Persistence Eventually Gets God’s Attention. (Matthew 20:30-34; Mark 10:46-52)
We are now at the 16th lesson we can learn from the miracles of Jesus and today, we are looking at the miracle of the restoration of sight to a blind man or two blind men, depending on whose account you read. Also, I am writing this one with one of our authors, Demiana Odinaka. At first, Jesus appeared not to be paying any attention to them, but as they persisted, He budged. In these passages, we see persistence win over the attention of Jesus, stopping Him right in His tracks. Even though the crowd tried to shut them up, the blind men cried out to Jesus even louder. You see, Jesus once taught His disciples to “ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8, NIV). When you have asked (prayed casually), and sought (prayed fervently), and still haven’t received the miracle you seek, maybe it is time you walked up to that door and knocked, maybe even banged on it (fasting and praying).
One important lesson to learn from the story of the blind men is that when you begin to REALLY pray, the pressures from your challenges might increase or, at least, seem to increase. For me, that is one way of knowing that my prayers are striking the right chords – when the challenge for which I offer the prayers seems to become exaggerated. When we remain persistent in prayers, He will surely come through for us.
Jesus also once gave them a vivid illustration of what He meant by ASK (Asking, Seeking, and Knocking). He said,
In a certain city there was a judge who neither reverenced and feared God nor respected or considered man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, Protect and defend and give me justice against my adversary. And for a time he would not; but later he said to himself, Though I have neither reverence or fear for God nor respect or consideration for man, Yet because this widow continues to bother me, I will defend and protect and avenge her, lest she give me intolerable annoyance and wear me out by her continual coming or at the last she come and rail on me or assault me or strangle me.
Luke 18:2-5, AMPC
Further, Jesus explained,
Listen to what the unjust judge says! And will not [our just] God defend and protect and avenge His elect (His chosen ones), who cry to Him day and night? Will He defer them and delay help on their behalf? I tell you, He will defend and protect and avenge them speedily. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find [persistence in] faith on the earth?
Luke 18:6-8, AMPC
The Bible says that Jesus told this story to show that the children of God “ought always to pray and not to turn coward (faint, lose heart, and give up),” Luke 18:1, AMPC. And in the story, we see that eventually, the judge gave in. He said, “This woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests,” Luke 18:5, NLT. That is to show us that there is a need for us to be constant and persistent. If these words could come from a man who had no regard whatsoever for God or anyone, how much more our heavenly Father who has promised to give us exceedingly abundantly above all that we could ever ask or think, according to His power that works in us – Ephesians 3:20, NKJV. All we need to do is to continue to ask, seek and knock, and He will grant us our needs, eventually.
Now that we have an understanding of how to ask (pray), seek (pray more fervently), and knock (add fasting to the prayer), we ought to follow these steps as our need requires. But, don’t forget to add faith and patience to the mix. For, “it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek Him.” – Hebrews 11:6, NLT. Faith brings you to the door, patience keeps you there until it opens up to you. Even when God seems to delay, keep up the faith, hold your position, never ever lose heart or give up. God bless you.
For further study, see miracle lesson #7 – God is never early or late. He is always right on time. – God’s Modus Operandi (MO).
Do you hear God speaking to you today through this lesson? Please, leave a comment or question; your comment/question might be a blessing to someone. You could also contact us through our contact page.
For the other miracle lessons, please go to the miracle lessons page.
I was around 5 when, I am strongly convinced, I first heard the distinct voice of God. But, not until I was 11 (2002) did I have a personal encounter with Him. I was in my room that night, about to pray before bed, when I saw a revelation of how filthy my heart was. I didn't argue with God that I was too young to have such amount of filth ('cause I believed I was a 'good boy,' by human standards, at least). I simply cried uncontrollably in brokenness of heart - "The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God" (Psalm 51:17) - and He didn't.
Still crying uncontrollably, I left my room and went to the living room, where my parents were watching the nightly news on TV. After I managed to tell them about the revelation I saw, my sweet mum took me to her room and led me to Christ. I got saved that night. And 6 years later, I discovered my purpose and assignment on earth, which is raising up men and women to be godly, and teaching them the simplicity of Christianity. More than a decade later, I am still fulfilling that purpose to His glory. Hallelujah!
All my life I've always had this feeling that there's more to the life I am living, I was struggling so much, trying to find a meaning, a purpose to my existence.
Often times I ended up shoving this feeling aside or redirecting it to what I could justify. But like the Bible said "There's a way that seemeth right to a man but the end there of is destruction, " Proverbs 14 :12, Kjv.
I understood the harsh reality of life when I lost a dear one. I was broken but also remoulded. I began to see life on another perspective . I have come to understand what I had been feeling and how to channel it. Though I am still struggling with the recent realization, I am grateful to God that I am no longer so blind.
With the help of my mentor, Somto Ufondu and my sister in-law, Mrs Ngozi Nnamani, who encouraged and prayed for and with me, I have been able to reach some limits I never knew I was capable of. To the glory of God, my life has changed and by his infinite mercies, so will yours. Glory to God!
