Faith! That all important aspect of the Kingdom. Paul said without faith it is impossible to please God! Heb11:6. We usually equate faith to the ability to believe but there are a number of occasions where Jesus relates faith to persistence or perseverance.
In Matt 15:22-28, the account is given of a woman whose daughter is demon possessed and she tracks down the Lord and cries out for Him to heal her daughter. First He doesn’t answer her and the disciples ask Him to send her way but she continues to cry out to the Lord (persistence). He states that He was only sent for the tribe of Israel but she comes and kneels before Him and begins to worship Him. She again asks the Lord for His favor. Jesus replies along the lines of it wouldn’t be right for Him to give of the children’s (Israel) bread to her. But she persists in her own defense and Jesus responds with this, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.” Matt 15:28 NKJV While she always had faith that Jesus would heal her, it was her persistence that bore witness to Christ of her faith that released His grace to her.
Also on Luke 18, Jesus tells the story of a judge who didn’t care about God or mankind and a woman comes before him for justice. He ignores her at first but later on says something along these lines. Man, I don’t care what God thinks, I don’t even care about this injustice here, but I have got to do what she asks because she is wearing me out by continuing to come to me asking for justice. Looks at Jesus’ response, Luke 18:6-8 Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. 7 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? 8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” NKJV
What have you been believing the Lord for? Well don’t’ give up yet! I love how Jesus ends that verse, “….will He really find faith on the earth?” The implication is faith that perseveres, that persists, that continues to believe even though you might not see the answer yet. Sometimes it is persevering and persistent faith that releases His grace to us. Stay strong!
Declaring Our Victory Emmanuel,