The Power Of Persistent Prayer

Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.” Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.1 Kings 18:37-38This week we will be looking at the word that Pastor Barret Grieve shared on Sunday entitled ‘The Power of Persistent Prayer’.Firstly, it is important for us to realize that praying once because we are ‘people of faith’ is not what God calls us to do. Even Jesus prayed three times in the garden of Gethsemane. We are called to be faithful in prayer and to respect God’s divine timing.Secondly, we need to understand that our prayers are powerful. We can start and stop things through persistent prayer. Just as Elijah’s prayers brought rain to the land so too can our prayers bring change to our lives, our community and our country.Thirdly, when we pray persistently, it allows us to see the breakthrough before others do and to act with confidence and boldness because we know what God has said.Finally, we must remember to look for the little things. The clouds began small but grew to become large. We need to look for the small signs of prayer working to keep us encouraged to pray for greater things.How many times do you normally pray for something before giving up or moving on?What are you trusting for in your life that you can pray more persistently for?What can you pray for beyond your own life to bring a change in your community or country?