We've been talking about the biblical paradoxes that run counter to media and culture at large

in our society.

This cultural sweep runs contrary to so many of the biblical principles.

And today we're going to see another one of those points of tension, namely instant gratification versus persistence, instant results

versus the long view of things, beating down the doors open versus patiently waiting for the Lord's

timing. While our culture says, live for the moment, the Bible says,

remember eternity. It is a long time. Everything in our culture said, get it faster and get it now.

God said, persist in prayer. Why? Because not persisting in prayer causes many to lose their spiritual

battle. And not persisting in prayer can lead to a defeated life. Not persisting in prayer can lead to a

discouraged life. I know, and you you know that there are countless casualties among those

who do not persist in prayer. Persistence in general is not only a Christian virtue, but even

non-Christians are learning the value of persistence. I was reading the other day about a politician

who was expressing his commitment to persistence for a cause that he espousing, and he said,

I expect to fight this proposition until hell freezes over, and then I'm going to plan to

fight on ice.

Somebody asked the famous painter Renoir,

why are you torturing yourself in persisting on painting when arthritis pain is so unbearable?

He said, pain passes, but beauty remains. And the Bible is filled with example of God

honoring those who persist in prayer. How many times the Lord Jesus tells us parable after parable

and story after story about those who had never let up in prayer, never give up in prayer.

Someone said, persistence is like wrestling a gorilla. You do not quit when you get tired.

You only quit when the gorilla gets tired. And that's why the apostle Paul actually described victorious Christian life in a very similar imagery

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