The Persistent Widow

Introduction

Today I’m sharing a story. We’ve been going through a series this summer on different parables, breaking them out and explaining different parables in the Bible. And today I am going to be sharing on the story of the persistent widow. It’s an interesting story that comes in a whole big chunk in Luke, where it’s just, you know, from about Luke 10 for quite a while, it’s all red letter – just chunks of Jesus sharing different things and different stories. So it doesn’t have the same sort of background context like when I was sharing about the prodigal son, but it’s this little story that comes in the middle. And I think a lot of times people read it, and we’ve been exposed to it – well, let’s just show that clip.

[A clip of Stewie from Family Guy is shown]

I have to admit I’ve never seen the actual cartoon. I’ve just seen that clip get shared around, and so I’m not endorsing the cartoon, but I feel like with the persistent widow, we often view it with a lens where we think we’re entering into a conversation with God that’s something similar to that. And I don’t think that’s the case. So let’s look into it.

The Persistent Widow

Luke 18, verse 1: One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. There was a judge in a certain city, he said, who neither feared God nor cared about people. A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, “Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.” The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, “I don’t fear God or care about people, but 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.”

Verse 6: Then the Lord said, “Learn this lesson from the unjust judge. Even he rendered a decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly. But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?”

Jesus told this story specifically about how to pray and not give up. But here’s what I want you to think about for today: if God is a loving father, if God is our kind and compassionate father that we can have a daily communication relationship with, why do we even need a story like this? Why does it take persistence? Why doesn’t he just answer?

A Wrong Picture of God

I think a lot of times – and I’ve already given a hint to this – we look at stories like this through a bit of a wrong lens. We might be exposed to the father’s heart message, hear about knowing the father’s heart, and whatnot, but we end up looking at this story like this is what prayer is going to look like. There’s the old, angry, judgy God, the one you’ve seen characterized in TV or media, who’s kind of old and aloof and off to the side and mostly disappointed in us. And we’re coming to him, begging him for something, hoping maybe we’re going to change his mind, or maybe we’re going to get through to him, or maybe he’s really busy with other people and we’re asking the wrong question or not praying quite right. And that’s not really the case here.

God is not like the unjust judge. Jesus uses one of those “how much more” statements: if the unjust judge will eventually render justice, how much more will God, who’s a righteous God, give justice? But it’s not only that. It’s not just that God is a righteous God and he’s better than that person. He’s a righteous God who’s also a close, loving, familial father who loves us dearly and talks to us every single day. It’s that God we’re talking to.

We have this perspective that we’re praying to God – we have some time set aside, we’re praying about something we’re waiting for, we go to him every single day and then go off and do whatever. But no, it’s not like that. We have the opportunity – and this is something we talk about here all the time – to ask God every single day, “Hey Father, what do you want to talk to me about today?” We talk to God every single day and say, “What’s happening in this situation? What do I need to be prepared for? Is there a thought you have for me today?” And God will answer that question on a daily basis. If that’s not your daily routine, I’d strongly recommend you talk to somebody, sit down, read one of the books on the topic, start journaling when you pray – things like that. God will begin talking to you every single day. This is my habit; I’ve been doing it for years. So it’s in that context that we’re also saying, “Hey Father, I’ve got this thing I’ve been dealing with that I need justice on. I need some help. I need something to come through.”

How Much More – Matthew 7

Matthew 7 has an interesting parallel. The sermon on the mount, Matthew 5, 6, and 7, connects a lot of things Jesus taught in one shot, and there’s a great parallel here. Matthew 7:7: “Keep on asking and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking and you will find. Keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who seeks finds, and to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. You parents, if your child asks for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not. So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly father give good gifts to those who ask him?”

That’s another one of those “how much more” statements, where God takes something we obviously understand about justice and relationship, and shows he’s so much more perfect than us. There’s a whole lot in life that gets explained once you understand those “how much more” statements. When you wonder how God could let something awful happen – well, if we, as imperfect people, know that we would never let something like that happen, then I guarantee you God, who is more righteous, more perfect, and more loving, didn’t set out to hurt somebody either. There’s a better explanation. People debating Christianity will often say, “How could God let this awful thing happen to these people?” The answer is, he didn’t. What did happen, we may not know, but he didn’t let something awful happen to good people, not in that way.

Anyway – a little side trail. This Matthew 7 passage is an exact parallel: pray, and keep on praying, pray consistently, and then a good father – rather than the evil judge or the imperfect parent – God will do so much more. He’s going to honor and give good things to people who ask him consistently. Direct parallel.

Approaching the Father Boldly

This isn’t a distant God we approach carefully. I’ve talked about this a number of times – we approach God boldly. We’re supposed to come boldly to the throne of grace, with confidence. I love the picture – and I love that we did testimonies at the beginning, because a lot of what we’re talking about ultimately has to do with testimonies. When the testimony was being shared – what’s the little girl’s name? Susha Sersa. She comes running up and hugs her dad in the middle of him holding the microphone. Doesn’t care about anybody else around. She approached him boldly. That’s a perfect picture of approaching the Father boldly, right? So we approach the Father boldly, asking for the things we need or the things that are due us.

God’s Now Word and His Promise

So why does it sometimes take time? Early in my marriage – Patty and I have been married since July 8th, which is next week; it will be exactly 31 years – about 20 years ago we were going through some stuff, and we were visiting a church. They saw us, called us up, and gave us a prophetic word. The prophetic word was amazing. It also seemed completely impossible – there was no way what they were prophesying was something we were going to walk in. But it set a hope for us on where we needed to go. So I became diligent about praying for that thing to come. Most of the time it didn’t seem possible, and yet we continued praying and pushing in that direction. I continued living my life day after day after day, talking to God through all of it, praying through all of it, and it just seemed impossible.

That’s actually where I learned an important phrase that sustains me a lot: God’s now word is leading me to his promise. You get that? God’s now word is leading you to his promise. A “now word” is when God tells you to do something today – something for today. When you’re talking to God, praying for direction or wisdom, and God says, “Today I want you to focus on your job,” or “today I want you to pursue this thing,” or “today I want you to move on that” – and you think, “Wait a second, this is moving in this direction, and the promise I have is over there. That doesn’t make sense.” But God knows the way to get you there. His now word – he’s not multiple personality, he doesn’t have different visions of your life. If he’s promised you something and he’s giving you a word today, those two are in alignment. You can trust that his now word is leading you to his promises.

So eventually, after 20-some years, I woke up one day and realized – I’d almost forgotten – but I woke up and realized that this thing I’d been constantly praying for, that had become such a routine to ask God for, I was living it now. I was walking in it. God fulfilled his promise to me. It took a long time.

Why Does It Take Time?

But why does it take time? That’s a great question, and the honest answer is that we don’t really know. There’s a lot of options, a lot of things the Bible hints at, but sometimes we just don’t know. We just know there’s sometimes a waiting. Maybe you’re waiting on a healing that hasn’t come. Maybe you’re waiting for a family member who doesn’t serve the Lord to come back. Maybe you’re waiting for a relationship, a marriage, that feels broken and beyond repair to be healed, or for your spouse to finally change. Maybe you’re waiting for a promise you received years ago that just hasn’t shown up, or justice in a situation that feels unjust – somebody’s taking you to court over something that’s tying you up, and it’s not right, and you’re asking God to alleviate the situation, to bring justice, to change things. Maybe there’s something in your life you need freedom from that you’re having a hard time with. Maybe you need a truck of pigs – what a great picture.

Here’s what I believe is happening, sort of my own little list. God might be checking your heart. There are things I’ve prayed for – like, “God, fix my wife” – where eventually, after some time, I begin to hear that maybe it’s me that needs to change. The thing I’d been asking for, the answer was different than what I thought it would be.

Maybe there’s an opportunity to press into relationship. I’ve had stories where I’ve been asking God for something specific, and all of a sudden he goes quiet, and I’ve gotten good at hearing his voice – and I’m like, “God, why are you quiet? What’s going on?” And because I begin pressing into that relationship, God starts to talk to me about the misalignment of what I’m praying for and how I should pray differently, and that helps me grow in relationship with him. So God is asking you to step into relationship. Maybe ask a few more questions about what you’re asking for.

Maybe it’s so God can be glorified. I love that story in the Bible about the man who was born blind, and the people were asking, “Well, why was he born blind? There has to be a reason, there has to be some cause and effect – was he living in sin?” And Jesus says no, it has nothing to do with that. It was so God could be glorified – and then he heals him. Amazing. Maybe God wants to get glory out of the situation you’re praying for, and there’s a proper time where he’s going to get the greatest glory.

Maybe he’s waiting for your commit. Here’s a great story. I was a sales guy – a new salesperson doing outbound sales. I was not good at it. I was failing. I became very desperate, and God led me to a mentor, a Christian businessman who started taking me out for breakfast and teaching me things about life and how to think, among other stuff. At one point he spoke into the problem I was having. He asked me to explain what I was doing, and I said, “Well, they’ve got this script, and I’m trying this, but that didn’t work, so I tried this, and that didn’t work, so I tried a different script, a different approach, calling people at a different time, trying different things.” He said, “Well, there’s your problem.” I said, “What?” He said, “Every single one of those things is like a field you’re planting seeds in. And every time you change, it’s like you’ve abandoned that field and gone to a new field and planted new seeds in a new field. And I guarantee you, every field will result in a harvest – every single one. You just have to commit to one and not change until you see the harvest. Once you have a harvest, you can then re-evaluate what needs to happen and plant your next crop and learn from it, but you have to stay with one.”

That’s a common thing salespeople do – they’ll try a sales call, go through a script, and there’s something – I don’t know what it is, but there’s something in the way you speak, something in the tone of your voice, that says you’re not really committed. You’re trying this. You know what Yoda says: “Do or do not. There is no try.” There’s something that happens when you stop and say, “Okay, fine. I commit. I am not going to change the script I use. I’m not going to change my approach. I’m going to do the things I need to do, and I’m going to wait until there is a harvest.” In my mind, I figured that was going to take a long time, because the script and my approach and everything I was doing at that point wasn’t bringing in anything. Almost immediately, I started making sales. Almost immediately – and it had to do with the fact that I committed.

Maybe God’s waiting for your commit – that you’re praying for something and you’re not sure, and you’re second-guessing, and you’re thinking maybe you’re bugging God or something else, and he’s saying, “No, you have permission, but I want you to commit,” because the last line of that parable, I believe, is really the key to this whole thing. The last line of the parable says, “But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?” Faith is that belief in something – I believe in the outcome even though I can’t see it in the natural, but I believe it and know it with all of my heart. I’m committed to it, and I’m going to keep asking God for this thing. When you have a word over your life and God’s confirmed that word, and you begin looking for it, sometimes God’s waiting for the commit of you praying for something to come in.

Fighting an Unseen Battle

Maybe you’re fighting something you don’t even know about. I have one extra story to throw in – from Daniel 10, verse 12. Daniel had been praying and fasting for three weeks – every single day, three times a day, praying and fasting, three weeks. Finally, after 21 days, an angel comes down and says, “Daniel, the moment you started praying, I was sent.” The moment you started praying – there we go. “Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven, and I have come in answer to your prayer. But for 21 days, the spirit of the prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the archangels, came and helped me, and I left him there with the spirit from the prince of the kingdom of Persia.”

What that verse is saying is that there are forces we can’t see. We don’t talk a lot about the fact that there’s a spirit world, that there’s spiritual warfare happening – but there is. There’s a whole lot of really cool stuff you could get into about that; I love the topic, but we don’t talk about it a lot. Sometimes you’re fighting against things, and God has already given you the answer, already given you a yes, and already started to move things – but yet we’re fighting against something.

When all of these things come together – when we begin to commit, when we continue to pray and are consistent with that prayer, consistent in our relationship with God, consistently talking to God and asking him where things are at and what we should be doing, and he’s talking to us about those things – then the magic happens. I don’t know why something happens when we commit, but something happens when we have that commit inside.

I believe there are people here who have things you’re waiting on in your life. I still have things God has promised me that I look forward to. Sometimes it’s annoying – I have a word from when I was just married, God gave me a word about something that would happen in my life, and he reminds me about it every two or three years and says, “I want you to wait, and I’m not going to give it to you right away. I want you to go through the process, go through the motions, go through the steps, and then I’ll give it to you.” He’s been reminding me about it a lot recently – so frustrating. But I know God has been changing me, working on my heart, teaching me things. So I’m coming there. My hand is up too.

A Promise Over This Church

There are things you’re waiting for. There are relationships you’re waiting for. There are things that need to be changed in your life. There’s property that needs to be sold. There’s financial things that need to get fixed. There’s provision that needs to be provided. There’s relationships that need to be restored. There’s children that need to come back to the Lord. There’s all kinds of things we’re waiting for.

I also believe The River Church has promises made over it about who we’re supposed to be in this community, the impact we’re supposed to have, and the fruit that’s supposed to be available to us because of the work we do here – fruit we haven’t seen yet. We’re at a point of transition in this church. As of June 30th – this next week – Alf and Pam are taking a leadership position with the Harvest Alliance and becoming part of the leadership team here, but the leadership team is stepping forward. It’s always been a God-led church; Alf and Pam were the conduit God was speaking through. Now God is going to continue doing exactly what he was doing and continue moving us, but he’s diversified the leadership, and now we have a leadership team – unlike any other leadership team I’ve been part of. It’s a group of people all committed to hearing God’s voice, who know how to hear his voice, and are walking in unity to that. It’s not a bunch of egos or other things – it’s people ready to hear God’s voice and do what he’s asking. It’s gone from two people to a team of people that still includes those people.

There are promises God has made for us, and I believe that time is coming, and it’s now, and it’s ready to go. So I want to end today with prayer – a community prayer for this place, for the promises of God to be released. And if you have something individually you’ve been waiting for, we want to pray that God will bring the things he’s been promising you, or that you’ve been hoping for or asking for.

“Father, we thank you for your promises. We thank you that your promises are yes and amen, that your promises come to pass exactly when you plan for them to have the maximum impact you’ve designed. Father, we thank you that right now you’re releasing things in this place – releasing leadership, releasing your word, releasing your spirit, releasing your anointing – and that you’re cracking that dam, like Charlie saw last week, where we can begin to see this river’s level start to rise in this city, and see the fruit of the life of that river spread out into this city. That we can begin to see people come to see healings, to get saved, to come to a realization of you as their Father. Father, we thank you for your word, we trust in your word, we honor your word, we believe in your word, and we commit as a body – we commit to your word, and we know something happens in that commit. So Father, we pray right now that you begin to release those things in and through all of us – not just a leadership team, not just a few volunteers, but every single person who calls the River their home, every single person who knows they’re supposed to be part of this place. Father, that you would begin to raise the level of the river in each of us, in Jesus’ name. We thank you. We give you glory. We celebrate you. We honor you for the fulfilled promises, in Jesus’ name.”

From there, Jonathan invited anyone with a personal need to come forward for prayer with the ministry team.