I waited patiently for the Lord,” says David “ and-at last- he inclined his ear unto me, and heard my cry,” Psalm 40:1. The Lord does not always immediately appear to our joy. WILLIAM JAY: Jacob said, “ I will not let thee go, except thou bless me,” Genesis 32:26 and he prevailed. I ask and thus I say, “Wilt thou answer me, Lord? Wilt thou keep thy promise? Or wilt thou shut up thine ear because I misunderstand my own wants and mistake thy promise?” I expect the blessing to arrive I go and enquire whether there is any tidings of its coming. SPURGEON: After prayer, I look out for the answer I expect to be heard and if I am not answered, I pray again, and my repeated prayers are but fresh enquiries. As troubles are sent to teach us to pray, so they are continued to teach us to continue in prayer.ĪDAM CLARKE: Answers to prayer are to be received by faith but faith should not only accompany prayer while offered on earth, but follow it all its way to the throne of grace, and stay with it before the throne till dismissed with its answer to the waiting soul.Ĭ. MATTHEW HENRY (1662-1714): If an answer is not given to the first prayer, nor to the second, we must hold on, and hold out, till we receive an answer. Patience should be in exercise, in connection with our prayer. We should continue in prayer till the blessing is granted without fixing to God at time when, or the circumstances under which, He should give the answer. GEORGE MÜLLER (1805-1898): The great fault of the children of God is that they do not continue in prayer they do not go on praying they do not persevere. SPURGEON (1834-1892): A strengthened soul is sometimes the best answer to prayer. So, when you feel faint, go to God and talk to Him about it ask Him to give you strength and power to go on with what you are doing, realizing that it is His work, that it is “well-doing.” And He will reply to you and say, “ Be not weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not, Galatians 6:9. The Spirit of God is in you…If you do not pray you will faint. However weak you are, however faint, that is always true. “ Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts,” Zechariah 4:6. MARTYN LLOYD-JONES (1899-1981): The tendency to faint is ever present but realize to Whom you belong. And, says our Lord, “ Men ought always to pray, and not to faint,” Luke 18:1. “ Pray without ceasing,” says Paul, 1 Thessalonians 5:17. WILLIAM JAY: “ Evening and morning and at noon,” says David, “ will I pray and cry aloud,” Psalm 55:17. David must knock often: O my God, I cry by day, and thou hearest not, and in the night season I am not silent, Psalm 22:2. SAMUEL RUTHERFORD: You take it hard that you are not answered, that Christ’s door is not opened at your first knock. SAMUEL RUTHERFORD: Sweet Jesus, the heir of all, prayed with tears and strong cries, once, O my Father again, O my Father and the third time, O my Father, ere He was heard. The allusion is to a person who wishes to excite attention, in order to obtain relief-he knocks… how are we to knock?ĪDAM CLARKE (1760-1832): Knock with earnestness and perseverance. WILLIAM JAY (1769-1853): “ Knock, and it shall be opened unto you, Luke 11:9.” Volumes have been written upon prayer but He who spake as never man spake, compares every thing in one word- knock. Christ often heareth when He doth not answer-His not answering is an answer, and speaks thus-pray on, go on and cry, for the Lord holdeth his door fast bolted, not to keep you out, but that you may knock, and knock, and it shall be opened. SAMUEL RUTHERFORD (1600-1661): It is said that He answered not a word, but it is not said, He heard not a word. He delays to answer prayer but every word, every sigh, is registered for acceptance in His best time. JOHN WESLEY (1703-1791): Perhaps we receive few answers to prayer, because we do not intercede enough for others.ĬHARLES BRIDGES (1794-1869): God exercises faith but He never fails to honour it. Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.Īnd, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.