Attitudes of Prayer

In the New Testament, Jesus used parables to teach with. A parable is, simply, an easy-to-understand story that reveals God's heart. In Luke 18 we find just such a parable. The purpose of the parable is, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint. Ladies, this means you also. In verse 2, Jesus meantions a judge, which feard not God, neither regarded man. Simply put, if you were the President of the United States, and you were clocked at doing 80 mph in a 55 mph zone, and the fine was $500 or 30 days in jail, then you only had two options. Pay up or go to jail. To this judge, there was nobody above the law. The law was the final authority in any case that was brought before him.
In verse three, a widow comes to court. At this point in Eastern culture, women had few rights and widows had even less. However, we will see that as far as God is concerned, His Word is the final authority for everyone, no matter what their status in life. Notice in verse 3 that the widow came saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. It did not say that she prayed and cried until her eye-balls fell out. It did not say that she begged and pleaded at the altar until she looked like 40 miles of bad road. She did not get up in front of the judge in her finest duds wearing her hair in a $1,000 "do." Even if she did, this judge would not have paid attention to it. Here's a lesson, folks. It's not the condition of your outward appearance that God is looking for. It is the inward condition of your heart that God has respect to.
Why did Jesus tell us that she was 'saying' and not praying? I thought this was a parable to teach us that we should always pray. One of the most import reasons for prayer is to know exactly what you are praying for. Some people come yelling and crying for God to 'bless' them. And, all this time, God is standing on the very edge of Heaven with all kinds of blessings held out in His hands and store rooms of blessings right behind Him and He's yelling back down to us, "OK, which one." Hey, bonehead, get into the Word of God and FIND OUT WHAT HE HAS ALREADY PROMISED HE WOULD GIVE US.
Notice verse 5, lest by her continual coming she weary me. Let's break this phrase down into the original Greek and find out a few things Jesus tells us about our attitude of prayer.
1. her continual - The Greek word here actually means termination, end, or that by which a thing is finished. Jesus, in describing our attitude of prayer is saying that we should come to Him with an attitude of getting things finished. Not, just playing around in prayer, not just playing around in the "just bless me" mentality. He said, to come boldly and pray with the intention of getting what you asked for. Find the promise and come to Him determined to get it. Remember the end of the parable. Sometimes, God does tarry long but then He answers "speedily."
2. coming - This Greek word means to make one's appearance. Jesus said that someone who gets their prayers answered is someone who makes their appearance before Him,
3. weary - This Greek word means to beat black and blue (like a boxer would), or to wear one out. Understand, you're not going to beat God up and you're not going to wear Him out. However, Jesus is describing the appropriate attitude when coming before the Throne of Grace. He wants His people to be so focused on His love, His faithfulness and His joy in His relationship with His children, that we can come boldly and pray like this. "Father, Your Word says that You are not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. So-and-so is not saved yet. I am expecting Your strong conviction to grip his soul today until he comes to know You as his personal Saviour. I lay claim on that promise and declare that he is saved. Father, Your Word says that by Your stripes I am healed. The pain is still there but Your Word is true. I lay my claim on that promise and declare that healing is mine." Find the promise of God that covers a particular situation and come boldly before Him declaring your intention to obtain the promise. He said He might tarry but He said He would be faithful to answer just like His Word says.
Let's understand two things. No. 1, she came to the unjust judge precisely because he was unjust. She knew that the only thing that moved the unjust judge to action was the law. She expected him to enforce the law exactly as the law was written. (Quit shoutin' you're gettin' ahead of me.) No. 2, she was convinced that the law had provided a legal blessing for her that was being withheld by her enemy. That's why the judge did not kick this scraggly, little widow out of court the first time she came. HE KNEW SHE WAS RIGHT. HE KNEW SHE HAD (ARE YOU READY FOR THIS?)AN OPEN AND SHUT CASE THAT HE COULD NOT DENY.
The first part of verse 5 says this widow troubleth me. The word 'troubleth' actually means to reach forth. This, seemingly unimportant part of humanity did not sit at home cryin' the blues and wishing things were different. She wasn't sipping her beer, shootin' up or smokin' up to ease her pain. She had a legal right to a blessing and she knew it. She also knew that the judge had no alternative but to grant her claim. She got off her behunkus and boldly came before him and declared, "Avenge me of mine adversary."
When we realize who God is, how faithful He is, that His Word is Truth and He is true to His Word, we will realize that blessings are there ready for us to lay claim to. When we realize that God loves us more than anyone else even has the capacity to, our hearts will tell us that He will never lie. We will come boldly to Him (Heb 4:16) and reach out with a faith that is unshakeable because it is grounded in His love (Eph 3:17). That's what the widow did. She came to the judge knowing that he would carry out the letter of the law. That is what Jesus wanted us to see about the Father. Luke 18:7-And shall not God avenge His own elect, which cry day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them. 8-I tell you that He will avenge them speedily.
What about that word 'cry' in verse 7? I'm glad you asked that question. The Greek word that is interpreted 'cry' in the KJV actuall means 'to raise a cry with a loud, strong voice.' Now does that sound like Jesus wants us to go around crying until our eyes look like roadmaps of Georgia? Absolutely not. Jesus was saying to come to the Father with boldness. Don't come like a woose. Let your heart be filled with joy and come with a strong, loud voice. Don't come with a whisper. Use your outside voice.
The last part of verse 8 says-Nevertheless, when the Son of man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth? I take that to mean that He expects people to continually come before Him on a daily basis like the widow did with the unjust judge. She came every day knowing that the judge was bound by his fortitude and the law to avenge her of her adversaries. She was not going to be denied. We need to come to Jesus every day, knowing His love for us will keep Him from denying us the answer He promised. When He comes back, He will be looking for those who are still standing firm on the fact that they serve a prayer answering God. I'm going to be one of them. Will you?