Dear friends in Christ:

My text is the Gospel Lesson for this Sunday about the Canaanite woman who persevered in prayer, despite several discouragements, and received from Jesus a great deliverance for her demon possessed daughter.

The praying of this mother was so pleasing to Jesus that He praised her, saying, "Woman, you have great faith. Your request is granted." (v. 28)

We do well to look at this mother's praying more closely, so that we might improve in our praying and have our requests granted.

I. Those who persevere in prayer have a God given saving faith.

A. (God-given saving faith.)

1. A God-given saving faith is one that understands that a person cannot be justified before God by the law. St. Paul tells us, "No one will be declared righteous in His sight by observing the law; rather, by the law we become conscious of sin." (Rom. 3:20) Our half-hearted good works, now and then, will not get us right before God, will not save us from His wrath and displeasure, temporal death and eternal punishment.

2. We need a better righteousness, one freely presented to us by God Himself. St. Paul also tells us about this better righteousness, saying, "But now a righteousness from God, apart from the law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets (O.T.) testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." (Rom. 3:21-24)

B. The Canaanite woman had such a God-given, saving faith.

1. She would not have continued praying to Jesus as she did, if she had the proud, self-righteous, law works, kind of faith, like most people have. When she prayed to Jesus at first, He ignored her completely. Then, when the the disciples, annoyed by her continual crying after them, asked Jesus to help her and get rid of her, He said that He was not sent to minister to foreigners, like her, she did not feel insulted and quit. Instead, she went right in front of Him, knelt and prayed more earnestly and desperately, "Lord, help me!" (v. 25) When Jesus further discouraged her by saying, "Its not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs" (v. 26), she still did not quit praying, but argued with Jesus, saying, "Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table." (v. 27) Although Jesus seemed to be her enemy, she still believed that He was her Friend.

2. It is very clear that she knew herself to be an unworthy, undeserving, sinner before God, totally dependent upon His mercy and grace. It is also clear that she had true saving faith by the way she first addressed Jesus, saying, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me." (v. 22) Each title here reveals her faith: "Lord," she sees Jesus as Savior of all nations, not just of the lost sheep of Israel; "Son of David," she believes that Jesus is the Messiah God promised through the Old Testament prophets. She asks for "mercy." A person who prays for mercy knows he or she does not deserve what he or she is asking.

Summary: So it is abundantly clear that this Canaanite woman had God-given saving faith.

3. We may wonder how she received this faith. The text does not tell us how she happened to hear the Good News. However, it is clear that she believed in the God of Israel. Apparently, she heard the Word from the Jews and by the Holy Spirit's power came to the faith.

C. If we have such a God-given, saving faith we will be able to persevere in prayer also and receive from God what we need, even though God condemns us.

1. We might pray like this! "All right, God, You say that I am a poor, miserable sinner, and that I deserve Your wrath and displeasure, temporal death and eternal damnation, and You are right! What else can I say? But You have given Your only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to live and die for me. I have been baptized in Your name and have become Your redeemed and beloved child, so I know that You will hear and answer my prayer in Your own time and way, so that it may be for my eternal good. And although at times it seems to me that You are my enemy I know that You are my best and dearest Friend and Helper. Have mercy on me for Jesus' sake! Amen.

II. Transition: As we study this Canaanite woman's prayer we see that those who persevere in prayer are granted what they pray for.

A. That is true if the prayer conforms to God's will.

1. The Apostle John writes, "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us." (1 Jn. 5-14) Sometimes we may not know if what we pray for is God's will or not. Then we need pray as Jesus did etc.

B. (That was the case of the Canaanite woman.)

1. The Canaanite woman was certainly praying according to God's will. She prayed against Satan and His evil kingdom, that her daughter be delivered from demon-possession. Jesus had come to destroy the works of the devil.

2. Jesus was more than pleased to hear her prayer and grant her request. He said to her: "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." "And her daughter was healed from that very hour." (v. 28)

C. That can be the case with us also.

1. True believers may have what they pray for if it conforms to God's will.

2. Do you want your sins forgiven, your corruptions mortified and your sinful nature sanctified? Do you want a stronger faith. Do you want more love and mercy for your fellow man? These gifts are definitely the will of God for all His redeemed sons and daughters. "Ask! And it shall be given you!"

Conclusion: May God be merciful to us and grant us true saving faith, so that we may persevere in prayer and become "more than conquerors through Him that loved us and died for us," so that our faith, having been tried by adversities, may shine forth as gold; and be to the praise and glory of His name forever and ever.

Amen