Instruct the wise, and they will be even wiser
Prayer is the lifeline of every believer. Yet, more often than not, there are moments in life when answers seem delayed, when doors stay closed, and when silence from heaven tests the strength of our faith. But through persistent prayer, we not only invite God to move in our circumstances but also allow Him to work within us, shaping our hearts, strengthening our faith, and proving His faithfulness in the process. The Bible encourages us to remain steadfast through the stories of men and women who faced prolonged trials or challenges yet never gave up in prayer. It is in the persistence, not just the petitions, that we experience the transforming power of prayer. This article examines what God’s Word says about how persistence in prayer impacts our lives and strengthens our faith. Be blessed as you read!
In the Bible, people often prayed multiple times to achieve their desired results. One notable example appears in 1 Kings 17:21, where the prophet Elijah prayed for the widow’s dead son. He stretched himself over the boy three times and cried out to God until the boy’s life was restored. This powerful act illustrates Elijah’s persistent prayer and God’s miraculous ability to bring life back. Additionally, Elijah demonstrated persistence when he prayed for rain. In 1 Kings 18:41-46, he sent his servant to check for signs of rain seven times before the rain finally appeared. This event is also mentioned in the New Testament, specifically in James 5:17-18.
In 2 Kings Chapter 4, Elisha prayed multiple times to bring the Shunammite woman’s dead son back to life. Initially, he sent his servant Gehazi to attempt the resurrection, but that effort failed. Elisha then went personally to the boy, stretched himself over him three times, and prayed fervently until the child’s life was restored. This story highlights the importance of perseverance in prayer. This is recorded in 2 Kings 4:32-35: “When Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on his couch. 33 He went in, shut the door on the two of them and prayed to the Lord. 34 Then he got on the bed and lay on the boy, mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, hands to hands. As he stretched himself out on him, the boy’s body grew warm. 35 Elisha turned away and walked back and forth in the room and then got on the bed and stretched out on him once more. The boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes”.
Let me share an unusual story from the New Testament, which is the only instance where Jesus ministered to someone more than once in order to achieve total healing. According to Mark 8:22-26, Jesus arrived in Bethsaida, and people brought a blind man to him. 22 Then at Bethsaida they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him. 23 So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything. 24 And he looked up and said, “I see men like trees, walking.” 25 Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly. 26 Then He sent him away to his house, saying, “Neither go into the town, nor tell anyone in the town.”
Why did the blind man have to be prayed for twice? I’ve heard ministers say that one prayer is all you need. They argue that if you have to return for a second prayer, it shows unbelief. When Jesus laid hands on this man the first time, he said, “I see people, but they look like trees.” He was unable to distinguish between the two, so Jesus laid hands on him a second time. As a preacher of the gospel who has witnessed God’s mighty power in my meetings, I often pray for people multiple times – two, three, four times, or even more. I don’t mind! I’m willing to keep praying until something happens. However, I don’t approach God and say, “Father, it didn’t work the first time. Please let it work now!” No, I believe it happened because God is faithful. He has already provided, but there may be something wrong with our ability to receive. So, I work on that. If the devil stands in the way, I’ll keep pushing through!
I have witnessed people grow in their faith and return for a second time, despite many believing that seeking again is a sign of unbelief. However, God is compassionate and encourages us to pray for them once more. I’ve had individuals come to me a month or two later, sharing that they’ve experienced some healing and significant progress since I laid hands on them. They ask me to pray for them again, and I am grateful for God’s compassion, grace, and mercy. I pray for them again and have seen remarkable things happen. Just like Jesus did with the blind man of Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-26), I keep praying until I see the answer manifest! It’s important to adopt the mindset that God is faithful and has already met our needs even before we recognise them. Boldness, confidence, and faith will rise in your heart as you understand that God’s provision is always greater than your needs.
" You can and should keep praying until you receive your manifestation! "
It was unusual for Jesus to inquire about the results, as He did in Mark 8:23. The bible says 23 So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything. It was particularly unusual that Jesus laid hands on this man a second time. While it is true that others in the Old Testament prayed multiple times to achieve results, many of us tend to check our circumstances to see if God has answered our prayers. This is walking by sight rather than by faith (2 Corinthians 5:7). When we cannot “see” God’s answer, we may pray again for the same request. However, this is not how Jesus taught us to pray and receive answers (Mark 11:22-24). “So, Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. 23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. 24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”
We can be certain that Jesus did not lay hands on this man a second time because He thought His Father hadn’t heard Him the first time. The fact that the man received partial sight shows that God’s healing power was at work in him. Jesus was not asking His Father again for healing; rather, He understood through His Spirit that unbelief was hindering a complete manifestation of God’s power in this man. Therefore, He simply imparted another “dose” of God’s anointing power. While Satan may try to hinder us, he cannot overcome someone who continues to resist him (James 4:7). We only need to ask God once for our needs and then believe that we have received (Mark 11:24). If we end up asking God more than once, it may indicate that we did not truly believe we received the first time. However, we can and should keep praying until we receive our manifestation, just as Jesus did with this blind man. There is more to prayer than simply asking God for things.
We should continue to resist the devil’s obstacles by engaging in various forms of prayer: the prayer of agreement (Matthew 18:19), the prayer of praise (Psalms 8:2 in conjunction with Matthew 21:16), the prayer of intercession (1 Timothy 2:1), the prayer of binding and loosing (Matthew 18:18), and by laying on of hands (Matthew 8:15), among others. Often, in our efforts to walk by faith, we pray for God’s power to manifest in a given situation, but then we might ignore evidence that contradicts our prayers. While this demonstrates more faith than responding to circumstances with doubt, it still falls short of the example set by Jesus. The best approach is to emulate Jesus’ actions. We should genuinely believe that we have received what we prayed for to such an extent that we can confront any contrary evidence and overcome it by consistently applying God’s power. It is perseverance in prayer that triumphs over Satan, not merely waiting for God to act.
We would all see greater and quicker manifestations of God’s power if we weren’t held back by unbelief. Since Jesus works through imperfect vessels like you and me, His power doesn’t always flow through us easily. Each of us carries some level of unbelief and other issues that we haven’t resolved yet, but that shouldn’t stop us from moving forward. Our ability to channel God’s power often increases with use. We can’t give up if we try a few times and don’t see the results we desire right away. Even Jesus faced limitations in His hometown because of their unbelief (Matthew 13:58). We need to persist. As you begin to understand, believe, and practice these principles, your results will improve greatly!
