I am asking for each of us to pray and ask the Lord to show some area of your life that you need to change. Confess and write down the prayer and ask the Lord to heal and change your life. It’s personal…psychiatrists would call it introspective; H.R. would call it self appraisal; and Jesus would call it confessing your sins.

It could be a prayer about…

  • Conflict with a family member
  • An emotional healing
  • Victory over a stubborn habit
  • Wisdom to make a big decision
  • Guidance for the future
  • The need for salvation
  • Having a deeper walk with God
  • Deliverance from a critical spirit
  • Forgiveness to those who have hurt you?
  • Relief from discouragement
  • Physical healing
  • Courage to keep going
  • Strength to make it through another day
  • Victory oven drugs
  • Victory over alcohol
  • Victory of pornography
  • Plus many other prayers

Let Us Pray - The Lord's Prayer

Our Father, which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done,
in earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those that trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
But deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, The power, and the glory,
For ever and ever. Amen.

About the Lord's Prayer: Praying the Lord's Prayer (music videos included)

Verses Referenced

2 Samuel 5:17-20 "17 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went down to the stronghold. 18 Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; 19 so David inquired of the LORD, 'Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?'

The LORD answered him, 'Go, for I will surely hand the Philistines over to you.'

20 So David went to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, 'As waters break out, the LORD has broken out against my enemies before me." So that place was called Baal Perazim.' "

Joshua 1:5 "No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you."

Article Date: 1/8/2010

 

Leonard Deane, Calvary's Employment Support Group Coordinator

Leonard A. Deane Jr. is a Calvary church member and the Coordinator for our Employment Support Group.

Additional Articles by Leonard A. Deane Jr.

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Matthew 22:34-40 "Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 'Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?' Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.'"

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Calvary Assembly of God Church ~ 2600 Shipley Road, Wilmington, Delaware 19810 ~ 302-478-1275