Luke 18:1-8

The Parable of the Persistent Widow
¹ Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, ²saying: "There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. ³Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, "Get justice for me from my adversary.' ⁴And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, "Though I do not fear God nor regard man, ⁵yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me."'
⁶Then the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said. ⁷And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? ⁸I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"

Luke 11:5-10

A Friend Comes at Midnight
⁵ And He said to them, "Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, "Friend, lend me three loaves; ⁶for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him'; ⁷and he will answer from within and say, "Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you'? ⁸I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.

Keep Asking, Seeking, Knocking
 ⁹ "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ¹⁰For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

Genesis 32:24-26

Wrestling with God in Prayer
²⁴Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. ²⁵Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob's hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. ²⁶And He said, "Let Me go, for the day breaks."
But he said, "I will not let You go unless You bless me!"

Mark 10:46-52

Jesus Heals Blind Bartimaeus
 ⁴⁶ Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging. ⁴⁷And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
⁴⁸Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
⁴⁹So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called.
Then they called the blind man, saying to him, "Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you."
⁵⁰And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus.
⁵¹So Jesus answered and said to him, "What do you want Me to do for you?"
The blind man said to Him, "Rabboni, that I may receive my sight."
⁵²Then Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well." And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.

Matthew 15:21-28

A Gentile Shows Her Faith
 ²¹ Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. ²²And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed."
²³But He answered her not a word.
And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, "Send her away, for she cries out after us."
²⁴But He answered and said, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
²⁵Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, help me!"
²⁶But He answered and said, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs."
²⁷And she said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table."
²⁸Then Jesus answered and said to her, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

1 Thessalonians 5:17
¹⁷Pray without ceasing.

Ephesians 6:18
¹⁸Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.

Romans 12:12
¹²Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer.

Colossians 4:2
² Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving.

James 5:13-18
 ¹³ Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray... The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. ¹⁷Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. ¹⁸And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

"Don't be discouraged, but trust in the Lord and pray, and pray, and pray, and when you have finished keep on praying!"

(Pastor Joe Jacowitz's favorite words on the "Sharing Our Burdens" Prayer Time Radio Program.)