“And will not [our just] God defend and avenge His elect [His chosen ones] who cry out to Him day and night? Will He delay [in providing justice] on their behalf? I tell you that He will defend and avenge them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find [this kind of PERSISTENT] FAITH on the earth?” – Luke 18:7-8 Amplified Bible.
“I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything just because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence and boldness he will get up and give him whatever he needs. “So, I say to you, ask and keep on asking, and it will be given to you; seek and keep on seeking, and you will find; knock and keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.” – Luke 11:8-9 Amplified Bible.
Like a dream of the night, five months have come and gone in this great year, and we now find ourselves in the sixth month—not by our own strength, but solely by the grace of God. This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes! [Psalm 118:23 Common English Bible]. Despite the challenges, tests, and trials of the past month, we stand victorious. In all these things, we are more than conquerors and gain an overwhelming victory through Him who loved us so deeply that He died for us [Romans 8:37, Amplified Bible].
As we step into June 2024, we are reminded that we are living in the last days. The Scriptures, through the Holy Spirit’s inspiration, warn us of these times. The apostle Paul wrote to his protégé Timothy, saying, “But understand this, that in the last days, dangerous times [of great stress and trouble] will come [difficult days that will be hard to bear]” [2 Timothy 3:1, Amplified Bible]. The New Living Translation puts it this way: “You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times.”
Desperate times demand desperate measures, and nothing less will suffice. This is why the Lord Jesus shares the parable of the persistent widow in Luke 18:1-8. She kept pressing the unjust judge until he granted her justice. Jesus concludes this parable with a piercing question: “However when the Son of Man comes, will He find [this kind of persistent] faith on the earth?” [Luke 18:8, AMP]. Therefore, June 2024 is our month of PERSISTENT FAITH. By the grace of God and the help of the Holy Spirit, we will delve into this vital subject throughout this month.
The Holy Spirit vividly describes the times we are living in: “In the last days, dangerous times [of great stress and trouble] will come [difficult days that will be hard to bear]. For people will be lovers of self [narcissistic, self-focused], lovers of money [impelled by greed], boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane, [and they will be] unloving [devoid of natural human affection, calloused and inhumane], irreconcilable, malicious gossips, devoid of self-control [intemperate, immoral], brutal, haters of good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of [sensual] pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of [outward] godliness (religion), although they have denied its power [for their conduct nullifies their claim of faith]…” [2 Timothy 3:1-5, Amplified Bible].
This is why we need PERSISTENT, ENDURING, TENACIOUS, and RESILIENT FAITH. Casual faith is not enough. Complacent faith will fail you, and irresponsible faith is powerless! Persistent faith is a living faith drawn from the living Word to produce living proof. The good news is that this kind of faith is available to you and me, empowering us to live a triumphant life that honors God. [To be continued next week].
