Importunity is persistent or urgent requests, especially ones that are annoying or unreasonable. It involves repeatedly asking for something in an urgent or pressing manner. The Bible has quite a bit to say about importunity, especially in the context of prayer. Here is an overview of the biblical teaching on importunity:
In Luke 11, Jesus tells a parable about a man who goes to his neighbor at midnight asking for bread. The neighbor is already in bed and doesn’t want to get up, but because of the man’s persistence (importunity), he finally gives him the bread he needs (Luke 11:5-8). Jesus concludes by saying “I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him whatever he needs” (Luke 11:8). The point is that God rewards persistence and importunity in prayer.
A similar parable is given in Luke 18 about a persistent widow who kept appealing to an unjust judge until he finally granted her request, just to get her to leave him alone (Luke 18:1-8). Jesus likewise concludes that if an unjust judge will grant a request because of persistence, how much more will God grant the requests of His people who “cry to him day and night.”
So in these parables, Jesus emphasizes that importunity – persistence and urgency – in prayer are pleasing to God and can lead to answered prayer. At the same time, Jesus is not teaching that God can be badgered into answering prayer, but rather that He desires His people to demonstrate earnestness and faith in their prayers.
The danger of importunity is that it can become selfish. In Matthew 20, the mother of James and John asks Jesus if her sons can sit at His right and left hand in the kingdom. When Jesus addresses their request, He asks if they can drink the cup He is to drink (Matt 20:20-28). The implication is that their request, though persistent, is misguided and stems from selfish ambition rather than the heart of Christ.
Paul speaks about importunity when he exhorts believers to be constant in prayer (Rom 12:12). But he balances it with an exhortation in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to “pray without ceasing.” The model seems to be importunity mixed with submission to God’s will and timing. We are to make our requests known boldly and persistently, while also yielding to the perfect will of God, whether or not He chooses to grant our specific request.
In summary, here are some principles from Scripture about importunity:
– Importunity honors God, showing that we are dependent on Him for provision and desire His answers.
– God rewards persistence and importunity in prayer, though He remains sovereign in whether to grant the request.
– Importunity mixed with humility and deference to God’s will is most pleasing to Him.
– Selfish ambition can corrupt importunity, so we must examine our motives.
– Importunity should be balanced by an attitude of continual communion with God rather than just a “shopping list” of urgent requests.
– Importunity is a good thing in measure, but can become wearisome both to God and others if overdone.
– Intense importunity may be appropriate for desperate situations or deep needs, but likely should be reserved for special occasions.
– Importunity is modeled by Old Testament saints like Abraham, Moses, Hannah, David, and the persistent widow.
– The goal of importunity is not to badger God but to express value in what we are requesting.
So in conclusion, importunity has its place in the life of faith. It honors God when done rightly, with humility and submission to His perfect will. We should not be afraid to urgently and persistently bring our cares to the Lord. But we must also be willing to align our hearts to His answer, whether it be “yes,” “no” or “wait.” With a heart tuned to follow Him, importunity becomes a rich blessing both to ourselves and to God.
Over 9000 words of bible-based content explaining the meaning of importunity
Importunity means persisting in asking, seeking, or urgently requesting something from someone. It involves perseverance, insistence, and relentlessness in the quest for an answer or resolution. When it comes to our relationship with God, importunity in prayer and supplication is encouraged in Scripture, particularly in Jesus’ parables and teachings. Here is an extensive overview of what the Bible teaches about importunity.
Old Testament Examples of Importunity
Even in Old Testament times, there are examples of faithful saints who demonstrated importunity in prayer and supplication to God:
– Abraham persistently interceded for Sodom and Gomorrah even as God was on the verge of destroying them for their sin (Genesis 18:23-33). He continued pleading with God not to sweep away the righteous with the wicked. This reveals Abraham’s importunity and God’s patience in dialogue.
– Moses was insistent in his plea for God to spare Israel after the idolatry of the golden calf. He even asked God to blot his own name out of the book of life rather than destroy His people (Exodus 32:9-14). God listened to Moses’ heartfelt and unrelenting intercession.
– Hannah desperately poured out her soul to the Lord in request for a child, even promising to dedicate the boy back to God’s service. Her importunity was mistaken for drunkenness it was so intense (1 Samuel 1:9-18). But God heard Hannah’s request and she gave birth to Samuel.
– David repeatedly cried out to God in times of danger and distress. Many of the Psalms model importunity mixed with submission to God’s will (Psalm 13, 22, 119:145-152). David valued God’s answers, so he persisted in asking.
– The widow appealed to the unjust judge repeatedly until he finally granted her request (Luke 18:1-8). Jesus pointed to her unrelenting persistence as an example of importunity.
– The blind man Bartimaeus called out insistently for Jesus to have mercy on Him, even when others tried to shush him (Mark 10:46-52). Jesus rewarded his faith and persistence by healing him.
So we see the foundation for importunity in prayer established in the Old Testament and Jesus’ teaching. Now we will explore the practice of importunity as taught in the New Testament epistles.
New Testament Directives Concerning Importunity
Several passages in the New Testament epistles explicitly teach on importunity and persistence in prayer:
– Romans 12:12 – “Be constant in prayer.” This verse comes in the context of love and spiritual fervor in the body of Christ. Constancy and persistence in prayer cultivate depth in relationship with God.
– Ephesians 6:18 – “Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.” Unwavering alertness and perseverance in intercession for fellow believers is modeled.
– Philippians 4:6 – “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Importsunity mixed with gratitude, rather than anxiety, should flavor our appeals to God.
– Colossians 4:2 – “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.” Steadfast continuity in prayer is encouraged, while being sensitive to God’s guidance and whisper.
– 1 Thessalonians 5:17 – “Pray without ceasing.” This oft-quoted exhortation sums up the persistent and unrelenting prayer life we are to cultivate through importunity.
– James 5:16 – “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” James ties importunity in prayer to the energizing power of the Spirit and righteous life.
So the New Testament gives clear directives to approach God with importunity, persistence, and constancy in our praying. Now we will look at principles for how to apply importunity.
Principles for Practicing Importunity
Based on the full counsel of Scripture, here are some principles for how to walk out importunity in a balanced, biblical way:
– Come with humility and deference to God’s perfect knowledge, wisdom, timing, and will, recognizing He knows best.
– Make requests earnestly, sincerely, and persistently, but hold them open-handedly in submission.
– Pour out your heart authentically and transparently to God, even when emotions are intense.
– Remember God cares deeply, feels our pain, and desires to respond, though in His way and time.
– Importunity is necessary at times to prevail in spiritual warfare, so persistence is key.
– Wait actively for God’s timing and direction, watching for open doors, aligning with His nudges.
– Temper urgency with patience and trust in God’s infinite resources and unmatched faithfulness.
– Celebrate when God says “yes” but keep trusting when He says “no” or “wait”, believing in His goodness.
– Guard against pride; importunity is not meant to control God but rather express dependence on Him.
– Balance importunity with listening, learning God’s heart behind your request or behind the wait.
– Persist in prayer, but rest in God’s hands, avoiding undue anxiety, frustration, or panic.
– Let importunity strengthen your trust muscles and deepen reliance on God alone, not quick fixes.
If importunity is practiced with wisdom and biblically, it serves as a mighty catalyst for spiritual growth, intimacy with God, and deeper experience of His supernatural provision and intervention. It honors Him as the One who invites us to boldly approach the throne of grace to find all we need (Hebrews 4:16). Next we will look at healthy attitudes to pair with importunity.
Attitudes to Accompany Importunity
While diligently seeking God with importunity, it is vital we clothe our requests in right attitudes, including:
– Gratitude – thanking God for past and present blessings and trusting His future grace.
– Humility – recognizing God’s wisdom far surpasses our own in how He responds.
– Patience – accepting God’s perfect timing, not demanding immediacy.
– Resignation – submitting to God’s will, even if it means not removing a thorn (2 Corinthians 12).
– Reverence – showing honor, respect, and awe for God’s holiness and transcendence.
– Hope – believing God can and will work all things for good (Romans 8:28).
– Joy – rejoicing in God’s sovereignty and goodness regardless of circumstances.
– Rest – relying on God’s strength and timing to fulfill His purposes.
– Worship – focusing on God’s surpassing worth independent of his gifts.
– Love – seeking God’s glory above personal benefit in requests.
Approaching importunity with such attitudes allows our hearts to remain soft and pliable as we call on God with urgency and persistence. We avoid the extremes of passivity or hard-heartedness.
Dangers of Unbalanced Importunity
Since importunity involves boldness and persistence, it also carries dangers if taken too far, including:
– Presumption – an arrogance that expects God to serve our demands rather than vice versa.
– Irreverence – a casual over-familiarity that forgets God’s utter holiness and transcendence.
– Manipulation – prayer becomes an attempt to emotionally pressure or control God to get our way.
– Obsession – an unhealthy fixation on the request, rather than on God Himself.
– Desperation – panic, anxiety, or fear-driven pleading that spirals out of trust in God.
– Legalism – thinking God is obligated to respond if we fulfill some prayer formula.
– Worry – draining emotional energy through constant friction over delays.
– Distrust – assuming God is indifferent, distant, or unreliable if He does not instantly respond.
– Disillusionment – plummeting confidence in God when situations remain unresolved.
The antidote to such extremes is nurturing close fellowship with Jesus through His word and Spirit. This maintains the balance between importunity and humble devotion in our prayers.
Correct Perspective on Answered Prayer
As we practice importunity, it is essential we retain the right perspective, namely:
– God answers every prayer, but not always as we expect or hope. His wisdom and love is complete regardless.
– Delay is not denial. God works across multiple timelines we cannot see.
– God’s highest aim is our holiness and likeness to Christ, beyond merely giving us what we want when we want it.
– Any answer to prayer is an act of grace, not something God owes. We are not entitled.
– We must trust God’s perfect timing and surrender our will to His.
– God’s way is often radically different than ours, but always better.
– Our mandate is to align our heart with God’s purposes, not attempt to bend His will to ours.
– God allows waiting seasons to purify motives, deepen character, and clarify calling.
– Perseverance in prayer is meant to build our faith and dependency on God, not to force His hand.
Approaching importunity with such truth in view helps us avoid taking God’s “no” or “wait” as a personal rejection. He knows exactly what He is doing as the Master Potter and we are the clay. Now we will examine how importunity impacts our inner life with God.
The Sanctifying Nature of Importunity
Far beyond just getting answers to prayer, importunity plays a profound role in maturing our souls, including by:
– Forging perseverance and strength of character through the crucible of waiting (James 1:2-4).
– Deepening intimacy with God as we learn to pour out our heart to Him.
– Increasing faith as we see God’s faithfulness and sufficiency tested and proven.
– Refining motives and priorities as God probes the genuineness of our desires.
– Shifting focus from gifts to the Giver Himself (God), fostering worship.
– Kindling love for God as we appreciate His commitment to our best interests.
– Stirring spiritual hunger for God’s presence where we find fullness of joy.
– Cultivating surrender to God’s perfect plan as dreams die and are resurrected.
– Sparking spiritual warfare and intercession that ushers breakthrough.
– Fostering compassion for others as we plead persistently on their behalf.
In summary, importunity exercised properly softens, matures, and conforms us to the image of Christ in profound ways. It prepares us for promotion spiritually as we prove faithful in the small things. If we approach importunity with right understanding, it becomes a treasured gateway into deeper intimacy with our beloved Savior rather than a source of contention or wavering faith.
Praying with Importunity While Avoiding “Vain Repetitions”
One concern some have when it comes to importunity is that it risks becoming vain repetition, which Jesus warned against in Matthew 6:7. However, importunity – persisting and persevering in prayer – is portrayed positively throughout Scripture. The key is the motivation and attitude behind the persistence:
– Importunity flows from authentic relationship, whereas vain repetition reflects going through empty motions.
– Importunity involves earnestly seeking God’s heart and will. Vain repetition just rattles off requests without passion.
– Importunity prevails in faith. Vain repetition offers lip service lacking real conviction.
– Importunity cries out to a listening, caring Father. Vain repetition just throws requests into the air aimlessly.
– Importunity receives strength from the Spirit. Vain repetition operates in the flesh.
– Importunity focuses on God’s glory. Vain repetition seeks to gratify self.
– Importunity flows out of abiding in Christ. Vain repetition lacks spiritual roots.
– Importunity nurtures intimacy with God. Vain repetition remains distant from His heart.
The crucial safeguard is to saturate importunate prayer in Scripture, allowing the Spirit to guide our intercession. Praying the Psalms as our own prayers steers us away from empty repetition into genuine importunity.
Cultivating a Culture and Lifestyle of Importunity
Importunity thrives most when it permeates not just select prayer times, but the whole fabric of life including:
– Regular fixed prayer times to seek God (Psalm 5:3). Daniel practiced this (Daniel 6:10).
– Maintaining continuous communion with God throughout the day and activities.
– Immediately appealing to God in moments of need or crisis.
– Gathering others to pray together for breakthroughs. Jesus promised powerful agreement (Matthew 18:19-20).
– Pursuing deeper surrender and consecration to remove any hindrances in our walk with God (Isaiah 59:1-2).
– Journaling prayers so we can track God’s hand over time. The Psalms model this.
– Going on extended prayer retreats or fasts to focus intently on breaking through barriers. Jesus did this (Luke 6:12).
– Immersing ourselves in Scripture to gain God’s heart, guidance, and promises to fuel importunity.
The testimony of saints throughout history bears witness that those who learned to pray with importunity saw the greatest measures of God’s power. A life anchored in importunity cannot help but soar to new heights in intimacy with God and the manifestation of His glory in and through us. May He teach us to prevail in prayer!