I like what Dr. Jeremiah says about prayer, faith, and perseverance. Praying in faith is communion with God. It is talking with your Heavenly Father. The problem with prayer it is usually spoken with the intent of asking for something that we want or need, or for others (this is good – repentance, finances, relationships, health, employment, peace, strength, courage, hope, understanding, wisdom, salvation, eyes to see, hears to hear, revival, leaders, etc….. ), but we fail to speak with our Heavenly Father with the intent of praise, worship, and honor. There is much more to be said about this but let us leave this thought with this intent – “when you pray intentionally begin with praise, worship, and honor.” Give it equal or more time in your prayers than asking for something. It will certainly increase your faith, hope, and love for God.
And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.
Romans 5:3-4
There is no word more central to biblical teaching than faith. For instance, 2 Corinthians 5:7 says, “We walk by faith, not by sight.” (See also Romans 1:17.) But what is faith? Hebrews 11:1 says, “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” (NIV1984). Faith is not just hoping for something we cannot at present see. It is being “sure” and “certain” that we will in time see it. But what are we authorized to be certain of? Whatever God has promised in His Word. John 3:16 promises eternal life to all who believe in Jesus. Therefore, we can be certain, by faith, that we have eternal life.
This raises the question: How do we live in the gap between not seeing and seeing? What do we do while we wait for God to fulfill His promise? We persevere. Echoing Hebrews 11:1, Romans 8:25 says, “But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.”
Biblical faith is characterized by perseverance. If you are in the gap, wait faithfully on God by persevering.
We persevere through faith and never apart from it.
