Born To Be Opposed

Luke 18:1-8 (See also Luke 11:5-8)

Ephesians 6:10-13

When we are born from above we begin our training to become a child of heaven, but most of the time He keeps us in this fallen world. He permits us to be opposed in many areas of our lives, even our prayer. We are not only temples of the Holy Spirit, but also retain our fallen nature or flesh. So there exists opposition from within and without in many areas of our lives and Christian walk. This parable as well as the accompanying passages illustrates these difficulties in praying, even if we are filled with the Spirit (Romans 8:26-28). Our main passage illustrates this by addressing an unfair balance of power: The powerless, weak widow (considered the least in a Patriarchal society) and the most powerful, an unjust judge. This judge illustrated here, neither feared God or cared for people, especially a poor, powerless widow. He didn’t even care as to how he was perceived by society(verse 2). And it goes without saying, no lawyer would touch her case. But, the one characteristic this widow had that eventually the judge acquiesced to was her “importunity” or “bold” persistence”: She kept coming and coming with her plea, “grant me justice against my adversary”(verse 3) This stubborn, unjust, uncaring judge for sometime(long time) refused to hear her. Finally gave in for a very self-centered reason (verses 4-5). The NIV version implies that in his eyes she looked unbalanced: This self-centered, unjust, uncaring judge could only think of himself.

The widow depicts, I think, the believer who is engaged in oppositional prayer, who has to persevere in order to finally get justice. But, what gives us hope from this parable and supports it’s main theme or lesson i n Luke 18:1 is that the antagonist and judge is replaced by a supremely caring God and sustaining God(John 3:16) Who is eager to provide all our needs according to His riches in glory (Philippians 4:19) but what He doesn’t do is eliminate all opposition to our prayer existing in this fallen world(Ephesians 6:10-13).

God is characterized in this parable as the total opposite of the unjust judge (note verses 6-8) But because we still pray in a fallen oppositional environment we still have to pray with a similar importunity and even desperation “crying out to HIm day and night” and it seems that “He also keeps putting them off”(Verse 7) but he’s not, although He remains sovereign and He sets the time and manner of His responses to our prayers. Also He permits His children to be opposed by the world (Ephesians 6:100-13) These points require us to show boldness, perseverance and faith.

1)This parable “Especially applicable to the Parousia: The 2nd coming, victory and judgments etc. This will be the greatest event in human history(Verse 8) But the lesson of this parable(See verse 1) can apply to other needs and events in our lives: while opposition will continue in our praying, God promises to provide what we need, in His time and manner but only if we faint not. (Galatians 6:9) It almost seems at times that God is opposing us: Seems opposite to reality for the wordsays (Philippians 4:19), He is our provider and sustainer, but in His time and manner.

2) But while God is the opposite of the unjust judge, He still permits us to  be engaged in this sinful world full of unjust judges and by a similar importunity of the poor widow is needed, by us to face the oppositions from the devil, demons, and our sinful flesh: Ephesians 6. Consider again (Galatians 6:9) “if we faint or give up, because God is committed to meet all our needs and accomplish His goals for our lives, but there remains a straining required of us, against the world, the flesh and the devil. Read Philippians 3:12-14.

3) And most importantly God promises to help us in our praying against these oppositional forces(note Romans 2:26-28; Hebrews 4:4-16)

… He is