God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. (Psalm 46:1-3, KJV)
Some years ago I was invited to speak at a conference. The theme was how we can know God, how we can come into His presence. Most of the speakers were saying you need to have holiness, quietness and peace. I caused some revolution because I began preaching from Deuteronomy 4:29, ‘If from where you are you shall seek the Lord your God you shall find Him, if you seek Him with all your heart and all your soul.’ You will find God if you search for Him from just where you are! When you are in tribulation, when all the problems of life have come on you!
When everything’s going well, when you’re not sick, when you have no financial problems – you don’t call upon God as much. But when you are in difficulty, when you’re sick – that’s when you begin to call on God more intensely. I have had long years of experience with God and I know personally that I learned more about prayer when I had cancer, when I was in prison, when I had financial problems, than at any other time! Prayer becomes more urgent when there is no other way – no alternative. When I had both experiences of cancer there were two ways – an operation or a miracle! I chose to go the hard way of asking and believing for a miracle – but this meant a total commitment – not accepting ‘no’. When I was in the prison, there were two alternatives: either accept the inevitability of five-to-ten years incarceration or ‘barnstorm’ Heaven until I got out! That’s not holiness, it’s just following the prayer principles Jesus laid down for desperate widows and people like me! – Luke 18:1-8.
Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ”
Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:1-8, NKJV)