Moutain Top Life, MFM Daily Devotional, Wednesday 7 April 2021

Topic for Wednesday 7: 4: 21: Importunity in prayer

By Dr D.K Olukoya General Overseer MFM worldwide

Bible In One Year: Ruth 1-4

FIRE SCRIPTURE: Luke 11:5-8

MEMORY VERSE:
Luke 11:8- “`”I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.”“`

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE:
Importunity in prayer is the vehicle of great open doors.

PRAISE WORSHIP: Take a worship song as led by the Holy Spirit.

PROPHETIC WORD FOR TODAY:
THE HAND OF GOD THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR UNSTOPPABLE SPEED IS RELEASED UPON YOU NOW, IN THE NAME OF JESUS.

The MESSAGE:
What an amazing Bible verse! I love the word “IMPORTUNITY”. It means “persistent begging”. Hardly does any Christian believer today obey this Scripture. I believe it is largely because our preachers these days need to teach and practise prayer more. We hear plenty of preachers begging man for money, but they ought to be begging God on behalf of man instead.

When the Bible teaches praying “importunately” (Luke 11:5-8), it is in reality teaching about “sacrificial praying.” The simplest definition of importunity is persistent and urgent asking. Importunate prayer then is persistent and urgent; it is the prayer that pleads with God and asks Him repeatedly for the things we need.

It is the prayer that is drawn by God and that follows after Him. It is the prayer that is aroused and energised by the Holy Spirit. It moves our souls toward God and presses our desires upon Him repeatedly with urgency and perseverance, but also with patience and waiting until our prayers are heard and answered.

Jesus taught on the importance of importunity (persistence) in prayer. He accompanied His instructions with an illustrative parable. In the first instance, He told the parable of the friend at midnight (Luke 11:5-8). In the second, He told the parable of the widow and the unjust judge (Luke 18:2-6). In both instances, the petitioner persisted until the petitioned showed himself willing to grant the petitioner’s plea.

Persistence is imperative on the front-end of prayer. It is to be practiced until God reveals to us His willingness to grant the petition for which He has burdened us to pray. Once His will is revealed, we can pray in faith for God’s will to be done and rest assured that our prayer is answered.

Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit. In James 5:17-18, we see that Elijah was a man of prayer, so, he persisted until the heaven gave rain. This isn’t something you do once and go to sleep.

Notice the word, “persisted”; you are to continue in prayer in line with God’s word. It’s your responsibility to ensure that whatever changes you seek in your life as an individual is effected through importunity in prayers. Never think that your prayers isn’t making any difference; you make great impact when you pray.

Therefore, continue in prayer. Even when you don’t “feel” like praying, pray!

When you do this consistently, it will become a part of you, resulting in great changes in your life to the glory of Christ.

PRAYER POINTS:

MORNING
1. Father, I make demands on the discipline of a prayer schedule, in the name of Jesus.

2. O Lord, draw me closer to You and give me the grace to be persistent in the place of prayer, in the name of Jesus.

3. O Lord, help me not to put other things first but put You first, in the name of Jesus.

EVENING
4. LORD, deliver me from distractions, in the name of Jesus.

5. Father, I receive fresh passion for Your presence, in the name of Jesus.

6. LORD, give me fresh grace to love You like never before, in the name of Jesus.

7. Lord, use my life to bring glory to Your name and kingdom, in the name of Jesus.

Special Note:

Beloved Reader, the sweetest way to enjoy all-round blessings from God in this Year 2021 is to make Jesus Christ your personal Lord & Saviour.  Remember! the Lord Jesus in John 3:3 says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless ye are born again, ye cannot see the kingdom of God.”

If you are ready to give your life to Christ Jesus, please pray the displayed prayer below in faith:

Lord Jesus, I am a sinner. I confess all my sin, have mercy on me, forgive me all my sin. Give me grace to go and sin no more. I invite You, come into my life. I accept You as my Lord and Personal Saviour. I believe in my heart You died and rose from the dead to save me Thank You Lord for saving me, in Jesus name Amen.

If you just prayed the prayer of salvation online please send your testimonies and prayer request to ecounselling@mountainoffire.org, +234 (803) 078-0919 OR +234 (817) 363-1657.

Beware! this period we are in today brings fulfilment of this saying of Jesus Christ:
“And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold,” Matt 24:12.
Our prayer for all of us is: any power, any problem that will quench our love for God and His unfailing Word, Holy Ghost Fire will destroy and flush them away.

Good Day Beloved, Thank you for your patient with us. Thank you for all your comments, observations, feedbacks and time spent on this platform. We cherish your presence here.

In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, & by the power in the Blood of Jesus, in thia year 2021 you will never be a victim to whatever calamity, affliction, flying around in the name of Jesus, Amen!