“Praying hard is praying through. And if you pray through, God will come through. But it will be God’s will, God’s way.”- Mark Batterson
Mark Batterson moves on by introducing “The Second Circle- Pray Hard.” This second circle covers Chapters 8-11 of The Circle Maker. Pastor Batterson cites the parable of the persistent widow (Luke 18: 1-5) as an example of what it means to pray hard. Mark then offers his definition of praying hard:
“Praying hard is more than words; it’s blood, sweat, and tears. Praying hard is two-dimensional: praying like it depends on God, and working like it depends on you. It’s praying until God answers, no matter how long it takes. It’s doing whatever it takes to show God you’re serious.”
Desperate time, Mark notes, call for desperate measures. And the most desperate act is praying hard. It’s holy desperation. Pastor Batterson believes the persistent widow is the gold standard for praying hard. The judge knew there was no quit in the widow. Mark asks: “Does The Judge know that about you?
Mark asserts that the viability of our prayers has less to do with vocabulary and more to do with intensity. He writes that the Holy Spirit is our model:
“Long before you woke up this morning and long after you go to sleep tonight, the Spirit of God was circling you with songs of deliverance. He has been circling you since the day you were conceived. . . . Those unutterable intercessions should fill you with an unspeakable confidence. God isn’t for you in some passive sense; God is for you in the most active sense imaginable.”
Today’s question: What Bible verses sustain you in praying hard and praying through? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Live unoffended”
