12 Powerful Reasons To PERSIST In Prayer

Why should we persist in prayer? Why should we keep asking God to help us, provide for us, save our children, or change impossible situations?

So often when we pray it feels like nothing is happening, nothing is changing. Why should we keep going? Why should we keep asking and praying persistently?

Over and over again, the Lord tells us to persevere in our prayers. To not give up. Over and over he promises that he is a God who answers prayer, who loves to give gifts to his children, who has a perfect timing to answer our prayers.

What does it mean to persist in prayer?

To persist in prayer means to pray without ceasing. It means to approach God’s throne with boldness, confidence, and faith that he hears us and will answer us. It means to keep praying even when we don’t feel like it, even when we’ve been praying for the same thing for years with no results.

It is difficult to persevere in prayer when we don’t see any change happening in our lives. We might feel like we are just wasting our time, that God is not listening to us. But if we want to be obedient to God’s Word, then we must pray to Go with persistence.

The Bible is filled with verses that promise us that our prayers will be heard and answered. Let’s look at the reasons Scripture tells us to persist in prayer.

The importance of persistence in prayer

You might be wondering why God doesn’t give us what we ask for immediately. Why does he desire persistence and consistency in prayer?

While the Bible doesn’t provide us with all the answers, it does give us some insights into why we need to persist in prayer:

  • It keeps us from treating God like a magical genie who grants all our wishes
  • It causes us to depend on God, trusting him to give us what we need at just the right time
  • It brings glory to God when he powerfully answers our prayers in unexpected ways
  • It causes us to regularly draw near to God

Now let’s look at the power of persistent prayer and reasons why should always keep asking God to answer our requests.

1. We should persist in prayer we will reap with joy

Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him. Psalm 126:5-6

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9

Even though we might not see the answer to our prayer immediately, God promises that if persevere we will reap joy. That doesn’t necessarily mean that we will get exactly what we were praying for, although God certainly does that. But it means that we will see God’s hand at work in our lives, even when things are tough. We will come to know his faithfulness and love more intimately.

2. God promises that our labor is not in vain

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:58

If we’re honest, sometimes prayer seems like wasted effort. We put all this work into it, we pour our hearts out to God, and sometimes it feels like nothing happens.

But the Bible assures us that our labor in prayer is not in vain. In fact, it’s through prayer that we become steadfast and immovable in our faith. It’s through prayer that we come to know God more intimately and grow in our love for him.

3. We should persevere in prayer we will receive an answer

And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Luke 11:9-10

The Lord promises to always answer our prayers. It may not be the answer we were expecting, but it will always be the absolute best thing for us. But in order to receive that answer, we must keep asking, seeking, and knocking.

4. We can’t see all that God is doing through our prayers

He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings 6:15-17

The reality is that we have no idea all that God is accomplishing through our persistent prayers. All we see is what is right in front of us, but God sees the big picture. He knows what’s best for us and he is working all things together for our good. We should pray with perseverance because God is doing so much more than we could possibly imagine.

5. Prayers of persistence bring abundant blessings

Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind! Psalm 31:19

When we pray with persistence, God blesses us in ways we could never have imagined. He pour out his goodness on us, and provides for all our needs. We should never give up praying because we know that God is faithful to answer our prayers and bless us abundantly.

6. We’ve already seen God do great things

I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. Psalm 81:10

God saved us from our sins and Satan. We were dead in our sins. We could never have saved ourselves. So if God did the big thing, let’s open our mouths wide – ask him to save your children and descendants. Ask him for that job. Ask him to provide all you need. If God saved us he can do anything else we ask.

7. Our prayers delight God and he delights to answer them.

The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is His delight. Proverbs 15:8

If our prayers are delightful to God, he takes pleasure in answering them. When God answers our prayers it brings him glory. It produces (or should produce) thanks and praise to him. God is no Scrooge, clinging to his blessings. Our God delights to pour out blessings. Our God is the lavish God who didn’t create just one kind of tree or butterfly but thousands and thousands.

8. God promises to reward those who seek him in faith

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. Hebrews 11:6

Our persistent prayers must be accompanied by faith. We must believe that God exists and that he will reward us for seeking him. If we have faith when we pray, God will not only answer our prayers but also reward us abundantly. We must believe that God will do great things through our prayers.

9. God hears and answers persistent prayer

And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. 1 John 5:15

Throughout the Bible, it’s abundantly clear that God deeply values perseverance in prayer. Though there are times when he immediately answers our prayers, in most cases God wants us to come to him again and again and not give up until he answers our prayers.

10. Jesus invites us to cast all our cares on him

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:6-7

Jesus invites us to cast all our cares on him. When we come to him with all our concerns, he gladly takes them and cares for us. The Lord doesn’t want us to bear our anxieties on our own. He want us to come to him and give them all to him.

11. The Lord is good to all who wait for him

The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. Lamentations 3:25-26

The Lord is good to all who wait for him. He is a kind and gracious God who rewards those who patiently seek him. When we wait on the Lord, he blesses us with his goodness and meets our needs. We can be assured that the Lord will never leave us nor forsake us.

12. God is a loving Father who loves to bless his children

If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! Matthew 7:11

Most parents love to bless their children. I probably spoiled my children when they were little. And even now, I love to bless my children and grandchildren. How much more does our heavenly Father give good things to us when we ask him.

In all these wonderful promises, God encourages us to persevere in prayer. So whatever you are seeking from God, don’t give up. Don’t quit asking him, no matter how impossible it seems to you. Our God is a faithful God. He doesn’t lie, or forget or change his mind. He will keep his promises to us.

I’m a pastor at Saving Grace Church in Indiana, PA. I’m married to Kristi, have 5 kids, and a growing number of grandkids. I enjoy songwriting, oil painting and coffee, not necessarily in that order.

13 thoughts on “12 Powerful Reasons To PERSIST In Prayer”

  1. Thank God and thank you much.
    I am one also who wanted to give up on praying for what I wanted but even tho am currently persevering, I just never felt like I want to because nothing seems to be going my way but reading this material really gives me hope and gave me a step in my faith and perseverance to never give up. Thanks again and keep these readings coming.

    God bless
    TW

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  2. Oftentimes we mistake God’s silence as rejection,thus forgetting about the truth in His word…He is spirit and His worshippers must do so in spirit and truth.

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  3. Hi Mark, excellent article. Thank you very much! I got some great encouragement from it! Do you mind if I reference this in a similar article I will be writing?

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  4. Oh, how thankful I am to both God and you! Though I had been tempted to abandon prayer for what I desired, I kept the faith and persisted despite the odds. After reading this material, however, my outlook has shifted dramatically and reinforced my resolve not to quit. My deepest appreciation goes out to you for providing this source of hope. Please continue with these readings, as they truly mean a lot.

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