The Duration of Such Prayer
The sermon emphasizes the importance of unceasing prayer to oppose Satan and seek vengeance, and to have a deeper hatred of the devil.
Watchman Nee emphasizes the necessity of persistent prayer against Satan, drawing from the parable in Luke 18 where the widow's relentless pleas led to her vindication. He argues that while some prayers may be one-time requests, the prayer that opposes Satan must be unceasing, echoing the call for God's people to cry out day and night. Nee highlights that just as Satan accuses us continuously, we too must bring our accusations against him before God without ceasing. He urges believers to maintain a spirit of opposition to Satan in their daily lives, recognizing the need for vengeance against the adversary who has caused much suffering. Ultimately, he calls for a deeper hatred of the devil and a commitment to relentless prayer until God avenges us.
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How long should this kind of prayer last? We know that for some prayers we need only pray once. But there can never be too much of the prayer that opposes Satan. The purpose of the Lord's parable in Luke 18 is to teach men "to pray and not lose heart" (v. 1). The judge avenged the widow, not because of justice or any other reason, but because he could not tolerate her wearing him out. He said to himself, "I will avenge her, lest by continually coming she wear me out." Hence, this kind of prayer should be unceasing. We should have this kind of Satan-opposing prayer not only when special circumstances befall us.
Rather, in our daily life, even while there is nothing happening, we should maintain in our spirit an attitude of unceasing opposition to Satan and should utter unceasing prayer against him. After the Lord Jesus spoke this parable, He said that if God's people would cry to Him day and night, He would surely avenge them quickly. Hence, this kind of prayer must go on day and night without ceasing. We must accuse our enemy before God day and night unceasingly, because Revelation 12 tells us that Satan accuses us before God day and night unceasingly. Since he accuses us day and night without ceasing, should we not accuse him also day and night without ceasing?
This is vengeance. As he deals with us, so we deal with him.
This cry of the widow did not stop until the opponent was judged and punished and she was vindicated. Hence, as long as Satan is still reigning, as long as he is not shut up in the abyss, as long as he is not cast into the lake of fire, and as long as God has not yet avenged us, we must not cease our opposing prayer. It is when Satan falls like lightning out of heaven that our prayer can stop, for by then, God will have begun our avenging. Alas, how God desires that we have a deeper hatred of the devil. We have suffered enough under his hand! He has set himself against us step by step, and at every turn he has persecuted us physically and spiritually. Why then are we still silent and tolerant of his persecution? Why do we not rise up to accuse him before God with our words of prayer?
We should seek revenge and require vengeance. Why do we not come often before God to accuse him and thus air our grievances? The Lord Jesus is calling us particularly to oppose Satan with our prayer.
Sermon Outline
- I. The Purpose of Unceasing Prayer
- A. To pray and not lose heart
- B. To oppose Satan
- II. The Nature of Satan's Opposition
- A. He accuses us before God day and night
- B. We must accuse him also day and night
- III. The Importance of Unceasing Prayer
- A. It is vengeance
- B. It is a call to rise up and accuse Satan
- IV. The Lord's Desire for Us
- A. To have a deeper hatred of the devil
- B. To seek revenge and require vengeance
Key Quotes
“We should have this kind of Satan-opposing prayer not only when special circumstances befall us. Rather, in our daily life, even while there is nothing happening, we should maintain in our spirit an attitude of unceasing opposition to Satan and should utter unceasing prayer against him.” — Watchman Nee
“This is vengeance. As he deals with us, so we deal with him.” — Watchman Nee
“It is when Satan falls like lightning out of heaven that our prayer can stop, for by then, God will have begun our avenging.” — Watchman Nee
Application Points
- We should maintain an attitude of unceasing opposition to Satan in our daily life, even when there is nothing happening.
- We should accuse Satan before God day and night unceasingly, because He accuses us before God day and night unceasingly.
- We should seek revenge and require vengeance against Satan, and not be silent or tolerant of his persecution.