MFM Devotional 7th April 2021 - Importunity in Prayer

MFM Devotional 7th April 2021 Message by Dr. D.K Olukoya

TOPIC: Importunity in Prayer(MFM Devotional 7th April 2021)

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”.

Outline
What an amazing Bible verse! I love that 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.

Importune prayer then is persistent and urgent; it is 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 instruction 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 prayer 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

Motivational Quote
Importunity in prayer is the vehicle of great open doors

Prophetic Word
The hand of God that is responsible for unstoppable speed is released upon you now, in the name of Jesus.

HYMN – Jesus answers prayer

1. Plead the precious promises of Jesus, Cast upon Him all your anxious care, Call upon Him and He will deliver, For Jesus answers prayer.

Chorus Jesus answers prayer, Jesus answers prayer, Cast on Him your burden, Roll on Him your care; Plead His word of love and His promise prove, For Jesus answers prayer.

2. When the storm and stress of life surround you, And the load seems more than you can bear, Go to Him for aid and He will help you, For Jesus answers prayer.

3. When perplexing problems you are facing, And the path seems rugged ev’ry where, Look to Jesus, he will safely guide you, For Jesus answers prayer.

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 to put You first, in the name of Jesus.

EVENING
4. LORD, d e l i v e r me fr om 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.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Ruth 1-4

MFM Devotional 7th April 2021. The Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM) is a Pentecostal denomination founded in Yaba, Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria in 1989, now with churches in several countries. It was founded by Daniel Kolawole Olukoya