Dear Friend,

When suddenly thrust into grave danger with no apparent way out, the Jerusalem church made the right decision: seek God's help through persistent prayer!

Peter was in Herod's devilish grip, there was no doubt about that. But God was within the church's grasp through prayer, and there was no doubt about that either.

Herod's top-level security was placed around Peter without ceasing. "But prayer was made without ceasing by the church unto God for him" (Acts 12:5). So, it was a standoff. Herod's round-the-clock security was pitted against the church's round-the-clock importunity. Herod depended on strong soldiers, iron chains, and iron gates. The church depended on God's faithfulness, His attentive listening to their prayer requests, and Jesus' teaching and life example.

Importunity is defined as "persistence, especially to the point of annoyance." Wisely, the church realized that Jesus, who was God incarnate among them, not only taught importunity in prayer but also responded to it.

They remembered His parable of a friend who knocked on his sleepy friend's door in the middle of the night and, though initially denied, kept asking until his friend responded and gave him as much bread as he needed (Luke 11:5-10). They also remembered Jesus' parable of a wronged widow who kept asking help of a callous judge who, though he ignored her many passionate pleas, finally responded "because of her importunity" (Luke 18:1-8). But Jesus did more than teach about importunate seekers. He also responded to them.

When a desperate Syrophoenician woman fell at His feet begging mercies for her possessed daughter, He did not initially help her (Matthew 15:21-28). Three times she approached Jesus and three times He was non-responsive. Finally, after her fourth appeal, He gave her what she asked for - and more! Not only did He free her daughter from demonic possession, but He also publicly and enthusiastically praised her humble, unrelentingly persistent faith as an example of the highest degree of God-confidence: "Great is thy faith" (Matthew 15:28). He gave this compliment to only one other supplicant (8:10).

Therefore, when suddenly thrust into a terrible life-and-death crisis, the Jerusalem church remembered that Jesus had not only taught, but also responded to, importunate faith. Their response was one we should adopt when in similar tests. Let's examine it.

They were simple, not turning to complicated procedures to obtain Peter's rescue. They were spiritual, not relying on fleshly, or human, reason or physical strength to plot his release. They were scriptural, choosing to follow Jesus' inspired teaching and divine example noted above, knowing they were inerrant and infallible. They were fervent, or not half-hearted but burning and glowing with steady, strong desire. And they were determined, adamant that they would not stop praying until God, whose nature and ways they had seen in Jesus, gave them their answer - which they also knew was His will (since Peter was not yet "old," as Jesus prophesied he would be when martyred; see John 21:18).

Their simple, spiritual, scriptural, fervent, importunate intercession not only "worked," it worked wonders - miracles so great those witnessing them are left in awestruck wonder at what God has done! Seven wonders, to be precise. (See Acts 12:6-10.)

First, an angel visited Peter - and, while still in this world, Peter was privileged to see and converse with this guest from another world. Second, a supernatural light - God's own glory-light in which the angel had been immersed and from whom it glowed - shined in Peter's pitch-black-dark prison cell. Third, Peter's chains - thick, heavy, unbreakably strong iron chains, shackles, and fetters - fell off without being touched by human hands.

Fourth, Peter's angelic visitor guided him out of the prison, thus, he, a mortal, earthly being, experienced the personal, visible guidance of an immortal, heavenly being. Fifth, Peter and the angel successfully passed by the "first" guard, one of Herod's highly trained top-security officers, and the securely locked, heavy gate beside which he slept, something only possible if the guard's sleep was supernaturally deep.

Sixth, they did the same thing again, this time passing the "second" guard, who was also in the grip of a divinely induced, deep slumber. Seventh, and more wonderful than any of these other miracles, the thick, heavy, mob-proof "iron gate" leading to the city "opened ... of its own accord," or without being touched by human hands! Then the church's much-desired prayer request manifested: out came Peter, a free man, refreshed, reinspired, and ready to finish running the course of apostolic ministry Christ set before him!

Thus, in the end, Herod's earthly security failed and the church's heavenly importunity prevailed. The lesson for us?

This is how we must learn to respond to every need, problem, and crisis. Our planning churches must now become praying churches. Instead of planning our way through problems in human wisdom alone, we must now pray our way through, so we can see God's wise ways of escape - the wonders of importunity - manifested before our awestruck eyes.

Following the example of the Jerusalem church, we must be simple - not following complicated human methods and strategies however popular or successful they are for others. We must be spiritual - depending on the superior power, abilities, and wisdom of the all-knowing, all-powerful, ever-present Holy Spirit. We must be scriptural - following Jesus' biblical teachings and examples regarding persisting prayer. We must be fervent - stirring our impatient, easily discouraged, human spirits to pray with a new hunger and inwardly focused, burning intensity. We must be determined - absolutely, immovably fixed on obtaining what we need, because Jesus said, "Men ought always to pray, and not to faint" (Luke 18:1); and also, because we know what we are asking is God's will and He always responds to His will (see 1 John 5:14-15). This is Christian importunity - persistent prayer to the point of annoyance.

But to our heavenly Father, our importunity is a delight, not an annoyance! He loves to have His children come before His throne in private prayers, and in prayer meetings, such as we see at Mary's house (Acts 12:5, 12). And while He intentionally uses delays to stretch and strengthen our enduring faith, He will never fail to respond in His time and way to any of our petitions made according in His will.

Now that we have identified and pondered the seven wonders God gave the persisting intercessors of the Jerusalem church, one question remains. How many wonders will our importunity birth? For our delight? For Christ's kingdom's growth? For His glory? For the compassion deliverance of the oppressed?

George Mueller's decades of importunity brought thousands of wonders into this world - orphanages, missionaries, Bible distributions, Christian schools, and a twenty-two year worldwide speaking ministry! The intercessors hidden in the basement of Charles Spurgeon's Metropolitan Tabernacle birthed countless, visible wonders in the sanctuary above, as Spurgeon preached the Word, the Spirit convicted sinners and saints, and thousands were born again and thousands more challenged to live wholly sanctified lives. Why?

For one reason: "Prayer was made without ceasing by the church!" So, my friend, pray without ceasing until you behold the wonders of importunity!

Praying persistently,

Greg Hinnant
Greg Hinnant Ministries