Having read the preceding parts of “Prayer That Will Change The World,” we now should discuss the “importune prayer” that Jesus taught his disciples about in Luke chapter eleven. (Luke 11:5 – 9 NKJV) And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to [...]
Having read the preceding parts of “Prayer That Will Change The World,” we now should discuss the “importune prayer” that Jesus taught his disciples about in Luke chapter eleven.
(Luke 11:5 – 9 NKJV) And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’?
“I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.”
“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”
“For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”
The issue of the effects of prayer are much that same here as in the parable of the unrighteous judge. A key word is however mistranslated from the King James and in most English versions. This word “persistence” is more literally defined from the Greek text as “shamelessness.” The original Biblical Greek word from which it is rendered, has to do with the “face of shame” with the prefix reversing its actual meaning. In other words, this should be translated as “face without shame.”
Because of the grace of God that has been given unto the believer through believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, we are herein required to “face” this great and glorious throne of grace without shame, believing that He will give to you what you are asking.
The culture from which Jesus spoke was also of great influence in the listeners understanding at the time. Friends did not come to visit without receiving the best hospitality possible and one would beg or borrow anything needed to make one’s guests know hospitality. The greater shame would be to not be hospitable.
It is never too late an hour for God. He has not ever shut up the heavens from you. You may knock on that great gate of heaven and it will be opened unto you as you face it without shame. Unbelief is the shame of the Christian. Faith is our boldness. Faith in Jesus Christ and the fact that He has done all of the work for us in order that we can come to God without hindrance, without rejection.
Apostolic Direction For Prayer:
(1 Tim 2:1 – 8 NKJV) ”Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, Who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time, for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle; I am speaking the truth in Christ and not lying; a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.”
There is an apostolic command that becomes a spiritual strategy for a city, community or nation.
Supplications are an intercessory work; the pleading of someone’s case before the Judge. Presenting the facts of the case. Letting the Judge hear and see the testimony of the evidence. This is the first and most important step of spirit intercession.
Approaching The Lord With Your Need Face Up!
“And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, ‘Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.’ Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, ‘I am willing; be cleansed.’ Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus said to him, ‘See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.’” (Matthew 8:2 – 4 NKJV)
Once again, Jesus has healed a leper. This time the leper comes with a different approach to Him of his healing. What the leper does not do is ask Him if it is His “WILL.” The word “will” in its original text means, passion and desire. The statement, which the leper makes unto Jesus, is a loving idiom, saying, “You can heal me if you’d like to!” Jesus replies, “I’d love to!”
Because this act of heaven touching earth was between Jesus and the man who was cleansed, Jesus asked the man to go give a proper testimony of his healing and deliverance an obey the word of God!
In the same way, Jesus desires to heal you! Come to Him with the same kind of humility that this leper did and He will do the same for you that He did for him! Be sure that you account for your miracle and give testimony!
There is an old saying that is thought provoking in itself: “We are never so high as when we are on our knees.”
In Luke Eleven, Jesus was “praying in a certain place…” We need to enter into that place daily just as He did, and learn how to pray. His effectiveness in prayer was obvious to His disciples. So much so that they asked him to teach them how to pray.
On several occasions in both the gospels and the epistles we are given apostolic instructions concerning prayer.
I believe that following lines of prayer are apostolically important to this time and I seen them as biblical orders for apostolic prayer that will bring reviving life to any region!
1. Pray and ask believing! Without faith it is impossible to please God!
“For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.’” (Mark 11:23 – 24 NKJV)
2. Pray that you enter not into temptation!
“When He came to the place, He said to them, ‘Pray that you may not enter into temptation.’” (Luke 22:40 NKJV)
3. Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you!
“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,” (Matthew 5:44 NKJV)
This does not mean that we are to get out the “Killer Psalms” to pray for them, but rather speak blessings into their lives just as you would those who are dear to you. Stop cursing and start prophesying.
4. Pray the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers into His harvest field!
“Then He said to them, ‘The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.’” (Luke 10:2 NKJV) also found in Matthew 9:36,
5. Pray for boldness! To speak his word with confidence!
“‘Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.’ And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.” (Acts 4:29 – 31 NKJV)
