In one of his newest songs, Matthew West urges people to Don’t Stop Prayin’. Through the lyrics of this song, he recognizes that prayer can be hard sometimes. There are times when you just need an answer, and it seems as though heaven is silent. In these moments, you wonder if the Lord even hears you. Matthew West describes it like this:
When you’ve cried and you’ve cried til your tears run dry
The answer won’t come and you don’t know why
And you wonder if you can bow your head even one more time
When I first heard this song, the scripture that immediately jumped into my mind was:
Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
(1 Thes. 5:16-18 NLT)
If you encounter someone in the circumstance that I described above, and hammered them with this scripture, I’m sure that it would probably not offer the encouragement that they need. I think the scripture that work best in this situation is:
Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit. (Jas. 5:17-18 NASB)
James prefaces this scripture by telling us that Elijah was simply a man like anyone else. The implication is that if he could do it, anyone can. Elijah’s prayer caused a three-and-a-half-year drought. Then, he prayed for rain, and it rained. James summarizes the story rather than telling it in detail. However, he did say that Elijah prayed earnestly. Other translations say he prayed intensely, fervently, and with power. A look into the actual narrative from the Old Testament shows what that prayer was like:
And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for there is a sound of the rushing of rain.” So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Mount Carmel. And he bowed himself down on the earth and put his face between his knees. And he said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” And he went up and looked and said, “There is nothing.” And he said, “Go again,” seven times. And at the seventh time he said, “Behold, a little cloud like a man’s hand is rising from the sea.” And he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down, lest the rain stop you.’” And in a little while the heavens grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. (1 Kgs. 18:41-45a ESV)
Elijah didn’t just lift his head to the Lord and call down rain. He prayed, with intensity, asking for rain. He sent his servant back to look for the rain seven times! Some think that he prayed seven times, and after each time sent his servant to check. The scripture does not say this. However, if his prayer were earnest, I imagine he was praying the entire time that his servant was checking on it. The point here is that even with his earnest prayers, the answer was not immediate. He had to wait for an answer. Does this mean that the Lord did not hear him the first time? No. When you don’t get an answer as soon as you pray, it may be hard, but you must not lose heart. You need to continue in prayer. Matthew west says it like ths:
Don’t stop prayin’
Don’t stop calling on Jesus name
Keep on pounding on heaven’s door
Let your knees wear out the floor
Don’t stop believin’
‘Cause mountains move with just a little faith
And your Father’s heard every single word you’re sayin’
So, don’t stop prayin’
Another example from the Old Testament. Daniel had been seeking the Lord for some understanding. Scripture tells us that he fasted for 21 days, without an answer, and he grew weak. At the conclusion of 21 days, he saw an angel, who explained to him:
“Don’t be afraid, Daniel,” he said to me, “for from the first day that you purposed to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your prayers were heard. I have come because of your prayers. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me for 21 days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me after I had been left there with the kings of Persia. (Dan. 10:12-13 HCSB)
In this instance, God had sent a messenger to Daniel on day one of his fasting. However, a demon detained him.
You never know what the reason that the answer from God has not reached your heart. But when you need an answer, and it hasn’t come,
DON’T STOP PRAYIN’!!
Click to watch:
Don’t Stop Prayin’
What’s your impossible
Your “I need a miracle”
What’s got you barely hanging by a single thread
What looks so hopeless now
What weighs down your heart with doubt
You beg for a breakthrough but no sign of breakthrough yet
When you’ve cried and you’ve cried til your tears run dry
The answer won’t come and you don’t know why
And you wonder if you can bow your head even one more time
Don’t stop prayin’
Don’t stop calling on Jesus name
Keep on pounding on heaven’s door
Let your knees wear out the floor
Don’t stop believin’
‘Cause mountains move with just a little faith
And your Father’s heard every single word you’re sayin’
So, don’t stop prayin’
He’s close to the brokenherted
Saves those who are crushed in spirit
The Alpha and Omega knows how your story ends
When you’ve cried and you’ve cried til your tears run dry
The answer won’t come and you don’t know why
And you wonder if you can bow your head even one more time
Oh, do it one more time
And don’t stop prayin’
Don’t stop calling on Jesus name
Keep on pounding on heaven’s door
Let your knees wear out the floor
Don’t stop believin’
‘Cause mountains move with just a little faith
And your Father’s heard every single word you’re sayin’
So, don’t stop prayin’
(Don’t stop don’t stop prayin’)
Oh
(Don’t stop don’t stop prayin’)
Oh, don’t stop prayin’
(Don’t stop don’t stop prayin’)
Oh (Oh)
Don’t stop prayin’ for the prodigal
Don’t stop prayin’ for the miracle
Hallelujah, hallelujah and amen
Don’t stop prayin’ that addictions end
Don’t stop prayin’ for deliverance
Hallelujah, hallelujah and amen
Oh, don’t stop prayin’ for the sickness healed
Don’t stop prayin’ for His power revealed
Hallelujah, hallelujah and amen
No, don’t stop prayin’ for the kingdom come
Don’t stop prayin’ that his will be done
Hallelujah, hallelujah and amen
Don’t stop prayin’
Don’t stop calling on Jesus name
Keep on pounding on heaven’s door
Let your knees wear out the floor
Don’t stop believin’
‘Cause mountains move with just a little faith
And your Father’s heard every single word you’re sayin’
So, don’t stop prayin’
(Don’t stop don’t stop prayin’)
(Don’t stop don’t stop prayin’)
Oh, don’t stop prayin’
(Don’t stop don’t stop prayin’)
Don’t you give up now (Oh)
No, don’t stop prayin’
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