Over the past two months, I've been stretched to believe God for some major miracles. In two separate incidents, I've been called upon to agree with people in prayer for extreme situations. In both circumstances, we sought God's heart. And in both He clearly influenced—even went to great lengths to manipulate—the ways we prayed. Both sitations have called for bold, radical faith and perseverance. In both, we have been led to pray for "Lazarus-come-forth" types of miracles.

As yet, we have not seen answers. But the process has driven us to the Word and to private soul searching: Are we really praying God's will? God, are You really behind this? Are You really asking us to pray this way? Each time, the confirmation has come: "Yes, this is what I'm asking you to pray."

It's made me wonder—why is perseverance so important to Him? Why is "ask and keep on asking" the pattern He prefers? Think of all of the times people in the Bible had to ask multiple times to receive an answer that was obviously God's will to begin with. Moses stayed before the Lord in two back-to-back 40-day fasts (Dt. 9:9-19). Elijah had to stretch himself out on the widow's son three times at Zarephath (1Ki 17:17-23). Elijah also had to send his servant to check for rain seven times before a cloud appeared (1Ki 18:41-46). Daniel persevered in prayer for 21 days (Dan. 10:2-14).

Why does God desire for us to continue to display faith beyond the first, second, and even third asking? Isn't "mustard seed" faith all that He requires?

Several years ago, the Lord asked me to pray something outrageous. He asked me to believe Him for something far beyond my comfort zone. I did as He asked—but did not see the expected results. Confused, I went back to Him in prayer: "If You had plans to leave things as they were anyway, why did You ask me to pray that way?" His answer was not an answer, but a question: "Do you have faith to pray it again?" And He has just recently asked me to pray it again—still with no visible results.

I don't know why God wants us to keep asking. I don't know why He does things the way He does them. His ways are definitely not my ways and His thoughts are definitely not my thoughts. But I am sure about a few things. I'm sure that He is big enough to handle our questions—big enough to defend Himself. He's big enough to protect His Name and His honor—I don't have to protect Him by not asking or by trying to explain away why He didn't answer as He said He would. I don't have to jump through hoops to keep God from embarrassing Himself.

I'm also sure about this: We each come to a fork in the road where we are faced with a faith crisis. Are we going to believe that God is who He says He is? Are we going to take Him at His Word, ignoring what "common sense" tells us? Will we walk out our stated belief that we will do greater things than Jesus did? I've come to the conclusion that I would rather be the one who gets completely radical about believing Him than one who sidesteps the issues.

I hope you will be encouraged to keep praying in faith. Ask and keep on asking. Maybe you will be the Elijah (a man just like us!) who was used to change the course of history by not giving up in the face of a cloudless sky. Or maybe you're the Daniel God is looking for to push through just one more day—because the answer is on the way.