Persistence pays

….because of his persistence He will….give him as much as he needs.
Luke 11:8

The young man was struggling, trying to find his way as young men often do:  He just couldn’t seem to stay focused on the weightier matters of life.  The caring father saw the struggles of his son and thought about how he could help him.

The two lived near a seaport and so his father took the young man down to the docks where the large, ocean freighters were docked.

The old salt didn’t say much as his son was looking on.  He walked over and leaned against a ship that was moored at the dock.  Both feet were on the dock and both hands were on the ship as the father leaned into the vessel and as his son stood on the dock laughing at him.

However, after about an hour, the young man stopped being so cynical.  Under the pressure of that lone father on the dock, the huge ship began to move.

This father’s son had just learned a lesson that he would never forget.

The Neighbor’s Bread
Usually, I don’t quote long portions Scripture but there is a passage in the Bible that expresses this idea better than I can.  This Scripture directly addresses the benefit of persistence.

Luke 11:1-13 
¹  It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples.”
²  And He said to them, “When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come.
³  ‘Give us each day our daily bread.
⁴  ‘And forgive us our sins, For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.'”
⁵  Then He said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and goes to him at midnight and says to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves;
⁶  for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’;
⁷  and from inside he answers and says, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been shut and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.‘
⁸  “I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
⁹  “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.
¹⁰  “For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened.
¹¹  “Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he?
¹²  “Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he?
¹³  “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”

The “Widow and the Unjust Judge”
And then there is the story of the “Widow and the Unjust Judge” in Luke 18:1-8.  The woman was having difficulty with someone.  She went to the judge but he ignored her.  Yet because of her persistence (verse 3) in approaching him about the situation, in verse five he finally said “Because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.'”

Here is the full text.  It is a story worth reading.

Luke 18:1-8
¹  Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart,
²  saying, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man.
³  “There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me legal protection from my opponent.’
⁴  “For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man,
⁵  yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.'”
⁶  And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge *said;
⁷  now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them?
⁸  “I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find (Persistent) faith on the earth?”

God honors persistence
As we can clearly see,  God honors persistence.  It is a common theme throughout the Bible.  The adversary hates it.  In fact, if you have been given a responsibility, a mandate, or if you are in need of something, the adversary will do everything he can to prevent you from being consistent.

This is what he attempted to do with Peter:

And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you,
“that he may sift you as wheat” 
Luke 22:31 

He might cause you to doubt, financial loss, injury, illness, or perhaps a strain or break in relationships that cause you to derail.  You could be the unknowing benefactor of generational curses or the victim of any one of a number of evil spirits like the vagabond spirit that purposes to prevent you from being persistent.  But praise God that you can know the satan’s schemes.   You don’t have to be tossed too and fro in the winds of life.

Conclusion: Learning to be persistent, as we rest in Yeshua, is one of the Keys of the Kingdom that God has provided that can help you overcome the obstacles that are put before you so that God’s glory can shine forth in your life.

Confession: I purpose to be persistent as I rest in Yeshua and work out my salvation as God’s glory shines through me.

Prayer: Father God thank you for being consistent. Jesus / Yeshua, thank you for being consistent.  Thank You For being faithful and true even to the point of overcoming the satan, sin, and death.  You are faithful.  Help me to rest in you.  Help me to be consistent so that I can experience all that you have for me.