Richard Roberts – First of three parts
Would you like to have a “prayer road map” that shows you how to get your prayers answered? Jesus provided such a map in Luke 18. In one dramatic story after another, He shows us the Bible way to get our prayers answered:
Have a never-give-up attitude. The first story is about the woman who took her case before an unjust judge (vv. 1-8). He did not want to hear her case, but she kept pestering him and pressuring him until he became so frustrated that he granted her petition just to get her out of his hair! The woman had “bulldog” faith ― a faith that won’t let go until the answer comes.
We don’t have to beg and plead with God to answer our prayers. But we do need tenacity ― a never-give-up attitude in our faith. And we need to be in a continual state of prayer.
Keep a humble spirit. Verses 10-14 tell the story of the publican and the sinner. The publican was a proud, aloof man who went to the temple each day to pray, telling God what a great man he was and how he always observed Jewish law. Meanwhile, the sinner stood far from the altar, crying out, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner!” (v.13 NIV)
Jesus described the scene, saying, “The sinner with the humble heart is the one whose prayer was answered” (v.14).
James 4:6 NKJV tells us, “God resists the proud, but gives grace [or favor] to the humble.” If you want to get your prayers answered, lay aside pride and arrogance, and come before the Lord with a humble spirit.
