Persistent in Prayer

“On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen; all day and all night they will never keep silent … take no rest for yourselves; and give Him no rest until He establishes and makes Jerusalem an object of praise on the earth.” – Isaiah 62:6-7 NASB

We sometimes feel nothing can make a difference. Even prayer can seem like a pointless exercise. However, in His message to Isaiah, God indicated He has a different perspective.

Clearly prayer is important to Him. And it makes a difference! He instructs us to be persistent in prayer. When we call on Him, we are commanded to give ourselves no rest, be determined, and believe in prayer, confident God will hear and answer us.

When we pray, we aren’t to be halfhearted. If something matters, we should be persistent, dedicated to prayer, and focused on God. God commands us to approach Him with boldness and “give Him no rest.” If we don’t see immediate results, we must not give up. His directive is that we are to remain steadfast and call on Him until we see answers.

It is important to know His Word, so we are sure of His promises. Then, we are to stand on that Word and hold on to these promises. Don’t let Him rest until He does what He has promised.

We are reminded of Jesus’ parable about the widow who, through persistence, received the results she desired, even though the judge did not fear God (Luke 18:1-5). That is an important lesson for us!

Today, seek God with persistence and boldness about problems you face. Hold on to His promises until He delivers an answer. That is His command.

Reflection Question: What long-standing needs are you tempted to give up praying about?