Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 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?" (Luke 18:1-8 – NIV).
Our globe is surrounded by a canopy of demonic forces seeking to hinder God’s plans for this world, and God’s plan for every life. And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience (Ephesians 2:1-2 - NKJV). The prince of the power of the air refers to Satan and his principalities, his powers, his rulers of the darkness of this world, and his spiritual wickedness in high places mentioned by Paul in Ephesians 6:12.
And because of this, constant prayer is necessary for God’s highest and best to be realized in the personal life, in the home, in the church, and in the world. Because Satan obtained a legal right to rule on earth until the lease that God gave Adam to rule on the earth runs out at the return of Christ (see Genesis 1:26), we must labor together with God in prayer. There are no shortcuts. If we refuse to pray, Satan and his minions make inroads into life and circumstance. Our prayers of faith give God a legal right to move into our world and into life’s circumstances.
Think about it. Without our praying, Satan has the freedom to do as he will in his scheming against God and humanity. Jesus has given us authority over Satan and his works. At the name of Jesus every knee must bow! Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth (Philippians 2:9-10 - NKJV). But if we refuse to use Jesus’ name in prayer against Satan and his forces, then we could lose and lose badly. So many problems could be averted that come up in life if we would only pray.
Gordon Lindsay, founder of Christ For The Nations Bible school in Dallas, Texas said: A praying man or woman may pass by many dangers and never be aware of them. He also said: Prayerless christians, whether in the pulpit, or in the pew, are candidates for the devil’s snares.
Refuse to yield to the pressure of the busy and necessary at the expense of prayer. To see a need is to have a call to this prayer life. Satan fears committed believers who will pray more than anyone else in the whole world. We alone have the authority in the name of Jesus to bind his activity and to command him to desist in his maneuvers against the will and purposes of God worldwide.
The unjust judge in the parable above is the devil. He will not let go of his victims unless we assert constant pressure on him and his kingdom with our prayers, intercession, and faith. Don’t buy the lie that your praying is ineffective and is a waste of time. Don’t allow the busy to take the place of the important. To God, our prayer time is the most important time of our day. Our prayers open His benevolent hands and allow Him to demonstrate His ability to those in need.
James says that we have not because we ask not! (See James 4:3) Jesus said: So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened (Luke 11:9-10-NKJV). Work with God today. Be one of those that the Father can count on to work with as He seeks to save and help those who are lost and helpless. Your praying can open up the plan and purposes of God in a life, a home, a church, a city, or even a nation. Can God count on you today?