Thoughts for Life: #51 Importunity is Toil and Travail

Dr. Wesley L. Duewel: Importunity is no recreation. While it is exhilarating to prevail and see God's mighty answers, yet the securing of the answers is real work.

Importunate prayer can be physically and emotionally exhausting, especially so when the soul travail extends over a long period of time..."

Prayer travail is primarily spiritual, but our spiritual nature is so interrelated with our mental and emotional nature that spiritual wrestling and spiritual warfare affect our whole being.

Let the biographies and journals of prayer warriors like John Knox, Martin Luther, Adoniram Judson, Praying Hyde, and John Smith testify.

There is a physical toll from mighty prevailing prayer. Importunity costs. Jowett wrote,

"All vital praying makes a drain on man's vitality.
True intercession is a sacrifice, a bleeding sacrifice."

But prevailing prayer is worth all it costs.

It takes determined exertion to prevail for Satan's defeat. Calvin said "You will never aspire to pray until you urge and force yourselves."

Zwemer called prayer "the gymnasium of the soul." One of the early church leaders wrote, "Believe me, I think there is nothing which requires more effort than to pray to God....Prayer demands combat to the last breath."

Martin Luther added,

"Prayer is indeed a continuous violent action of the
spirit as it is lifted up to God. This action is
comparable to that of a ship going against the stream."
(Chadwick, Path of Prayer, pp.81-82)

All spiritual ministry done with burden, compassion, and holy zeal is both physically and spiritually depleting. During Jesus' importunate wrestling in the garden, His sweat became as Blood (Luke 22:44)

If prayer of a disciple is to "fill up" the intercession of the Master, the disciple's prayer must be stricken with much crying and tears.

The ministers of Calvary must supplicate in bloody sweat, and their intercession must often touch the point of agony.... True intercession is a sacrifice, a bleeding sacrifice...a "filling up' " of the sufferings of Christ....I am so often ashamed of my prayers.

They so frequently cost me nothing; they shed no blood. I am amazed at the grace and condescension of my Lord that He confers any fruitfulness upon my superficial pains."
(Chadwick, Path of Prayer, p.68)
Used by permission of the author and Duewel Literature Trust, Inc., Greenwood, Indiana

Mighty Prevailing Prayer

#51 Importunity is Toil and Travail

by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel

(pp. 88, 89)) Zondervan

Let's pray-

"Father, I confess that instead of praying, I try to work things out on my own. I turn to so many places when I should turn to You. Teach me to pray, Lord. In Jesus’ Name, Amen." (by Mary Southerland)

Today's Bible verse-

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). (by Mary Southerland)

Today's quote-

"Prayer isn't a religious exercise. It isn’t a holy vending machine and does not require us to jump through a certain number of hoops in order for God to hear and respond.

Prayer is the declaration of our total and utter dependence on God. When we pray, we are telling God that we are desperate for Him. We are saying, “yes” to whatever the minute, day or future holds ... even before we know what that may be."

Mary Southerland (July 14, 2016 Natural Prayer (check out Mary's many excellent posts!)

Special links-

You Can Win These Battles

By Jill Savage on Jul 07, 2016 05:42 am

"You have the divine weapon of intercession. An intercessor is someone who takes up the cause of another and makes an appeal on their behalf. God invites you to be an intercessor for your children. Your prayers are powerful and God is always answering them. Don’t be distracted by the obvious and don’t mistake God’s silence for inactivity. God does some of His most powerful work undercover."

Today’s post is from Leighann McCoy who authored the book Spiritual Warfare for Your Family, What You Need to Know to Protect Your Children (Bethany House, 2016).

Richard Sinclair's message on the importance of voting: "Why Bother"

Simplified Version of Wholeness Prayer by Jean Coles

Today's thought-

We all need to ask for wisdom, but if we're born again, and have Christ's Spirit within us, we have all we need within us, as His giftings are; joy, peace, love, patience, kindness, patience, faith and self control. Do you need any of these to help you today? Just ask the Spirit of Jesus to stir them up so you can walk more fully in them.

I am adding the link to my good friend's blog with all her books about horses for kids. Marsha Hubler wears many mantles, but the horse books are exceptional, I know, I have one!
www.marshahubler.com