Will the Son of Man Find Faith?

Devotional

Day 1: Striking Out, Stepping Up: Persistence Beyond Defeat

When life’s disappointments drain our energy, prayer becomes the bat we keep swinging. Like a baseball player who strikes out yet steps up again, Jesus calls us to persistent prayer that refuses to quit. This isn’t about mustering grit but leaning into a God who answers "speedily." Even when results feel delayed, faith keeps showing up at the plate, trusting divine timing over personal frustration. [34:39]

“And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, ‘In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, "Give me justice against my adversary." For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, "Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming."’ And the Lord said, ‘Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily.’” (Luke 18:1–8, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you “struck out” recently, and how has it drained your hope? What would it look like to bring that disappointment to God daily this week?

Day 2: Perma-Prayers and Letting Go of the Savior Complex

Prayer lists can become burdens when we mistake ourselves for the hero. Like index cards filled with names we strain to “fix,” we exhaust ourselves until we release control. True prayer shifts from “Lord, help me fix this” to “Jesus, You’re the Savior—save them.” It’s trading the weight of responsibility for the freedom of trusting the One who holds all outcomes. [38:00]

“Then he said to me, ‘This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.’” (Zechariah 4:6, ESV)

Reflection: Which relationship or situation in your life have you been trying to “manage” for God? How might praying “You are the Savior” change your posture today?

Day 3: When “I Can’t” Meets “God Can”

Aging, fatigue, and failure aren’t setbacks but doorways to deeper faith. When our strength fades, God’s Spirit rises. Like Paul feeling “burdened beyond our strength,” our despair becomes sacred ground where self-reliance dies and resurrection power breathes. What we label “the end” is often God’s beginning—if we’ll pray instead of quit. [47:32]

“For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.” (2 Corinthians 1:8–9, ESV)

Reflection: Where do you feel “sentenced to death” right now? How might God be inviting you to rely on His resurrection power there?

Day 4: For Your Name’s Sake: Praying Beyond Our Needs

Daniel didn’t beg God based on Israel’s merit but on God’s reputation. When we anchor prayers to His glory—not our goodness—we tap into heaven’s urgency. The church isn’t a project to sustain but a name to glorify. Praying “for Your sake” aligns our hearts with His mission and unleashes boldness we’d never claim for ourselves. [52:50]

“O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name.” (Daniel 9:19, ESV)

Reflection: What prayer have you made mostly about your needs? How could reframing it around God’s glory deepen your trust in His response?

Day 5: Quieted by Love: The Strength of Silent Trust

Busy prayers often miss the God who says, “Be still.” Centering prayer isn’t asking or speaking but resting in the Father’s presence like the elder son who forgot he was “always with me.” In silence, we exchange anxiety for awe, realizing He sings over us. True persistence includes stopping long enough to let Love quiet our chaos. [01:01:20]

“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17, ESV)

Reflection: What noise or hurry distracts you from God’s presence? What step can you take this week to create space for His “quieting love”?

Sermon Summary

Jesus gives a parable so that people “ought always to pray and not lose heart.” The widow’s steady knock meets an unjust judge who does not fear God or respect people, yet even he yields under her persistence. The parable says, if a crooked bench bends, how much more will the righteous Father “give justice to his elect who cry to him day and night.” Then the question lands: when the Son of Man comes, will he find that kind of faith. The image presses prayer as faith refusing to faint.

Age and disappointment often drain vision and strength, but that loss can be holy. Zechariah’s word says, “not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit.” Paul asks, “what do you have that you did not receive.” These texts pull the burden off human grit and put it on God’s power. A strikeout does not define the next at-bat, and a dry season does not define the future of prayer. Humility that admits “I can’t” paired with faith that confesses “God can” grows men and women who pray instead of quitting.

A first emphasis rises here. Godly humility in what cannot be done mixed with God-centered faith that he can brings a praying church. This is not despair. This is hope that refuses the shrug of “it is what it is,” and keeps knocking because God acts. The Lord’s word about impossibilities being possible with God gives the engine.

A second emphasis follows. The difference between what is merely natural, even at its best, and what is truly supernatural is the difference that gives all the glory to God. Common grace is a gift, but Jesus is not building a life that can be explained by talent and planning. Paul’s afflictions in Asia pushed him beyond his strength “so that we would not rely on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.” That is where many prayers piled together become the pathway for many thanksgivings.

Daniel’s prayer shows how to aim: “for your sake… for the city called by your name.” Ephesians rings it three times, “to the praise of his glory.” So the appeal of prayer turns from self-improvement to God’s name, asking him to do above and beyond so that only he gets the credit. Alongside that petitioning, the call to centering prayer invites silence before God. “Be still… wait in silence… he will quiet you by his love.” The Father’s presence is the party the elder brother missed. Sitting quietly to receive his love turns anxious hearts into people of love, peace, and persevering prayer. Jesus is not a hobby. He is the main point, and he is worthy of lives that keep knocking.

Key Takeaways

1. Always pray, do not lose heart Prayer is faith with stamina. The widow’s knock names reality as hard and God as near, and it refuses to let delay become despair. Jesus ties prayer to his return, as if steady petition is how faith keeps its edge. The question is simple: will he find that kind of knock when he comes. [30:54]
2. Humility plus faith births perseverance Honest limits are not failure but formation. “Not by might” empties self-reliance so trust can take the weight. When “I can’t” meets “God can,” prayer stops being a last resort and becomes the first move that keeps moving. That mix keeps hands lifted when strength is gone. [41:14]
3. Seek the supernatural for God’s glory There is more than good planning and gifted teams. Asking God to do what only God can do guards the story from becoming about human skill. When outcomes cannot be explained but by grace, thanksgiving rises to the right address. That is how a church becomes a showcase for his name. [46:52]
4. Sit silent, receive the Father’s love Petition is not the only way to pray. Stillness before God lets his presence do its quiet work, turning anxious lives into settled ones. The Father who sings over his people also silences them with love, and from that rest, asking becomes steadier and cleaner. Being with God fuels asking God. [59:58]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[26:41] - Mic check and text setup
[29:07] - Persistent widow introduced
[30:54] - Reading Luke 18:1-8
[32:51] - When age drains confidence
[34:10] - Wiffle ball and not quitting
[36:29] - Not by might but Spirit
[38:32] - Jesus is the Savior
[42:14] - From natural to supernatural
[46:52] - Only God’s work, God’s glory
[48:02] - Learning to rely on God
[50:54] - Daniel 9: For Your name
[54:05] - To the praise of His glory
[56:47] - Centering prayer: being with God
[63:59] - Closing prayer and blessing

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Luke 18:1-8 (ESV)
And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

Observation Questions

In the parable, what two traits does Jesus highlight about the judge, and how does the widow respond to his initial refusal?
According to the parable, why does Jesus say we should “always pray and not lose heart” (v. 1)?
The sermon mentions that “humility plus faith births perseverance.” What examples or analogies were used to illustrate this idea? [34:10]
How does Daniel’s prayer in Daniel 9:15-19 focus on God’s glory rather than human merit?

Interpretation Questions

Why does Jesus contrast the unjust judge with God in this parable? What does this reveal about God’s character and how He responds to persistent prayer?
The sermon states, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit” (Zechariah 4:6). How does this verse challenge common assumptions about human effort and God’s role in answering prayers?
Paul says in 2 Corinthians 1:8-9 that his afflictions pushed him to rely on God rather than himself. How might seasons of weakness or failure actually strengthen our dependence on God in prayer?
Why does the sermon emphasize praying for outcomes that “cannot be explained but by grace”? How does this shift the focus of our requests? [46:52]

Application Questions

When have you felt tempted to “lose heart” in prayer? What practical step could you take this week to persist in bringing that request to God?
The sermon highlights the pairing of “I can’t” and “God can.” What area of your life or relationships currently feels impossible, and how could you intentionally surrender it to God’s power instead of relying on your own strength? [41:14]
How might your prayers change if you focused more on God’s glory (e.g., “for your name’s sake”) rather than personal comfort or success? Try rewriting a current prayer request with this focus.
The sermon encourages “centering prayer” — silent time to receive God’s love. What distractions or habits make it hard for you to practice stillness before God? How could you create space for this in your daily routine? [59:58]
The parable ends with Jesus asking, “Will he find faith on earth?” What does “faith that keeps knocking” look like in your workplace, family, or community?
Are there areas where you’ve settled for “what’s natural” (e.g., human effort, talent) instead of asking God to do something supernatural? How can your small group pray for you in this? [46:52]

Sermon Clips

58s

#HumilityPlusFaith

“The growth in our spirits of an of an increasing awareness in our hearts that we cannot have impact like we should or used to, that should lead us to a growth in our spirits and an increasing awareness in our hearts that God can. God is the king and ruler and guide of all the cosmos. He is the savior, not us. In other words, I put here a little, I put here a little formula. God, the humility in what you can't do, what we can't do, plus a god centered faith that he can do it lead to not giving up in prayer, that we become people people of of prayer. Prayer.”

31s

#PrayByMercy

“For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy. O Lord, hear. O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not for your own sake, o my God, because your people and your city are called by your name.”

35s

#AlwaysPrayTrustGod

“``And sometimes life feels that way, doesn't it? And men and women ought always to pray and not give up. We felt that we received the sentence of death, see, this is the core of it, was to make us rely not on ourselves, but on God who raised us from the dead. Isn't that good?”

38s

#PrayDontFaint

“Sometimes we get so down we feel it's a sentence of death, death of relationship, death of this, or death of that. But Paul is making us very aware sometimes the Lord lets those sad things happen, hard things happen, so that we don't rely on ourselves anymore. But on him who raises from the dead, men are always to pray and not to faint.”