May the Lord be praised, for He has heard the sound of my pleading. Psalms 28:6

Dynamics of Prevailing Prayers Series 3 of 8

3. IMPORTUNITY

Importunity in Greek is anaideia which means to utter shamelessly. Do not be embarrassed of your prayer and praying.

“He does not pray at all he who does not plea. Cold prayers have no claims on heaven and no bearings in the court above.” —E.M.Bounds

In coming to God the prayer of importunity should be offered, “I will not let thee go except thou bless me.” You are invited to spread out all your perplexities before the Lord; but do not gratify the enemy by pouring them into the minds of others, lest they stumble over them to their ruin. Jesus knows how to cure all the maladies of the soul. When we beseech the Lord to pity us in our weakness and distress, to guide us by his Holy Spirit, that we may understand his word, he will no more turn away from the prayer of the humble suppliant than the parent will turn away from the hungry child who comes to him for bread. EGWhite–{Signs of the Times, August 22, 1892 par. 6}

It includes the concept of great boldness, of urgency, of pressing your request, claim or demand to the very limits and it includes determination to persist that urgent boldness until it receives the answer. Importunity in prayer is prayer for God’s will to be done.

THIS IS NOT AN EXCUSE

Isaiah 64:7

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 “A servant of the Lord stands bodily before men, but mentally he is knocking at the gates of heaven with prayer.” –John Climacus

Paul urges that “in Him and through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.” Ephesians 3:12) Greek transliteration is saying, “We have boldness and access with confidence.” Parresia is unreservedness of utterance, speaking plainly without fear, boldly but with cheerful courage.

Read Mark 7:26

What the Syrophonecian woman did?

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We must learn to watch unto prayer, and to be importunate. When we have offered our petition once, we must not then abandon it, but say, as did Jacob when he wrestled all night with the angel, “I will not let thee go, except thou bless me,” and like him we shall prevail. EGWhite{Signs of the Times, May 15, 1884

How many have begged that caught Christ’s attention?

When He entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him,
Matthew 8:5

Then a leper came to Jesus and began pleading with him. He fell on his knees and told him, “If you want to, you can make me clean.” Mark 1:40

As Jesus was approaching Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road begging. Luke 18:35

Then he went on to plead, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom!” Luke 23:42

And they, when they came to Jesus, earnestly entreated Him, pleading, “He deserves to have this favor granted him, Luke 7:4

Even the demons pleaded and Christ answered!
He told him, “My name is Legion, because there are many of us.” He kept pleading with Jesus not to send them out of that region. Mark 5:10

They all took the importunity by grabbing the opportune moment with boldness to get their plea to God and did not leave until they get their answers.

“It is atheism to pray and do not wait in hope. A sincere Christian will pray, wait strengthen his.”–Richard Sibbs

Have you been pleading to God lately?