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How Long O, Lord?

Words of Faith Final

How Long O, Lord?
Words of Faith 4-1-2022
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2022
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL    
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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Genesis 18
    [27] Then Abraham spoke up again: "Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes, [28] what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city because of five people?"
    "If I find forty-five there," he said, "I will not destroy it."
    [29] Once again he spoke to him, "What if only forty are found there?"
    He said, "For the sake of forty, I will not do it."
    [30] Then he said, "May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak. What if only thirty can be found there?"
    He answered, "I will not do it if I find thirty there."
    [31] Abraham said, "Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty can be found there?"
    He said, "For the sake of twenty, I will not destroy it."
    [32] Then he said, "May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?"
    He answered, "For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it."
    [33] When the Lord had finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned home.

        How long do we stay before the Lord in prayer?
        Abraham was the first "prayer warrior."  Abraham had remained in prayer before the Lord long after the "three men" left the oaks at Mamre. He conversed with God about the impending judgment that was to come upon Sodom and Gomorrah. He stood before the Lord on behalf of the righteous who would suffer when the Lord judged the wicked. This conversation may sound like a negotiation in a middle-eastern market, but it was, in fact, a serious intercession before the Lord, and we can learn some things.
        Abraham was polite and humble, but he also pressed his concern for the people of the wicked cities. God's final answer was that he would spare the city for the sake of just ten righteous people. Such a small number would guarantee survival, but that was as far as the Lord would go in His mercy.
        The truth is that sometimes the innocent are tragically affected by the sins of the wicked! Sin is never private or personal. Sin affects everyone. There are consequences and judgments that will come upon a city, a nation, or a people because of the sin of many. The innocent will suffer in times of divine judgment even though they find mercy in eternity.
        So how long do we remain in prayer for the lost? Until the Lord releases us. Abraham prayed for some time, but when the Lord was finished with the conversation... Abraham left and went home. There is a time in intercession when we are released by the Lord. This does not mean that everything is solved. We may not have a peace that everything will be fine, but we gain a peace that the Lord has everything in His hands. This does not mean that there will not be more times of prayer later. But there is a release.
        What do we learn from this? Don't leave early. Pray until the Lord releases you. But don't linger either. There is a time to go home. There is a time to move on. There is a time to tend to the matters of the home and the day. There will be more prayer later, but there is a peace that God has heard our prayer for now.

         Father God, I thank You for drawing near to me in intercession. Teach me the careful life of conversation with You. Teach me to hear Your release of the matters that weigh heavy on my heart. Teach me how I can turn loose of the things You have put on my heart. In Jesus' name.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2022
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)        
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2022 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.