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This chapter is a cornerstone in our Biblical foundation for why we pray and intercede. If we want to be a part of His Kingdom
coming, His Will being done, then we need to build (establish) the theology behind: Why We Pray
Luke 18:1 – Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.
Luke 18:2-8
He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. And there was a widow in that
town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.' "For some time he refused. But finally
he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see
that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!' "And the Lord said, "Listen to what the
unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he
keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice,
and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"
Quickly is God’s timing, not ours!
1. Prayer Keys:
A. Prayer restores the fear of God and respect for man.
“…there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men.”
Do you have time for God? Do you have time for people?
B. Prayer is for the weak. We pray so we don’t get too strong.
“And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him…”
C. When we pray, we become a voice that is heard before God.
“Give me legal protection from my opponent”
• Grant me justice
• Vindicate me
• Avenge me of my adversary [NKJV]
If we don’t care about people, then really we won’t care about justice!
2. Prayer represented by The King and the Widow:
A. Example of an earthly king allowing this widow to be oppressed.
God uses the widow to represent a person who has No Other Option than to humble themselves and come before
the king.
B. Kings were not God’s idea, family was God’s idea. [Deuteronomy 17:14-20]
C. The authority of a King should always be “as unto the Lord”.
D. The nature of a king is to want all that belongs to the Lord.
Pray and be like the widow. Don’t pray and be like the unjust king.
3. Prayer Battle
A. The intercessor steps into a spiritual battle that’s been raging since the fall of Lucifer. The kingdoms of this world
are against the Kingdom of God [Revelation 11:15].
B. Sleep is the enemy of the intercessor. It allows oppression to rage.
C. As we cry out for the Kingdom of Heaven to be established on earth, we are indirectly asking God for the total
submission of earthly authorities to His will. This is definitely a battle!
Psalm 2:1-6 [NKJV]
Why do the nations rage,
And the people plot a vain thing?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
And the rulers take counsel together,
Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying,
“Let us break Their bonds in pieces
And cast away Their cords from us.”
He who sits in the heavens shall laugh;
The Lord shall hold them in derision.
Then He shall speak to them in His wrath,
And distress them in His deep displeasure:
“Yet I have set My King
On My holy hill of Zion.”
4. Prayer and Judgment
A. The Apostle James speaks of the anger that is in the heart of God towards rich oppressors/ rich rulers that exalt
themselves against the Lord. James 5:1-6 [NIV]
Warning to Rich Oppressors
Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted,
and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and
eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen
who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord
Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence.
You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who
were not opposing you.
B. One of God’s most intense end-time judgments is towards the rich city of Babylon. Contrast what God says
about Babylon with what he says about Jerusalem. Revelation 18:7,8
To the degree that she glorified herself and lived sensuously, to the same degree give her torment and mourning;
for she says in her heart, 'I SIT as A QUEEN AND I AM NOT A WIDOW, and will never see mourning.'
"For this reason in one day her plagues will come, pestilence and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up
with fire; for the Lord God who judges her is strong.
5. Prayer & Justice
A. Through intercession and praise we become an advocate before God for those who have had their voice
oppressed.
Psalm 149:5-9
Let the saints be joyful in glory;
Let them sing aloud on their beds.
Let the high praises of God be in their mouth,
And a two-edged sword in their hand,
To execute vengeance on the nations,
And punishments on the peoples;
To bind their kings with chains,
And their nobles with fetters of iron;
To execute on them the written judgment—
This honor have all His saints.
Praise the LORD!
B. God promises justice in Luke 18:7,8
False justice is doing the right thing but in your own strength. (good works)
True justice is doing the right thing but in God’s strength. (prayer)
Jesus is saying: “If you pray night and day I will release justice”
C. Justice – [God] making wrong things right
Approach Jesus in weakness, not in your own strength.
Never consider yourself so spiritual that you have no need to pray.
a. 2 dimensions of justice: Judgment, punishment
Salvation, deliverance, breakthrough
b. Examples of justice: Through prayer, the release of justice.
• When healing takes place in a body, it’s the justice [or the judgment] of God against sickness.
• When God’s presence impacts a region that’s justice.
• When God releases finances, that is justice and judgment against a spirit of lack.
• When marriages come into unity and receive healing that is God’s justice.
c. Justice is released through night and day prayer
d. Justice over throws the oppressors.
e. Justice will not be delayed, it will be speedy
Jesus’ closing thoughts in this parable:
• The Son of Man is coming
• God wants to find faith in the hearts of those awaiting his return Are we willing to pray NOW
so that FUTURE generations will be free from oppression and oppressors? This is the power
of intercessors to not grow weary!