"PERSISTENCE PAYS OFF"

Luke 11:5-10: Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: "Suppose you went to a friend's house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, 6 'A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.' 7 And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, 'Don't bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can't help you.' 8 But I tell you this-though he won't do it for friendship's sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence. 9 "And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

Persistence by definition is: "the quality that allows someone to continue doing something or trying to do something even though it is difficult or opposed by other people." Have you ever wanted something so bad that it doesn't matter who agrees with you or what gets in your way, you will remain persistent until you get what you want? Many children are great at this, just as most of us probably were as children and still are as adults!

Living in the kingdom and striving to do God's will for your life requires persistence. When it doesn't seem to be working out, it doesn't always mean God doesn't agree with what you are striving for, the devil is surely not in agreement with the call of God on your life and he will do everything within his power to oppose your direction. Aren't you glad that we serve a power that's much higher and much stronger than any devil or demon in hell!

What's great about the above passage is that these are words in red in the Bible; these are the words of Jesus. This isn't just someone else telling you to ask, seek, and knock, this is Jesus himself saying, ask me, seek me, and keep knocking! You have got to get a little bit of boldness and some persistence as you walk this walk. Don't just lie down and get run over, be persistent!

I believe this is a prophetic word from the Lord for you today. "And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened."

Be persistent, if you know beyond the shadow of any doubt that you're called, or what you need is in line with the will of God, then keep pushing forward. We all have times when it feels like it would be easier to just say forget it; it's at that time that you have to dig deep.

What have you given up on? What seems like there is much opposition? Go ahead, ask again, seek again, knock again, and if it doesn't work, do it again. Your persistence will pay off!