For God’s compassion is incomparably greater than that of the most benevolent human being. Yet, He illustrates His point with an unfeeling judge, who was impervious to mercy, neither moved by reverence for God nor by respect for humanity, but eventually was swayed by the persistent cries of a widow seeking justice. When she approached him and implored him to grant her reprisal, the unjust judge eventually remarked: "Though I do not fear God, nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me, I will avenge her" (Luke 18:4, 5). What more can we infer about God, who is endlessly merciful and ready to show compassion, always encouraging us to come to Him in prayer? "Listen," proclaims the Lord, "to what the unjust judge says. Will God not bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night? Will He keep putting them off? I tell you that He will see that they get justice, and quickly" (Luke 18:6-8). "Prayer possesses a power that transcends the natural order," John Chrysostom asserts. Prayer, devoid of weaponry, triumphs over both seen and unseen adversaries. It can even restrain the hand of the Almighty, who might otherwise bring judgment upon sinners. Through prayer, chains were loosed from the holy Apostle Peter, and the prison doors were flung open, guiding him safely past all the guards, as noted by St. Luke. By prayer, the feet of St. Paul were freed from shackles, and the prison's inner door pulled open: "At midnight, Paul and Silas prayed, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bands were loosed" (Acts 16:25, 26).
Through prayer, Joshua commanded the sun to stay in its course as the men of Israel conquered their foes with God's assistance, who listened to human pleas. By prayer, King Hezekiah reversed the sun's path ten degrees. Elijah, through prayer, sealed the heavens and later opened them again, and brought fire down from heaven upon the altar. Through prayer, the three young men remained unharmed amid the flames. The Israelites triumphed over formidable foes like the Canaanites, Hittites, and others, not primarily through weapons—which they lacked when they left Egypt—but through prayer: "When Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed" (Exodus 17:11). David defeated the mighty Goliath and other adversaries "through prayer, not any other instrument," as St. Chrysostom explains. The walls of Jericho fell during Joshua's time "when the priests sounded the trumpets... and the people shouted with a great shout, and the walls fell down flat" (Hebrews 11:30).
Prayer serves as both a shield and a weapon in spiritual warfare. It strengthens the weak against the strong and empowers those frail in spirit against the brave, as exemplified by Judith; she entered enemy lines unarmed, and three days later, emboldened by prayer, decapitated Holofernes with his own sword. Deborah commanded the forces against the Midianites, and Jael slayed the commander Sisera. Who can fully convey the might and impact of sincere prayer against tangible foes? Such a discussion requires more than a single day. The spiritually unseen enemies that torment our souls are even more formidable but can also be vanquished through prayer, as our Savior affirmed: "This kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting" (Matthew 17:21). By this, He indicated that this particular adversary cannot be conquered by any other means than through earnest prayer and fasting.
To illustrate the strength of prayer further, it not only surpasses the laws of nature and serves as an indomitable shield against both visible and invisible foes but also restrains the hand of God, poised to enact judgment. It may be challenging to accept this notion, yet such occurrences are chronicled in the Holy Scriptures. When Israel turned away from God to worship a golden calf, provoking His wrath, Moses humbled himself before God and prayed for the people’s forgiveness. What followed? By his prayers, Moses halted God's mighty hand, which was lifted in judgment, ready to unleash calamity upon the disobedient. God intended to strike but could not because Moses’ intercession stayed His wrath. Thus, the Lord commanded Moses to cease praying, saying, "Let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them, and I may consume them" (Exodus 32:10). Herein lies the potency of prayer: it can temper and even redirect the fury of the Almighty, shielding us from His wrath. Some might question why, if prayer carries such power, not everyone receives what they ask for. St. James addresses this by stating, "You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives" (James 4:3). To receive, one must request appropriately. When requests go ungranted, the issue lies not with prayer itself but with the one praying. Just as a poor sailor who lacks skill may fail to navigate a vessel safely, it is not the ship's fault but the sailor's inexperience. Similarly, when a petitioner fails to receive their desires, prayer is not at fault but rather their manner of supplication. Only those who are willingly wicked and refuse to change, or who ask for something harmful, or who may ask for something good but do so improperly can expect to go unanswered.
Those ensnared in their wrongdoing cannot successfully plead with God. Of Antiochus, the persecutor of God’s people, it is written, "He prayed to the Lord to grant him mercy" (2 Maccabees 9:13). St. Paul advises us to lift our hands cleanly in prayer; they should be free from guilt and untainted by theft or sin, washed in repentance. "I desire that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting" (1 Tim. 2:8). Some do not receive what they seek because they are unclear about their requests, as were the sons of Zebedee. The Lord does not grant such requests for their own good, just as a wise father would not hand a knife to an untrained child at their request. The 'ill-conceived seekers' are those who pray in a hypocritical manner or with a careless heart, distracted by earthly affairs. Additionally, there are those who engage in idle chatter instead of praying, who mock others, and thereby spare themselves the discipline of prayer, making their actions a sin instead. True prayer is powerful, but only when it is sincere and well-directed.
What constitutes effective prayer? A comprehensive discourse would require more time; hence, I will summarize key points. The prayer of one who obeys the Lord reaches God’s ears and is pleasing to Him. Those who heed and fulfill His will, as Christ Himself stated: "Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of My Father in heaven" (Matthew 7:21), are promised responsive ears from the Lord. The prayer of the humble ascends to great heights, "The prayer of the humble pierces the clouds" (Sir. 35:17). Take, for instance, the prayer of the modest tax collector who exclaimed, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner" (Luke 18:13), and the repentance of Manasseh, king of Jerusalem. The virtues, particularly humility, obedience, and charity, are the wings upon which prayer rises to the Most High. The Archangel Raphael conveyed to Tobiah: "Prayer is good with fasting and almsgiving, and better than to lay up treasures of gold" (Tobit 12:8). Just as in all things virtuous, the essence of prayer relies on earnest effort and fervor: "The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective" (James 5:16).
Our Savior's exhortation stands: "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." For instance, a poor man might plead beneath a window; if unanswered, he finds other ways to make himself heard, seeking crevices that allow his voice to reach the homeowner. If that fails, he approaches the door and knocks, rousing the homeowner to respond to his plea. The individual praying to God should adopt a similar approach—asking with fervor and zeal through faith, seeking through hope, and knocking through love. All ought to petition fervently, seek righteousness, and knock diligently. St. John of the Ladder advises: "Ask with tears, seek in obedience, knock with patience."
Moreover, one might wonder when the timing for prayer is most appropriate. The Divine Paul provides guidance: "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints" (Eph. 6:18). Continuous prayer is essential, particularly in difficult times or pressing circumstances, such as during warfare, when strength, courage, and protection are desperately needed. Where else can we turn for these necessities but to God, the Lord of hosts? Prayer is our lifeline in such moments. When the Israelites faced the Amalekites, Moses ascended the mountain to pray. Likewise, those in arms should join in prayer, for their weapons gain strength through prayer, empowering them against their foes. All should raise their sacred hands in supplication to ensure victory over the unjust forces in conflict.
You, faithful listeners, should "ask, and it will be given to you," storm heaven with your prayers, that the gates to your inheritance may swing open. Brave men sweat on your behalf, and if divinely willed, are prepared to lay down their lives; however, our role is to shed tears that the Lord might turn the weaponry of our enemies against them. The widow sought justice from the unyielding judge who feared neither God nor man, and who ultimately avenged her. You, O Orthodox Russia, who have long endured offenses from your foes, prostrate yourselves in tears before the merciful and just Judge who will bring you justice. You have already witnessed His mercy and righteousness; now come to Him earnestly with your supplications, and He will respond, filling you with immense joy. For He declares, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. Will God not bring justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night? Will He keep putting them off? I tell you that He will see that they get justice and quickly" (Luke 18:6-8).
As the clouds and thunder we observe emerge from natural processes recognized by science, if we desire the Lord to "shout from heaven," if we seek His swift intervention against our enemies, we must ourselves release tears of contrition and supplication. These tears ascend not to the ground but towards the heavens, as David articulated: "You put my tears into Your bottle" (Psalm 56:8). From such tears, thunder and lightning will strike down upon our adversaries and throw them into disarray. As cannon fire resonates on earth, the heavens will respond with thunder, confounding our enemies. "Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it will be opened unto you." Amen.
THEOSIS