Luke 18:1-8 – Praying When God Won’t Answer – Bible study

Luke 18:1-8 Praying When God Wont Answer The parable before is very interesting for it acknowledges a truth that most Christians know but are hesitant to acknowledge. That truth is that sometimes God will delay His answer to prayer. In fact, the parable not only acknowledges that truth, it clearly states it Luke 18:7 God bears long with them. Lets consider some truths: I. God may tarry longer when the days are evil. A. Notice that this parable does not stand alone. Luke 18:1 And he spake a parable unto them. 1. The word "and" is joining this parable to what Jesus was saying in the last chapter. 2. \#Luke 17:22-30\ The topic is the return of Jesus to establish His kingdom. 3. Why is Jesus giving THIS parable in conjunction with the last days? a. As I do often, I point out that the Bible does not say. b. My speculation is that God may delay answering prayers in the last days. c. Note again: \#Luke 18:4-7\. (1) The point of the parable is that the Judge, God, may not for awhile answer your prayer, but keep praying, at some point He will and when He does answer your prayer, He will do it quickly. (2) So the thought is, "Keep praying for God delaying an answer is not the same as God denying an answer. B. There are other passages in the Bible where God indicates He may not answer some of the most righteous saints prayers for awhileespecially during an evil day. 1. Before I give them to you, lets consider what an evil day is. a. All of mans history (since the fall) can be recorded as one of four days. (1) The evil day – When man is determined to do wrong regardless of what God thinks. (2) The judgment days (a) God brings some evil power to the forefront to oppress the people. (b) This oppression shows man that is needs God and changes mankinds mind about God. (3) The day of deliverance – God raises up a leader or even a nation to deliver the oppressed. (4) The day of continuance – A time when things maintain a status quo for a time period. b. These days are typically cyclical; that is, they usually follow a cycle, (1) You can see this clearly in the book of Judges. (a) Israel would forgot God and turn to wickedness. (b) God would send an enemy to oppress them. i. The enemy might be the Philistines, the Midianites, the Syrians, or whoever. ii. The enemy might rule over them for20, 30, or more years. (c) Then God would raise up a judgea Samson, Ehud, a Gideonto deliver them. (d) Under that judges rule, things would continue for a while. (2) Then Israel would turn their back on God and the cycle would start over again. c. Can you guess where America is in the cycle of days? (1) I am a baby-boomer, born after WWII. (2) My parents lived during the oppression of Mussolini, Hitler, and Hirohito. (3) They lived during the deliverance of the Allies. (a) A group of nations banded together to defeat the Axis nations. (b) The Allies were the U.S., Britain , Russia, Canada, Australia, China, and others. (4) I was born and have lived most of my life in the day of continuance. (5) But somewhere along the way, we have entered the days of evil. (a) I do not think it started all at once, but gradually people pushed God further and further out of their lives and minds. (b) Today, most people do not care what God thinks. (c) There are evil days. 2. In the evil days, God may delay answering our prayers. Jer 15:1 Then said the LORD unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth. Eze 14:14 Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD. Eze 14:20 Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness. a. God never says that He will NOT answer prayers or deliver His people. b. He does say that He may "bear long" with them and that the effect of the righteous to move God for others will be greatly limited. 3. Why? a. Because the people do not care for God. They will not obey God. They will not repent. b. So God may distance Himself, His mercy, even the answers to our prayers from Him. II. How do we pray in the evil day? A. Pray with respect. Matt 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 1. Never lose sight that the One to whom we are praying is the God of all. Proverbs 3:7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. 2. I understand the frustration of seeking something from One we cannot see and barely understand. a. I would guess that we have all been frustrated in the difficulty of prayer. b. Although we may be forgiven and filled with Gods Spirit, we are still separated from Him by sinful flesh and a carnal mind. c. But becoming arrogant and hostile with God is a fools mission that will not move God to answer you any quicker. 3. What will move God? Brokenness and humility Ps 34:18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. 4. Dont swell up against God but bend down. B. Pray with discipline. Mr 9:29 And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting. 1. Fasting requires discipline of the flesh. 2. It is us telling our flesh what to do and not our flesh telling us what to do. 3. Prayer is hard work and a spiritual exercise. a. Prayer is us spending the time and energy to pray. b. Prayer is us rearranging the priorities of life so that God and prayer come first. c. Prayer is us humbling ourselves to pray consistently and continuously. d. Prayer is us throwing ourselves upon the mercy and goodness of Godand no other. e. Prayer is us denying our flesh its desires and needs so that we can seek Gods face. C. Pray with faith. Mr 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. 1. Another of the many reasons why God may delay answering our prayers in the evil day is because few with believe that God will answer prayer. 2. Note in our text: Luke 18:8 Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? 3. These verses center on the last days and God asks the question, "Will there be anyone who has faith when Jesus comes?" a. The very implication of the question is that there will not be many IF any. b. Here faith means, "Will there be any who believe when Jesus returns?" 4. Faith is always required for any relationship with God. a. It is required for salvation. b. It is required for service. c. It is required for prayer. d. It is required for reading the Bible. e. It is required for daily living. 5. If you want God answer your prayers, make certain you are praying in Gods will and then believe He will answer you. D. Pray with determination. Luke 11:9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 1. Jesus has plainly told us in this parable that God may delay answering our prayers. 2. What are we to do? Keep on praying! a. Pray more often. b. Pray harder. c. Pray louder. d. Believe more. e. Trust more. f. Thank Him for answering it before He does often. E. Pray with purity. 1John 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. F. Pray with service. 1Cor 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. G. Pray with surrender. 1John 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 1. When a Christian prays, they are never to pray for their will to be done but for Gods. (Jesus in the garden.) 2. God has never promised to change His will for ours. a. Prayer does not bind or force God. b. Prayer brings us into Gods will, not God into ours. 3. How does one know if what we are praying for is out of Gods will? a. The surest way is that God does not do what we asked. 4. No is an answer and it means one of two things. a. What we were asking for was not Gods will. b. What we were asking for was not the will of those for whom we were praying. (1) God will not force another to do what they do not want to do. (2) God will influence them, but God will not force them. 5. In all of this, we must be surrendered. a. Surrendered enough to hear if God says no. b. Surrendered enough to do whatever God may want us to do to influence others. c. Surrendered enough to accept no if that is what God says. You and I are living in the evil day. Even more, I believe we are living in the last days. Praying does work but you will have to work at praying. Lets find Gods will and pray it in.