There are times when we are praying that the enemy, the principalites and powers in the Spirit realm, are hindering our prayers. Sometimes they refuse to let go of their strongholds, and it seems like we pray and pray and get no where. Jesus told a parable on how we ought always to pray and to never give up.
1Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. 3And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’
4“For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care about men, 5yet 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!’”
6And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8I 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?”
The judge that didn't fear God nor care about men represents the devil. This judge is not representing God because God loves us, and cares for us. When Satan deceived Adam he became the one that had authority and dominion on the earth. God had given all authority and dominion to Adam, but Adam forfeited that to Satan. The devil is referred to as the god of this world. Often we think that God is the one that is holding back the answer to our prayer, but, it is usually the devil that is blocking the answer to our prayers. The bible says, your adversary, the devil walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Alot of people don't even consider the devil when they are walking through life. They don't take it to heart that they have an enemy to their soul. The Bible says he is like an unjust judge, he has no respect for God, and he does not care for man either. He does not give justice, the bible says that he has come to steal, kill and destroy.
Jesus said in this parable that a little widow woman kept coming everyday saying, Give me justice. Note that this was a widow. She had to come herself, so that means she didn't have anyone in her family to take care of her. Woman had very little job opportunity in those days, so she likely didn't have much money. If a woman inherited any property at the death of her husband she was considered valuable. Each man being the next of kin would have the opportunity to take her into his home and provide for her, and then the property would become his. More than likely she did not have any wealth at the death of her husband, as no one took her into his home. She was likely just a poor widow woman and she was being oppressed by someone. She kept asking this unjust judge to avenge her of her adversaries, and each day the judge told her no.
What you see in this parable is the same situation that exsisted with Moses and Pharoah in the old testament. Moses kept saying, "God says let my people go." Pharoah kept saying "No." Yet, everyday God would send Moses back to say the same thing to Pharoah again. Today it is the same. Everyday you should speak in prayer your rights as a child of God. You should insist that the devil back off or yourself, off of your family, out of your life. Of course he is a lawbreaker with no repect for God, so you will have to be persisitant like this little widow.
I like verses 4 and 5 it gives us a picture of how to win the battle. This widow wore the judge down. Yes, when you come daily in prayer and speak your rights, and insist on the devil moving o ut of your way...you will eventually wear the devil out. Every morning when I wake up, I want the devil to say, "O no, here she comes to prayer again, this woman is going to wear me out." The Bible plainly says, "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." Yes, you can decide in your spirit to be persistant like this little widow and before long the devil will start complaining that you are just simply wearing him out. He will flee to bother someone else who won't pray so much. I have found that if I praise God and walk in faith and pray like I should that the enemy does not like to hang around me much. It is like he wants someone that has a pitty party, and somone that whines and complains. If you speak praise and thanksgiving the devil just gets up and leaves that party! He flees from us because our prayer simply wears him out.
Jesus ends the parable by saying, If even the devil will eventually give you what you want if you pray long enough, how much more will God give it to you speedily!
The last few sentences are the ones that grieve me the most. Jesus said, "When I return, will I find faith on the earth." He looked forward to the end times, the days we are living in now and he declared, "Will anyone on earth still be praying at all." The bible tells about the 10 vigins, 5 were foolish, and 5 were wise, but ALL of them went to sleep. How do we know that a church is asleep? A church that is asleep is a church that isn't praying. Dear God, help us to wake up, trim our lamps, and get back to praying. You WILL wear the devil out, and you WILL see your prayers answered.
