PERSISTENT FAITH - Faith Series

PERSISTENT FAITH - Faith Series

Persistent faith involves diligent and proactive pursuit of God, remaining active and determined despite challenges. Through Scripture stories and real-life examples, I illustrate how God responds when we persevere through silence, rejection, or opposition. Hebrews 11:6 emphasizes that faith is the only way to approach God, and persistent faith specifically reflects diligent seeking, effort, and resilience.

Chapter Markers
- 0:00 - Why Faith Pleases God
- 3:57 - All Things Possible With Belief
- 5:23 - Rooftop Faith That Takes Initiative
- 15:56 - When God Is Silent, Keep Seeking
- 30:12 - Crumbs, Humility And Great Faith
- 38:25 - Bartimaeus Cries Out Past The Crowd
- 47:32 - Persistence That Opens Closed Doors
- 50:06 - Closing Prayer To Not Give Up

Transcript

Why Faith Pleases God

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Persistent faith. Before we look at instances where persistent faith was applied in the gospel, the only thing that can please God we all know that is faith according to Hebrews chapter 11 verse 6. The Bible states, but without faith it is impossible to please Him. Without faith, nothing can move in your life by God. Without faith, changes cannot take place in your life. Without faith, your prayers cannot be answered. It takes faith for God to respond to you. Faith communicates. The Bible states that without faith it is impossible to please God. For if you and I, we are going to come to God. We come to God for various reasons. Some of us we come to God because of certain problems. Some of us we come to God because of a need. You know your reason why you are coming to God. The Bible states anyone who comes to God, anyone who comes to God, must, that word is very key, must is mandatory, necessary, no other option. Must, it's a must to believe that God is. You cannot come to God having doubts. You cannot come to God guessing. You cannot come to God in fear, contemplating, trying to logicalize if God is real. You cannot come to God in fear. You cannot come to God by sight. Faith is a must. If you're gonna come to God, wow, this is powerful. You have to believe that God is, and not only that, two things that we have to believe about God. Number one, that God is, number two, that God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Persistent faith is diligently seeking God. Let me say that again. Persistent faith is diligently seeking God. The word diligence means efforts, hard work, focus. It takes certain extent, effort from you to persevere, to be resilient, to keep seeking, to keep trusting at midst challenges, obstacles, orders. And we're gonna see accounts in the Bible where persistent faith is applied.

All Things Possible With Belief

SPEAKER_01 3:57

Before we get there, let me share Mark chapter 9, verse 23. Jesus said to him, if you can believe, Mark chapter 9, verse 23. Again, if you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes. So so Jesus is clearly confirming that. So if we want to see possibilities in our lives, what do we have to do, children of God? We have to do what? Believe. Wow. To see the miraculous, to see divine intervention, to experience the wonders of God, you and I, we have no choice, we must believe that is the standard, that is the command, that is what measures how we approach God. So Jesus clearly states that if you believe, the only condition to experience possibilities in your life, you have to believe. Now,

Rooftop Faith That Takes Initiative

SPEAKER_01 5:23

let's look at the first example of someone that we can observe persistent faith. Let's go to Luke chapter 5 from verses 17 to 39. I'm just gonna read quickly and then I'm gonna just focus on a few verses just to um explain in the context of persistent faith because of time. Now it happened, Luke, Luke chapter 5, verses 17 to 39. Now it happened on a certain day as he was teaching. There was that that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. Wow! And the power of the Lord was present, was present to heal them. Interesting. Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before him. That was their agenda. This was their plan. And the Bible states a certain day, a certain day, a divine appointment, a divine set time, and the Bible states that the power of the Lord was present to accomplish a particular purpose, and that is to heal the multitude, to heal those who were around Jesus, including the religious leaders, the Pharisees, and the teachers of the law, all of them came from different towns of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. Let's continue. Then men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Jesus. They had an agenda, they had a plan. Okay, and and when they could not find how this is you see, you see, look, look at the intention was right. Sometimes in life, we have plans, we have ideas, we have goals. God has called us to do something, God has assigned us to engage in something which is good. We know that this is coming from God, but then we are faced with what oppositions, we are faced with what oddles, we are faced with what adversities, we are faced with what obstacles. So the Bible states that in verse 19, and when they could not find how they might bring this man that was paralyzed in because of the crowd, they cannot bring this man in because of the crowd. So many people gathered around Jesus. Wow. Some of us, when we see the obstacle before us, when we see the opposition before us, and we are faced with opposition, we are faced with adversities. What do we do? What is our reaction? What is our response? Are we gonna walk back? Are we gonna give up? Are we gonna say, no what, another time? But this is the time because the Bible states the power of the Lord, of the Lord was present to heal them. Wow, you don't dictate to God when you want things to be done. If God is here, if God is speaking, if God says that it's your time, upper room ministry, it's your time, mama, take it. Yes, if God says it's your time, you are gonna face opposition, but don't give up, don't run away, don't look back. Look at the persistent faith of this man, and when they could not find how they might bring him in because of the crowd, wow, they went up on the house stop. Wow, the crowd could not stop these men from accomplishing something on behalf of their friend to ensure that their friend gets his healing because the power of God was present to heal, the opportunity was there, and the Bible stated that they try something else when one door closes, don't give up. Ask God, God, open another door for me, and God will. Wow, you see, because of their persistent faith, and faith is action, faith without works is dead. They believe they went to the rooftop, house top, and created an opening and laid down this man right in front of Jesus. Wow, God honored their faith in action. Persistent faith is an active faith. Persistent faith is an active faith. Sometimes our faith is passive. We believe, but we don't do anything. That's why we don't receive anything. We believe, but we don't make any effort. We believe, but we don't take the necessary step. Not so with this man. They believe that Jesus is in town, they believed that the power of the Lord was present to heal an opposition they faced because of the crowd, they didn't give up, they didn't go back, mama. They created a way where there was no way, and God was able to honor their faith because faith is the only thing that pleases God. And look, look, look at the response. Jesus was able to identify exactly when he saw their faith. Wow! What was an action? Faith. What kind of faith are we talking about here? Persistent faith, active faith. Oh, I believe in God, I believe what God has promised me. How many years have you been saying that God has promised you something, but you have not seen it? Is it because God didn't want to do it for you? Is it because God cannot do it? No. Put your faith in action, persist, be active, take the initiative. Persistent faith, I repeat, it's an active faith. Another attribute of persistent faith, Musumba, persistent faith takes initiative. Persistent faith is a faith that takes initiatives. That's what we see here with this man. They took initiative to bring their paralyzed friend to Jesus. And when they were faced with an opposition because of the crowd, they persevered, they put their faith in action. When he saw their faith, he said to them, Man, your sins are forgiven you. Again, this was not the fate of the paralyzed man, mama. This was the fate of the man which shows that ah, mama. Your faith can work for your children, your faith can work for your spouse. I receive in the name of Jesus. Your faith can work for this church. The members might not believe, the ministers might not believe, but God is just looking for that one person who has what persistent faith and belief for us, and belief for your children, and believe for your spouse. And Jesus said, when he saw their faith, not the faith of the paralyzed man, Anna, not the faith of the paralyzed man, he saw their faith, the man. Wow. Wow. Which shows that your faith can work for somebody who's faithless. If you know that you have a friend who needs help, they're sick and they're not able to believe in God, but Anna, you can believe on their behalf for God to heal them and it will happen. You see how powerful faith is? That your faith can not only work for you, Anna, but your faith can work for someone else. When you apply your faith to believe God for someone else, that faith can work because faith is the only thing that pleases God. And Jesus said, if you can believe, all things are possible to him or her who believes. What we see here is persistent faith. It's a faith that is active, it's a faith that takes initiative. Amen. Now

When God Is Silent Keep Seeking

SPEAKER_01 15:56

let's go to the next person. Let's go to um Matthew chapter 15, verses 21 to 28. Wow, thank you, Jesus. I'll put my faith in action. That is why there's no way you can allow your children to misbehave because your faith can work for them. Matthew chapter 15, verse 21 to 28. Matthew chapter 15. 21 to 28. Okay, then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tarah and Sidon. And behold, a woman of Canaan came from the region and cried out to him. Okay, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord. Son of David, my daughter is severely demonic possessed or demon-possessed. So the first instance we see a problem that was sickness, because we can apply faith for everything, Musumba. If you're sick, apply faith. You might think, okay, I see most times Jesus will say, Your faith has made you old, your faith has healed you. That is in the context of his healing ministry, but faith also works with demonic possession. Wow. Do you know that your faith can help you prevail against the powers of darkness? Your faith can help you overcome evil spirits. So faith is holistic, faith in God is applicable for everything. We see the first instance, persistent faith being applied when it comes to sickness. Now we see persistent faith being applied to demonic possession. Dealing with spiritual entities. Wow. Wow. That is why faith is the only thing that can please God. If you're sick, have faith. If you're demonically possessed, have faith. If you're broke, you're trusting God for something, have faith. Have faith in God. But he answered her not a word. Jesus kept quiet. This is a very interesting interaction between Jesus and the Canaanite woman. She said, Jesus, have mercy on me, Lord. And son of David, my daughter is severely demon-possessed. Jesus kept quiet. Why? Do you think because Jesus didn't care? No, no, no, no, no. Jesus was trying to test the faith of this woman. Sometimes, oh, oh God, oh God. Ah. Sometimes you pray, you don't hear from God. You will fast, you don't hear from God. You read your the Bible, you don't hear from God. And most times when we don't hear from God, we give up. You know what? God is not real. I don't think I can pray anymore because I prayed to God for this thing, it didn't happen. Now I don't think I can pray to God for anything. Don't you ever give up on God? Wait on God. So Jesus kept quiet. Okay. Jesus kept quiet. At times when you pray, Jesus will hear you, he will answer you right away. What if when you pray? What if when you fast? What if when you read the word? What if you're serving God? What if you're oh my God? What if you don't hear anything from God? God doesn't act. God doesn't move. What you need is what? Persistent faith. Another thing I've learned about persistent faith, persistent faith is an aggressive faith. Oh boy. Okay. So I start off by saying that persistent faith, mama, is an active faith. Persistent faith is an initiative faith. Now, persistent faith is an aggressive faith. Ah, mama, you have to be aggressive with your faith in God. Because this kinena woman, she was also aggressive in a good way, in a good way. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, Send her away, for she cries out after us. Hey, hey, mama. Okay, okay. Oh God. Oh, you know, you know what I've learned in this life? What we have learned so far. Sometimes the oppositions in front of you are other human beings. And you know the Bible states we do not wrestle against flesh and blood. Sometimes the opposition that the enemy can use are human beings. We see with the man with your paralyzed friend, the opposition was the crowd. Now, this woman, the killing that woman, mama, plead to Jesus. Jesus didn't say anything. Now the disciples are in opposition to this woman. Now they are telling Jesus, send this woman away. She cries out after us, mama. This is what I call aggressive faith. She was not crying for the disciples, she was crying after Jesus, not the disciples. She was crying after Jesus, not the disciples. What do you do when you're faced with a human opposition? Are you gonna hit them? Are you gonna fight them? Are you going to slander them? Are you going to attack them? That's not what we see with the man, with their paralyzed friend. They didn't attack the crowd. They didn't fight back against the crowd. They didn't insult the crowd. Some of us, when we have a human opposition, we'll fight against them. Oh, you are the reason why I am not blessed. You're the reason why God doesn't know. Oh, we blame each other. When you're faced with a human opposition, mama, don't say anything. Pray for them. Bless them. Two man didn't mind the disciples. The Bible states, but but but he answered and said, I was not, I was, look what he said, I was not sent except to the Lordship of the house of Israel. Now, hmm, oh boy. Now Jesus responded, because this woman is applying aggressive faith. We're reading from Mama Lydia, we're reading from Matthew chapter 15, verses 21 to 28, looking at persistent faith. So Jesus now responded by saying to the woman, Kenanite woman, I was not sent except to the Lord sheep of the house of Israel. Okay, Jesus was sent to the old world. Okay, you might think Jesus is contradicting himself. Jesus was sent to the old world. I believe that Jesus was testing this woman. That's why Jesus couldn't respond when the woman, when the woman reached out to Jesus, Jesus kept quiet. That's not the Jesus that I know. That's not the Jesus that I know. If you call onto Jesus, he will hear you. But Jesus was trying to test this woman's faith for you and I to learn something. What do we do when Jesus is silent? What do we do when Jesus is testing you, saying that I was not sent to the Gentiles except to the Lordship of the house of Israel? Now look at the response of this woman, aggressive faith. Then she then she came and worshiped him, saying, Lord help me. Oh God. Oh God. She didn't get angry. She didn't get angry at Jesus. Oh, some of us, when Jesus says no, we get angry. You're not my God anymore. I'm not gonna worship you. I'm not gonna come to church anymore. You allow my child to die. You allowed my marriage to to to to to to to to be ruined. Jesus, no more Jesus, no more God, no more Holy Spirit. I'm living. But God is testing you. So the woman said, She came and worshiped him, saying, Lord, help me. Mama, she didn't give up. You know what she did? At times when God is silent, do what? Worship him. Mama Lydia, when God is not speaking, when God is silent, and people are opposition to you trying to seek God, what do you do? You worship. You worship, you cry out for help. Lord help me. Now Jesus responded again. Ah, but he answered and said, It is no good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs. Hey, hey, wow, wow, wow. Oh my god, oh my god. First Jesus said, You know what? I didn't come for you, I didn't come for the Canaanites. So leave, go, go away. She said, It's a lie. I know you are God. Hey, I know you are God of all nations. That is why I'm worshiping you. If Jesus, you're not God of all nations, then I will go back home and worship false gods. Because I know who you are, that you are the God of all flesh. That is why I'm going to worship you. Jesus again played around with this woman. He said, You know what? It is not good to take the children's bread, that is what belongs to the children of Israel, and throw it to the little dogs. That is us as um uh uh Gentiles. Now, look at this woman, her response. She keeps she kept on honoring Jesus, calling him Lord, Lord, Lord, even when she is addressing Jesus, yes, Lord, yes, Lord. Wow, her attitude, her response are good. She worshiped, she honored God, she didn't argue with Jesus, she wasn't proud, she didn't try to say, No, Jesus, don't call me a dog. How dare you call me a dog? No, no, no, no, no, no. Instead, she said, Yes, Lord, yes, my Lord. Yet, and she said, Yes, Lord, yet, even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their master's table. Ah, this woman, ah, this woman, this woman is another Jesus. I know, you are my master, you are my God, you are my Lord, son of David. Okay, you call me a dog. Okay, you call me a dog, Jesus. I am a little dog, or we little dogs, we can eat from the crumbs which falls from the master's table. That's good enough. This reminds me of who the woman with the issue of blood. Wow, she said, if I can just touch, just a small piece of the hem of his garment, I'll be made whole. Now she's saying that Jesus, mama. Not even a slice of bread. I can't even talk about the whole bread, Musumba. He said, The crumb, the chaff. Hey, he said, just the chaff can heal my daughter. Hey, hey God, just the crumb, just the crumbs, the crumbs, mama, the crumbs of God is powerful to heal. Ah, God. Hey, that's how powerful God is. The woman with the issue of blood, for how many years tried different doctors? She said, if I can just small, not even hug Jesus, not even torture, just me a tiny piece. And Jesus said, Power has left me. You do know God, you know what they had? Faith. Because Jesus said, if you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes. Madam Lydia, you can come to church, you can pray, pray. If you don't have faith, nothing is gonna work. Jesus said, if you have faith, like what? Like a mustard seed. Ah, this crumb is a mustard seed faith. The hem of gamet is a mustard seed faith that can move mountains. It's a crumb faith, it's a hem of garment faith, persistent faith. That's what we're seeing here.

unknown 30:08

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 30:09

Now look at the response of Jesus. Then

Crumbs Humility And Great Faith

SPEAKER_01 30:12

Jesus answered and said to her, for God, for God to say, that's that's for God to use the word, oh, which is a man. Man, this this type of woman. I've never seen this type of woman. Jesus actually now what commending her. Oh woman, you didn't give up. I insulted you, I shun you, I despise you, I call you a dog, I insulted you, and you still respect me. You call me Lord and you worship me, you call me master, and you're still pleading for help. Hey, and you're saying that even my crumbs can do wonders for you. This is what we call persistent faith that can move mountains. Look at the response of Jesus. Great is your faith. You see, do you know why at times God will not answer your prayers right away? Because God wants to make your faith great. Whoa, God, make my faith great, but God will allow you to go through the process of oppositions. That is why there's something called persistent faith. Persistent faith, another point, is leading you to what? Great faith. Because after all the rejection, after all the oppositions, and you still believe, man. You have great faith, man. Some of us will just give up easily.

unknown 31:54

Wow. Wow.

SPEAKER_01 31:57

Persistent faith. I'm not giving up. This is what God has promised Upper Road Ministry. This is what God has promised us. We are not giving up. I don't know why, but there's something about this woman. Persistent faith leads to great faith. Jesus tried to get rid of this woman. Said, Woman, I'm not gonna give you what belongs to the children of Israel. She didn't give Jesus attitude, she didn't disobey God, she was not in rebellion against God, instead, she worshiped God. You see, sometimes our attitude matters. But if God doesn't answer your prayer, you see, you see the way you frown your face. Even God, malice, I'm not gonna talk to God. What God is looking at, your attitude, your fighting spirit. Jesus said in verse 28, Oh woman, great is your faith, let it be to you as you desire. What do we learn from the previous person, Musumba? They were exercising their faith, mama, on behalf of somebody else. Oh, I don't know if you guys are paying attention to what I'm saying. That if your faith can work for others, why would your faith work for you? I don't know what to say. Like, I don't know, I don't know. We looked at the man with their paralyzed friend. Jesus said, Your faith, their faith. He didn't say the paralyzed man. Now, the daughter is demon-possessed, the mom is the one coming to Jesus. Can you imagine? She's not even applying faith for herself, she's applying faith for someone else. This is okay. At times we I think there's something about we tend to work so hard for other people, but we fail to work hard on ourselves. I'm asking myself, if your faith can be great and you can persevere in faith for somebody else, what about you, your own life? Madam Lydia, you're trusting God for your daughters, and you're praying and fasting. What about you yourself? Can't you apply that same faith that you have in God for your daughter? Why can't you apply that same faith for yourself? No, there's no way, it has to work for me, too. It has to work for me. Oh woman, great is your faith. Let it be to you as you desire. She desire her daughter to be healed, to be delivered from demon possession. And Jesus said, That's your desire. Don't give up on people. You can be the vessel that God can use to help somebody else. Ah, hey God, have mercy. Oh God, they might be demon-possessed, they might be paralyzed. When somebody is paralyzed, they are dead. When somebody is demon-possessed, they are controlled. That's the severity of how far you can go, then your faith can walk on behalf of somebody else that you love. That's what the Bible said. It is impossible to please God without faith. Jesus said, If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes. I'm just learning these things now. That's why don't give up on anybody in this life, no matter how severe the situation is. They might not be able to believe for themselves. Oh, I have this cancer. They said I'm going to die. If that's what they believe, but you, if that's your that's your friend and you love this person, it's Lila, it's not going to work. I'll believe God for you. And I can give an example. Ask Musumba. My mom was in emergency. I carried my big Bible. I called different men of God to pray. Musumba will come on a regular basis to pray. My mom could not pray to God, she was in pain, she could not believe God for herself, she couldn't do anything for herself. But what? Guess what? God was using me and other people. Hey, you can be the solution to somebody else if you know that your faith can be put in action. Now look what it says to finish this. And her daughter was healed from that very hour. Can you imagine? Her daughter was not present when this interaction was taking place. Hey, faith travels, faith travels, faith moves. That's why Jesus said, Who touched me? When the woman only touched a tiny piece of Jesus, but Jesus didn't that power left me. Faith travels. He's just talking to Jesus. How can your daughter be healed? That very power. Jesus didn't touch the daughter. Okay, if you look at the Bible, this is how Jesus will heal people. He will speak, he will touch, sometimes he will just say, Your faith has made you whole. That's all. Sometimes he will touch you, sometimes he will speak to you, sometimes he will just say, Your faith has made you whole.

unknown 38:13

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 38:14

That's why he said, Blessed is he who believes who have not seen. Now let's go to the last and then we're gonna pray. We're looking

Bartimaeus Cries Out Past The Crowd

SPEAKER_01 38:25

at persistent faith, Minister Winnie. And we have so far we have learned that persistent faith is an aggressive faith. Persistent faith is an active faith. First, persistent faith takes initiative. We're gonna look at our last example, then we're gonna pray. Let's go to Mark chapter 10, verse 46 to 42. Mark chapter 10. Now they came to Jericho as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great multitude. Blind Batamaeus, the son of Tamaeus, sat by the road begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me. One thing I've learned about the Canaanite woman and blind Batimus is that how they address Jesus as son of David, and also their plead, have mercy on me. And also, if you look at this man, the Bible says that faith comes by hearing, hearing the word of God. So the reason why this man is able to call on to Jesus and plead to Jesus, the Bible states that he heard. He heard that it was Jesus. The name, the reputation of Jesus has gone beyond before him. That is why the disciples were trying to stop other men. Master, we saw people doing things in your name. Jesus said, Don't stop them. If you're not for me, you are against me. So you have the right to use the name of Jesus, even when Jesus is not even physically present.

unknown 40:34

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 40:38

And he began to cry out and say, Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me. Then many warned him to be quiet. Hey, like I was saying, that sometimes our oppositions are human beings. That's what we we saw that with the um man with their paralyzed friend because of the crowd. Now we saw that with the Canaanite woman because of Jesus' disciples. They're asking Jesus, Jesus, let's get rid of this woman. Now we're seeing this with who? The many want this man to be quiet. Jesus too was quiet when it comes to the Canaanite woman. Sometimes when life is silence, sometimes when God is not speaking, what are you gonna do? Are you still gonna choose to believe? Are you gonna still believe, or are you just gonna stop believing altogether? Saying that you know what? Nothing is happening. I've been praying for this, I've been fasting for this, I've been working hard for this. One year passed, two years passed, three years passed, nothing, no response, no answer. Ah, throw down the towel, it's over. I'm done. Move on. This man was warned by the crowd, telling him to be quiet. Sometimes people will tell, you know what? Just be quiet. Enough of your problems. We don't want to hear your problems anymore. Just be quiet and leave with your problems. Stop bothering us. You're making noise. You will always be a beggar. You will always be blind. That's the silence of society. Sit down. Don't say anything. Don't believe. Don't speak. Don't confess that you'll get well one day. Don't confess that your help will come. Just be quiet. When the Bible says life and death is in the power of the tongue. But look at his response, like the king at woman. The Bible says, but he cried out all the month. This is what we call persistent faith. You know what? You're not gonna tell me to be quiet. I know what I'm going through. I am blind and I'm a beggar. And I and I heard that Jesus is in town. Lila, it's not gonna happen. That's what we read previously with the man and their paralyzed friend. The Bible says that the that the power of Jesus was present to heal an opportunity. So when Jesus is around, it's that opportunity for you to get your breakthrough. Don't miss it. And this man is very wise. I've been a beggar, I have been blind for so many years, and I heard that Jesus Christ, a reputable man, is in town. Nobody's gonna stop me. What I've learned in this life is that when God is moving, Satan always is in the midst to distract. And we have to identify him. When God is moving, when God has come down, I think we touch about divine visitation. When it's our time for Yahweh to visit Opera Ministry, when it's your time for Yahweh to visit you, expect intimidation, expect rejection, expect disapproval. Satan is in the midst for You to miss it. You have to be very, very sensitive. There's a time people who were even close to you saying that you know what? No, don't go to church today. Don't believe God. Don't do this. Watch out. So this man, divine visitation with opposition in place. But the man said, No what? He cried out the more. He didn't care. And guess what happened? Son of David, have mercy on me. Persistent faith can make Jesus to stand if Jesus does not want to stand. Persistent faith can force God to respond by force. That's what happened with the killing woman. That's exactly what's happening now. The Bible said it. Look what it said. So Jesus stood still. Jesus stood still because this man is what? Persistent and aggressive. Persistent faith can make God to stand still and hear you out. And hear you out because you kept on bothering him. And then look, look, and then and when Jesus stood still, he commanded him to be called.

unknown 45:25

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 45:27

He commanded him to be called. Now these same people who were trying to prevent this man from coming to Jesus, now they are nice to this man because Jesus commanded these people to call this man to stop bothering him. That's what he did with the disciples. Even his own disciples, he will tell them, don't. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, Be of good cheer, rise, he's calling you. Now they're nice to this man. And throwing aside his garments, he rose and came to Jesus. So Jesus answered and said to him, What do you want me to do for you? No, persistent faith opens the door for you to decide, for you to select what you want God to do for you. Jesus said, What do you want me to do for you? He said the same to the Canaanite woman, let it be done to you according to your heart desire. Maybe a heart desire, number one, could be my daughter to be delivered. Maybe a heart desire could be something else. But anything that is her heart desire, Jesus said, Let it be done according to your heart desire. So persistent faith opens doors for possibilities because persistent faith leads to great faith, and great faith can accomplish a lot. Jesus said, What do you want me to do for you? Then the blind man said to him, Raboni, that I may receive my sight. Then Jesus said to him, Go your way, your faith has made you well. That's what we see here. Persistent faith with these three people all throughout the Bible.

Persistence That Opens Closed Doors

SPEAKER_01 47:32

Luke 11, 5, 13. The Bible states. And he said to them, Which of you shall have a friend and go to him at midnight and say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves for a friend of mine. Again, again, again, it's not for himself, it's for somebody else. Why, why, why, why do we see this consistency? Why do we see this persistency? Pretty much Jesus is trying to say that if you can apply persistent faith for others, let that same faith work for you. Apply that same faith for yourself too. That same energy that you have to go the extra mile for other people. It's good. Apply that same energy for yourself because the Bible says, Love your neighbor as yourself. It says, A friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him. And he will answer from within and say, Do not trouble me. The door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot rise and give it to you. I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence, he will rise and give him as many as he needs. Sometimes, even here, God, ah, God, God, God works with principles. God likes people who are courageous and who are persistent. Faith is risky. You have to be courageous and you have to persevere. That's why Peter was a man of faith. He was courageous. Anything, I'll be the first. He believed. And God liked that faith attracts God. There's something about faith that attracts God to move no matter what. So Jesus is saying that this man will do it too, not because they are friends. And to close with this, about Jesus saying that. Even though somebody might be a friend or your child or your husband, persistent faith can change the situation. Persistent faith can change our situation of our ministry. No matter what we're going through, the forces that we are fighting, persistent faith can change that thing that you're believing God for.

Closing Prayer To Not Give Up

SPEAKER_01 50:06

So let's stand up and we are going to pray that God help me not to give up on my faith in you. Even if there's a slight battle, even there's an opposition in my family, in my own life. But God, I believe in you that with God all things are possible.