Intense, Prevailing Prayer involves the following:
1. Praying Fervently- James 5:16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
Ferevent: energeo, to be active, efficient :- do, (be) effectual (fervent), be mighty in, shew forth self, work (effectually in).
Passion: We have been focusing on the importance of passion. So many are apathetic. God wants us to passionately pursue Him in prayer.
During the Mau Mau uprising in Kenya in 1960, missionaries Matt and Lora Higgens were returning one night to Nairobi through the heart of Mau Mau territory, where Kenyans and missionaries alike
had been killed and dismembered. Seventeen miles outside of Nairobi their Land Rover stopped. Higgens tried to repair the car in the dark, but could not restart it. They spent the night in the car, but claimed Psalm 4:8: "I will lie down and sleep in
peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety." In the morning they were able to repair the car. A few weeks later the Higgenses returned to America on furlough. They reported that the night before they left Nairobi, a local pastor had visited them. He told how a member of the Mau Mau had confessed that he and three others had crept up to the car to kill the Higgenses, but when they saw sixteen men surrounding the car, the Mau Mau had left in fear. "Sixteen men?" Higgens responded. "I don't know what you mean!" While they were on furlough a friend, Clay Brent, asked the HIggenses if they had been in any danger recently. Higgens asked, "Why?" Then Clay said that on March 23, God had placed a heavy prayer burden on his heart. He called the men of the church, and sixteen of them met together and prayed until the burden lifted. Did God send sixteen angels to represent those men and enforce their prayers? Touch the World Through Prayer, W. Duewel, OMS, p.85-6
2. Praying Persistently- Luke 11:8 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.
Persistence in NKJ, or Importunity in the KJV means in the Greek: impudence, i.e. (by implication) importunity.—Strong’s Dictionary of Greek Words
(Impudence: Marked by brash behavior or impertinent disrespect. –American Heritage Dictionary)
As examples of importunate prayer Vincent notes Abraham in behalf of Sodom (Genesis 18:23-33) and the Syro-Phoenician woman in behalf of her daughter (Matthew 15:22-28). –Robertson Word Pictures
Importunity: Troublesome urgency; excessive persistence… The literal meaning of the term is shamelessness (TEV: “not ashamed to keep on asking”). –Holman Dictionary
This is how God wants us to pray, with troublesome urgency, excessive persistence, shamelessness in keeping on asking until we receive. God will not deny this kind of praying.
3. Praying Purely- Psalm 24:3-4 Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully.
This is one who stands in the righteousness of Jesus, sins confessed, approaching boldly because he or she is convinced that in Jesus we stand before the Father approved and accepted just as Jesus would be.
Hebrews 4:15-16 (NKJV) For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
4. Praying Faithfully- Luke 18:8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"
Those with faith are faithful. They do not give up but persevere until the answer is seen.
a. Religious Prayer of dead works: It is possible to pray on because we don’t believe anything will happen but be continue in the “dead work” of going through religions motions.
b. Praying “in faith” until the answer comes:
Hebrews 6:12 (NKJV) that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
· I am calling for Intense, Prevailing Prayer. I know that a large number of our Body feels a special call to prayer and intercession as a ministry. This ministry must be ignited in a new way. While some are aggressively serving in this way, it is to few. We must come to the wall and build in the spirit with a weapon in one hand and a trowel in the other.
· Jesus wants to transform New Life and our city! He is calling for abandonment from His people who will hear this call. Will you give yourself to Intense, Prevailing Prayer.