One of the strategies of Satan uses to derail our trust and confidence as New Covenant believers in the goodness and faithfulness of God and in His unchanging Word is to find ways and means to actually dismantle and even demolish the faith we have. Satan will use every trick in the book including trials, oppression, depression, weariness through manifold temptations and unyielding unfavourable circumstances. He will even use those closest to us whether they are colleagues at work, members in the fellowship where we attend or even use our family members. Discouragement is the devil’s devious work.
Now the Lord Jesus told a parable in Luke’s gospel to encourage us to pray consistently but also with expectancy and with a persistent faith that just refuses to give up! It is found in Luke Chapter 18:1-8. Let’s now very briefly look at this parable.
Luke Chapter 18:1-8
(Vs.1-2) “Now He (Jesus) was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, saying, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man.”
This judge we are told was a pagan judge who had no time for God nor did he have any fear from his fellow man, yet being a judge he had the responsibility to adjudicate in all and every case that came across his desk in the Temple. Undoubtedly he was not a very patient judge and would brush off anyone who in his view ‘nagged’ him.
A case came across his desk concerning a widow who waited outside of his office and refused to go away. Day after day she would come to his office with a persistence that continuously confronted this rather stern judge. As with all of Jesus’ parables there was the plain meaning of the parable itself but a deeper spiritual meaning and application. In this particular parable the Lord Jesus was encouraging us as His disciples to learn a lesson in faithful persistence from this woman He was speaking about who just refused to give up!. Let’s very briefly look at this situation…
(Vs.3) “There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, Give me legal protection from my opponent.”
This rather distraught woman kept coming to this judge refusing to be put off and was constantly crying out to this judge “do me justice! Give me protection and relief from my opponent or adversary!” As believers we have an adversary, a spiritual outlaw who constantly harasses us and assaults us emotionally, mentally and even physically if he can. This woman knew her legal rights as a citizen of that city in which the judge lived.
As New Covenant believers born again and beloved children of God we also have a legal basis upon which we can approach God in times when the accuser of the brethren is doing his dirty and despicable work against us. Our legal right is the Word of God. When we approach God on the basis of His promises then He will hear us because He cannot deny Himself or deny His Word that has been sealed forever in the blood of Jesus the Messiah that has ratified the New Covenant forever (Hebrews 13:20).
The shed blood of Messiah our Lord Jesus settles everything (Ephesians 1:7). It is on the basis of the shed blood of Jesus by which we can approach God with confidence who is just and merciful and open to the pleas of His children (Hebrews 10:19-20) (Hebrews 4:14-16). God loves and rewards faith (Hebrews 11:6). As born again, blood redeemed, blood washed, blood sanctified children of God we have a legal right to approach God at any time of the day or night because “the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers” (1 Peter 3:12a).
Having been justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Messiah and are encouraged to nurture that fact (Romans 5:1). It is on the basis of the shed blood of Messiah that has fully and forever atoned for our sins once and for all time and knowing this that gives us confidence in approaching the throne of God the great judge whose very throne is righteousness and justice and where loving devotion and truth go before Him (Psalm 89:14).
He is not a human judge but one who judges wisely and with full knowledge of everything including out spiritual condition. While God allows Satan to harass and tempt us He always draws a line in the sand and tells Satan “this far and no more!” as He did in Job’s case. No matter what things look like God still has everything under control even when it looks like and feels like this is not the case. After all we live by faith and not by sight! (2 Corinthians 5:7). What else can we learn from this woman’s faithful persistence in her refusal to give up because she knew her legal rights to be heard and have her adversary dealt with by that judge.
(Vs.4-5) “For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.’”
This judge was an unrighteous judge yet the woman’s persistence prevailed with him and he gave her what was her legal right to have. She was approaching him on the basis of legal law which the judge was honour bound to give. God’s Word is His legal bond and settled forever in heaven (Psalm 119:89). His Word will say the same thing tomorrow as it does today! It abides and remains the same forever! (Isaiah 40:6-8). Unlike that unjust judge God never gets weary with our prayers especially when they are offered in faith. He even puts our tears in His bottle and each one of His children has their own personal bottle in heaven! (Psalm 56:8). What else can we learn from this parable?
(Vs.6-7) “And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge said; now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? “
The Bible says “For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us” (2 Corinthians 1:20). God’s “yes” and “amen” are always in line with His will and His will is His word, the Bible. When we ask in accordance with His will then He will always hear us and grant our petitions we have laid before Him (1 John 5:15-16).
God’s elect saints, the corporate Body of Messiah, are always on His radar and when they appeal to Him He does not delay but goes into action on their behalf! Sometimes He will say “not yet” and to wait however in waiting on Him increases our expectancy that He will come just at the right time which He will when He is hearing the persistent cries of His weary and worn and afflicted saints being hassled, tempted and tried by the adversary Satan, the enemy of our souls. God is never too late but never too early but always on time! His timing is not out timing! And then we read…
(Vs.8) “I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”
God may seem to delay when we are being severely tempted and feeling a spiritual, emotional and mental heaviness by temptations while at the same time enduring constant and unrelenting accusations from the evil one and his cronies from Hades. However, God will answer according to His perfect timing, according to His good, perfect, pleasing and acceptable will and drive Satan out! It is our legal right forever settled in His promises in His Word to be delivered out of the hands of Satan’s wiles and temptations!
Finally the Lord Jesus says that when He returns at His Second Coming will He find the same kind of faithful persistence this widow had? The word for “faith” in both the Hebrew and Greek not only means belief but also faithfulness. Are we being faithful to what we believe? This is what the Lord Jesus will be looking for in us when He returns!
